Business Tao with George Kao

When I first started, I thought business ownership meant complete freedom to wake up whenever and work however I pleased. But here's the truth: successful businesses require the same dedication as professional artists or athletes. You need to create your own structure, follow your schedule religiously, and understand that skill development takes time. Just like you can't expect to run a marathon after one day of training, you can't expect immediate business success. It's about consistent practice and accepting that lag time between starting and seeing results.If you’re interested in working with a group, I run a membership community of joyfully productive business "athletes" :) called JoyPro: https://www.georgekao.com/joypro This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit georgekao.substack.com

Despite the abundance of free information and the rise of AI, I still believe that creators will be able to make a good living selling their own courses -- because you have a unique human presence and nuanced insights about your field... This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit georgekao.substack.com

As creators, we aren't the best judge of their own work... our time, energy, and emotional investment often cloud our objectivity. Let's continually practice creating with a light touch……detaching from expectations of outcome. Just like the vital rhythms of the body and nature, our business needs our reliable rhythms of creation... This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit georgekao.substack.com

Consider this:Your audience will grow far beyond the people you currently know.Your network right now is tiny, compared to your eventual (big) audience. Your current people might not even be a good representation of your true fans!So don’t make your content in fear of the judgment of your existing colleagues, friends, fans, or family. They are not your true audience.Create only for your future true fans. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit georgekao.substack.com

You are already ready to put your work out there. Because your ideal clients benefit the most from how you are now, before you get too far ahead of them... This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit georgekao.substack.com

If you've been wrestling with the idea of making money doing what you love, you're not alone. It's common to feel a painful gap between where you are and that dream of abundance, especially as a soulpreneur seeking an authentic business. The practical steps can often feel like a drag…I encourage you to make this shift in perspective -- to see things like marketing, content creation, and even selling, not as chores, but as opportunities to practice love. Love for yourself, for nurturing your creativity, and love for your (future) audience, by truly serving them. It's a journey of finding joy in the process, even when it's hard, and remembering that every step can be a step closer to alignment with your heart.Read the post: https://www.threads.net/@geokao/post/C9STUNYucf8 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit georgekao.substack.com

How to sustain one's social media presence? I view it as an opportunity to be as authentic as possible -- much like you would with a trusted friend. I don't worry about keeping up appearances. Instead, I focus on being myself, knowing that the right audience will appreciate me for who I am, flaws and all. This approach has allowed me to consistently engage on social media since 2009. While it may not attract everyone, it helps the algorithm find those who truly resonate with my energy, leading to more meaningful connections over time. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit georgekao.substack.com

This video/episode shares my best advice to date about creating consistently and authentically...See the resource links I mentioned here:https://georgekao.substack.com/p/my-top-advice-for-creating-consistently This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit georgekao.substack.com

Let me know your thoughts below... This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit georgekao.substack.com

Do you ever feel like you’re bothering people, when you post your content?One of my students wrote:“Consistency of communication is my goal. To hold myself more accountable to this and get over the problem I have with feeling that I am bothering people by sending them content via email or other means, even if they have signed up for my list!!”Maybe you can relate. I appreciate your sensitivity! It means you’re being thoughtful and courteous about other people’s time and attention.And yet, it’s important to understand that you have any kind of audience (even if it’s just a few Facebook friends) because they actually want to hear from you... This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit georgekao.substack.com