Weekly-ish notes on navigating big change

Month: December 2015

7 principles to have your best year ever

If you want to go beyond overwhelm, and actually feel GREAT in your New Year, and actually create a business you’ll love, let's talk about the 7 principles of a great business, that you'll love. Apply these 7 principles to your business and you'll have an amazing 2016. More on TaraSwiger.com

Lift Off closes TODAY! Click here to read more and join!

How are you doing? How do you feel about the last year in your business?
Do you feel energized and enthusiastic? Do you feel clear-eyed and action-oriented?
Or are you frustrated? Stuck? Overwhelmed by all the things you *should* be doing in your business?

 

If you're not feeling awesome about where your business is, I want to help.We talked about the three kinds of Overwhelm in Episode 85, and I shared some tips for dealing with the different kinds of overwhelm.

But if you want to go beyond overwhelm, and actually feel GREAT in your New Year, and actually create a business you’ll love, let's talk about the 7 principles of a great business, that you'll love. Apply these 7 principles to your business and you'll have an amazing 2016.

Resources:

How to listen

Find all the podcast episodes here.

Why you should follow your next crazy idea: my story

yourcrazyidea

One year ago, I had a crazy idea.

I'm going to share the story with you today, in hopes that it will inspire you to follow your own crazy ideas.

*cue flashback music*

I had spent the day working with clients, answering questions in the Starship, and replying to listeners questions via email. I told my husband, “I feel like everyone has the same questions, and they are all about the same 3-4 things. If they worked through just those things, and found the answers for their own business, they'd be able to answer 90% of their own conundrums. Then they could use something like the Starship or a business mentor to figure out the super-personalized stuff.

It's just so ineffective to talk about this foundational stuff in a personal session. Stuff like, your profit math, finding your right person, how you're using your time. It's vital stuff, but not personalized. I mean, I can ask you 5 questions and YOU come up with the answers, based on your biz.

If people could get a handle on these few things, that would make them feel a zillion times better about their business and prepare them to deal with nearly everything they're ever going to need to do in their business.”

And he said, “Ok, so…you should teach that.”

Well, I kinda already do. I have Pay Yourself, Map Making, Market Yourself….the problem is people jump into, say, marketing, before they know if they're profitable. And it's pretty detrimental to start selling MORE work if you don't even know it'll make more money. And if you do any of it before you know where you wanna go, you're going to go in circles.

And he said, “So put it together, in order. You could do that, right? You've got the technology?”

….I guess…I could figure it out… (This is the start of any business idea. You just decide to see if you could figure it out.)

So I did.

Last December I launched Lift Off, which is 6 months of weekly business lessons, delivered to your inbox.

The lessons walk you through the foundations of your business, in an order that makes sense. You get clear on your Vision and Mission, set goals, get profitable, start sharing your work, and create your own best time management system. It's not (just) facts, it's built on (your) action. You find YOUR goals, YOUR profit margins, YOUR Right People, YOUR most effective workday.

Over the last year, I have been DELIGHTED by the impact Lift Off has had in creative businesses:

I have been following the Lift Off emails and have been doing the homeworks. I wanted to let you know, I have been learning and practicing what you have been teaching, at my pace and it's helping me a lot!  It's great to have this guidance, it helps to confirm some things I already knew, but wasn't sure if they were right or wrong for my business. It feels like walking the path and seeing the sun coming up on the horizon….because I am already having good results!
-Rossana Aponte

“I was completely scattered. I was being pulled into 50 million (or so it seemed) directions because everyone out there had a thing “I should be doing.” Lift Off made me realize, through consistent well thought out weekly lessons, that it’s OK to do what I want to be doing, and to start to form a plan to get my business to be what I want it to be and to do only the things that work for me. And it is working!”
-Karen Whooley

Spending some time this morning on TSLiftOff. It just started and it's already making me feel better about my business!”
-Jen Lucas, on Twitter

Took me a few hours to realize I already have the tools to de-stress, regroup & reorganize around my work thanks to #TSLiftOff!”
-Jennifer Lindroos, on Twitter

(Check out other tweets from the course here and Instagram photos here)

 

Lift Off is open again, right here: http://tarasiwger.com/lift
It closes tomorrow at 7pm EST.

 

If you would like to make 2016 the year of your business, the year when you are profitable (and know it!), the year when you not only decide on your direction and goals, but go boldly towards them, then be sure to join Lift Off, before it closes.

 

3 creative biz lessons I learned in 2015

One of the best ways to build a business is to pay attention to learning the lessons of your own business. If you're in one of my programs or you follow me on Periscope, you know that I'm an evangelist for reviewing your month, and your year, to see what you've learned, and how you can apply that your next adventure or goal. This is how you ensure that you are regularly moving forward and getting better and better at doing your particular kind of awesome In this episode, I share what I've learned this year in my business and in to the businesses I've worked with.

One of the best ways to build a business is to pay attention to learning the lessons of your own business. If you're in one of my programs or you follow me on Periscope, you know that I'm an evangelist for  reviewing your month, and your year, to see what you've learned, and how you can apply that your next adventure or goal. This is how you ensure that you are regularly moving forward and getting better and better at doing your particular kind of awesome

In this episode, I share what I've learned this year in my business and in to the businesses I've worked with. But before I get to that, I want to let you know about something time-sensitive: My two biggest programs, Lift Off and the Starship are now open and they'll close December 23rd.

Links:

How to listen

  • You can subscribe to it on iTunes (If you do, leave a review!)
  • You can listen to it using the player above or download it.
  • Subscribe or listen via Stitcher (or subscribe in whatever you use for podcasts – just search “Explore Your Enthusiasm” and it should pop up!).

Find all the podcast episodes here.

 

 

All aboard! Lift Off is open.

liftoffpinterest

Yaaay! It's the MOST wonderful time of the year

Lift Off is now open and boarding! If you want to have the best year in your biz, join us here!


Lift Off is 
26 weeks of creative biz lessons that guide you through building the foundations of your business. The classes include

  1. Chart Your Stars – In this business-shaping, week-long course, get oriented in where you are now, and where you wanna go. Get clear about your big vision for your business and the North Stars that will guide your adventure.
  2. Map Making – Set a goal for the next three months and then make a map to get you there. (You’ll do this twice!)
  3. Pricing 101 – In this 2-day course, do the math on your actual products and make sure your price is in alignment with what you need.
  4. Pay Yourself – In this 4-week course, get clear about the entire money picture of your business. Discover your own Break-Even Point, where you’re most profitable, and exactly what you’ll need to do to reach your own profit goals.
  5. Market Yourself – You will get a signed, printed copy of my book, mailed right to your house. The accompanying email lessons will help you discover:
    1. Your message
    2. Your people
    3. The tools you’ll use to reach your people
    4. At the end of this course, you’ll create your own marketing plan, to start using right away.
  6. Wrangle Your Time – Learn when you work best, and develop your own system for being as productive (and creative) as you can be.
“I have been following the Lift Off emails and have been doing the homework.  I wanted to let you know, I have been learning and practicing what you have been teaching, at my pace and it's helping me a lot!  It's great to have this guidance, it helps to confirm some things I already knew, but wasn't sure if they were right or wrong for my business. It feels like walking the path and seeing the sun coming up on the horizon….because I am already having good results!”
-Rossana Aponte

 

The lessons include:

  • Audio and video lessons with full transcripts – emailed directly to you.
  • Over a two dozen worksheets to apply what you're learning directly to your own business.
  • Monthly, live group coaching calls with me (ask your questions and get them answered).

Lift Off closes on December 23rd and  won't open again until June. 

“My business has had a pricing revolution that started last year – a few months before I joined the Starship and continued in earnest when I took your Pricing class.  Not only did my business become profitable because of the new pricing, But, I started some new lines that were extensions of my existing popular lines (just like you suggest!). These lines have also become popular and added to the profitability of my business. Thank you!”

– Belinda, Belinda Lee Designs

What I’m reading: December 2015

follow my enthusiasm by reading…a lot. And once a month, I share (some of) the books I read last month and the books I intend to read this month. You can join the informal book club by sharing your own list in the comments and find all the posts here.

 

What I'm reading in December 2015

What I read

  • The Big Leap, by Gay Hendricks – Oh, this book! It had been on my list forever, but when a Starship Captain started a discussion about “Upper Limit Problems”, I decided to finally read it. I'm so glad I did. If your business is growing but you feel like you struggle to keep up, or you're holding it back, read this!
  • The Little Spark, by Carrie Bloomston – Perfect for re-sparking your flagging enthusiasm or creativity.
  • The Ultimate Webinar Marketing Guide, by Lewis Howes – Read this in preparation for today's webinar.
  • The Uncommon Reader, by Alan Bennet – I saw this slim novella at my library and picked up. So glad I did – it resulted in a very happy afternoon of reading.

What I’m reading

 

What I read last December
And the December before that

What are you reading?

 

 

The biggest challenge your creative business faces

Overwhelm. In this episode we discuss: The 3 kinds of overwhelm (which are you suffering from?), Solutions for each kind of Overwhelm, Learn to Defeat Overwhelm in this week's free Webinar. Listen to the episode at TaraSwiger.com/podcast85/

Overwhelm.

In this episode we discuss:

  • The 3 kinds of overwhelm (which are you suffering from?)
  • Solutions for each kind of Overwhelm
  • Learn to Defeat Overwhelm in this week's free Webinar. (No longer available!)
  • Get More Done
  • Map Making Guide
  • Evernote

How to listen

Find all the podcast episodes here.

Your Invitation to a free workshop

Join me on Friday, December 11 at 1pm EST for a FREE live online workshop on how to Defeat Overwhelm in your creative business and get your most important work done. Learn the only 4 things you need to focus on in your biz, and get rid of everything else that overwhelms you. Learn more at TaraSwiger.com/defeatoverwhelm

This Friday, at 1pm (EDT), I’m holding a live webinar (online video class) – for free! Usually these online workshops start at $99, but this one is entirely free.

Register for the webinar here.

In this hour-long workshop, you’ll learn:

  • How to avoid overwhelm in your creative business
  • The only 4 things that need your focus in your business
  • How to build the foundations of your business, no matter how new (or old!) it is.

You see, I talk to creatives every day who are just completely overwhelmed. They don’t know if they should do X or Y. They don’t know where to spend their time and energy. They don’t know what will make a difference.

And this breaks my heart. Because I know what leads to growth in a small business: Focused, consistent action. But you can’t take focused, consistent action until you decide what action to take, and then really commit your focus to it. But if you’re overwhelmed and unsure, you’re hesitant to really commit to one action. So you do a whole bunch of stuff, all over the place, and then feel frustrated that you don’t see results from anything.

If this is what you’re struggling with, please join me for this webinar, on December 11th. To join in (and ask me any of your questions!), register here. 

Invite your friends and take it together to hold each other accountable: 

 

defeatoverwhelm

How to get traction in your creative business

How do you get traction in your creative business? How do you start making consistent sales? And what if you haven't yet and feel dejected? In this episode, I'll share 4 keys for gaining traction, connecting with customers, and making regular sales. On TaraSwiger.com

How do you get traction in your creative business? How do you start making consistent sales? And what if you haven't yet and feel dejected? 

In this episode, I'll share 4 keys for gaining traction, connecting with customers, and making regular sales.

 Links mentioned:

How to listen

  • You can subscribe to it on iTunes (If you do, leave a review!)
  • You can listen to it using the player above or download it.
  • Subscribe or listen via Stitcher (or subscribe in whatever you use for podcasts – just search “Explore Your Enthusiasm” and it should pop up!).

Find all the podcast episodes here.

The Definitive Holiday Survival Guide for Creative Businesses

A guide to everything I've written on how to balance life, work, + family during the holidays. On TaraSwiger.com

 

Over the last six years of leading Holiday Sanity (now only available aboard the Starship or Lift Off), I’ve written quite a bit on surviving – even thriving – during the holiday season. With the beginning of the season, I wanted to share a bit of what works for me.

If you're spending the holiday season planning for the new year, be sure to sign up here to learn more about my program that will guide you to the best year ever in your biz!

As we leap into Hanukkah, Solstice and Christmas, I hope this collection saves a bit of your own sanity.

Need to take an extended leave from your biz? Check out my course with Stacey Trock of FreshStitches: Take a Break (without breaking your biz!)

On other sites:

I gather all my favorite sanity-saving posts on this Pinterest board (new articles are added all the time!).