I work with artists (artist = anyone making their work – writers, painters, makers, coders) who are amazing when it comes to following their own path with their art. They're not worried about fitting in or being weird. They do their own thing, wear what they want, and infuse their entire life with their personality.

And yet…
They don't think their go your own way mentality applies to their business. Or, they don't realize that they're comparing their business model, offerings, and success to someone else's. They try to fit themselves into a model that worked for another artist. They see a tool working for someone else and when they apply it to their own and hate it, they think something is wrong with them.  Although they would never, never tell themselves they have to have a  9-5 or wear a suit to be a real adult, they regularly tell themselves they have to be on Twitter, or blog, or {fill in the blank} in order to have a real business. 

I do this too! I see someone using a tool to connect with a rapt audience, and I think: Oh no! I'm doing it wrong! …and I feel bad about that.

But darlings, we have to remember: There is no One Way to have a business.

There are a zillion ways to build a business. There are a trillion tools, a million ideas, a hobjillion paths. Your job is the find what works for you. Because when you force yourself into something that isn't you, your business becomes awkward and clunky.  You'll feel guilty, exhausted and icky and your work will suffer.

And yet, just knowing this, doesn't seem to get those other people out of our heads. It doesn't stop us from looking at what other people are doing and thinking, I should totally be doing that. 

So let's shake up these assumptions, eh? Let's break the hold they have over us and bring them into the sunlight.

What are you judging yourself for not doing? 

List all the things you see other people doing (well) that you wish you were doing. 

(Really! Take out your notebook and make a list!)

Now let's learn from this + stop flogging ourselves!

This list is a reflection of  your perception of what a successful business does. It's not reality. Yes, the things on your list worked for someone, but not for everyone. 

But this list is also a great learning tool. Every thing that you think you should be doing is a clue into what you desire. Instead of focusing on what you're not doing, let's use it to learn more about you, how you work, and what you value.

Do you see any similarities between things on the list?
Perhaps you've listed a bunch of social media tools, or a bunch of in-person events.

What do you think these things would bring into your life or business? 
Make a list of the qualities or experiences you think you'd have more of…connection? confidence? encouragement?

Now, look at this second list – is your business lacking those qualities? What do you want more of? 

This is your new to-do list!

Instead of focusing on the specific tools and models, focus on these qualities. Find a new way to bring it into your work. 

Need help? Leave a comment and I'll help you brainstorm some other ways to bring your list into your business!

Want more you  in your business?

These questions are the kind of exercises you'll find inside the Starship! Beam up here to get more! 

Put on your party hat and press play on the playlist – The Starship is now boarding new captains!

This happens just four times a year, and only lasts about a week (we're already half full, so I'll close the transporter after another 5 cadets). If you've been hanging around here for a while and would like to see what it's all about, go here.
(If you'd like to be reminded before it closes, you can sign up here.)

Today I want to celebrate the Boarding Party by sharing what The Starship is really great at. You see, The Starship is not just me.  It's a whole community of clever, hilarious business explorers who show up for you – they answer your questions, cheer you on, and celebrate (and tweet) your newest products. I am quite surprised by what The Starship has become in it's 2+ years, it's entirely different than what I expected.

Honestly, The Starship can be hard to talk about. For starters, it's not what I expected. It's more communal and far more encouraging than I could have planned. But it's also that, just like you, talking about how amazing my thing is feels weird. I'd rather you just experience it and then tell me how much you love it. I'd rather not have the spotlight on me, I'd rather highlight what you are doing . And the last reason that it's hard to talk about is that the success of the Captains is entirely their own. Yes, The Starship helps you get where you want to go…but you have to do the work. You have to implement (and reiterate). So I never want to claim the successes without first celebrating the person who did all the work!

But! Every week I challenge the Starship Captains to get really clear about what makes their thing special, and then share it with the people who will love it. I'm finally taking my own challenge and experimenting with being really bold in declaring: This is what we do well (and this why you'll love it).

The Starship…

reminds you of your successes. I think of The Starship (and my role in it) as a vessel of celebration (pun intended!). It holds our joys and our challenges and, when we need it most it, The Starship reminds us of what we're capable of.

shares expertise. Whether you're writing a press release or looking for the right platform for your next product, we've got members that have done everything from knitwear design to Public Relations, from self-publishing to traditional publishing. If you've got a question, we've either got the answer, or can find a resource that does.

equips you to reach your goals. Whether your goal is about your income, your direction, or the way you work – we have a library full of tools to help you first get clear on your goal, and then work towards it. The most important thing is that you're going where you want to go, not just where you think you should go.

holds you gently accountable. Once you've got your destination, we check in regularly to make sure you're moving towards it. But this isn't imposing or judging – you let us know what you want to accomplish in the next week, and then you show up to let us know if you did it or not. If you've met or exceeded your plan, we throw confetti and celebrate. If you've fallen short and are feeling bad, we encourage you. We remind you of your past successes.

If this sounds wonderfully appealing, you can read more about The Starship (and join!) here.

Your turn!

Make a list for your own product or service. What does it really do for the buyer? And then share it with the people who will love it!

This morning I was delighted to open my email and read the following declaration from new Starship Cadet, D. Frost. With her permission, I share it here, in hopes that it inspires you to declare what you really want, in your business and life:

I declare my independence from the thoughts that weigh me down.

I am free to love myself & honor what I feel is true & good.

Today I'm sharing the secret to STOP comparing your business to other people's, over at Leonie's.

“Five years ago there were two businesses, led by golden-haired maidens – one a painter, one a yarn-maker and explorer. These two maidens met in an online businessy forum and got to know each other. Over time, their business flourished. They both found themselves helping other women build their own dreams + businesses.

Need more encouragement to stop comparing? Read this:

This week I taught a workshop for Arts Council members in Morganton, NC, on Social Media for Beginners (I shared the lessons I teach in today's Explorer Note, which you can get here). And at least a few times a month someone asks me about Twitter or Facebook and if they should be using it (maybe because of all those Social Media endorsements on LinkedIn?).

Here's the short answer: NO.

No, you do not need social media if…

…you don't have a website or an online shop, where someone can click through and buy your goods.
…you don't have any other part of your customer path. (You can't answer the question, “What action do I want my Right Person to take?”)
…you sell your work in person, at your studio or at craft shows.
…you are so busy with paying work, you don't have time to do anything else.
…you have 0 customers. (Stop worrying about Twitter followers and focus instead on paying customers.)
…you sell wholesale (yes, your buyers may be on Twitter, but I bet they're there to interact with their customers, not their vendors).
…you just aren't interested.
…you haven't clarified your business objectives. (You can't answer the question: “Why am I using this?“)

Social media is not the solution to your business problem.

It is not going to quickly improve anything (in fact, it's going to take time to build an audience, time that might be better spent on building a community of buyers.)

Social media is a tool. Like a hammer is a tool. If your problem is “I need more art on my walls”, a hammer can help make that happen…but you also need to buy and frame art. The tool isn't going to do that for you. And if you have a leaky sink, the hammer won't help.
Don't get me wrong, I loooove the community I've built via social media. I had the courage to quit my job, cheered (in real time) by friends on Twitter. Instagram is my favorite. I'm warming to Facebook. I keep track of recipes on Pinterest. I wrote an entire chapter about using online tools effectively.

But no matter how much I love it: it might not be for you, right now.

You might benefit more from spending your time building relationships with customers, finding new customers, or showing up in person.

So, darling, this is a giant Permission Slip – If you do not want to jump on the newest (or oldest!) social media tool, you do not need to. Your business does not require it. You are building a business to live in, for years to come, so make it a comfortable one!

This week I've worked individually with an author launching a new book, an artist trying to find motivation, a knitwear designer launching a new pattern book, and a writer creating her next online course. Due to this pesky time-space continuum, I'm closing the loading docks on new solo-sessions in about a week. If you want to talk about your social media strategy (or your book launch strategy), you can buy it now and schedule it any time in the next 6 months. (I'm booked through September and most of October, I have about 3 spots left in 2013.) I'm not sure if I'll ever open these up again, except for Starship members, so I wanted to warn you!

Oh, I know you know it. That worry that you have to know what exactly you're doing, before you do it (especially something you that you care about sooo much, like selling your handmade goodness or your writing). You have to know what your Thing is.  This worry can be compounded by people (like me!) telling me that you need to focus in on your you-ness, in order to stand out.

But wait! Before you fall down the spiral of I-need-to-figure-it-all-out – be of good cheer! As I point out in the book, you figure out what makes your work special… by making your work!

Yep, you don't have to know before you get going!

You don't have to know where you'll end up or even what you'll sell or where you'll sell it.
You start by creating what you really want to create.
And then you make a bunch more.
And then, if you really want to, you start putting it into the world.

“Purpose is attracted to motion. Purpose is attracted to momentum.”

-Jon Acuff, Start

This is exactly what I mean by “explore” – you start moving before you know everything.

Because you will learn the terrain as you adventure. You will learn what makes your product special by making them. You will learn who your people are by offering your work, and then talking to who's there.

I think of it like an episode of Castle (or Bones, or The Closer). You often meet the Answer in the beginning of the episode…but you don't know it yet! You have to try things, follow leads, interview suspects, uncover more and more of the story…until you realize it was the First Guy all along! Maybe your purpose is floating around your life right now. It's probably something you're already doing.
But you're not going to identify it until you do some legwork. Until you start exploring.

So get out there and explore!

What are you exploring?

Share your story with the Party, or join us for a group exploration!