Instagram & Small Business

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I signed up for Instagram because a client of mine wanted it on their website so I figured I’d better check it out. My intention was to use it strictly for business.

ALL BUSINESS ALL THE TIME.

Here’s the thing.

I can’t do that.

Truly, I can’t. And I totally understand why as a small business owner you might be overwhelmed to think HOW am I going to come up with content for that every day without it being a total YAWN? How many images of my product can people take?

I’m with ya. 100%

No thanks.

So I stuggled with that. I locked up my account for a while because I was posting a lot of pictures of my son…which is so unprofessional…right?

Screw that definition of professional.

That may work for some, but not all. And certainly not me if that’s the box I have to be in.

I opened it back up, still feeling like “I wasn’t doing Instagram right”.

Then I started to really think about what I love seeing from other small business (and even big business!) people.  I like seeing their work, their space, their behind the scenes and I love, love, LOVE seeing what they are doing in the community! It makes me feel connected to them. And that’s how I do business.

If you’re struggling with Instagram as a small business owner, here’s what I like to see on there, for what it’s worth…

You…your people…enjoying this community, exploring this city, this province. It makes me interested in you and truthfully inspires me to get out and try different things, to visit businesses I haven’t, and to share with others so they can do the same.

Think of the repercussions of that...if we were all advertising for our city? Click To Tweet

Win win.

Now, go post what you ate today and tag me in it 😉

 

Follow Unlimited BS on Instagram

Just Start

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How many times have you procrastinated on just starting that thing?

Starting that business you love.

Starting that conversation.

Starting that design.

Starting to grow your business because the start feels overwhelming.

OVERWHELMING.

DAUNTING.

EFFING IMPOSSIBLE.

So here it is…my huge, life altering solution.

JUST $#@! START YOU GUYS!

lol…yes, it’s truly that simple and yet that seemingly hard.

Want to start blogging? Trust me, I KNOW the mental block, the freak-out-ed-ness (new word) of putting your thoughts out there. But you’ll find your audience, it won’t happen immediately, but you will. A new trick I’ve picked up in this marketing blog (I wish I could remember where or I’d credit it!)..set the timer for 6 minutes. Not 5. Not 7. Six. Six minutes to just write shit. You have 6 minutes and you don’t need to schedule in or prep yourself for 6 minutes. If you think you do need to schedule in a 6 minute block…check yourself.

It works. You’ll be surprised. Just write…whatever is in your head. It’ll be random and messy.

JUST START.

Thinking about collaborating with a business? Send that email. Stop thinking about it, START.

Thinking about starting to tell the world about  your new venture but are afraid? Why? Worried people won’t share your excitement?

JUST START.

Send that first tweet. Write that first facebook post. Don’t wait. Don’t wait until everything is perfect. Until the stars align, until the laundry is done (p.s. the laundry is NEVER done).

START NOW.

And lastly…if you are needing a new, FRESH, packed with your energy, website?

JUST START 😉

START BUTTON

Eff the Shame

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What am I all about these days?

Staying jacked up. Staying excited about my work, my life.

I magically ended up at this random website that is based halfway across the world, more than once. That’s got to be a sign right? So, I signed up for some work to get to the heart of what I’m about…which leads also to what my business is about. Because I’ve always said “small business web design” but YAWN. WHY am I small business web design…this I’m getting to the bottom of.

Will discovering WHY you do what you do feel like your “true calling” or some sort of “soulmate” action?

pfffft. I’m going to say no. At least not in my world…but I’m sooo not a romantic so maybe it will for you! (If it does, please don’t tell me or I’ll be jealous)

It WILL however, feel like excitement, like clarity, and maybe even like your insides are dancing. That my friends, is frickin awesome. Who  doesn’t want to feel like that?! I can tell you I most certainly do. It’s a drug…and makes me want more and more to get in tune to how I can live like that…

ALL THE DAMN TIME.

How did I get here? A long road. Like really long, and it punched out a few times along the way with some crippling self doubt. But I’m here now! I’m proud of my business. I’m proud of my ethics. I’m proud of my work and what I do for my Clients.

Sadly there were times I couldn’t say that. Times of shame. Frickin shame you guys, it’s a killer. Shame that I didn’t have the knowledge to build a site from scratch, to code it. Shame that I use pre-made themes to create websites for my Clients. Shame that I never went to college for this or have any certifications in design.

ALL THE FRICKIN SHAME.

Operating from a place of shame is the shits. You can’t be truly confident in your work when your ego is veiled in shame. It makes running your own business mentally exhausting.

And now?

EFF THE SHAME.

Why? Because I’m creating websites that are bang on to my Client’s brands. I feed on their excitement and vibration they have going on when they speak of their business. I’m getting to know them. And there is a REALLY good chance I now consider them friends.

Is that wonky? A weird way to operate a business? Ya…probably. But being weird is not something I’ve ever denied being.

Maybe that’s what makes Unlimited BS different. And maybe, that’s why we should work together 🙂

Starting your own Business – the Reality Edition

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Starting your own business takes balls. Great big ones.

A few weeks ago I was talking with a friend who recently started her own business. About how all consuming it was. That in the beginning it is so hard to juggle it all – workload, marketing, family, friendships, relationships. Odds are you will fail at at least one of those…sometimes you fail at them all.

I don’t think people understand that…that it needs to consume you for a while or you won’t make it. The whole “if you love what you do you will never work a day in your life” quote? ummmmm…..

Bullshit.

Some days your creativity has disappeared, some days your developer won’t get back to you and you feel like your head may explode, some days your cash flow is unpredictable.

Quoting is work.

Invoicing is work.

Maintenance on sites is work.

Chasing after money is work.

Business is work.

Let’s not sugar coat it. There is a ton of awesome about owning your own business, just go in with your eyes wide open. When you feel like WOO HOO no more working for the man I’m the boss…remember you just signed up to have the “boss” on your ass 24/7 rather than 8 hours a day 😉

 

“The secret to happiness is low expectations.” ~ Barry Schwartz

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Sounds pessimistic, but is it?

Today I watched this TED Talk:  The Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz, where he touches on how we have a bazillion choices from choicesRSeverything from salad dressings, to clothing, to cell phones. It’s hard NOT to be frozen when faced with so many choices because either;

a) our expectations are insanely high, or

b) we are going to feel disappointment & second guess what we do end up choosing

True right? Wasn’t it easier when we didn’t have the expectation of perfection? And weren’t we WAY less stressed out? I know I was. A few months ago we were looking for health benefits and the levels of different coverage presented to us made our heads spin. Husband wants to get the BEST and I just want us to not overpay. So what did we go with? Nothing…because it was overwhelming and seemed like we’d make the wrong choice. Give us 2 options? Easy peasy and less likely we’d put it off.

“The more options there are, the easier it is to regret anything at all that is disappointing about the option that you chose.”

Just under 20 minutes…grab a coffee and watch it. He’s entertaining too.

 

Authentic

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This quote was in my email this morning and I love it.

Companies, like people, should never change who they are so others will like them; they should find those who like them for who they already are. ~ Simon Sinek

It is so in line with the conversations I’ve had the past couple days with Clients, and with friends. You don’t need to put on an act, or be who you aren’t to gain business. Just be authentic. People see through bullshit. Maybe not immediately…but eventually.

I think there is a lot of pressure to be something out-of-the-box, stand out, shock factor, huge, over the top and attention getting.

I’m over it. In my head, out of the box is the new in the box with the lid taped neatly shut.

Don’t try so hard. Be you.

Best Day in the History of the World

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Don’t get all judgy…yes, the birth of my child and my wedding day all come first.

There..now on with my post 😀

November 1st was a total wicked day for me. Despite the fact it started before 8am. Red Deer launched Social Media Breakfast which is a networking group that meets once a month over breakfast. Read more

Veteran Voices of Canada

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Ok…I know I ALWAYS get giddy about my new projects. Cilantro & Chive…my first paying gig & a new restaurant!…Yummy Custom Cakes…because, HELLO, it’s cupcakes and I got to do pink website!…Certified Tax & Accounting because she let me go outside a boring old accounting website like every accounting firm has and be unique….Farion Acoustical Architecture Inc. because I was intrigued by his work…guy did a study on reducing the noise in hockey arenas when the puck hits the boards, who’d have thought people do this kind of work?…Work&Life/Balanced because it was a clean site (my favourite kind!) and Keri was the most easy going client EVER!…and my 4 other sites in the wings that I can’t talk about yet. Each exciting for totally different reasons.
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Builds Character or Puts Hair on your Chest or Something

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I worked at Willy’s Hamburgers out on Gasoline Alley for 2 years. I always felt somewhat demeaned by that. I was in my 20s and working in a fast food restaurant.

I busted my ass at that job. Seriously. It would be crazy busy there in the summer and you were literally ran off your feet for 8-10 hours a day. Ya it was a fast food joint, but I liked the “regulars” that came in for breakfast every morning, the really rammy miserable dude that treated me like crap until I stood up to him and he smiled like I FINALLY got it, and my co-workers… Except for that chick who used to make up totally off-the-wall bs stories about horses eating at the table and stuff. She was too odd, even for me.

I’m always super defensive when someone makes a rude remark about a fast food worker or disrespects them because you know what? My bet is that some of them bust their ass at their job 10 times more than you do at yours.

So be nice, your choice of work is no better than the next guy’s.