<![CDATA[New Morning Coaching LLC - Blog Feed]]>Sun, 22 Mar 2026 09:09:36 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Is Canva Pro Worth the Cost?]]>Thu, 29 Sep 2022 11:30:00 GMThttps://www.newmorningcoaching.com/blog-feed/is-canva-pro-worth-the-cost​You’ve probably heard about Canva, the Australian graphic design platform launched in 2013 that helps you create social media graphics, marketing materials, and other visuals. You probably have even played around with their free plan and created social media posts and other visuals for your small business. But you might be wondering if the Canva Pro subscription is worth the annual fee of $119.99. Here’s 5 pros and cons to weigh when considering Canva Pro as a tool for your business. 
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​For this blog post, I’m focusing on the premium features of Canva Pro. I’m assuming you’re already familiar with Canva’s free plan. You already know it’s an easy to use website that helps you create social media graphics and other visuals in mere minutes without Photoshop or a graphic design background. 

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s get into the premium features with Canva Pro. 
Canva is not a sponsor of this blog post, I honestly do love using it. This post may include affiliate links in which we earn a small commission without any additional cost to you. All opinions are our own. 

#1 Pro: Save Your Brand Kit
Con: Brand Kit Is Limited To Logos, Colors, and 3 Fonts

​One of my favorite and most used tools of Canva Pro is the Brand Kits. A brand kit is a set of brand elements that are saved and easily accessed when creating new content. This makes it easy to keep all your content on brand. The downside here is that the brand kit on Canva is limited to logos, colors, and 3 fonts. I really wish you could add just one more font to your brand kits! The upside is that you can have unlimited brand kits. I have one for each of my businesses all under the same Canva Pro account. Canva Pro also makes it super easy to switch between brand kits. 

#2 Pro: 100+ Million Premium Stock Images and Graphics
Con: Unsplash Is Free

​This feature is the one that got me to sign up for Canva Pro in the first place. I was paying ($10!!) for individual elements to use in my business. I quickly realized I would save a ton of money if I upgraded to Canva Pro. But if you’re using Canva Pro just for the premium stock images, know that they are pulling from Unsplash which is actually free to use. You could go to Unsplash, download your own stock images and import to Canva for free. I like that I get the premium graphic elements plus the stock image process is streamlined for me. 

#3 Pro: Social Media Content Scheduler
​Con: Designs Become Uneditable 

​One of Canva’s newer features is the Content Scheduler. Canva Pro allows you to schedule your content to 8 different platforms including Pinterest and Facebook without ever leaving Canva. The major downside of this feature is that once you schedule your design it becomes uneditable. I will often batch create a bunch of Instagram posts by creating one design, copying the first page to a new page and tweaking the design. So, I’ll have 10-20 “designs” (pages) all within the same document. If I schedule the first page using the Canva scheduler, all my other pages become uneditable and I cannot schedule them. So mostly I still use the social platforms native schedulers (i.e. Meta Business) instead of using this “Premium” feature. Since this feature is a newer element, I suspect (and greatly hope) that it will only get better with time. 

#4 Pro: Background Remover Tool
Con: Other Free Apps

​Another one of my favorite tools Canva Pro offers is the background remover tool. With just a click or two you can remove the background of any picture – yours or a stock image. It’s actually one of the top underutilized tools I mentioned in this blog post. The only Con I can think of here is that there are other tools that do just this for free, but they usually have ads and that means an additional step. 

#5 Pro: It's Way Cheaper Than Adobe's Photoshop or InDesign
​Con: It Doesn't Do Everything

​If you are creating social media graphics, you’re going to need some sort of editor. Adobe’s Photoshop or InDesign, while super popular, both run at $35.99/month or $84.99/month for the Creative Suite. Granted, Canva is not as robust as Adobe’s Photoshop or InDesign, but for what most small business owners use it for, it’s the perfect package. At $119.99/year for Canva Pro– you’re saving over $300! And that’s not all, read on to see how you can get your first year of Canva Pro for just $48 using my money saving hack! 

Final Verdict

​Canva Pro is just one of those things that make the day-to-day running of my business that much easier. And there’s a few more Pros that I left out, like it’s cloud based so I can access it from anywhere – my phone on the go, my Google Chromebook when I travel, or my desktop in my home office. And the company is constantly improving their service, adding more features and premium elements all the time! AND icing on the cake, I’ve never experienced a website crash or downed service. AND!! When you compare it to Adobe’s pricing, it’s honestly a no brainer. Go get yourself a discounted first year of Canva Pro! 

Canva Pro Money Saving Hack: Get Your First Year of Canva Pro for Just $48!

Step 1. Sign up for Rakuten (formerly Ebates) using my referral link. New users are eligible for $30 cash back after their first purchase of $30 or more! Rakuten will give you cash back whenever you shop online at participating retailers using their link. I’ve earned over $400 cash back just doing my usual online shopping for my personal and business needs. 
Step 2. From Rakuten’s website, look up Canva and click the SHOP NOW button to head to Canva’s website. ​Right now you can earn 35% cash back! 
Step 3. Purchase the YEARLY Canva Pro subscription (for the first time) for $119.99. ​This saves you $36.88 over paying monthly! Cha-ching! 
Step 4. Rakuten will send you $41.99 cash back. ​This is paid by check or through PayPal quarterly. 
Let’s Recap: You buy Canva Pro for $119.99, and you get $30 for a new sign up to Rakuten plus 35% cash back of $41.99. Meaning you’re “paying” just $48 for a whole year of Canva Pro! That’s less than $5 per month! 
​My numbers are correct at the time of posting, but are subject to change at any time. Let me know in the comment section if you know of any changes! 
​Hey! I’m Christine. I’m a small business coach who helps women who are new to business turn their passion into profit. Your first coaching call with me is completely free, and it’s not a sales pitch. Let me help you sift through the mental clutter and come up with a plan that’ll help you turn your passion into a profitable business.
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]]><![CDATA[What Is It Like As A Business Coach? An Interview with Emily A Woodruff]]>Thu, 22 Sep 2022 14:00:00 GMThttps://www.newmorningcoaching.com/blog-feed/what-is-it-like-as-a-business-coach-an-interview-with-emily-a-woodruffA few weeks ago I had the opportunity to be interviewed on the No Mercy Business Podcast with Emily A Woodruff. I was able to share with Emily and her listeners more about myself, my experience, and my role as a business coach. Now I'm sharing the content of that interview here for my loyal blog readers. Here is the transcript from the interview! 
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Editorial note: the transcript has been edited for readability and storytelling 
You can listen to the full podcast episode here.
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Emily A Woodruff: Welcome to the No Mercy Business podcast with Emily A Woodruff, the podcast that walks you through managing your own small business through the highs and the lows. We'll talk with small business owners from all over the U.S. and share insights on how to help manage your business without the extra fluff and connect with other women.

Just like you let's dive in everyone for joining me for another episode of the No Mercy Business  podcast. This is your host, Emily A Woodruff I have today with me, Christine Sandberg. Why don't you go ahead and introduce yourself to our listeners?
Christine Sandberg: ​Hi listeners. As Emily said, my name is Christine Sandberg. I am a small business coach and I'm located in St. Paul, Minnesota. And I've been business coaching since 2018 and last year, I went full time with it after I sold my clothing boutique and I help women specifically start small businesses and turn their passion into a profit. 
Emily A Woodruff: That's awesome. So I'm super excited to dig into that a little bit more since I'm kind of going down the business coaching route too. Um, so I'm interested to hear how you'll respond to some of these. So how did you get involved with coaching? Um, you said that you, you turned over your boutique. How did that come out of, or were they related?

How did you get involved with coaching?

Yeah, so I got started through writing actually. I've always liked writing. I was an English major in college, so I started a blog to kind of share some of the learnings that I was experiencing while I was starting my own business. And so I started a blog and that was entirely business advice focused and that's all it kind of was: just a blog.

But then in 2018, I went to the Business Boutique women's business conference in Nashville, Tennessee. And I really loved the conference and I felt something come alive inside of me. I was like "this is so cool! This is what I wanna do!" I want to inspire women to start their own businesses and encourage them that they can do it.

So I took that seed of an idea and started testing it out. And so I got a handful of women to beta test with me and I just tried it to just see. "Hey, is this helpful to you?" And does this come naturally to me? Is it difficult? Is it hard? Does it drain me? Does it excite me? Yeah, it passed all of those check marks. So the first year I started coaching, I started at a very low introductory rate, just to kind of get my foot in the door and to build up a client base and gain experience. Side note, this hasn't been the only mentoring I've done. I've actually been mentoring women individually, one on one for over 10 years. So in some ways it was just combining these two loves of mine. Two things that I love are mentoring and teaching women and business. So that's how I got started.

Who is your ideal client? 

Emily A Woodruff: ​That's great. So that kind of explains how you found your ideal client and your client base that you work with. Is women in business who are looking to expand their marketing or expand their businesses? Is that what you would say?
Christine Sandberg:  Yeah, definitely that. I say year one to five is where I usually land with my clients or clients who are doing a new business. Sometimes they already have many years of experience in business. I've worked with some clients who have had like 20 years of experience in business, but they wanna try something new and they feel like they're stuck and they just want some help, specifically with marketing and strategy and some of the newer aspects of online business, like marketing funnels and social media; and those kind of things that weren't around 20 years ago. ​
Emily A Woodruff: ​ Sure. That makes sense. Walk me through how you would find or connect with your ideal client. Where do you succeed the most with that? 

Where do you find your clients? 

Christine Sandberg:  Yeah, I found the most success with finding clients through Facebook groups that I actively participate in. Not my own group, yet. That's a work in progress. I've also had some clients reach out to me through word of mouth and through Instagram.
Emily A Woodruff: Awesome. I think we all face the same struggle with our groups. For some reason, it seems like they just don't necessarily gain the traction that we hope for. But it's great that you get it somewhere else. 
Christine Sandberg: I tell people and I tell my clients, honestly, that sometimes I feel like the plumber with the leaky pipes at home. I can tell you what you need to do to succeed on Instagram and Facebook groups and how to put yourself out there and what to focus on and how to respond to comments, et cetera, et cetera. But then when it comes to me actually doing. I struggle sometimes.
Emily A Woodruff: I think that's very common for our line of work. So don't let that discourage you.

How do you juggle all of your responsibilities, while still maintaining your successful business and your home life and everything else you've got going on? 

How do you balance it all? 

Christine Sandberg:  Yeah, I'll be honest. I work on business coaching Full time, Part-time. Okay so, I'm fully committed to it, but I work part-time on it. And then the other hours in my week, I have an Etsy shop that I devote some time to. And I also just enjoy the life balance of taking care of my home and family and gardening and doing those sorts of things. So I'm not someone who's putting out an image where I'm working 60-80 hours a week and bringing in a huge hustle. That's not one of my life values, so that's not something I do.
Emily A Woodruff: Mm-hmm , that's neat. That's great. What do you specialize in for your Etsy shop?  Just for curiosity's sake.

What do you do on Etsy? 

Christine Sandberg:  Yeah. I have a Etsy shop that sells homemade hermit crab food.​
Emily A Woodruff: That is so random, but so great.  I'm sure you have a real niche client base there. Huh?
Christine Sandberg: ​I do. I have been in the hermit crab community almost 10 years now and have had my own pet hermit crabs for many years and have thought for a while of opening up the shop. And I love opening new businesses, I'm addicted to starting new businesses.

So I don't make a ton of money with the hermit crab Etsy shop, but I enjoy it and it allows me to experiment and become more familiar with the Etsy platform, which helps a lot of my clients because Etsy is a great way to start a small business.
Emily A Woodruff: That's neat. Who's someone that's in your market that you would suggest others in your field follow?

Who's someone in your field that you would suggest others to follow? 

Christine Sandberg: That's a great question. So I have three recommendations. And these are all Instagram experts, I know Instagram is a real struggle for a lot of my clients, so that's why I mention it. It's super important to get reliable, solid information, not hacks and click bait, like fluff that doesn't produce fruit. Instagram hacks are not actually beneficial in the long run. So I like these accounts because they cut through the noise. So three of these Instagram accounts, I would highly recommend if you are looking to grow on Instagram are the first one is @creators. This is an official Instagram account and they share kind of the best of Instagram on there. And they'll share some tips for growing an audience, monetization, and other things like that. And then the other one is @mosseri and he is the head of Instagram. And when an Instagram change happens, where a lot of people will like run around with a chicken with their head cut off and be like, "the sky is falling!" he'll just like break it down for you in a really calm and easy to understand way. He'll say things like "Hey, we're not doing this, but we are looking to do this. And here's why." So that's an enjoyable account to follow. And then the last one is Brock Johnson. He's an Instagram coach and he shares a ton of free information on his Instagram account. That's really helpful. So his Instagram is @Brock11Johnson. 
Emily A Woodruff: That's awesome. That's great. I never thought to follow the head of Instagram, but that totally makes sense, seems like they would be able to mitigate some issues, you know?

So what's something important for a new client to ask when they're searching for a business coach? Or what's something that you encounter a lot or something that you kind of look for when a new client reaches out to you?

What's something important for a new client to ask when they're searching for a business coach?

Christine Sandberg: Yeah. So I ask clients what they hope to get out of business coaching, and I want potential clients to be explicit as possible. Like, tell me exactly what you're looking for so that I can be honest with you and tell you if I'm the right coach or not for you.  I think when you're searching for a business coach, you should get a straight answer from whoever you're potentially looking to hire. If they don't answer your questions, that's a red flag.

If they bring you onto a discovery call or bring you onto a call, but then won't answer your questions, that's a red flag.  I would say for anyone looking for a coach, you need an honest answer. Honest also means explicit on both the "What are they going to provide for you?" and "What are they gonna help you with?"

And you can ask them if they've had previous experience, helping clients with that issue. I also think it's super important for coaches to be transparent in their pricing and to tell you how long they think it will take to get those results and how much that will cost you. Because it's one thing to say, "Oh, here's my per coaching call fee or here's my monthly fee", but not giving you the full picture. If you're thinking this will will be solved in three months, but the business coach knows this is more of a 13 month program, there's some honesty issues there. I just really appreciate as an individual integrity and honesty in the people I work with. So that's something that I always give potential clients in that first call.

Um, and something that I would say, you know, to look for.
Emily A Woodruff: That's great. Is there anything additional or anything extra that you would want our listeners to know about you or your businesses?
Christine Sandberg: Yeah, as I mentioned, I'm a serial entrepreneur myself. Yeah. I've tried a lot of different things. I've had an online retail shop, I've done Etsy, I've done reselling; I've had service businesses and product based businesses. And, so I feel like it's important for potential clients to know what experience that business coach has.

And it's interesting I've had clients come to me who have a degree in business, but need help starting their business. I don't have a degree in business. And I think that's cool. And maybe a little ironic. Ha! My expertise is not onboarding. It's not growing a C-suite. It's not corporation levels of business because that's not what I've done. I've done startup DIY. Do it yourself. Scrappy, pull everything together. And as I tell my clients, like, let me help you get the ball rolling so that you can have knowledge of all these different hats that we wear in business. And then get you to a point where you can proof your concept of like, "Hey, this is gonna work!" Now you can start to hire out help for these different avenues that you're not successful in. You can know exactly like what you're looking for when you make that hire. So that's the earliest stage of business that I'm talking about that I help with is that you have an idea or you've tried an idea and it stalled out. Let's get you rolling. Let's proof your concept up until the point of all right now you're rocking and rolling and now can hire a social media expert, a team lead, or a HR department, those types of things. And then I kind of sign off. I'm like, all right, we did the thing. I've gotten you to the next steps. Now you continue on. And that's where more of my accountability partner role as a coach comes in. 
Emily A Woodruff: Awesome. Well, thank you so much. It was great to talk to you today.​
Checkout Emily's No Mercy Podcast here. 
Hey! I’m Christine. I’m a small business coach who helps women who are new to business turn their passion into profit. Your first coaching call with me is completely free, and it’s not a sales pitch. Let me help you sift through the mental clutter and come up with a plan that’ll help you turn your passion into a profitable business. ​
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]]><![CDATA[Should You Start a Business or Pay Off Debt?]]>Thu, 15 Sep 2022 11:00:00 GMThttps://www.newmorningcoaching.com/blog-feed/should-you-start-a-business-or-pay-off-debt​If you’re someone who is passionate about paying off all student and consumer debt, you might be wondering if starting a business would be a good idea. On one hand it could help you pay off debt sooner, but on the other hand the start-up costs of business don't exactly fit with the “gazelle intense” mindset. What to do? As someone who paid off her student loans and started a business, I’ve got some thoughts to share on what you might consider when you’re weighing the decision. 
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This post may include affiliate links in which we earn a small commission without any additional cost to you. All opinions are our own. ​

#1 Starting a Business Doesn't Have To Be Expensive

​I never recommend a new entrepreneur to start their business using debt, especially if that new entrepreneur already has consumer or personal debt. So for many it simply feels impossible to start right now. But it’s not impossible. Starting a business from scratch doesn’t have to be expensive. There are certain business types and models that are really expensive to do. Then there are less expensive routes to starting a business. Even if these less expensive routes aren’t your dream business, take heart that you’ll be taking steps toward your dream business by growing your client base and gaining new business skills while making money. Rarely does an entrepreneur's first business become their smashing success. Give yourself permission to start small and try out new things before thinking you have to go all in. And if you’re going “gazelle intense” paying off debt, you might be wondering how to justify even a small start-up cost. While we were paying off our student debt, I started my first business of reselling on Poshmark. I started with just $20 and reinvested my sales into my business and over time, I had earned six figures on Poshmark. But the only money that was withdrawn from my personal budget was $20. I’m guessing you can figure out how to squeeze $20, or more, out of your budget. Whatever the amount, discipline and the right mentality is key.  Keep your business and personal finances separate from the very beginning and equate any money that you invest into your business from your personal finances the same as spending on dinner, a hobby, or putting into a casino. Can you afford to lose it? Can you say goodbye to it without getting a return? Can you save up and put that money aside while still making your debt payments? If the answer is yes, you can afford to start small. 

#2 The Better You Are About Personal Financial Management, the Better You'll Run Your Business

​Why do you have debt? Was it a one time dumb decision or is it a sign of on-going poor money practices. Although I still think taking on debt should be avoided whenever possible, I’m actually thankful that we had student debt. The money management skills I learned because I was dedicated to paying it off quickly have served me well in business again and again. Are you able to stick to your budget month after month? Are you able to avoid creating new debt? Do you better understand money management? If the answer is yes, even if you have debt, you may be responsible enough to handle your business finances. 
Speaking of personal financial management, YNAB was the tool that helped us learn how to manage a budget and pay off $30k of student debt! Get a free month of YNAB! Seven years later, I'm still using YNAB for both my personal and business budgets! Read more about using this tool for business here. 

#3 Your Business Can Help You Pay Off Debt

​If you’re diligent about not letting your business cost you money and you have the skills to manage your business finances, and you’re okay with starting small, your business can be a blessing to your personal finances and help you pay off debt. I started reselling clothes, shoes, and purses on Poshmark to help pay off our student debt. And even though the sales from my early days didn’t add up to extra debt payments straight away, every little bit did help and it gave me a fun hobby that paid for itself, plus gave me invaluable business skills that are still paying off today. 

I think one of the hardest things I mentioned in this blog post is knowing how to take your dream business and distill that down into a small affordable business that you can start today. This is one of my strengths and something I love helping clients with. If you’re stumped on how to get started today, I’d love to talk with you! 
​Hey! I’m Christine. I’m a small business coach who helps women who are new to business turn their passion into profit. Your first coaching call with me is completely free, and it’s not a sales pitch. Let me help you sift through the mental clutter and come up with a plan that’ll help you turn your passion into a profitable business.
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]]><![CDATA[3 Reasons Why It Might Be Right to Avoid Social Media For Your Business]]>Thu, 08 Sep 2022 12:00:00 GMThttps://www.newmorningcoaching.com/blog-feed/3-reasons-why-it-might-be-right-to-avoid-social-media-for-your-businessThere’s a big myth going about social media. You’ll see social media “gurus” and “experts” share this frequently, both explicitly and implicitly. And the myth is this: social media is absolutely necessary in order for your business to be successful. 

The truth is that social media isn’t necessary for every business. Some business types have a larger opportunity to succeed on social media, while for some it will always be a bit of an uphill battle. How can you decide if you should partake or avoid it? Here’s three situations where it might be better to avoid social media. 
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#1 It’s Best To Avoid Social Media If You’re Going To Do It Very Poorly

I don’t want to support the self-defeating idea of “why bother if I’m going to suck”. However, because social media is an online public image, it’s important to commit to doing it well (or at least just okay). One of the biggest mistakes I see new business owners make with social media (it’s also a mistake I’ve made, so you’re in good company) is setting up social media platforms with their business name and logo and then doing nothing with it. Potential customers and clients do look on social media to research companies before purchasing and if your page is stale and stagnant, they might assume you’re inattentive or worse, that you’ve closed up shop! 

​#2 It’s Best To Avoid Social Media If Your Client Isn’t Using Social Media

If your client isn’t on social media for whatever reason, you don’t have a reason to spend much time on there unless you’re branching out and trying to gain different clients, which is another blog post for another day. If you’re asking “isn’t everyone on social media?”, the answer is no. There are plenty of pockets of people; people of the older generations, people in remote geographical areas, people of certain religious beliefs, and people with strong opinions about social media who all choose to not engage. You have to know your audience to know where they hangout to know where to reach them. 

#3 It’s Okay To Avoid Social Media If Your Mental Health Is Struggling

​The research shows that abundant time spent on social media is detrimental to mental health. If you already find yourself struggling with motivation, self esteem, and comparison, and you have a hard time with putting limits on your social media consumption, spending more time on social media for your business might not be the right decision for you personally. Just because you might have trouble with social media, it doesn’t mean that social media is a bad choice for your business. Hiring social media help can be the right next thing for your business without compromising your mental health.

Additionally, if your time is better spent elsewhere, don’t be afraid to outsource the task. You have natural giftings and passions that have empowered you to start your business. Lean into those and outsource the rest. 

Here's the Silver Lining

​Creating a social media presence for your business does not have to mean tons of wasted time, endless scrolling, or measly results. You can put in the time and effort to learn and grow and get better at social media, everyone can. Furthermore, I can help you create a system and boundaries that can help you and your business flourish even with accomplishing this dreaded task. 

Get the strategy and skills you need to succeed on social media through one-on-one business coaching. 
​Hey! I’m Christine. I’m a small business coach who helps women who are new to business turn their passion into profit. Your first coaching call with me is completely free, and it’s not a sales pitch. Let me help you sift through the mental clutter and come up with a plan that’ll help you turn your passion into a profitable business.
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]]><![CDATA[5 Mistakes I Made Blogging - Plus, How To Start The Right Way!]]>Thu, 01 Sep 2022 12:00:00 GMThttps://www.newmorningcoaching.com/blog-feed/5-mistakes-i-made-blogging-plus-how-to-start-the-right-way​Blogs got their start in the internet boom during the late 90s. Blogs, which got their name from “web-log” (you’re welcome for that bit of trivia), are a series of self-published posts or articles on a website. There are many different types of blogs and not all blogs are created equal. Some blogs are quite casual which often seem like digital diaries, while others are quite professional. Many businesses have blogs that compliment their online presence. My purpose in this blog is to serve my current clients and to attract new clients through relevant (and helpful!) content that leads them to my small business coaching services. Since I started blogging consistently in 2018, I’ve learned quite a lot and here are five mistakes I’ve made. Learn from my mistakes and let them propel your blogging efforts even further.  
This post may include affiliate links in which we earn a small commission without any additional cost to you. All opinions are our own. ​
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Mistake #1: Jumping Into Series Too Soon

Very early in my blogging journey I was obsessed with doing series posts, i.e. “Everything you need to know about Poshmark, Part 1” (and then later part 2, part 3, part 4 – you get the idea). One, that title alone is a contradiction in terms. Two, series blog posts don’t welcome new readers. New readers are hesitant to jump in the middle or on the end of a series, they feel like they’ve missed out. Now there’s all this prerequisite reading before they feel that they can read the post that brought them to your blog in the first place. Three, I hadn’t built up the habit of writing and publishing consistently, so I ended up overpromising and under-delivering. I never finished my series on Poshmark and I still feel guilty about it. When you’re just starting out, stay away from overpromising and series posts. Let each post be stand-alone. 

Mistake #2: Not Niching Down

​My first blog posts were all over the map. I thought every interest I had belonged on the same blog. And that’s a great way to alienate your audience. You need to niche down and pick a wheelhouse in which you’ll write. It doesn’t have to be super niche, but there should be a common theme. Think about your favorite magazine. Mine is Country Living which caters to a female audience who loves antiques, laid back culture, gardening, hosting, and the occasional DIY. It would be super weird if I opened up this magazine one day and found an article about men’s triathlon training. Even if the editor is super passionate about the topic, if it doesn’t cater to the theme the audience expects, it doesn’t belong. Try to identify your theme early on and stick to it. 

Mistake #3: Writing Without SEO

​In addition to writing whatever the heck I felt like, my blog posts were not written with search engine optimization (SEO) in mind. My titles were often something like “what I learned in December” which isn’t very SEO friendly. One part of SEO means providing the right relevant wording that your target audience is typing into search engines. No one is typing “What did I learn in December?” into Google or at least, I hope not. Now I try to write searchable content. In addition, I take an extra minute to fill out the SEO fields like title, description, and keywords on my blog platform. This helps my blog be more visible online, which is kinda the point of having a blog in the first place. 

Mistake #4 Not Having an Email Sign Up

​When I first started, I didn’t have a way for someone to sign up to an email list. I had ways that someone could email me directly, but not to receive emails when I published a new blog post. This was a mistake. When someone actually finds your stuff online (which is a bit of a miracle in the beginning), you want to have a way for someone to stay connected and be able to easily find you again. Having an easy email sign up is a great way to accomplish this. 
New to email marketing? Get started with Flodesk, the easiest to use email for small business! Save 50% off your first year. 

Mistake #5: Trying to Monetize Too Early

​Even before I had identified a niche, I explored possible ways to make money with my blog posts, which ultimately led to even less of a niche. I tried to cover as many money making opportunities as possible, so my content was even more all over the map. Furthermore, some advertisers will do a trial run and since I didn’t have the blog traffic they were looking for, it not only meant no money, but more importantly a loss of a relationship with that advertiser because I tried to do too much too soon. 

How To Start the Right Way

​When you’re starting your blog, pick your theme, publish consistently, and build your audience. Everything else is just extra stuff. Building a successful blog takes time, and in a lot of cases, years. Blogging is not a get rich quick scheme. Even though it takes time, it doesn't mean it isn’t worthwhile. Put the work in and when you get a little traction, seek out a business coach to help you learn to monetize your blog and build your business. 
Hey! I’m Christine. I’m a small business coach who helps women who are new to business turn their passion into profit. Your first coaching call with me is completely free, and it’s not a sales pitch. Let me help you sift through the mental clutter and come up with a plan that’ll help you turn your passion into a profitable business.
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]]><![CDATA[Legit Side Hustle Interviews: Meet Faith]]>Thu, 25 Aug 2022 12:00:00 GMThttps://www.newmorningcoaching.com/blog-feed/legit-side-hustle-interviews-meet-faithWelcome to the third installment of our Legit Side Hustle Interviews! If you’re new here, this special series on my blog is where I interview women who are crushing it with their side hustle. My criteria for everyone was women who have started their own legit side hustle earning at least an average $200 profit per month and working less than 10 hours per week. Enjoy! 

In today’s interview, you’ll learn about Faith Farris and her side hustle as a lifestyle YouTuber. If you have ever thought about starting a YouTube channel, you’ll definitely want to pay attention to today’s special blog post.  

Editorial note: some responses have been edited for readability and storytelling. These interviews are not clients of New Morning Coaching, unless noted. 
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What do you do?

​I do a lot of things for a side hustle but one of my more "fun" ones is making YouTube videos! I mostly make videos about travel, my life as a mom and virtual assistant, and sometimes film reviews about products. My channel is called Traveling with Faith.

​How did you get started?

​I've been on YouTube basically since it started! The first videos I posted were from concerts. I remember filming with my handheld digital camera and then posting. I've had a lot of channels since then, including a movie review channel, a channel about my Christian faith, and a channel where I used to post music. I've always loved film and even have a degree in filmmaking! So it was only natural for me to be endeared by the platform since it is video based.

What made you want to do this?

​I love making videos! I've always wanted to make videos since I was a child. It wasn't until college though that I realized I could one day make money through YouTube. I always figured I'd just work in Hollywood. But moving to California is expensive! YouTube is great because it's accessible no matter where you are as long as you have the Internet. In college, I got serious about content creation, writing scripts for my videos. When I moved to South Korea to teach English, I then changed my channel to be more about traveling. I noticed that people in the U.S.A. were interested in what it was like living in a different country. That really "launched" my channel in a different way.
Christine: I love this! I’m always telling my clients when it comes to starting on Social Media (YouTube is just one option) to start with the platform that has the format you’re most excited about or feel most drawn to. In Faith’s case, she already loved video so it made sense for her to start with YouTube! 

​What do you like about doing this?

​I love that no matter what my life is like, I can always film it! Like I said earlier, I've had a lot of different channels out there. I know that it's important to niche down, but I don't feel like I want to! One thing I like about vlogging is that my audience can go with me wherever I go. As I change careers, geographical location, and interests, they can "travel" with me. YouTube, for me, is basically a video diary. I look forward to the day when I'm old and gray, and will be able to show my grandkids what my life was like when I was in my 20's. I look forward to sharing with them my travels and other aspects of my personal life. It's awesome because no other generation has been able to do this on such a mass scale. 
Christine: Niching down can help propel your business forward, but oftentimes people make the mistake of niching down too soon. When you’re just starting out, you have to throw a bunch of content at the internet “wall” and see what sticks before choosing to niche down. This is what Faith has done. She’s tried a bunch of different types of content and different channels and is now finding her groove with her audience. Also since YouTube is very much a search-based platform, people can still find your content even if you posted it slightly outside your normal wheelhouse. 

​How did you come up with the idea?

I heard about YouTube back in 2007. Someone mentioned it to me as a place to upload videos. Back then, it was really not at all what it's like today. You could mostly find videos about concerts and music. I went to a lot of concerts back then so I decided to start uploading. From then on, YouTube as a platform really grew. I started subscribing to vloggers and decided to start vlogging my own life. It was so embarrassing back then though so I really shied away and didn't post often. I definitely didn't share it with friends. Now, it's just standard that someone might be filming content for the Internet, but back then it felt like something uncommon.

What were your start up costs?

​I used what I had, which was an $80 camera I got for my birthday and my parent's computer. I also had basic editing software on the computer that was free. But when I first started, I uploaded to the platform directly without editing. You can get started with YouTube with just your phone now! I use my phone regularly to film videos. You can even edit on your phone. Getting started does NOT have to be expensive. While I do have some expensive equipment, I rarely film with it. The most expensive part of my costs is my computer, which is a Macbook. But any computer will work.

How much time do you put into this per month?

​It depends on the video. If it's a video about traveling, we (my husband and I) film those whenever we travel. As you can imagine, filming takes a while because we vlog the entire trip. Editing and writing a script for that may take 2-3 hrs. Other videos where I do a review or just vlog about something in my life take about 2-3 hrs per video. I aim for 3 videos per month. So maybe 6-10 hrs per month, depending on the type of video?

​How much PROFIT do you earn per month?

​Right now, I'm averaging about $200-$250 per month.

​What’s one piece of advice you’d give someone thinking of starting a side hustle?

​Just keep at it and stay in your lane. Starting any type of business is hard and takes time! It's so easy to compare yourself to others in business and feel like a failure when they become overnight sensations when you've been at it for years. But remember that there is really room for everyone. Your people are not their people and vice versa. You can speak to someone just by staying in your lane and focusing on YOUR brand. Stay in it!
Great parting words, Faith! Thank you so much for sharing your side hustle with us! If you would like to see Faith’s YouTube channel, you can check it out here.
​Be sure to subscribe to our email list so you can get updates for all the interviews! Wondering what makes a side hustle legit? Read our article. 

Check out our previous Legit Side Hustle Interviews:
Anna earns an extra $500 upcycling leather scraps! 
Kathy turned her love of travel into an $8,000 side hustle! 
​Hey! I’m Christine. I’m a small business coach who helps women who are new to business turn their passion into profit. Your first coaching call with me is completely free, and it’s not a sales pitch. Let me help you sift through the mental clutter and come up with a plan that’ll help you turn your passion into a profitable business.
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]]><![CDATA[Running a Seasonal Business: How to Survive and Thrive in the Highs & the Lows]]>Thu, 18 Aug 2022 12:00:00 GMThttps://www.newmorningcoaching.com/blog-feed/running-a-seasonal-business-how-to-survive-and-thrive-in-the-highs-the-lows​Every business has some seasonal ebb and flow to it, but some businesses are a lot more seasonal than others. If your business experiences drastic differences between peak sales and lowest sales throughout the year, you most likely have a seasonal business. Here are a few tips to help you embrace and cope with the seasonality of your business. 
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Identify your Highs and Lows

​Take a look at your books and identify your seasons. When did you have the most customers / clients or sales in the past 12 months? Was it the same in the previous year? If the answer is yes, you’ve successfully identified your busy season. You can do the same process to identify your least busy season. If it wasn’t the same the previous year, or you didn’t have a previous business year, can you take a guess as to the cause of that peak (or valley) in your business? Was it a one time event i.e. a special event or special media attention? Was it because you put in the most work that month? What do you think was the cause of your non-recurring highs and lows? Identifying those can help you better understand your business’ seasonality as well. 

Identify the Cause of the Seasonality

​Not every business' seasonality is for the same reason. Take a moment to identify what the cause of the seasonality is. Is it the weather? Is it the academic school year? Is it related to key holidays? Your business might have seasonality based on more than one cause, but for the specific high and low months that you’ve identified, what do you think is the cause? Knowing the cause will help you be able to capitalize on your highest months while generating creative solutions to raise your lowest months. 

​Embrace the Seasonality

​Before I can suggest to you solutions and workarounds to take advantage of running a seasonal business, you first must acknowledge and embrace the seasonality. Your month-to-month revenues will not be equal, and that’s okay. You will have slow months where you maybe don’t make anything, and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. We do have to plan for those changes in season, but sometimes the hardest part is accepting that your business won’t look like what you originally envisioned. Let it go and let’s move forward. 

​Get Strategic to Thrive in your Highest Months

In a seasonal business, your in-season months will be the most rewarding, fun, and the most exhausting. You won’t have the time to come up with a strategy or do your taxes in the thick of your busiest season. Those type of tasks that are still very necessary for running a business, but they should be saved for your off season. Plan and train in the off season so your busy season can be as profitable and successful as possible. Start with the end in mind. What do you want running your business to look like and feel like in the busy season? Grasp that picture and use it as a guiding light when making decisions. Also, when you’re in your busy season and money  is coming in easily and you’re very excited about the future, hold off on unnecessary spending. It’s easy to place another product order or sign up for an advertising contract when money is easy, but because you run a seasonal business, it won’t always be easy. Stick to your business budget. Save extra income for your off season when you might need it and when you can make level-headed decisions about it. 

​Get Creative to Survive your Lowest Months

You will need to save some of your busy-season money to pay the bills in your slow season. This will remove a lot of the stress of running a seasonal business.  If you don’t have the money saved, you’ll have to get creative to find other work to keep your business afloat. Brainstorm new ways you can serve your current clients during the off season. For example, a landscaper might switch to snow removal in the winter months. Or a wedding photographer may offer family portrait sessions in January to help cover the slower months. The slow months are the perfect time to get strategic to improve and propel your business forward. It is the perfect time to sign up with a business coach and complete a coaching plan. A business coach can help you identify your seasonality, capitalize on your best season, and think of creative solutions for your slow season. Did you know your first coaching call with me is free? And it’s not a sales pitch! I’d love to hear about your business and see how I might help you in the next season. 
​Hey! I’m Christine. I’m a small business coach who helps women who are new to business turn their passion into profit. Your first coaching call with me is completely free, and it’s not a sales pitch. Let me help you sift through the mental clutter and come up with a plan that’ll help you turn your passion into a profitable business.
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]]><![CDATA[Legit Side Hustle Interviews: Meet Kathy]]>Thu, 11 Aug 2022 12:00:00 GMThttps://www.newmorningcoaching.com/blog-feed/legit-side-hustle-interviews-meet-kathyWelcome to the second installment of our Legit Side Hustle Interviews! If you’re new here, this special series on my blog is where I interview women who are crushing it with their side hustle. My criteria for everyone was women who have started their own legit side hustle earning at least an average $200 per month and working less than 10 hours per week. Enjoy! 

In today’s interview, you’ll learn about Kathy Feather and her side hustle as a travel agent. If you love to travel and have ever thought about earning money from it, you’ll definitely want to pay attention to today’s special blog post.  

Editorial note: some responses have been edited for readability and storytelling. These interviews are not clients of New Morning Coaching, unless noted. 
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What do you do? ​

I'm a home based independent travel agent.  I provide travel planning and consulting services to clients to ensure a relaxing vacation.

​How did you get started?

​I had been known to family and friends as "The One Who Knew Disney" and was helping them plan their Disney vacations.  When I started participating in Disney’s running events known as RunDisney, I sought out an agent to help me book the unique particulars of that trip. During booking, my travel agent mentioned I could make money doing exactly the same thing- I was sold.

What made you want to do this?​

​ I love to travel. Also, I was trained on guest service at The Disney Store in Santa Barbara CA while in college, so I was already familiar with helping families get a magical experience.  I get tremendous joy out of helping families spend time with one another and providing all the planning they want and need so they can have a stress free vacation.

What do you like about doing this?

I've watched my father’s health decline the past 5 years; and it has been particularly hard the past 2 years as dementia truly set in. As a travel agent, I’m able to help families make those magical memories while they can. I believe that memories made on vacation with everyone together are the best kind, the kind that will stick with them. 

​How did you come up with the idea?

​I didn't – it came to me. That fellow agent introduced me to my host agency and I love how they manage their brand. I was in.

​What were your start up costs?

​ Truly they were minimal.  My first year was a $350 start up fee for my agency.  That covered my training, email address, website, and the basics of how to track and manage the business.  From there, I personally invested in business cards for $65 (design and print); and a CLIA card for $110 that allows me some agent perks. I had a computer and internet already at home- so that incurred no further expense. That was it. I marketed via my Facebook and Linkedin Networks for free. After that initial push, my business expanded mostly by word of mouth and referrals within my client’s social networks. 85% of my business is currently either repeat clients or referrals.
 
I invest more now to help me better manage my business.  I now utilize a CRM tool specifically for travel agents. I just started investing in the ability to conduct email newsletters, I just participated in a wedding expo, 2 conferences, and participated in Familiarization trips to new locations so I have first hand experience with the vendors I'm proposing. The good news there- I utilize my standard vacation time and extend a few days for personal vacation so it's a win win.

​How much time do you put into this per month?

​I'm currently operating at roughly 60hrs a month.  I tend to have 10-15 hours a week.  This includes training, client calls, client proposals, and managing existing bookings.  I also reconcile my expenses monthly so tax time will be easier.

​How much PROFIT do you earn per month?

​I started 8 months pre-pandemic so just as I was starting to book, I had to cancel and reschedule everything. As a result, I truly consider July 2021 as when my business started moving again. I estimate I'll make roughly $8k in profit this year. Even though I’d like to earn more, I consider my profit a big win at this stage, especially considering some individuals still aren't ready to travel and others are cutting back due to increasing costs. Currently my bookings aren't consistent month to month so the income stream isn't stable yet, but I’m optimistic it will get there.
Thank you so much, Kathy for sharing about your side hustle with us! If you would like to get in touch with Kathy, you can checkout her website here, or email her at kathyfeather@travelmation.net 

Be sure to subscribe to our email list so you can get updates for all the interviews! Wondering what makes a side hustle legit? Read our article. Check out our previous Legit Side Hustle interview with Anna who earns an extra $500 upcycling leather scraps!
​Hey! I’m Christine. I’m a small business coach who helps women who are new to business turn their passion into profit. Your first coaching call with me is completely free, and it’s not a sales pitch. Let me help you sift through the mental clutter and come up with a plan that’ll help you turn your passion into a profitable business. 
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]]><![CDATA[How to Raise Your Prices & Keep Your Customers]]>Thu, 04 Aug 2022 14:00:00 GMThttps://www.newmorningcoaching.com/blog-feed/how-to-raise-your-prices-keep-your-customers​So you’ve been in business for awhile now and it’s come to your attention that you are severely undercharging. You hate having to raise your prices, but you know you need to. It’s time to raise your prices and I can help you do it. 
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Why should you raise your prices? 

​Chances are that you do not actually want to raise your prices. You’re afraid that you won’t get any new clients, customers will go somewhere else, and you’ll go out of business. Essentially, you’re not confident that you are worth the new price tag. You are not alone, lots of my clients feel that way. Heck, at times I even feel that way. 

Here’s the facts: price increases will help you earn more, cover rising costs, and stay in business to better serve your clients in the long run. All businesses have to raise their prices at some point. Even the Dollar Tree had to raise their price! (And long before they raised their price tag they had been raising their prices under the radar – i.e. selling broom parts for $1 each instead of the whole broom effectively doubling their pricing on that item.) 

The good news is that with the right price raising strategy, good marketing, and a little bit of competitive research, your price increase will be successful, resulting in more money, less stress, and high client retention. 

Option 1

​Raise your prices without an explanation. If your price increase is less than 10%, you definitely do not have to give any explanation. If you have a direct-to-consumer product business, this model also makes the most sense. Most of your customers won’t notice or blink an eye at a small price increase. Businesses raise their prices all the time without giving you an explanation. This is a strategy I use with my Etsy shop. I will simply raise my prices whenever my cost goes up or the cost of shipping goes up. Small increases often go unnoticed or are easily justified, so they don’t often result in upset customers. 

Option 2: Give a Reason

People don’t like feeling ambushed by out of nowhere price increases, but if you can give a reason to your price increase, it will help customers accept the new pricing. Time of year is a great go-to reason for raising your prices, such as the start of the New Year or the start of your busiest season. Yearly price increases are standard in almost every industry. If you have a client based business, raising your prices a little at the same time every year makes a lot of sense. Other commonly accepted reasons often include: relocation of your physical storefront or warehouse, bringing on additional staff, or a switch in suppliers. Let your customers know why there is an increase in pricing with a brief and honest reason. If you’re a service and project based business, meaning you deliver your services for projects that are approved ahead of time by your client, simply raise your prices for any new project quotes, while keeping previously quoted projects at their former price. 

Option 3: Soften the Blow with a Discount or Legacy Pricing

​No matter when you raise your prices, you can ease your customers into it by offering a limited time discount off the new price or by offering legacy pricing. Depending on your business model, you might offer your clients the ability to pre-pay for future services at the current price or keep loyal clients at the previous year’s pricing. This is a strategy I use in my coaching business, whenever I raise my prices, I keep my current clients at Legacy Pricing (whatever pricing they have currently). Returning clients and new clients have to pay the new pricing. 

Remember this...

Price increases are a natural part of business. Raising your price doesn’t make you the bad guy. If you really feel like any price increase at all will lose you all your customers, there is usually something else at play. Your product or service might not be good enough on its own or you don’t have the right marketing to show off what’s really great about your product or service. The good news is that with the right price raising strategy, good marketing, and a little bit of competitive research, your price increase will be successful, resulting in more money, less stress, and high client retention. 

But if you find yourself struggling with the “what ifs” of business, give me a call and we can figure it out together. I’m a small business coach who helps women who are new to business turn their passion into profit. Your first coaching call with me is completely free, and it’s not a sales pitch. Let me help you sift through the mental clutter and come up with a plan that’ll help you turn your passion into a profitable business. 
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]]><![CDATA[Legit Side Hustle Interviews: Meet Anna]]>Thu, 23 Jun 2022 12:00:00 GMThttps://www.newmorningcoaching.com/blog-feed/legit-side-hustle-interviews-meet-annaWelcome to the first installment of our Legit Side Hustle Interviews! Each of these women have started their own legit side hustle earning at least an average $200 per month and working less than 10 hours per week. Enjoy! 

Editorial note: some responses have been edited for readability and storytelling. These interviews are not clients of New Morning Coaching, unless noted. 
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​What do you do? 

​I live in Moab, Utah and my side hustle is making upcycled leather earrings that embody the West. I make genuine leather earrings by up-cycling materials that locals utilize for their livelihood; remnants of worn-out gear from working cattle ranches of the area. Prickly Pairs, my earring brand, serves as a symbol of the life the locals choose to live in this truly unique area of the world.

​How did you get started?

​I started about three years ago. I come from a farming and ranching background that epitomizes the Western United States. My family are cattle ranchers, we strive to be self-sufficient and live off the land. I started several years ago after attending the National Finals Rodeo and seeing vendors selling faux leather earrings that I loved. My brother saw them and offered to make me these earrings, that’s what piqued my interest. He actually got me a jewelry crafting kit for Christmas that year. I ordered from Amazon a few sheets of faux leather (to save the real leather for once I perfected my prototype) and started making my prototypes, experimenting with different shapes and styles. I started selling them to family and friends and now I have my earrings in three stores along main street in Moab, Utah. Now, I salvage old leather scraps from well worn livestock and horse equipment as well as some scrap leather from tanneries and saddle shops. Every pair of leather earrings are truly one of a kind, no two are the same because of the uniqueness of the upcycled leather. 

​What do you like about doing this? 

​This is my creative outlet. My day job is director of a home health and hospice company, and of course, that’s in addition to being a full time mother. I love that so many people and the stores in Moab have supported me. I like seeing that people like the earrings I have made and the  tourists take home a little piece of the West when they choose my earrings as a take-home keepsake. I love thinking about all the places my earrings have ended up. Personally, I love going out wearing my earrings and know that even on my toughest cattle-ranching days when I’m covered in literal cow shit, at least my earrings look good! 

​How did you come up with your design ideas? 

​I gain inspiration from Pinterest and pay attention to trends and common styles. I pay attention at events and gatherings like rodeos, county fairs, and livestock auctions and what the women are wearing. To make my side hustle more sustainable in my limited time, I’ve reduced my earrings to three main prototypes: Salty Palomino, Follow your Arrow, and Rebel Heart. I named these after the lyrics of some of my favorite country songs. 

​What were your start up costs?

​Pretty minimal to start. My brother gifted me a jewelry making kit and I purchased the faux leather sheets from Amazon for prototypes ($14-$25), and of course I needed jump rings and earring hooks ($10). Now I use mostly upcycled free leather from family and friends, but I’ll also sometimes purchase scrap leather from local tanneries at $3-$5 per sheet. 

​Where do you sell? 

​Moab is a small tourist town, so most of my business is to tourists through the stores on main street and also to locals through word of mouth.  I’ll get texts and emails from strangers or friends of friends who want to place an order. Even random people at the grocery store will sometimes walk up to me and say “you’re the earring lady, I need another pair of these.” 

​How much time do you put into this per month?

​My business really is seasonal. During the holidays (my busiest season), I’ll spend 4-5 hours per week. During the rest of the year, it’s probably more like 2 hours a month. 

​How much PROFIT do you earn per month?

​This last Christmas season (November and December), I profited $500. During the rest of the year, it’s slower, so probably $80-$100. 

​What’s one piece of advice you’d give someone thinking of starting a side hustle? 

​My piece of advice is to just go for it. I never saw myself as someone who was a business woman, who could push a product for a profit. If you feel strongly that your product will resonate with people, go for it. Make some adjustments as you learn and grow in your business. I think the life lessons you learn the most from trial and error.  I think it’s really important to be generous with your product. I give away a lot of earrings, i.e. raffle baskets and charity events. The earrings will have my name on my card and it gets my name out there but more importantly, I’m just being generous. I strongly believe whatever you put out comes back to you. Be generous with your time and your product, and it will come back to you. That’s definitely been the case for me and my success. 
Thank you so much, Anna for sharing your story with us! If you’d like to order a pair of Anna’s earrings you can email her at  annaleighcurtis@hotmail.com

Be sure to subscribe to our email list so you can get updates for all the interviews! Wondering what makes a side hustle legit? Read our previous article. 

Hey! I’m Christine. I’m a small business coach who helps women who are new to business turn their passion into profit. Your first coaching call with me is completely free, and it’s not a sales pitch. Let me help you sift through the mental clutter and come up with a plan that’ll help you turn your passion into a profitable business. ​
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]]><![CDATA[What makes a Legit Side Hustle?]]>Thu, 16 Jun 2022 15:44:29 GMThttps://www.newmorningcoaching.com/blog-feed/what-makes-a-legit-side-hustle​So, you’d like to add some extra money to your monthly budget? You need a side hustle that’s flexible and still brings in the cash. You’re not looking to get roped into a pyramid scheme, and you’re wise to those “get rich quick” promises, so you might be wondering if there are any legitimate side hustles left. There are many legitimate side hustles that will allow you to work flexibly and earn real money. I’m going to give you a few pointers on how to decide if something is a legitimate side hustle and give you a few suggestions of legitimate side hustles that don’t cost a lot of money to get started. Later this month, I’ll be sharing interviews from real women who are working their own legitimate side hustles. 
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How to Tell if a Hustle is Legitimate

​Avoid scams with a few wise practices. First, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Put on your scam detector specs and proceed with caution. Second, ask specific profit and cost questions. How much does it cost to get started? How much can you expect to earn? What does it take to earn that promised amount? Are you likely to obtain that? For example, several MLM companies will give you an example payout of “you could earn $1500 per month” but in the small fine print down at the bottom you read that “results are not typical” and it would take $10,000 in referred sales to earn that amount. Is that realistic for you? Keep in mind, 90% of MLM participants lose money by participating. Take another example, affiliate marketing companies will say “so-and-so earns $3,000 per month”, but the fine print says “results not typical” and affiliates earn a measiely 0.005% on sales. Third, ask yourself if you’re in control? A legitimate side hustle will leave you in control. If you find yourself having to give up control, you’re most likely in a side job, not a side hustle. A side hustle will let you dictate at least a few of the following: your schedule, prices, products / services offered, marketing decisions, and how much you can earn. 

Questions to Ask Yourself

  1. Does it sound too good to be true? 
  2. How much does it cost to get started? 
  3. How much can I expect to earn?
  4. What do I have to do to achieve those results? 
  5. Am I still in control? 

A Few Side Hustle Ideas

  • Reselling – buy low, resell high:  toys, clothes, furniture, collectibles, etc.
  • Home services – cleaning, organizing, maintenance, etc. 
  • Digital services – freelance writer, voice over, designer, assistant, editor, etc. 
  • Skills services – tutoring, instructing, tailoring, etc. 

​These are only a few of my 50 Low Cost Business Ideas you can get by joining my Facebook group.

Do Platform Fees Make Side Hustles Not Worth it? 

​Many many people who would otherwise excel at selling products or services online stall because they are afraid of paying out platform fees. These are just a part of doing business, they shouldn’t scare you. You can still earn great money on platforms like Ebay, Etsy, Poshmark, Airbnb, Fiverr, and more. The difference between an MLM company’s commission payout and a platform fee is who is taking the lion’s share. An MLM company might hand you 10-20% off the product sale price, keeping 80-90% for themselves. A platform like Etsy will take 10-20% off the sale price, and you get to keep 80-90% for yourself. 

More Legit Side Hustles Coming Soon!

In the following weeks and months, I’ll be publishing several interviews I’ve conducted with real women who have started their own side hustle and are earning at least $200 profit a month working less than 10 hours a week. Subscribe to my blog to get email reminders when these interviews are published! 

Hey, I'm Christine! ​I’m a small business coach who helps women who are new to business turn their passion into profit. Your first coaching call with me is completely free, and it’s not a sales pitch. Let me help you sift through the mental clutter and come up with a plan that’ll help you turn your passion into a profitable business. ​
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]]><![CDATA[How to Use YNAB for your Small Business]]>Thu, 05 May 2022 12:00:00 GMThttps://www.newmorningcoaching.com/blog-feed/how-to-use-ynab-for-your-small-business​Keeping track of payments, expenses, and making sure your business accounts stay afloat can be a daunting task when you’re just starting out. I love using YNAB “You Need A Budget” budgeting software to help me manage my businesses finances. This user-friendly software has made it really easy to keep track of my outflows and inflows, set aside money for upcoming expenses, and keep my businesses operating in the black. Here’s how I use YNAB for my business. 
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This post may include affiliate links in which we earn a small commission without any additional cost to you. All opinions are our own. ​

1) Keep Track of Expenses

​When it’s time to write out your profit and loss statement, what do you use to keep track of your expenses? If you’re relying on your memory or random bank statements, you might be missing key data. Keeping track of your expenses accurately can save you money during tax time. Every time I make a purchase for my business, whether that’s paying for a service, buying office supplies, or subscribing to software, I keep track of that in YNAB. No matter which account I used to pay for it, I can keep an eye on all my expenses and know exactly where my money is going. I love that in YNAB I can name my own categories so I can keep track of how much I’m spending in each category. 

​My budget categories for my business budget is really specific: 
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2) Keep Track of Income

​In business you’ll have money coming in through different resources. You might have money coming in through Stripe, Paypal, Etsy, affiliate payouts, and royalties in all the same business. When you have income coming in through different companies and avenues, you can’t rely on one single dashboard to see your whole business. Using a software like YNAB keeps track of the income you’re actually getting, it’s not vanity numbers. On a lot of platforms like Amazon, Poshmark, Etsy, they’ll show you the total “revenue” but if you try to use that number to plan and budget, you’ll always be falling short because those numbers are pre-fees.  I keep track of all my income by recording transactions from my bank account in YNAB so I can see how much money I’m actually dealing with. I still need to know my revenue numbers for my taxes, but it doesn’t really help me in terms of handling my day to day finances. 

3) ​Set Aside Money for Taxes

As I previously mentioned in an other blog post, as a small business owner I’m responsible for my own taxes. I set aside 15% of my inflows in a separate category in my YNAB budget. I don’t touch those taxes until I get my annual tax return done. If there is any money left over at the end of the tax year, I give myself a nice little bonus (or use it for a future business improvement).  I got the 15% number from Profit First, a great book that helps you manage your business finances. I use the Profit First method alongside YNAB. Profit First says to have 7 different bank accounts to separate your money. Instead, I have 7 master categories inside my YNAB budget and they function the same way. 

4) Set Aside Money for Yearly Expenses

Not planning for yearly expenses is an excellent way to sabotage your monthly budget. Especially in business, some of those yearly expenses can be quite large. Instead of just having a category of “yearly expenses” I make specific categories named exactly what they are, i.e. Flodesk, Canva, etc. And then I create a goal in YNAB for that specific category. The software automatically tells me how much to set aside each month and if I’m on track to hit my target.

Here is an example of what this looks like for myFlodesk category: 

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YNAB has improved my personal finances and my business finances. You can have as many budgets as you like within your subscription. I don’t know where my finances would be without it! 

Have you tried using YNAB yet? 

I help women who want to turn their passion into profit take their next steps with clarity and confidence using business planning, strategy, marketing, coaching and accountability. 

Your first call is free, I’d love to get to know you and your business and see if I’m the right coach for you! 
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​Hey! I’m Christine. I’m a small business coach who helps women who are new to business turn their passion into profit. Your first coaching call with me is completely free, and it’s not a sales pitch. Let me help you sift through the mental clutter and come up with a plan that’ll help you turn your passion into a profitable business.
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]]><![CDATA[Is Joining an MLM a Good Business Opportunity?]]>Thu, 21 Apr 2022 12:00:00 GMThttps://www.newmorningcoaching.com/blog-feed/is-joining-an-mlm-a-good-business-opportunity​You’ve seen them around. You’ve gotten plenty of party invites. And you might be even envious of someone on social media bragging about this new life changing opportunity. Yes, friends, I’m talking about MLMs. So let’s dig into it. Attending a party is one thing, but is jumping into a multi-level marketing company a good business move? 
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This post may include affiliate links in which we earn a small commission without any additional cost to you. All opinions are our own. ​
​First, what’s an MLM?
According to Wikipedia:
​"Multi-level marketing (MLM), also called pyramid selling, network marketing, and referral marketing, is a controversial marketing strategy for the sale of products or services where the revenue of the MLM company is derived from a non-salaried workforce selling the company's products/services, while the earnings of the participants are derived from a pyramid-shaped or binary compensation commission system."
What makes MLMs unique? You can earn revenue two ways in an MLM: selling products and/or  recruiting other consultants to join you.
Now that we got that out of the way, you want to learn more about this opportunity. You’re intrigued, you want to learn more, right? Well before you jump in head first at this amazing opportunity, know what you’re getting into. 

Here’s three reasons why you should think twice about joining an MLM:

1) You have no control over your products

​You’re selling someone else’s products. You don’t get to pick the manufacturer, ingredients, name, price, description, or even how many you should stock. Someone else makes all those decisions. In my own business when I get a batch of slow moving inventory, I can discount it, move it out, and never buy it again. In an MLM you’re stuck buying the same products over and over. This flaw is what has killed many Lularoe “businesses”. 
I can't recommend this mini-documentary on Lularoe on Amazon Prime Video enough! So fascinating to watch! Best part is Amazon video is included in your Prime membership. 
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​You might be thinking “but these products are premium! I’ll have no issue selling them, they sell themselves!” Ask yourself this: if they are so excellent, why aren’t they on store shelves? If they sell themselves, what does the company need you for?  

2) You have no control over your messaging or branding

​In a legitimate business you get total control over your messaging and branding. If you tried the color pink but realized your customers didn’t like it so you switched to blue, you can do that. In an MLM you get no decision making power on messaging or branding. You also cannot participate in traditional marketing. You do not get to do social media ads, email marketing, or news pitches. At some MLMs, you’re not even allowed to sell products at vendor shows. You’re at the mercy of the higher ups. Lots of women get involved in MLMs because they are promised freedom, but sadly the opposite is true. 

3) Income is largely based on recruiting, not sales

In an MLM you recruit your friends and contacts to become part of the company. In an MLM, any warm body is a “business opportunity”. Friends from high school? Absolutely. Co-workers? You bet. Fellow church members? You know it. Neighbor you’ve talked to exactly twice? Yessir. Random guy sitting at McDonald’s? Yep, him too. 

While networking can be an important part of entrepreneurship, it’s not the end all, be all. In fact, in a legitimate business you don’t want to sell to just “any warm body”. That can hurt your business instead of helping it. You only want to sell and market to your identified target market, which is rarely your friends and family. 

4) You're more likely to win at the casino, literally

​According to this study of over two million tax returns, 99% of participants of MLMs are LOSING money! You are more likely to win at the casino than succeed in an MLM. Most participants do not get their initial investment back. In one particular MLM, even if you’re in the top 1% of distributors, you could still be losing over $14,000 a year. 

Yes, business requires some financial investment. All of those risks should be calculated, and I’m a big fan of doing business debt free. The important thing is that as a legitimate business owner at any time you can cut back your expenses or quit without fear of intimidation.

All MLMs have complicated compensation plans that more closely relate to the gamification you’ll see at casinos and in buyer rewards programs than a legitimate business structure. 

5) Ultimately you're not the owner

​Even though you signed up for a “business opportunity”, ultimately you’re not the business owner. At best, you’re a salesman for someone else’s company. And guess what? The salesman at Mercedes Benz doesn’t have to buy his own inventory before selling it. MLM’s would have a more accurate name if they renamed their business as a buyer’s club. For signing up, you get a discount on products and the more you buy, the more your recruits buy, and the more recruits you have, you get bigger commissions. 
So at this point, you can probably guess my stance on MLMs. If you’re not in an MLM, I cannot advise you against it enough. It’s actually in my policy to not coach anyone trying to grow their MLM "businesses". It’s not because I don’t like you, I just don't like MLMs and their predatory nature. From a business perspective, you simply don’t have enough control over your business for my coaching to help you. If you love your company and want to earn the revenue that you were promised, go talk with the person who recruited you. They should be the one to coach and mentor you. But if you’re not happy with your position in an MLM and want out, I can help you create your own business, turning your own passion into profit. Id be more than happy to help you make the switch! Let’s talk! 

I help women who want to turn their passion into profit take their next steps with clarity and confidence using business planning, strategy, marketing, coaching and accountability. 

Your first call is free, I’d love to get to know you and your business and see if I’m the right coach for you! 

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​Hey! I’m Christine. I’m a small business coach who helps women who are new to business turn their passion into profit. Your first coaching call with me is completely free, and it’s not a sales pitch. Let me help you sift through the mental clutter and come up with a plan that’ll help you turn your passion into a profitable business.
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]]><![CDATA[How to Boost Your Etsy Sales]]>Thu, 21 Apr 2022 12:00:00 GMThttps://www.newmorningcoaching.com/blog-feed/how-to-boost-your-etsy-sales​Did you start your Etsy shop with initial success but now you’ve had trouble getting more sales since? You’re not alone. It’s pretty common after you start your Etsy shop for things to slow down. But now isn’t the time to throw in the towel and give up altogether. There’s a lot you can do organically to increase your Etsy views and sales. Here’s my top five tips: 
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1) Update your listings with great pictures

​Remember that your customers cannot touch or feel your products, they are relying completely on your photos and descriptions to tell them everything they need to know before they make a purchase. Photos with bad lighting, poor angles, or distracting backgrounds are almost always an immediate pass for buyers. They can find a similar item with a fantastic picture and that is what they’ll end up buying. Invest in learning how to take great product pictures and get it done. When you’re a beginning shop, it doesn’t usually make sense to outsource this task until you’ve proven your concept. Chances are your phone has a great camera, you just need to learn how to use it. Don’t sleep on great pictures. 

2) Update your listings with great descriptions

​Your customers cannot touch or feel your products, they are relying on description to tell them everything they need to know about your product. The Etsy algorithm is depending on you to write accurate and detailed descriptions so they can suggest your products to buyers who are most likely to purchase them. If your description is too short or inaccurate, you are losing out on potential sales. Here are some questions to get you thinking about what to write about in your description. 
  • What is it?
  • What condition is it in?
  • Does it have any flaws or imperfections?
  • What color is it?
  • What does it look like?
  • What style aesthetic does it fit? 
  • What does it feel like?
  • What texture does it have?
  • What does it weigh?
  • How big is it? (Give all measurements and a common comparison) 
  • Who is it for? 
  • When might they use it?
  • How might they use it?
  • What sets your item apart?
  • What is unique about your product?

3) Add new listings to your shop

​When was the last time you added a brand new listing to your shop? Adding new listings can help boost your Etsy sales. When you list new items, they are ranked a little higher on search results than items that have been online for awhile but aren’t best sellers. You have a higher chance of selling new items as well as reaching new customers through those new item listings. New items also give your past customers a reason to come visit your shop again. They might even receive an Etsy notification letting them know that your shop has new items. 

4) Run a sale

​Running a sale can help your shop wake up. If you already have loyal customers, a small discount might be all they need to make another purchase. Especially if you don’t run sales often, running a sale can trigger new orders. When you run a sale on Etsy, be sure to use Etsy’s sale feature instead of just lowering the item’s price. Use the announcement feature to announce why you’re having a sale and always give a reason for the sale. 

5) Get an Etsy Audit

​Sometimes what you need to help your Etsy shop is to get a second opinion. When you ask for a second opinion, you need someone with experience, not just someone with an opinion. With over 3500 sales on Shopify, Etsy, Ebay, and Poshmark, I have the experience to give you a detailed audit and review of your Etsy store. You can learn more about my Online Store Audit & Review Service here. 
Not quite ready for a paid audit and review? Get my FREE Etsy Shop Self Assessment worksheet. 
I help women who want to turn their passion into profit take their next steps with clarity and confidence using business planning, strategy, marketing, coaching and accountability. 

Your first call is free, I’d love to get to know you and your business and see if I’m the right coach for you! 
​Hey! I’m Christine. I’m a small business coach who helps women who are new to business turn their passion into profit. Your first coaching call with me is completely free, and it’s not a sales pitch. Let me help you sift through the mental clutter and come up with a plan that’ll help you turn your passion into a profitable business.
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]]><![CDATA[The 2 Etsy Numbers You Should Know]]>Thu, 14 Apr 2022 12:00:00 GMThttps://www.newmorningcoaching.com/blog-feed/the-2-etsy-numbers-you-should-know​Are you running your Etsy shop blindly? Are you just kinda going along making, listing, and selling things but not really paying attention to your numbers? If that sounds familiar, you’re missing out on key data that could help you get more Etsy sales and grow your business. So, what numbers do you need to pay attention to and what do they mean? Let’s get into it. 
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In your Etsy shop Stats page, there are two key numbers you should be paying attention to: traffic and conversion rate. Chances are that up until now you’ve only looked at your revenue number, you know the exciting money number! But now it’s time to pay attention to some of those other numbers. You should look closely at your traffic (views) and your conversion rate (how many of those views resulted in a purchase). Tracking these numbers will help you get a better understanding of your business and if you make a few key changes to your business, you’ll be able to see these numbers grow which will result in more sales – and a higher revenue number! You want to organically increase your traffic and your conversion rate as much as possible before you venture into advertising. 

If your traffic number is low, it means that not enough people are clicking on your listings and viewing them. This could mean that your listings do not have visually appealing pictures, your items aren’t searched for often, or that your listing has poorly written titles and descriptions. It also could mean that you’re not bringing enough traffic to your Etsy shop; you’re relying on Etsy to do all the heavy lifting. In my other blog post, I’ve written about why it’s so important to bring your own traffic to Etsy. 

If your conversion rate is low (anything less than 3%), it means that the people who are clicking on your listings aren’t buying. This could be for a myriad of reasons. One reason people don’t buy is that they are confused. If you confuse your customer, you lose them. This might mean your product description wasn’t informative enough or that it was too random, all over the place but not answering the right questions. Another reason is your shop isn’t trustworthy enough, this could mean you don’t have enough good reviews, your profile is too slim, or your policies aren’t supportive of the customer. 

If your Etsy sales are struggling or you have a new Etsy shop, get my free Etsy Shop Self Assessment. If you’re stumped at what is keeping your customers from buying your products, it’s time to get a second opinion on your shop. You could ask a friend, post in a Facebook group, or get a professional opinion. I offer online shop audit and reviews. I also do one-on-one coaching. I help women who want to turn their passion into profit take their next steps with clarity and confidence using business planning, strategy, marketing, coaching and accountability. Your first call is free, I’d love to get to know you and your business and see if I’m the right coach for you! 
​Hey! I’m Christine. I’m a small business coach who helps women who are new to business turn their passion into profit. Your first coaching call with me is completely free, and it’s not a sales pitch. Let me help you sift through the mental clutter and come up with a plan that’ll help you turn your passion into a profitable business.
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