There’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. 

​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. ​

​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. 

​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. 

​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. 

​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: 

​As a small business owner, you’re probably wondering if investing in email marketing and newsletters is a good strategy to get more customers and ultimately grow your business. New business owners are quick to jump on social media marketing, but often forget or don’t know about email marketing. Here are five reasons why you shouldn’t forget about email marketing for business! 

The last thing you want to think about is taxes, am I right? But like it or not, taxes are a part of life. If you’re a normal American, you might be able to get by only doing them once a year. But as a small business owner, you’re doing them not once but up to five times a year. And unfortunately that little truth alone will scare many would-be-business owners into not going into business. 

Do NOT let taxes scare you out of doing something great! I’m going to help you take the fear out of taxes. Once you remove the fear, it’ll just be another easy peasy regular task that you do because you’re a responsible business owner. Ready? Let’s do this.

First, the obligatory disclaimer: I’m not a tax professional and taxes vary so much by state, meaning that if you’re even a little unsure about your taxes, please don’t hesitate to hire a tax professional! 

As a self-employed person it can be hard to know where work ends and life begins. Working hard on your business without proper self care can leave you feeling exhausted and hopeless.  Exhaustion and hopelessness if left untreated will lead to burnout. And we don’t want that. Your business is a blessing to the world, don’t let it fade because of your own lack of self care. So what does self-care for the self employed look like? Here’s three key ingredients that must go into your self care routine, and don’t worry, I’m going beyond the basic “take a relaxing bubble bath” advice you’ve gotten elsewhere. 

For the record, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with a relaxing bubble bath. 

It’s easy to put ourselves down, but when was the last time we built ourselves up? 

Maybe you’ve thought about starting a business, but you’re quick to put yourself down. Maybe your doubts sound something like this: I’m not young enough, I’m not old enough, I’m not knowledgeable enough, I’m just a nobody, I’ve never even known a business owner - what would make me think I could be any different? If any of that sounds familiar, this blog post is for you.

​You’re heard people talk about setting goals, but you have questions. Questions like: “When do I start making goals?” “How do I know if I’m setting the right goals?” “I always fail at my goals, how do I not do that?”. Ideally you’d like someone to just lay it all out for you. If that’s you, read on, friend. I’ve got you. 

First let’s do a pop quiz: Which of the following is a good goal? 
A) Get in shape
B) Be a better friend
C) Make more sales
D) Read 12 books this year

How often do you celebrate? Do you find it hard to celebrate yourself and your wins? You should celebrate often: yourself, your wins, both big and small, and personal and business. About four years ago I started meeting with my accountability partner, a dear friend who also had a small business, for one hour every week. We’re both proud to say that we kept this commitment every week (with a few planned skips) for four really good (and really hard) years. One of the things that she started asking me a few years into our weekly calls was the question “What can we celebrate from the last week?”. And if I can be vulnerable with you for a moment, that question was hard for me to answer (not just that first time, but many many times after that). My thought process went something like: “Celebrate? I haven’t done anything to deserve celebration! I’m just doing what I should do and actually… I’m not doing enough, so I surely don’t deserve to celebrate!”

Does that resonate with you? If so, this article is for you! Let me help you see why it’s oh so important to celebrate often! 

​Many new business owners will announce their idea, open their business, and turn on their website without a plan, without fanfare, without a proper launch because they don’t want the “added stress” of a launch. Sound familiar? 

Unfortunately doing it that way usually falls flat and leaves new business owners feeling despair over the state of their new business. Listen, the sound of crickets doesn’t mean you have a bad business idea, it probably means you didn’t tell anyone about it! 

Launches, whether it’s a new business entirely or a new product or service within an existing business, are a fantastic and strategic way to grow your community, expand brand awareness, and fuel your content marketing strategy. 

Taking a vacation away from work is good for your soul, mind, and body. The change in pace and environment can stir creative thoughts that can push your business forward when you return. The break will allow your mind to rest and reset. And your body will appreciate the additional sleep that vacation can provide. No one was made to work 24/7. Even robots get powered down for maintenance once and awhile. 

Here are 5 reasons why you should plan to take a vacation. ​