Ahhh Instagram. The ever changing, ever frustrating but necessary social media platform for business. Instagram is a beautiful thing for us boss babes! It’s a great, and FREE, marketing tool! But even so, there are so many people who struggle with getting the most out of the app. One of the biggest struggles? Gaining followers. So today we’re going to talk about three tips to help you gain followers- and not just gain followers- but how to gain followers outside of your circle.   How many can relate to this struggle? It can be so great to have supportive friends and family, and even just nosey people from high school who want to keep track of what you’re up to, but how do you branch OUT of that circle? How do you reach those ideal clients that you DREAM of working with but don’t know? That’s what we’re going to talk about today.   Before we dive into the three tips, you need to stop obsessing over vanity metrics.    Right now in the world there is this current obsession with business owners, bloggers, influencers and the like to grow fast and furious on social media. And by fast and furious, I mean gain TONS of followers, likes, and all that fun stuff.    We need to shift our focus from follower counts, page views, and likes, and start focusing more on ENGAGEMENT. Because engagement friends, is what it’s all about.    If you feel like you’re stuck on your numbers- you need to get unstuck. If you feel like you’re hung up on that follower count- you need to stop.    Here’s why. While follower counts, page views, and like are metrics with some merit, they’re really just shallow indicators of success. Vanity metrics can (and will) fluctuate and they fail to show you what’s going on behind the scenes! Because while it’s cool to reach a large number of people, what’s really going to move the needle forward in your business is quality over quantity.    If you have 10,000 followers but none of them are your ideal client, none of them are engaging in your content, and none of them are buying what you’re selling- then what does that even matter?   BUT on the flip side, if you have 100 ENGAGED followers, you could be raking in some decent money from people who ARE buying what you’re selling, people are benefiting from your content, and people who are invested in who you are as a business! Engagement is what moves us forward in business. It’s the engaged followers that support us, not the people who follow just to follow.    Tips to gain followers outside of our circle:   1.) HASHTAGS! I remember when I first started to use instagram for my business and I had no idea how powerful hashtags were! I honestly thought they were more of an optional feature, and maybe you feel that way too! But let me tell you right now- they are not optional- they are a NECESSITY! If you want to see growth in your business, then you need to start using them   Did you know that a post that has ONE hashtag gets 12.6% more engagement than a post that has 0 hashtags?! Crazy right?! Knowing that, I don’t know why you wouldn’t want to start using them TODAY.   A hashtag or the pound symbol, before a word or phrase, allows you to categorize and label your image on instagram, facebook, or other social media platforms. However, for today's tips, we're going to focus mostly on instagram. When you use a hashtag, your image will show up in searches under that tag, and allow you to connect with other people and content in that category. So, each hashtag has it's own feed or gallery so to speak. When hashtags are used correctly, they can help you speak right to your target audience and gain qualified followers that are outside of your circle.    If you really want to see results from hashtags then you need to use hashtags with intention and efficiency. Using generic hashtags like #happy, or #swoon (guilty of that one,) isn't going to get you the engagement or the audience you're looking for. So what can you do? The first tip with hashtags, is to be specific. Be selective with the hashtags that you use. Remember how I said hashtags are like a search engine? So before you use a hashtag, think to yourself "Would my ideal client USE that tag?" What is the point in using a hashtag, if it doesn't target your ideal client?! Once you grasp that mindset, you're starting to think in the specific nature that hashtags require. Tip two is to use location specific tags. For example, I live in Upstate New York, which is very different (and about 4.5 hours away) from NYC. If I just use the tag #nybride, that's all fine and well, but most likely my local bride isn't using that hashtag to find her wedding photographer. Using a location specific hashtag can put you in front of the clients who are looking for a service provider right in their area! Do not underestimate the power of location specific tags! Not only that, but it puts you in front of other people in your area that you might not have ties to! (the whole purpose of today’s episode right?! To gain followers outside of your circle?!) The same goes for adding a location on your post in general. Add where you are whether it’s a small town, a big city, a park, a fair- always add your location because again, you never know who might be searching for that tag OR that location! And just to prove this works, when I started using location specific tags, I was found by a local business who asked if they could add me to a directory that they run of other business educators in the area! So now, because I used a location specific hashtag, I was found by another business and am now on another platform for people to find me!  Tip three is to make sure your ideal client is front of mind when creating a hashtag. Do you know who your ideal client is? If you don’t, you need to figure this out. Episode 4 is all about how to nail down your ideal client so if you’re stuck in that department, be sure to give it a listen! I want you to think of this: Have you had a past client that you just ADORED? Or, is there someone out there that you know you would love to work? If so, go and check out their page! See what hashtags they're using, if they're using any, or see what interests them! If the tags they use are in your realm of industry, it wouldn't hurt to pick them up because using the same hashtags or similar tags, will put you in front of like minded people! It also helps to do the same with your top engagers. See what hashtags they're using as well!    Tip four? Go check out your competitors hashtags. You know, the ones that are killing it in the market and you're wondering how they're doing it? Well go look and see! Side note: I'm not telling you to go and copy all the same hashtags that they're using, because some might not be on brand for you. However, if there are some that really resonate with you and your brand, then pick them up! Now, I really just scratched the surface on information about hashtags but I really wanted you to see how powerful they are for your business and how they can get you in front of people outside of your circle! Those four quick tips will definitely help you get started but if you want more, check out my freebie on hashtag hacks to get alllllll the details about hashtags! You can snag it HERE!   2.) CUSTOMERS   I think one of the most underrated way to gain exposure in your business is to leverage your customer. Happy customers are another amazing source of free marketing.    The first thing you need to do is to ask your customers for reviews. You should be asking this of all your customers. Reviews are amazing and there is so much that you can do with them. Today, we’re focusing solely on growing our social media following outside of our circle so that’s what I’m going to focus on, but there is seriously so much that reviews can do for you and your business. For example, if a client leaves a review, go on canva, make a quick but cute graphic with their review, and share it to your story! Or heck! If you aren’t a crafty person, take a screen shot of it and post it on your story! And then- tag them in it. When people get tagged by a business on social media, it makes them feel like a million bucks. Have you ever experienced the feeling? I know when a business shouts me out, I get all giddy inside and feel cool for like 5 whole seconds. But by tagging them in their review, you give them MORE happy feelings about working with you which can lead to them telling other about you and your business.    So first, ask all your clients for reviews and then POST THEM. Whether in your story, or on your feed. Share the good things people say about you because it helps build trust between you, and future clients.   Second tip, is to encourage your clients to post about your service or product on their OWN pages. Say they bought a mug, or earrings from you. In your confirmation e-mail, add a part that say “Post a picture of you and your product and tag me for a chance to be featured on my account!” or something enticing like that. Then, when they do it, you can share their post in your story which will help build even more trust between you and your future clients, but more importantly, it encourages your client to do advertising for you because now that they’ve posted about your business, whether in their feed or story, your business is getting exposure to all of their followers- AKA people NOT in your circle!    Again, the easiest way to make this happen is to encourage them with an e-mail saying if you do this, we’ll re share it and you’ll be featured on our page but once you get someone to start, and your followers see that you share customer posts and stories, they’re going to know “oh if I buy from her and tag her she’ll share it” because they’ve seen you do it with others!   Now if you’re a service based business, you can still do this! You just might have to be creative on what you’re asking them to share! So in my photography business, people just share the images I took of them and they tag me in them. But if you do coaching, maybe have them tag you in a results picture, or a before and after shot! There’s definitely ways to utilize your clients in both product and service based businesses.    But Now let’s say you’re still in the beginning stages of business, and your only customers have been your closest friends and family. That doesn’t matter. Honestly, it can be better because you can harass them and make them post a picture of your product or service lol but even though they’re already in your circle, when they share on their feed or in their story, you’re still getting in front of their audience and you never know who will see it, love it, and then follow you as a result! Because even though it’s someone in your close circle sharing about your busiess, you don’t know EVERYONE they know, and if you can gain ONE outer circle follower from that post, that’s all you need to get the ball rolling!   So when it comes to customers USE THEM! Ask them to leave a review and then share their reviews! Ask them to share about their experience or product on their pages for a chance to be featured and then reshare or repost all of that client love!    People love being featured. So give them the opportunity and relish in the fact that you’re making them feel special while also getting exposure to a ton of potential new customers. Again, this works like crazy. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen a friend post about jewelry they bought and tagged the business and then I went and followed the account AND ended up buying something. I’ve even done this with photographers! I’ve seen someone post their pictures and I loved them so much I clicked on the tagged photographer, followed them, and booked a session! If you think about it, you’ve probably done this before too! So give your clients an amazing experience with you so they want to share all about it and then repost and reshare the heck out of it!   3.) KEEP AT IT   We all want to grow our businesses big and we all want to do it super fast. But the reality is the fastest way to do it, is to dig in and do the work which sometimes, isn’t that fast at all. The real secret to growth is momentum. You really just need to gain momentum and start where you are.    Look at the people you have right now and think about how you can serve them SO WELL that they talk about you and your products to everyone they meet. When you can do that, when you can focus on providing your customers with love and value, from there you’ll grow. When it comes to growth and gaining followers outside of your circle, all it takes is for a friend to tell a coworker, and then that coworker buys something and then they tell their friends and so on and so forth! Again, you just need to gain some momentum.   To wrap it up let’s go over three action items we can do today to move the needle forward: Action step #1: Start using hashtags on all your posts- NOW. If you want to expand your reach and break out of your inner circle- you have to make sure your post is visible to others! Again, I have a freebie all about hashtags so make sure you snag it HERE so you can start getting started and seeing that needle move forward in your biz! Action step #2:  Ask clients for reviews. If you’ve had recent clients, I’d say within the past three months, reach out to them and ask for a review! Start sharing them and tagging your customers in them! If you’re working on something for someone now, whether a product or service, reach out and say “hey when this is done, would you mind posting a picture and tagging me?” Just ask! People are more willing than you would think to support small businesses in any way they can! And then moving forward, add it right into a confirmation e-mail or whatever way works best for you and your biz! Action step #3: If you’ve don’t something for a friend or family member in the past- no matter how long ago- ask them for a review TODAY. Seriously. Badger them. They're your friends and family so you can! Remember, the secret to growth is gaining momentum and sometimes as business owners, we have to create our own momentum. So look around at where you are and use what and who you’ve got! 

Meet Chaya! Chaya Gutnick is someone who helps business owners create simple systems so that they can get things done faster. In her last full time employee position, she was able to complete her work in 15 hours a week. So when she was looking to start consulting and looking into how she could really benefit business owners, that's what stood out to her. I mean, what business owner doesn’t want to turn their 40 hour work week into 15 hours of work a week!?     Her WHY is really to help you guys figure out how to get meet all your goals and really get there but not do it in a way that's overwhelming and all over the place where you constantly feel pulled in so many directions.   She has managed a team of 20+ people so she knows what it takes to keep things running smoothly while making time for needle moving activities. Chaya is pursuing a doctoral degree in organizational leadership and is always looking to learn something new!   You can check out her website at controlmychaos.com   The Interview Cliff Notes:   Molly: I love how you said that you help people know establish the system so that they're more productive. But I think a lot of people when talking about business don't even really know what a system is. Can you explain that? What is a system in your business?   Chaya: A system is just like a repeatable way of doing something. It can look like a checklist, it can look like a software that you use to do a certain thing. It can be like really simple things like book marking Facebook groups. So instead of going on Facebook, getting lost for 25 minutes wondering why I'm even on there, right? I just click on my bookmarks tab, open all and all those groups are open. So those are some relatable examples of what a system could be.   Molly:  What would you say to people that feel they're just too busy to take the time to create a system?   Chaya: I would say a few things. I would say if you're happy where your business is at right now, then that's fine. You don't have to create systems, right? Like, if your business is working well, you're happy with your life, you're happy with the amount of time you have and all that stuff, then you're not one who needs a system, and that's fine. But most of us don't fall into that category. And if you don't fall into that category, and you do want to create systems, I would just recommend time blocking it off in your calendar- set a time. First think what are the  things that you do every day that you'd like to create systems for? And then let's say you start blocking off an hour for creating one type of system or creating another type of system.   If you're not finding the time, you need to make the time, that's really what I would say. You need to decide that it's important to you. It takes discipline. And one of the things that, that I remind people all the time is, when you don’t want to sit down and think about systems, think about your goals. Just think about your goal and say, I have to do this hard thing in order to get to my goal.   Molly: Do you have any tips to help people stick to a system that they've created?   Chaya: Okay, so I was actually talking to someone yesterday and we were talking all about personality, and how different people need different types of systems. Like some people need visual systems. Some people need a really technical system. Some people just like a simple spreadsheet, right? Try and think back to a system that has worked for you in the past, and think about why it worked for you and then try and replicate that.   As far as sticking to your systems, the first thing I always recommend is choose a system that's going to work for you. Figure out the type of system you need in order for it to work for you. The second thing is is that visualize your goals. For example, you could visualize where you want to be in five years, and what your life is going to look like and what you're going to do and what you're going to have, or, really what your day would look like. And every time you don't want to do your work, or you don't want to follow through, think about that. You can even above your computer, put a picture of the type of house that you'd like to live in. I was just working with a client who wants to move somewhere. So he's going to put up a picture of the neighborhood he wants to move into. Try visualizing as much as possible that goal that you have, and it can either be a five year goal or a six month goal- whatever works best for you.   Molly: I’m not gonna lie when I first started business, I didn't know what scaling meant. So I want you to just kind of talk about What does that mean to scale your business? And how do these systems help you do that?   Chaya:  So scaling your business really just means to grow your business, to make it bigger, whatever bigger means to you. Does that mean servicing more clients and making a bigger impact? Does that mean you're more profitable and therefore meet your goals in a different way? Does that mean you're more profitable, and you can therefore give back to your community to causes that are important to you? So, scaling means growing, everybody has a different goal when it comes to growing and it just means growing closer to that goal.   That's what I would say scaling means, and systems help you get there. So, systems help you do things faster so you're able to do more things in less time. But, also what I focus on when I'm working with people is simplifying and staying really focused because a lot of us get distracted easily. We're like, oh, I should be on Facebook. I should be on Instagram, I should be on LinkedIn, I should be on tik tok, right? And we come up with all this stuff that we’re excited to do, but it’s almost to a fault because you’re all over the place and then not doing anything well. So focus on doing less things better. Quality over quantity.   So one of the first things we'll also kind of focus on is what are your goals and what are the fastest ways to get there. That’s why I’m all about simple systems because they help you to get stuff done faster. Then, if you have a really good system set up, then outsourcing and delegating becomes so much easier because you already have systems in place for people to learn.           Molly: What are some tips you can give people so that they can grow their business faster and stronger?   Chaya: Yeah, so the first thing that I would say is this: with tips, it’s easy to like see a tip and do it or say you do it, but you really need to go all in. If you hear a tip, and you're not actually fully using it, you're not really going to get all the benefits. So this is going to be something that you've heard before, but if you're not really doing it fully, you're probably not at all getting the benefits of it. The tip is scheduling your day. Instead of having a to do list, schedule it on your calendar, so anything that you would otherwise put on your to do list, schedule it. It could be client calls, certain marketing activities that you're doing, sales activities that you're doing, content creation, whatever that looks like in your business, time block those things out.   I would also say see what you can eliminate and eliminate as much as possible. Anything that's not actually getting you to your goals, eliminate it.   The next thing I would say is like automate, right? You look at things that can be done automatically and set that up. Then if you're at the point in your business where you can delegate I mean, definitely looking at what can be delegated     Keep tabs on Chaya! Chaya has a Facebook group called Business Owners Scale Simple Systems that you can join HERE. She does a ton of free trainings in the group about every 6 weeks!  

Are you struggling with productivity? Have you started on this business venture, or heck! Maybe you’ve been rocking it for a few years, but you’re struggling with managing your time? Struggling to know how to prioritize? Struggling to know what to work on first? Let’s get real. Time management is HARD STUFF and when you feel like you’re always scrambling with a ton to do and no idea where to start, that’s one of the worst feelings out there! So today, we’re going to go over some tips on how to prioritize your projects and manage your time so that you aren’t feeling stressed, panicked, and left suffering from a big ol’ case of analysis paralysis.   Tip #1.) Create your To-Do list   The first thing to do when starting to establish an effective time management system is to write down all that you have to do and WANT to do. Now, I don’t care if lists aren’t your thing, because in order to manage your time effectively, you have to know what you have to do! Makes sense right? So write down what products, projects, and services you have to do or provide, and write down your other business to-do’s that you want to get done! Whether that’s updating your website, responding to e-mails, sending out contracts, catching up on blogging, scheduling social media posts- whatever you want to get done- write it down.   Don’t worry about the order at the moment. The goal here is to word vomit all that’s on your mental to-do list and we’re going to work from there.  Without knowing what we have to do, we can easily spend our days being “busy” but not necessarily productive. Remember, busy is NOT a badge of honor, being PRODUCTIVE is.    There are so many ways to create your to-do list! The key to success with this whole process, is knowing what kind of person you are! If you’re a sticky note person (like me) then do what works for you. You don’t want to be a sticky note person and then start trying some new app for organization. When you do things like that, that’s when you fall off the wagon and things are still left in a chaotic cloud of stress and disarray. You could use a journal, sticky notes, a planner, an app- whatever works for you. This is seriously not a one size fits all kinda deal here. So think about what method you prefer and stick with what works. Get your mental to-do list out of your head and somewhere where you can SEE it. That’s the key.    Tip #2.) Give it an ending   Now, I don’t know you personally, so I don’t know if you’re a service based, or product based business. Either way, I want you to set a deadline for your products or services. For example, I’m a photographer. For all weddings, I have a deadline to deliver wedding galleries in 60 days, and all other galleries (like engagement, maternity, family)  in 30 days. This is not just a deadline in my head- this is something that I tell all of my clients during client meetings, in e-mails, and I remind them again at the end of each session or wedding. Sharing this deadline keeps me accountable.   I want you to set deadlines for your products or services. So when someone orders or books, how long until they receive a finished product or until their service is finished or shipped? Doing this helps keep you on a schedule and makes it 1000x easier to prioritize.    Not to mention, people LOVE knowing what to expect. As a photographer, I obviously love pictures, so I get mine taken a TON. When I have my pictures taken and I’m not given an estimated delivery date, I get so annoyed. I become this obsessive creature who checks her e-mail 5 times a day in case the photographer magically did them overnight. Why? Because I don’t know what to expect. It’s honestly maddening! Have any of you ever experienced anything like this or is it just crazy old me? I LOVE knowing what to expect. Because of that, I always let my clients know what they can expect from me. I personally feel like it’s good business!   So whatever it is you offer, give it a deadline. I don’t care how small, or how big the product or service is- start by setting a realistic deadline so that you can effectively start prioritizing your to-do list.   Before we go on to the next tip for managing time effectively- here’s a quick little tip for setting project deadlines. Make sure when you’re setting a deadline that you allow for a grace period in case anything every happens. Even though I have a 60 or 30 day deadline for pictures. I almost always deliver before the deadline is up. However, when unexpected things come up, like when we had our miscarriage, or you get sick, or someone in your family falls ill, you’re going to be happy you set a deadline that allowed for some grace time. So even if you feel like you can finish something in a week, it might be best to tell your clients or customers, that it will be done in TWO weeks. Not only does that give you a grace period, but it helps you practice the whole “undersell and overdeliver” philosophy. When they receive their product earlier than anticipated, they’re going to be thinking Wow that was fast! This is awesome! I would totally recommend them and use them again!” Versus if you cut yourself short and miss a deadline because life happens, they’re not going to be as happy waiting longer than expected.    Just something to consider when setting deadlines!    Tip #3.) Prioritize your List   Now that you have brain dumped your list, and you know how long it takes to complete an order or service through to completion, it’s time to prioritize your list. Obviously, time sensitive stuff comes first. If you’re having a slower period of business, then you can prioritize based on what you want to get done versus what you HAVE to get done. BUT if things are booming, it’s time to take a look at what needs to get done first. This may seem like a no brainer but things that are due first get worked on first, and projects with due dates get done before projects that you’re doing for “fun” or for business asthetic. The most powerful tool for your business is a happy customer, so if you have orders make sure you’re working on them everyday and the fun stuff like website design or business rebranding comes after.   So sit down and look at your projects. The ones you have active right now, you most likely haven’t communicated a deadline for, but think about who put the order in first and prioritize accordingly. In business, the goal is to keep customers waiting as little as possible so that’s what you should keep front of mind when starting to get everything in order. Do you see how having a deadline for your products and services helps in this department? It just makes it so much easier to know what needs to be done first.    For example, someone might have order or booked with you first, but depending on what service or product they purchased, maybe you have longer to work on it than someone else who purchased and product or service that doesn’t take as long. For me, I may have a wedding and then 3 engagement session within a week. Even though I had the wedding first, the three engagement session will be due first, so I try to bang those out as soon as possible and slowly chip away at the wedding in-between!   Tip #4.) Set Office Hours   Once we can visualize our list, give our service deadlines, and then prioritize accordingly- It’s time to get real. If you want to make this business thing work, you need to have some sort of structure. You also need to know how much time you have so you can know when to work on what. Now, we already know what we should be working on first because we’ve prioritized our to-do list, but now, we need to figure out how much time you can legitimately devote to your business daily- or weekly if you know you aren’t going to be working everyday. Again, the key here is to be realistic so we know what we’re actually working with.   Now for me, I’m a boss babe, but also a full time stay at home momma. So my business runs around nap times and bedtime. At this point in my life, I know I have 4 hours a day I can devote to my business. I leave the first nap free for me to clean, shower, nap myself if I need to, and do “me things,” like binge watch the office! But second nap and after bedtime is when I work.      So what does that look like for you? Are you juggling multiple kids and maybe you can only devote an hour or two after bedtime? Do you work a traditional 9 to 5 still and know that you don’t want to be working all day everyday so you’ll commit to 2 hours three times a week, like 6-8p M, W, F? What is realistic for you so that you don’t get burned out, and so that you can still have a life? That’s what you need to figure out. Once we know how much time we’re working with, that’s when we can start getting productive.   Tip #5.) Schedule it out    Now we know our prioritized to do list, we know our deadlines, and we know how many hours we have to work with. So all that’s left to do is to schedule it out! Let’s go back to my previous example of have a wedding followed by three engagement session in one week. Let’s also be real and throw in how I have a podcast episode, blog post, e-mail, and social media to get out weekly. Knowing I only have 4 hours a day to work, I might divvy it up something like this: 2 hours editing (what I edit would be based on what will be due first), 1 hour podcast episode (scripting/interviews/editing/and corresponding blog posts), 30 minutes social media planning (this could rotate based on the day of the week, like maybe Monday I plan out instagram, Tuesday I plan out Pinterest, etc) and then, 30 minutes working on weekly emails.    So I look at how much time I have to work based on the office hours I set for myself, I look at my list and see what I have to do and what needs to be done by when, and I schedule around that. It’s actually really easy! You just have to take the time to set project deadlines (which REALLY helps with time management) and you have to have some set structure as to when you work! When you do those two things, everything becomes so much clearer!   Now, I kinda told you how I might break up my four hour slot but there are a few other things that can help to make sure you stay on track, and that you keep managing your time to the best of your ability.    First, USE A TIMER! No shame here. If you’re someone who gets so absorbed into one project- set a timer so you know when you’re allotted time is up and it’s time to switch gears! Multitasking can be hard so if you need to juggle multiple projects, schedule them out and set a timer!   Second, leave your phone somewhere NOT where you are. It can be so easy to start answering texts, getting side tracked, wanting to check social media, or your e-mail. Seriously. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve fallen down a rabbit hole. The best thing you can do is to leave your phone somewhere else- in another room, on silent, so it can’t distract you. Plus, if you only have a few hours a day to work on your business, you want them to be as productive as possible.    Lastly, don’t OVER do it. This applies in two ways. First, do over schedule your time. I like to only schedule 3-4 things a day and that way if I’m really on a roll with something a go over my time a little, I still have time to finish my other tasks. By not over scheduling my time, I’m giving myself a cushion! That way if you’re feeling super productive, roll with it!    The second point, is to not multi-task too much. Focus the majority of your time on your most important task, and then add maybe 2-3 other small things you can work on for a short period of time! Again, multi-tasking is hard and sometimes juggling too many projects at once can result in us dropping or forgetting small details which we don’t want. So again, check your list and focus on what is the most important priority and organize your time accordingly.    Tip # 6.) BATCH IT UP!   Batching is a beautiful thing. Now you might be wondering what I mean when I say batching so let me break it down for you: if you schedule out a chunk of time for blogging, or social media, don’t just focus on what you’re going to post that day. If you can, block a larger chunk of time and batch a whole weeks worth of social media posts/captions. Or draft as many blog posts as you can. Or plan out an e-mail series. They say By concentrating on one task for a longer period of time instead of swapping from this to that and back to this, you are scientifically more productive and focused, which is why I said to make sure you don’t OVER schedule yourself. Work on a max of ¾ things a day and focus on one task at a time! During your time slot bang out as much work as you can. Batching is wonderful and can save you so much time and brainpower.    Tip #7.) REDUCE, REUSE, REPURPOSE!   Reduce your stress, reuse what you’ve got, and repurpose your content! I cannot stress this enough! If you’re someone who is crunched for time and wondering how you’re going to “do it all” start repurposing your content. Did you write a blog post recently? Instead of spending minutes thinking of a caption, pull a few lines from your blog post! Did you write a killer caption last year? Reuse it. Did you have an awesome post on FB last week? Share it on instagram this week. Seriously. No one will notice and you will start saving yourself a TON of time. When you start thinking of everything you put out there as reusable content, everything feels 1000x easier. Did you write a killer caption that got a ton of engagement? Maybe write a blog post about the same topic and just go a little deeper! I mean you already know it’s a hit! If you want to start managing your time better, start looking at what you’ve already done and repurpose it. No need to reinvent the wheel everyday, for every platform.   Time management is a tricky sticky subject because it’s definitely different for everyone. You need to find what works best for you and the best way to do that is to be real about how much time you have to devote to your business, and to make sure you’re clear on your deadline. All the rest if I’m being honest, is going to be you figuring out what works for you!     To wrap it up let’s go over three action items we can do today to move the needle forward: Action step #1: Brain dump your mental to-do list. Let it allll out. From actual paid projects/services to things that you want to do for your business like marketing, blogging, website work, etc. Write down what it is you want to get done so you can start managing your time appropriately. Action step #2:  Give your products and services a deadline. How long until you deliver a final product? Start sharing your deadlines with your customers so they know what to expect and you’re held accountable. Action step #3:  Figure out your office hours. Sit down and figure out how much time you have to truly commit to your business on a regular basis.      GRAB 50% OFF your annual Honeybook subscription here! GRAB 50% OFF your Flodesk subscription here!

It can be really tough when you’re starting a business to feel confident in what you do and what you’re selling. Honestly, it can feel tough even when you’ve been doing it, for any amount of time. Sometimes we just all get inside our own heads and think of a gazillion and a half ways to self sabotage ourselves. Who can relate? I know I sure can! We start thinking, “what will others think, who am I to share this/sell this/teach this”- you name it. The Imposter Syndrome feelings take over and we’re left with an empty tank, no motivation, and scared to put ourselves and our businesses out there.    So how do we show up with confidence. How do we own where we are and what we do? How can we show people that we’re in this because we care! We’re passionate! And we’re the right choice for them.   The first way to start owning where we are?   Personal Development   If you’re struggling to feel ENOUGH- then you need to do some personal development. If you’re hunky dory and loving life- you still need to do personal development. There isn’t anyone in the world who won’t benefit from personal development. It’s how we grow! There are some great books that you can read and podcasts you can listen to that will help light a fire under your butt.   I know that it can be hard to show up because we often tell ourselves lies about ourselves, like how we’re not enough, how our goals are ridiculous, how everyone else is doing this “life” thing with such success and we’re barely getting by.. What’s worse about telling these lies to ourselves, *because they are lies,* is that we BELIEVE them. The more we say them to ourselves, the more we believe we aren’t enough, or that our goals ARE ridiculous, or that everyone is living their best life and we’re not. It’s a nasty cycle sister.    What I also know? Is that personal development is embarrassing. You agree with me don’t you? That’s why when you hear me say personal development you cringe a little, or scoff and think you don’t need it. You think personal development is only for whack jobs you are on the brink of losing their minds? Been there! Kind of ashamed to admit it now BUT I want to be real with you all and I’ve started to realize that the things we think, the things that we’re scared of, the things that make us feel embarrassed- are all actually pretty common thoughts and feelings among others.   I’ll tell you this: EVERYONE feels like they’re not “enough” at some point in their life. Everyone has these moments. This is something we really need to remember when we start feeling any type of “less than.” I’ve found that personal development has helped me feel so much less alone in these seasons of life, and has helped me to really own where I am! Because authenticity doesn’t just sell, it’s craved. It’s relatable. People want to know they aren’t alone in their thoughts and feelings! Honestly, it makes them feel a little bit more sane! It sure does for me! If we can learn to truly embrace where we are, even the messy bits, that’s what people resonate with.   You know in Frozen 2 where Olaf says “Advancing technology is both our savior and our doom.” He’s so right. Social media has us seeing everyone’s happy moments, everyone’s perfectly curated and best work, all perfection all the time and it does affect us! It can actually make us lose our focus and wish we more more like THEM instead of owning where we are and what makes us unique! Don’t believe me? Ever see someone actually get real on social media? Like a mom who shows up with super messy dirty hair and talks about how she pees when she laughs? It makes you laugh and giggle because you can relate! It’s real and it makes you think “wow ok! It’s not just me thank goodness!”   Challenge yourself to do 30 minutes of personal development a day. Whether that’s a book, or a podcast, or reading someone’s blog. Start working on yourself, and you’re going to feel so much better about where you are and how you can show up as authentically as possible.   Here are a couple of my favorite books and podcasts!   Personal development books: Girl Wash Your Face - Rachel Hollis  Girl Stop Apologizing - Rachel Hollis  Read This If You Want to Be Instagram Famous - Henry Carroll  Brave, Not Perfect - Reshma Saujani  Millionaire Success Habits - Dean Graziosi   Personal Development Podcasts: Goal Digger  SHE  The Skinny Confidential  The Broad Experience  Girlboss Radio with Sophia Amoruso       Leaning Into Our Superpowers!   Superpowers are a unique mix of your knowledge and experience that only YOU have. No one has the same experiences in life, and no one absorbs knowledge in the same way. Because of that, you have something that others don’t and it’s time to OWN it!       We need to make a mindset shift to focus on our strengths instead of our weaknesses or what we’re lacking. When we do that, our confidence will soar because we’re doing what we’re good at! If there is something you’re not good at, but has to be done in your business- outsource it! Ask someone else to do it! That way you can focus on your strengths and let someone else handle the stuff you aren’t a wiz at!     Kick Comparison to the Curb   Unfortunately, Comparison can be so stinkin easy to waste a lot of energy on, become distracted by, and get stuck in.   But I want to tell you something right now, comparing ourselves with others, is AGAIN, something that everyone has suffered from in some way, shape, or form. Whether that’s comparing their business, their fitness, their looks, their jobs- it’s common and you’re not alone.   Jordan Lee Dooley said  “We spend a lot of our energy assuming and categorizing instead of empathizing and connecting and it needs to stop.” I couldn’t agree more.    Comparing ourselves to the people around us is like racing the person on the treadmill next to us- it gets us nowhere and more importantly, it just distracts us from our own goals.    Let me tell you something right now, you cannot run a successful life, business, or relationship if you’re too busy trying to make it look like someone else’s.    So what can we do to overcome the need to compare our race with others?  A.) Remember your purpose.  If you aren’t clear on your purpose it’s like shooting into the dark. You’ll be pursuing whatever your goal is aimlessly and open up allll the doors for distraction. Be clear and focus on YOUR goals, not anyone else’s.   B.) Remember this: Her success, is not your failure.  Just because you see someone out there killing it and doing what you want to be doing it, doesn’t mean that you’re any bit “less than.” You don’t know the circumstances surrounding her success, like how long she’s been at it. So put your blinders on, focus on YOUR goals and what you can do to get there, and give yourself grace by remembering that cheering someone else on, doesn’t hurt your progress.   C.) Communicate Make the connection. If you find yourself comparing yourself to someone else- reach out to them. So often we compare ourselves to someone and get it in our minds that they put their pants on differently than we do. I don’t know about you, but anytime I’ve had preconceived notions about someone, they’re almost immediately shattered once I get to know them. Even though someone may seem super successful, put together, and intimidating, at the end of the day, she’s just another girl trying to find her way through life. So if you find yourself stuck on them, reach out and make that connection. Become friends and learn from each other. Knock down those walls that make you feel like you’re in a race that’s totally made up in your head. The best way to do that is to communicate. So send the DM, the e-mail, the text, and get to know you’re competition.       Crystal Clear Clarity If you’re in business, you have heard “find your why,” probably a gazillion times. You know why you hear and read about it so much? Because it is SO IMPORTANT! Now I won’t go too deep into this topic because I have a whole episode on The Business WHY! That you can listen to HERE.    Finding and knowing our business WHY leads to crystal clear clarity. It helps us know our purpose and our mission for being in business. When we know our WHY, it is so much easier to make decisions, focus, and stay the course because fuzzy targets don’t get hit, and knowing our WHY leads us to clarity in our businesses.    Not only is gaining clarity important, but knowing our WHY helps us stay motivated! When you have a dream or a passion you will be inspired to go out and pursue it, but what happens on the hard days? What happens on the days people want a refund, someone leaves a bad review, someone chooses another business over yours? Having a WHY helps to keep you motivated and grounded. It pushes you on the tough days and reminds you of why you started your journey in the first place.      Really think about your WHY. Think about your values. Think about what is important to you. Think about your goals. What are you doing everyday that aligns with that? What habits have you created that will bring you closer to where you want to go? And what habits have you created are holding you back from achieving those goals.     Goal setting   Goal setting is crucial in order to get where you want to do. Without goals, we’re all just aimlessly going about life.    Where people often  struggle with goals, is that they make them too big, and they don’t know where to start. The secret to success is baby steps and imperfect action my friends. It’s showing up consistently, and when we know what we’re working towards, that imperfect action and consistency is much more doable.   Sometimes, we’re so busy hustling that we can’t see outside of the bubble of chaos around us.    I love the exercise from Dean Grazisosi where he tells you to extract yourself from your current chaos, place yourself one year from now, and look back. What does that best year look like? When you know- write down what you would have to do, to get there. There are your goals.    If one year even seems too big for you, break it down into quarters and what you’d like to accomplish in the next three months. Then think of the steps you need to take to achieve those goals!   Once you know what goals and steps you want to conquer- here are a few tips to succeed:   A.) Set a deadline. Hold yourself accountable. So many people will break commitments to themselves before anything else, but you have to change your mindset if you want to become successful. Write down your goals, and then set a deadline to hold yourself accountable. Shift your mindset so that you don’t back down, or cancel on yourself.  B.) Set a reward. Reward yourself when you make progress on your goals, whether thats taking a day off, going out to teat, getting your nails done, whatever is exciting to you, reward yourself. When you know there’s a reward at the end of the goal, it can make finishing that goal that much easier C.) Plan ahead. Prepare yourself for any obstacles that might come your way when trying to accomplish goals. If we prepare for set backs, and anticipate them, we’re more likely to recover and pivot faster than if we hadn’t prepared for the obstacles. So plan ahead and be ready to keep pushing on if an obstacle hits.  6.) Celebrate the wins along the way   I am all about celebrating! In our house, we love celebrating any and all achievements because WHY NOT! And that’s the same mentality I want you to have with your business! Maybe you hit 100 followers on your social media account- then celebrate! Maybe you book 5 clients in a month! CELEBRATE!    Bottom line: Stop waiting until the end to celebrate! Small wins along the way are building up to those BIG victory moments and deserve to be celebrated.    What is the point in chasing after something if you are not celebrating along the way? It’s about the journey not the end point. Goals change over time there’s never a true END because by the time you reach your current goal, you’ll have set new ones! If you are always hustling with no celebrating, that makes for a pretty sad journey! So take time to pause and reflect on how far you’ve come and CELEBRATE!   I have a friend who has what she calls “success journals.” In her success journal, she writes down all of her wins, no matter how small it may seem to a random person. When she’s having a low day, a day where she feels unmotivated, a day where she questions what she’s doing and why, she goes back and reads all her successes and they make her feel GOOD. They remind her of how far she’s come and all she’s accomplished! It reignites that fire under her butt and gives her to fuel to keep moving forward!    So start celebrating your wins, no matter how big or small. Buy yourself a new top, treat yourself to a mani/pedi, go on a trip, go out to dinner, whatever it is you like but reward yourself and enjoy this journey and everything you accomplish along the way!   And there you have it folks! 6 tips for owning your truth. Owning where you are and sharing your journey with confidence.      To wrap it up let’s go over three action items we can do today to move the needle forward: Action step #1: Determine your superpowers and strengths and start leaning into them! Focus on what you’re good at! Remember where your focus goes, your energy flows. So hone in on the strengths and ignore your weaknesses. Action step #2: Set goals for your business. When you feel yourself getting distracted, feeling down, and unmotivated- remember your goal and think of one thing you can do in that moment to get one step closer to your goal. Use goals as a way to keep you on track for what is important in your life and business. Everything else, that doesn’t align with those goals, is white noise!   Action step #3: Figure out what small win you’ve recently had that you can celebrate this week! Make a plan to reward yourself for the successes you’ve seen!     50% OFF HONEYBOOK   50% OFF FLODESK    

Annie Bauer is a beautiful soul and business mentor for female entrepreneurs who I met during my business course with Dean Graziosi, Tony Robbins, and Jenna Kutcher! Her main passion is helping to lead female entrepreneurs and side hustlers to success in their careers. Molly: What would you say is the biggest obstacle facing women who are trying to start their business or side hustle? Annie: Self doubt and lack of confidence. Women have been conditioned and taught to play small. When it comes to running your own business, we have to learn how to have a bigger voice and to not be embarrassed to share that we have something (whether a skill set of physical product) that can help someone. This is tough not just for people in the beginning stages of business, but also for those who have been in business for years. Molly: What would you say to women who feel stuck in the traditional 9 to 5 and want to start their own business and leave those traditional confines? Annie: I want to help women set up a new model or system that doesn't include the 9 to 5. When we as women work in the 9 to 5 system, we often fine that we're sacrificing certain things, like being able to raise our children, for making money. My stance is that the 9 to 5 system isn't going to change anytime soon, so we need to go away and create our own system so that we can have more control over our destiny. Molly: I think a lot of these women who feel stuck in the 9 to 5, who might have ideas on businesses they want to start, don't because the idea of money stops them. What would you say to the women who feel like it takes a lot of money to start a business or a side hustle? Annie: That might have been true years ago, but with today's technology, you can start a side hustle with almost nothing. Molly: What are three steps women can take away right now if they are feeling paralyzed with confusion, indecision, or not having enough to make that start? Annie: The first thing, even if you don't have any followers, is to go set up an e-mail service provider and start talking to them! *My favorite is Flodesk and I cannot rave about it enough! Grab 50% off your subscription here! SNAG IT HERE!* The second thing is to figure out where your ideal clients hang out on social media and to get on there! Social media is free. Get on there and tell people who you are, what you do, and what problem you solve. The third thing is to set up a free zoom account. You can talk unlimited on one on one calls and you can start making those connections. Molly: Why should women act now to build a life that they love and not later? Annie: Now is always the best time. Get out of your head and get into action. Action leads to momentum. Time is your most precious asset. Taking action can be as simple as setting up a facebook page, or joining a group of like minded people; it can be just one small simple action. Molly: Can you tell our listeners what a mentor is and how they can help entrepreneurs in their business? Annie: So many people ask this. People say "why do I need a mentor, can't I just figure it out on my own?" But it goes back to what I said before, time is your most valuable asset. A really great mentor or coach will simplify and streamline things and get you where you need to go faster, with more clarity, and more purpose than you can get there on your own. Go to somebody who you feel is trusted person. Hire someone who is results and progress oriented. Hire someone who will help you save time and get there faster. Make sure you hire someone who is listening to YOU. What you want and your dreams. Molly: What is a membership community Annie: Membership communities are really unique. You pay a monthly free to be in the community but it's also a way to get advice, coaching, and direction so that you also have accountability and guidance along the way. With a membership community you also have the added benefit of all the other people in the group or community. Annie's Freebie: 5 ways to go from Stuck to Started

Are you struggling with getting your business to stand out from the crowd? Do you feel like you're just shouting out into the masses and not gaining any real traction in your business? Then listen in for one HUGE business success hack that isn't talked about enough!

Do you ever feel unmotivated in your business? Ever want to just give up because you’re hustling so hard? That can all be fixed with one thing- nailing down your WHY. Today we’re going to talk about nailing down your business why. If this is a topic that makes you feel anxious, or if you just have no idea who your ideal client is or why exactly you want to chase this career, then this episode is for you.

We’re going to talk about the all too common feeling of Imposter Sydrome. Do you ever feel like you don’t belong in your industry? Do you feel unqualified, unsure of where to start, or just afraid of failure? Imposter syndrome can be debilitating. It can lead to a bad case of analysis paralysis and as business owners- that’s the last thing we want to have happen. We don’t want something to stop our momentum.

Do you struggle with getting engagement on your profile? Do you struggle with getting people to not only buy what you’re selling, but getting them to follow you in the first place? Well my friend, there’s a way to fix this. It’s narrowing down your ideal client. Often times in business, we want to try to reach as many people as possible. But here’s the deal- the more you try to be for everyone, the more you’re actually for no one. Listen in to learn how to nail down your ideal client.