If you missed part one, go read it for context and more thoughts!
The Rest of the 10 Shifts Iām Making in My Business This Spring:
6 | Just wishing the world were different ā Being the one who goes first
I talk a lot about being brave in a messy world. I mean, this whole platform is about Blood, Sweat + Fear. š
I love facilitating tough conversations, shaking up the status quo, and creating the things I wish existed before.
But in coaching, I find myself telling Coach Jenni, āI just wish that [insert radical idea thatās probably anti-capitalist and quite unconventional here]ā or āWhy doesnāt [put a specific resource around a taboo topic here] exist?ā or āI keep talking to women who want to [think of any inspiring AF bold move here] and I want to help them, butā¦ā
And ya know what she always says? āAngie, you need to go first.ā
There are SO MANY THINGS that frustrate me about our chaotic world, conventional business advice, the need for women to often work harder than men for the same outcomesā¦ But sitting around wishing it were different isnāt enough. I need to do the damn things that I wish other people were doing.
And I know that works ā I regularly get awesome emails from outdoor organizations/groups who are looking for wilderness menstruation resources, because years ago, I couldn't find any. So my first (well, second) business filled that need. And someone just told me that they cited this post in their doctoral research poster, even though I was scared to publish it since I hadnāt seen anything like it before. š¤·āāļø
A big reason I share on this Substack is because I wish other people were transparent and honest about how theyāre blending life and passion and business without going entirely nuts. Iāll go first.
7 | Time pressure ā Welcoming āabundance practicesā
One of the main reasons I started business coaching this year was the feeling of time scarcity through most of last year. I felt like by the end of the week, Iād barely gotten all my client work done, and didnāt have any time for the working āonā my business side (like outreach, offer tweaks, marketing)ā¦ I wanted to be more proactive in how my work would shake out each week/month.
Jenni once mentioned using waitlists to help plan ahead for a new offer. It was a simple side comment that spurred an āahaā for me ā I could use tools like waitlists more often to better know who was interested in opps when so that I didnāt have to stress about āgetting it doneā unless the timing and people came through. She called waitlists an āabundance practice,ā and I might be twisting her meaning, but now Iām looking for my idea of time abundance practices: shifting my scheduling calendar to my āsummerā hour preferences (no Wednesday meetings!), setting deadlines further out than I think I need, using auto-responders to manage expectationsā¦ More coming on these!
8 | Playing safe ā Doing the Edgy Growth Things
Does this even need an explanation? :) Itās true that I could skate by for many years taking on work thatās not a great fit for my interests, working with people who I donāt share many values with, agreeing to terms Iām slightly uncomfortable with. Honestly, Iād be making far more money if I werenāt so picky about working within personal interest areas and with people who have out-of-the-ordinary business beliefs themselves. šø
But my nature doesnāt like to settle. While itās been scary AF, Iām welcoming the tough decisions and conversations that will shape the future of my work. Recent talks and thoughts around money needs, AI ethics, and time trade-offs feel like rumblings of an inner volcano that might (slowly, professionally) erupt in the near future. š I even revised a lot of my website copy to reflect the importance of doing the scary things and welcoming those conversations. Practicing what I preach!
9 | Calling everything a playground ā Being the actual expert
I LOLed when Jenni pointed out that for a handful of projects and opportunities, I kept saying things like, āThis would be a great way for me to learn and experiment,ā even though Iāve been professionally doing it for years. I kept calling work a āplaygroundā ā not in the sense of fun and experimenting (which it is!) but in the sense of āMaybe after THIS one Iāll be able to call myself an expert!ā
Like, Iām already really good at what I do. ā And yet, that sentence is SO HARD TO TYPE. The evidence is there: wonderful testimonials from clients, folks stopping me in public to say how much they loved my event, private messages from folks whoāve said Iāve changed how they look at menstrual cycles. But Iām still over here being like, āIām a baby biz owner whoās just making it up in this playground.ā
No more dismissing my work as ājust a test.ā Itās providing results and I can say that. š
10 | Thinking people just want deliverables ā Celebrating the energy I give others, too!
Someone once told me that I āleave confetti in my wake.ā That is the energy I want to bring to this world. š
A couple months ago, Jenni noted that people hire me for my energy. At first, I was like, āHmm, intriguing,ā and then I was like, āWait, so many people have actually said that using other words!ā
There are tons of creative directors out there. Tons of people who can launch campaigns, help you start a podcast, make your copy shine, turn up the volume on your voice and platform. But, somehow, we all have a different energy.
My energy is fast-moving. Out-of-the-box. Cyclical, coming in colorful bursts with times to pull back. (Confetti-like, perhaps.)
I allow room for ā or, more truly, I welcome ā messy nuance. I scoff at the āthis is the way itās always been doneā and āhereās a step-by-step prescriptionā messaging we see everywhere, and instead I spotlight the most unique parts of yourself that deserve an enthusiastic platform. Iām your āØhype girlāØ, but also not afraid to call you on your bullshit. I make jokes. I make up words. I make mistakes, but we learn from them. I donāt hide it when I think an idea doesnāt meet our intention, because I donāt want you to waste time. And, I want you to show off the quirkiest, loudest, boldest parts of yourself.
^If you donāt vibe with that energy, NO WORRIES. You can stay here on Substack but never work with me in any way. You can unfollow me and find another personās energy to feed off of. Life is short; donāt consume media you wonāt apply to your life.
But if that IS the energy that helps you get momentum, hi. š Iām so glad youāre here. And I do hope we can find a way to collaborate in the future. Letās build something worth yelling about. If youāre ready. No presh.
This and last weekās posts were beefy, huh?! Iād be stoked if youād let me know if they were interesting or helpful to you.
Next Tuesday, Iāll share my May life/goals recap.
The next will likely be another anonymous Q+A round-up! See the first one here.
Until then, see ya in the wild!
You know how when penguins dive into the water one always has to go first from the group to test for predators. Thats you!!! And we love you for it.