4 ways to cop Your Goals vs your Glow (Number 3 is our favorite)
The average working-class woman gets caught up in an entangling web where she is trying (so hard sometimes) to achieve her goals, reach her maximum potential, score-in on every success story and look effortless while at it. It is like she wanting to be wonder woman; hair blowing in the wind (or no hair at all), athletic legs standing firmly in the ground, and beauty unhinged as she saves the world, in this case, hers. Most people say you can almost never have it all. You can almost never be extremely successful, which comes with a lot of to-do list, running around, and still look glamorous while at it. Or to be specific, keep to your health/beauty goals as you slay in both financial figures and that figure 8. But at the end of the day, it all boils down to having a balance, realizing that in this thug life of achieving your goals and your glow, you can manage it all, because it is your life and you are in charge, always. Here are a few pointers to help you Set up realistic and achievable plans Sometimes, when you set up a far-reaching list of what you want to achieve, that is all they are going to be – far-reaching. Where you stretch yourself beyond every elastic limit until you crack and the pressure becomes visible. Create a list of practical success plans, or health/ beauty regimen you want to achieve for the next one month (it is always good to do it in bits. When you flood yourself, you overwhelm yourself) and stick to it! Have a scale of priorities In this case, I would say your health first, but, different strokes for different folks. So make a decision of what takes the front seat and have the other at the passenger seat, with the seat belt on. That way, they are both on the same level, but one thing has the wheels and navigates the other, which happens to be secured and safe regardless of a crash. [bctt tweet=”Passion makes everything look stress-free because you exude a different kind of joy while ticking off the goals that reflect on your skin and glows you up. ” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] Strive for contentment, NOT perfection This is when you know that there is no perfect balance and sometimes wonder woman gets a hit or two. The ultimate goal should not be perfection but rather contentment. This way, you’re able to find the core of things, that you hold them firmly yet delicately together. We all have it. Look for yours. Make sure you are passionate about what you do Passion makes everything look stress-free because you exude a different kind of joy while ticking off the goals that reflect on your skin and glows you up. “Find what you love and let it kill you”. According to Bukowski, this is a great tip for being happy and fulfilled enough to run that errand, set up that meeting and not dreading it all every step of the way. And because you are away from that toxic and draining environment it is most likely to reflect positively on your glow. Give yourself love, backed up by smart thinking, that way you will not put yourself or your business in jeopardy. How are you growing and glowing this month? We want to share your story! Click here to share.
How to build a profitable creative business
[bctt tweet=”@ChristineArhu shares six tips she used to grow her creative business after a string of failed businesses” via=”no”] Congratulations! You’ve decided to take the leap to become your own boss and entrepreneur! But wait, what exactly is it you want to do? I’m guilty of not knowing what I wanted to do with my life. In college, I took liberal arts as I just kept changing my major. After college, I became a mother and therefore stayed home with the kids. This really frustrated me a lot because I was used to working and depending on myself. So I decided to start a jewelry business. That business failed as I wasn’t making any profit and I had no clue how to use social media to my advantage. So I started a VA company and that didn’t work out either! I then decided to get a real estate license and after failing the exam twice, I gave up (you see the pattern here…). I was still confused as to what I wanted to do in my life. With all the failed businesses I started, I felt like such a failure! However, I kept asking myself why I couldn’t start and have a successful business. Why do I keep failing at all the businesses I start? What do I need (besides capital) to start and maintain a successful business? Then it hit me, I was basically trying to start businesses that I had zero interest in and I was doing it for the sole purpose of making a profit. I had no purpose and zero passion. Yes making money is important, but you need to be passionate about the business you are doing. Realizing this, I sat down and really discovered what I was good at. And that was graphic and web design. So I began my journey as a Brand Designer and I haven’t looked back since. So how do you create a profitable creative business? Let’s dive in…. 1. Write your personal mission statement The reason I say to write your personal mission statement first is that you have to know why you want to be a creative entrepreneur in the first place. By doing this, it will make it easier for you to narrow down your niche and clearly define your brand. If you haven’t figured out what you want to do, write down a list of your strengths and weaknesses. Next, write down what other people ask you for help with or what they say you are good at. Then look at the two lists and see which characteristics coincide and bam you’ve found your business! Download my free personal mission statement worksheet. [bctt tweet=”You have to know why you want to be a creative entrepreneur in the first place” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 2. Find out who your target market or niche is It’s important to know who you are trying to attract as potential clients. Why? Because being unclear as to what your services are will bring in clients and projects that you’ll hate! When I was first starting out as social media and business coach, I took projects for the sole purpose of earning an income and ended up hating the projects! After really looking into strengths and weaknesses I was then able to narrow down my niche. Having a niche helps cut down the guess work in your services. When you are first starting out as a creative business, you will want to offer all kinds of services under the sun! By choosing a niche, you create a clear path as to where and how you want your business to grow. 3. Write your goals Writing down your goals is like writing down a road map for your business. Honestly, I prefer to write down my business goals rather than creating a business plan because once I finish writing the business plan, I file it and forget about it. With goals, I can divide them into two major parts; long term, and short term. From there I then write down my yearly, monthly and weekly goals. I constantly refer to my business goals worksheet just so I know I’m keeping track of things and know where I stand in my business. Don’t make your goals complicated either. Be realistic with your goals and think of them mini business plans. Write down everything from business expenses to your projected income. [bctt tweet=”I prefer to write down my business goals rather than creating a business plan – @ChristineArhu” username=”SheLeadsAfrica”] 4. Create, create, create What do I mean by “create”? Create products, services or packages that will earn you an income. That’s the whole point you started your creative business right?! Some ideas of products are e-books, webinars, email series, and e-courses. These are known as passive income streams for they continuously make you money even while you sleep. Services can include web design, social media management and graphic design, photography and coaching. These services are pretty self-explanatory. Wherever your strong suit lies is what you should focus on to get clients Packages are a form of services you would offer to your clients like different coaching services with different prices. These are on terms such as monthly, every 3 months, 6 months or intensives/retreats that you could do twice a year. 5. Blog Blogging is crucial for your creative business because it helps you get clients and create a following to which is very beneficial to your business. Blogging is not easy but if you put the effort and consistency it will pay off. When I started blogging, I was not consistent at all because first I hadn’t chosen a niche and I had no editorial calendar. After I was able to narrow down my niche, I then was more consistent with blogging. Knowing who you serve helps you create and research content for your blog so as to create a following and attract clients. It’s crucial to remember to engage your readers by replying back to