Goodness Marketing turns 4

This week is the official 4th birthday of Goodness Marketing. I like to mark the occasion by reflecting on how things have changed for the business, but also - particularly how I have changed. Both as a person and a business owner. This year is no different.

I’d like to share with you some things I’ve learned, and I hope there’s a little nugget in here somewhere that will make you feel seen and maybe even inspired. It’s the least I could do for you reading this self indulgent blog post.

OK, here’s the first lesson I’ve learned over the last year.

It gets easier

Everything gets easier after you’ve been in business a little while. That includes finding the right people (communities, collaborators, clients etc). Saying no to what isn’t right for you. Even boring things like doing your accounts or figuring out legal issues or identifying the next stage in growth gets easier.

My fourth year of business has been the one where I noticed my confidence blossoming. I’m not saying anything is easy per se. It’s still bloody hard work. But after four years I’m able to trust my intuition more, which makes everything feel easier.

So if you’re reading this when you’ve just started your business, please know that if things feel hard, it’s not because you aren’t doing it right/able to hack it. It’s because it IS hard, but it does get easier!

Rest is best

Making time to get out into nature and dipping in freezing waterfalls is crucial to feeling good and rested in my business!

This past year I’ve come very close to burnout. I should know better really, and I spotted the warning signs but by then I was already so overcommitted and not in the best position to do something about it.

After a hairy time, I took a break. In fact I took most of August off, and guess what? The world continued to spin. New clients still came to me. New ideas started FLOODING towards me. And I was able to really see where I needed to make changes in my business.

Rest is productive, and needs to be prioritised. I have also learned I can't prioritise everything, and I’m getting better at being mindful and proactive about how I’ll spend my time rather than get swept away by the priorities of others.

I’m learning to embrace the 75% life which I wrote about in my newsletter in September.

Nobody cares about your marketing

Wow, didn’t see that coming, did you? That’s a bit harsh actually. OF COURSE people care about your marketing. Overall. What they really don’t care about - or rather, what they really don’t notice - are the finer details over which you and I sometimes OBSESS.

I often speak to business owners who really overthink things way too much. Issues like the right time to post on social media or making their Instagram grid look just “right” or whether they should have a Squarespace or Wordpress website or the exact shade of green for their logo.

Truth is only you look at your marketing in isolation and will pick apart the finer details of your choices.

So if you find yourself spending hours scrolling Unsplash to find the ‘perfect’ photo for your blog post (guilty! 🙋), then remember that nobody really cares. All they want to see is something relevant and aligned with your brand. They won’t notice the difference between 95% and 100% - that 5% is subjective anyway and only visible to you.

While it’s not nice to think people don’t care how hard we’re trying with our marketing, I hope you also find it liberating. The only one who is holding you up to your idea of 100% is you. And you can let go of the idea of perfection!

You’re not for everyone

Walking with Katya Willems - business bestie, Wilderness Tonic co-conspirator and egger-onner extraordinaire. Photo by the fabulous Jodie of Photo and Flourish.

I’ll probably keep learning this until the day I pop my clogs. As someone with people pleasing tendencies, it can be hard to come to terms with the fact that not everyone will agree with me or even like me.

But come to terms with it we must, seeing as it’s a fact of life.

It’s so easy to obsess over criticisms, whether those are delivered with love or a sting in the tail, and even if they are just in our heads.

What helps is to surround myself with people who not like me in spite of my quirks, but who love me because of them.

Not yes-men (yes-humans?!), but people who will cheer you on, encourage you, gently steer you in better directions and deliver hard truths with kindness. People who are deeply on your side.

Finding people like this has been the best thing I have done for myself and my business in the last four years. Surrounding myself with positive people who share my values and understanding of the world has given me not just confidence but absolute joy.

And if we’re not in business to feel good, then what’s the point?

Intentions for the 5th year of Goodness Marketing

When reflecting on the past, it’s good to also think about how our learnings will influence the future. I know that in the next year I want to make my offering more focused and streamlined. This will allow me to not just keep burnout at bay but also give a better service to my clients. I’m excited about this one!

Another thing I’m excited about is to collaborate more with other business owners. It has been a total joy to connect with people in real life again in recent months and I hope there will be lots more of that in the next year.

Finally, I want to invest more in my own learning and development as both a marketer and business owner. This doesn’t always have to be workshops or courses, and can be learning from others, reading books, or just mulling over ideas. Having ringfenced time for that each week would be the ideal!

And a SMART goal: 1,000 newsletter subscribers by the end of October 2022! I love writing my newsletter so much and I know it helps people, so to help 1,000 people would be AMAZING. You can sign up here if you’re not already subscribed!