Build Your Business

It has been said that life begins at the end of your comfort zone, and I have to say that when it comes to blogging and business — it’s totally true. Anytime we’re willing to stretch ourselves past the point that feels comfortable (and in control), to take risks, and to do hard things, we see big things happen. Outside of our comfort zone is where all the amazing, life-changing, juicy stuff happens. The thing is, stepping outside of our comfort zone is… well, uncomfortable. It feels scary and hard. It’s confusing and overwhelming. It feels risky and unsure. Sometimes it even makes us question our self worth. What if we look stupid? What if we make a mistake? Worse yet, what if we fail?Read More

“What do you do?” Am I the only one that HATES that question? How do you explain, to someone who isn’t a blogger, that blogging actually IS a job? But is it? Because here’s a little secret about blogging that you might not know: If you’re making money through your blog, you’re not just a blogger. You are an entrepreneur. Now, understanding that you are an entrepreneur–not just a blogger–probably won’t solve the dilemma of knowing what to say when someone asks you that dreaded question, but it is an important mindset shift all the same. In fact, I would dare to say that this simple mindset shift separates the average earners from the superstars, but believe it or not, 99% of bloggers never getRead More

Has your day ever started in a way that makes you close your eyes and think, “Yep… It’s going to be one of those days”? Maybe you go to wake your kid up for school and they immediately throw up all over you. Maybe your cat knocks over your cup of coffee and it spills all over your laptop. Maybe you log on to your blog only to find your server is down, or worse yet, you’ve been hacked. Maybe your Pinterest account gets accidentally flagged for spam, or your ad account on Facebook gets suspended. Or, if you’re me, maybe your daughter goes to give you a hug before leaving for school, and on the way up, headbutts you and splits your lip open.Read More

There’s a fine line between planning and over-planning. Don’t get me wrong: I’m all about planning. I love planning so much I created a planner! But planning doesn’t actually get anything done. It might feel like you’re getting things done, but you’re just planning to get things done. If you really want to make big things happen in your business (which I know you do) at a certain point, you have to stop planning and start executing. Execution is the only way to hit your goals and turn your blogging dreams into a reality. The only way you’ll get your blog up and running is to actually start blogging. The only way you’ll ever launch your own product is to actually create one! All ofRead More

Metrics! I don’t know about you, but just hearing that word can send shivers down my spine. Is there anything more tedious….or anxiety-inducing than crunching the numbers? When most people think of metrics, they think of confusing numbers and analytics that make your head spin. And I totally get it! I was completely metrics-averse in the beginning. And quite frankly, as a new blogger you probably already have a TON of stuff on your plate and so many things to figure out. Before you think about how many people read your blog, you have to get a handle on what your blog IS. Before you get caught up in numbers, focus on the basics. Take the time to get to know yourself, what you wantRead More

Let’s be honest for a second: we could ALL use a little help in our blogging businesses sometimes. And I don’t know about you, I’m always on the lookout for ways to be more productive and efficient. After all, there are only so many hours in the day (24, last time I counted), so the only way to get more things done? Streamline and do them more efficiently. This week, I wanted to share with you some of my favorite time-saving tools and resources that have really helped me with productivity and efficiency. But before we launch into the list, I want to point out that tools aren’t a one-size-fits-all solution (believe me, if I find a one-size-fits-all solution, you’ll be the first to know!).Read More

Be honest–do you really think of your blog as a business? As bloggers it can sometimes be hard to take ourselves seriously. After all, how serious can a job be when you can do it in your pajamas? But when I first started blogging, I definitely didn’t think about it as a business. There was no business model or even a plan, for that matter. I wasn’t really that formal about it. I just started blogging and thought, “hey, this is pretty cool!” But then I had this moment. You know, the big AHA moment, in which I realized that there’s this whole great world of blogging out there, which people are actually using to make money. There are people out there actually doing thisRead More