How to Be More Productive (even when you have no time)

what michele did to be more productive

It’s hard to get stuff done when life gets in the way (as it has a tendency of doing!)… but that doesn’t mean that the time doesn’t exist, or that you can’t be more productive (in your personal OR your professional life). Instead, it’s all about maximizing your time and energy, figuring out your particular organizational style, getting past your personal obstacles, and taking action. 

The truth is, anyone has it in them to be more productive. You can be a busy mom juggling a side hustle with your full-time 9 to 5 job and still make progress… without sacrificing your time with loved ones or losing yourself in the process.

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Behind the Scenes of the Books: “Secret” Version of the Indie Author Weekly Podcast

indie author podcast

Have you ever wondered what life is like as an author? Are you curious about what goes on behind the scenes to write and publish books? You are in for a treat! I’m now sharing weekly sneak peeks of the behind-the-scenes life as a self-published writer with the  indie author podcast!

For several years now, I’ve had a weekly behind-the-scenes newsletter for freelancers that I send out every Saturday. I share lessons I’ve learned that week in my business, or tips and inspiration for being more productive and handling a solo business.

So when I started writing romance novels last summer,

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Step-by-Step Guide to Quit Your Day Job & (Finally!) Work From Home Full-Time

quit your job and work from home full-time

You want to quit your job and work from home full-time. But… where do you even begin?

This is something I hear again and again from new and aspiring freelancers. I’ve been there, too, and believe me, I understand how hard and overwhelming it all is. That’s why I thought it was about time I create a step-by-step guide to quit your day job… so you can finally work from home full-time!

Here’s your 12-step guide for what you need to know on how to prepare to be a full-time home-based business owner… and say “goodbye” to your 9 to 5 life: 

Step 1: Identify what you want to do and the type of business you’ll have

It might seem like a simple enough question to answer,

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What burlesque dance class can teach us about business

what dance class can teach us about business

In summer 2017, I began taking burlesque fusion dance classes on a weekly basis (and pretty soon I increased it to twice a week). Since then, I’ve performed on stage three times… and I love it. It is hands-down one of my favourite things to do! As I was preparing for our most recent live performance this past December, I started thinking about what dance class can teach us about business.

Here’s what I’ve learned:
1. Practicing a lot helps you make mistakes ahead of time

The more you practice, the more kinks you can work out.

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What Did—and Didn’t—Work for My Business Over the Last Year

what worked for my business

December is a time for reflection and planning ahead, don’t you think? And since this year was a doozie for my business, I’ve been think a lot about what did—and what didn’t—work for it over the past year.

I want to preface this by noting that even when things don’t work out the way we’d like, they still give us an opportunity to learn from them and do better in the future. In fact, it’s when things don’t work out as planned that we sometimes learn and grow the most!

There is a great deal of value in looking at the things that don’t work for us as an opportunity and learning experience and space for growth.

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Begin Your Biz in 15 Minutes/Day: Your Freelancing Tips Starter Kit

freelancing tips

Guess what? You can now get a book version of our Begin Your Biz Challenge!

Cue confetti and streamers.

I’m so delighted to be able to share this little volume with you. I’ve hosted the Begin Your Biz Challenge for two years and it just felt like the right time to turn some of our most popular monthly themes into a book.

This book, Begin Your Biz in 15 Minutes/Day: Your Freelancing Tips Starter Kit, includes a year’s worth of daily 15-minute action steps you can take for your business.

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Aftermath of a Business Partnership Break-up

business partnership break-up

In mid-July this year, my business partner Dan “broke up” with me, for lack of a better term. He realized that he no longer wants to be a business owner and that he was more interested in the benefits of working from home/being one’s own boss, rather than the actual reality of it.

Fair enough. So we amicably agreed to go our separate ways.

The last few months have been pretty tough. As much as we’re still friends, and as much as I understand where he’s coming from, and as much as I think this a really good thing for both of us,

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Marketing Strategy Template

marketing strategy template

The following is an adapted excerpt from Pitching Clients 101. You can learn more about how to market your business, including get a fillable worksheet for your very own marketing strategy template, in that e-course. 

Marketing is a REALLY important piece of any business. As Stew pointed out in episode 7 of the Candid Conversations podcast,

“The better product doesn’t always win… A great product that is marketed well will win.”

How very true that is!

Being strategic and smart about your marketing is essential to ensuring your business has legs to stand on and that your services and/or products actually make sales.

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Small Business Growth Strategies

small business growth strategies

So you want to challenge yourself and grow your business. Awesome! But before you dive right in, you’ll want to make sure you’re doing it in a smart way… and that means focusing on small business growth strategies.

You KNOW that I’m big on strategy and action-oriented planning prior to implementation. After all, if you don’t take the time to create a concrete strategy, then you might make choices that aren’t right for your business. Taking action without planning can be just as problematic as planning without taking action.

Before we get to the list of ideas for small business growth strategies (which I’m excited to share with you!),

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Identifying Your Ideal Client: Step-by-Step Guide

identifying your ideal client

Before you begin marketing your services as a freelancer, you need to know WHO you’re marketing to! And that means identifying your ideal client.

A big mistake that too many business owners make is to begin promoting themselves and their work, without considering who they’re trying to target. Without having an ideal client in mind, you can’t be strategic about the way you talk about your services, and you won’t be able to reach out to your ideal client.

Basically, if you don’t identify your ideal client, you’re probably going to REALLY struggle with marketing your business,

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