Pivoting Your Long-Established Online Brand
Knowing When It's Time to Change
Changes to the Newsletter
In last week’s edition of Creators Getting Paid I mentioned that I would be making some changes to the newsletter. I failed to mention what those changes are.
All Subscriber Meet and Greets-Let’s hangout once a month to connect (via Zoom) here are the dates that I’ve scheduled. *Zoom details will be shared closer to the hangout dates.
Tuesday, June18, 2024 at 6:00 pm MTN/8:00 pm EST
Tuesday, July 16, 2024 at 6:00 pm MTN/8:00 pm EST
Tuesday, August 6, 2024 at 6:00 pm MTN/8:00 pm EST
Creator Case studies and Conversations-Are coming back with a vengeance! I have been quietly batching these interviews for awhile now and I’m so excited to share the wisdom of other creators who are getting paid for their creative work and online businesses. I’ve recorded conversations for both the Creators Getting Paid and Podcasters Getting Paid segment of this newsletter. I will share at least 2 case studies each month.
Paid Subscriber Workshops-For the paid segment of the newsletter I will be scheduling pre-recorded workshops and posting them behind the paywall starting in May. I think this will make it easier for people to enjoy those workshops on their own time.
Affiliate Disclosure
“In order for me to support this newsletter, I may receive monetary compensation or other types of remuneration for my endorsement, recommendation, testimonial and/or link to any products or services from this blog. Also, “As an Amazon Associate I may earn income from qualifying purchases that you may make if you interact with an Amazon affiliate link associated with Creators Getting Paid”
Announcements
Join the waitlist for The Mint Collective. Think of it as a mix between a mastermind and group coaching program. If you’re a Woman of Color (WOC) seeking a collaborative space filled with other women doing the work of creating impactful communities that serve then The Mint Collective may be the community for you. Doors open in early September 2024. Get on the waitlist, link below.
Upcoming Paid Workshop Details:
Make Money Daily (Paid Workshop)-This 2 hour hands on workshop will take what you learned in the One to Recurring Workshop and walk attendees through implementing the strategies within their personal projects/brands/businesses.
Final dates are shown below
Hosted via Zoom
While it’s recommended to attend “live” You absolutely can purchase with the intention of watching the replay.
You will work through worksheets and refine your monetization during this workshop.
Topics covered: Affiliate marketing, Messaging and Content, Pitching and Sales.
You’ll also have an additional co-working day for asking questions and working through your monetization strategies in June (the group will decide on that date)
Cost: $97
Click Here to Reserve Your Spot Today!
Deadline to sign up: Friday, May 31, 2024 at midnight
Dates (you may attend both dates if you like)
Tuesday, June 4, 2024 at 6:00 pm MTN/8:00 pm EST
Friday, June 7, 2024 at 12:00 pm MTN/2:00 pm EST
Recognizing the Signs (of a Pivot)
The signs have been there for awhile now. I was clearly ignoring them. One of the tensions of running multiple brands is knowing that one will always be your #1. For many years now within my brand my “Michelle is Money Hungry” website and project was that for me. That project (under a different name) was what kicked off building a digital brand and different types of media online.
I’ve won several awards, have over 120,000 downloads on the Michelle is Money Hungry Podcast and almost thousands of page views on the website. That project was what I got me panel spots and sessions and really cool partnerships. I was able to find lucrative freelancing projects and other cool ways to monetize as a result of the work that I’ve done with that brand over the years.
Things Change
As a multi-passionate content creator I’ve had 4 projects that I would work on throughout the year. One would be my primary project and the other three would be shiny object side projects that I would tinker with occasionally throughout the year. In the past couple of years it has become clear that Michelle is Money Hungry has shifted to shiny object side project and now Creators Getting Paid is my primary area of focus.
These pivots can be hard to navigate because it feels almost like you’re dealing with a slow death of something that you love.
How to Recognize the Signs
It was clear that I was losing enthusiasm for Michelle is Money Hungry. Not because I don’t love the project, but because I’ve been working on it since around 2012. It’s now 2024 and that’s a really long-time to focus on something.
Especially online. There were other clues.
I wanted to have different conversations around money. Specifically centered around an expression of expansiveness vs. lack.
There’s an enthusiasm gap or lack of enthusiasm that previously didn’t exist.
Other projects are much easier to work on.
Increasing gaps between when you’re actively working on a project vs. taking time off.
Your other projects attract and produce results much more easily.
You wake up thinking about other projects more often than not.
A little bit of guilt and sadness.
Relief-I love talking about money and policy and I’m still publishing podcast episodes to be released this fall for Michelle is Money Hungry.
Excitement-I’m really looking forward to sharing my expertise in new and unexpected ways.
Guilt-Why did I want to let go of something that I put so much love into?
I wanted to use the skills and expertise that I’ve gained working on Michelle is Money Hungry and serve a different audience that would achieve the end results that my Michelle is Money Hungry website has been advocating for.
A Pivot is a Rebirth
Instead of thinking of my pivot as something negative, I realize now that it’s a birth of something new and extension of all of the wisdom and lessons learned from my previous work. I’m so excited to grow and lean into this new sense of self and purpose.
10 Tips on Managing a Pivot
And a bonus 23 minute video sharing my experience pivoting from a personal finance brand to a marketing and online business brand.