The Power of Letting Something Go
To Let Something Else In
This year I decided not to attend conferences for most of 2024. We are a few weeks before the beginning of March and I don’t regret making this decision at all. I thought that I would have a F.O.M.O. moment or that by not networking in that way that it could potentially slow down the growth of my brand.
It hasn’t.
In fact, Creators Getting Paid has started to grow faster and is closing in on 1,500 community members sometime next month. I've also discovered some other unexpected things from freeing up and protecting my schedule:
I like to ease into the year-My most productive months are from mid-February through mid-November. This means rethinking how I showed up throughout the year and when I focused on what during the year. In fact, setting boundaries around what I’m available for and what I’m not-has been huge. An example of this was when I said “I’m not available for Black History Month Collaborations….because most brands reach out to creators at the last minute” took a load off my shoulders related to hoping that something would happen with a brand during February. Basically, respecting my energy as it shows up throughout the year.
Setting slightly uncomfortable goals-Helped me grow and provided something to focus on.
Doing deep focused work-Is a great way to grow my brand. I tend to work really hard during the summer and quietly behind the scenes in November and December. I’m talking about batching content, interviews, etc. The things that create a spark in my content.
Making money wasn’t enough-We all need to make money. But, just making money wasn’t enough to stay excited about my work. I had to believe and enjoy doing at least 80% of the work that I was doing.
By the way
I’m not suggesting that you stop attending conferences. Instead, I’m awkwardly asking is there something that you’ve been thinking about letting go of in order to let something else in? What’s stopping you from doing it?
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Why am I sharing this with you today?
Maybe you’re thinking about letting go of something that isn’t serving you well right now. Content creators in the process of building their businesses are often told that they need to be everywhere, show up everywhere.
If your business is going to grow…it’s clear that the opposite is actually true. You’re going to have to move and focus in a way that is the opposite of the advice that people are giving you. It’s impossible to be everywhere.
Remember
Everything has a season-I love attending conferences. Seriously, I truly enjoy meeting people who are focused on similar work that I’m doing. Getting re-energized and visiting the places these events are being hosted at.
What you focus on grows-One of the things I was struggling with was how I felt short-term travel was disrupting my ability to focus. Let’s be clear, if I was living in Mexico City (hey, Universe!) for 6 weeks-I would be fine because I would be able to settle into a routine where it would be possible to focus. What I noticed was that there were goals that I’d set for my business that I felt I kept missing and this year I decided that I could not miss reaching those goals in 2024.
Connection can happen in other ways-There are so many ways to meet people and be a part of community. I’ve truly enjoyed being more “present” in experiencing my town. And for connecting with people outside of town I’ve done the following:
Curating and growing “Creators Getting Paid”
Participating in Twitter Spaces (though I do feel Twitter as a whole is a dumpster fire) Twitter Spaces are still wonderful.
Attending local events/meetings connected to communities that I’m a member of.
Attending local affinity spaces that light me up
Dance classes
CABJ (Colorado Association for Black Journalists)
My coffee shops
Trivia nights-I just attended a “Black People Know Things” last week and my team almost won
Deepen the connections that I currently have-There is a crisis of loneliness in the United States and across the world. Spending more time with the people that I’ve met and getting to know them better. What they enjoy doing, what they care about and what they believe in.
You only have so much capacity-It’s painful to admit but I just can’t do everything all at the same time. None of us can and I think that we need to give ourselves permission to embrace the fact that we have only so much energy and so much time.
Want to Start a Newsletter?
Aren’t sure where to start, how to monetize it and what to focus on? You should attend my upcoming workshop “How to Build a Newsletter that Pays” that I’m hosting via Zoom this Thursday, February 22, 2024 at 6:00 pm MTN/8:00 pm EST (cost $97) .
If you’re looking to attend a small workshop, get your questions answered and help on thinking through the logistics of starting your newsletter-I think you’ll enjoy this workshop.
It’s also the last time I’m hosting this workshop for awhile.
My question to you is the following “Why Haven’t You Started Your Newsletter?”
Maybe you’re concerned about the following
Who will read it?
How much work will it take?
What if I make a mistake like a typo or share the wrong date in my content?
I’m wanting to have paywalled content…but, don’t want to upset people…
I’m going to cover all of those topics this Thursday.
What About Earning Money?
If you’re serious about monetizing your platform a newsletter or email list is the #1 resource that you should be focusing on growing.
It will take time to grow
You can monetize it from day #1.
You own your list-if anything happens with your favorite platform-you haven’t lost your audience.
One of the best decisions that I’ve ever made in my online business I’ve made twice.
Building lists that I own…
Grew my romance email list to 3,000+ readers
Started Podcasters Getting Paid
Yet, when I give this advice to people they are incredibly resistant to it. Even though they’ve experienced the following:
Facebook going down
Instagram going down
X Circling the drain
Clubhouse losing favor
Platforms suppressing content that they dislike or disagree with
Why are we allowing other people to have so much power over what we’re building and who we’re serving? In fact, for years now I’ve shifted my marketing off of social media. Initially, it was because I just couldn’t show up everywhere. I just got tired of trying to figure out how to adjust my messaging on every platform. Fortunately, there’s a very important strategy that all of us should be focusing on to protect our work from the external forces that could harm our brand. List building, in particular designing a well-crafted newsletter or other types of list-building.
How to Build a Newsletter that Pays
This Workshop will cover the following content:
Why EVERYONE needs to be building a list
How to start selling from day #1
Naming your newsletter
Designing your newsletter-What is the point of it and how does it help your subscribers?
How to monetize your free tier.
How to write and design impactful and engaging newsletters.
How to leverage your content
How to leverage in person events to grow your list
How to Partner with brands
How to Let Things Go (as a Content Creator)
If you’re struggling with letting things go in order to focus on what actually serves you…but, are feeling guilty I share some strategies below and I also share a discount link for the “How to Create a Newsletter that Pays” workshop as well