When most people think about freelancing, they picture creativity, flexibility, and freedom. What they don’t picture — but absolutely should — is project management!
Because here’s the truth…
If you want to be a successful freelancer, you’re not just offering a service. You’re managing projects Every. Single. Day!
And the freelancers who understand this rise faster, earn more, and keep clients longer.
Let’s break down why…
Continue readingThis post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on those links. It doesn’t cost you more and you may find you save money using my partnerships.
When you’re first starting your business, hiring a marketing team can feel completely out of reach. The good news? You don’t need a big budget to start building momentum!
DIY Marketing is one of the smartest ways to get visible, build credibility, and attract customers, all while keeping your costs low.
With a few simple tools and a clear plan, you can create a professional presence that helps people find you, trust you, and buy from you.
Let’s walk through the essentials…
Before you outsource anything, it’s powerful to understand the basics yourself. DIY Marketing helps you:
You don’t need perfection — you just need to start.
Business cards still matter. Especially for local networking and in‑person conversations. They’re your portable introduction.
Make sure your card includes:
Design them in Canva or another free tool, and hand them out generously. Visibility starts with connection.
A Gmail address is perfectly fine — just avoid anything that feels too personal or playful. You want potential clients to take you seriously.
Email is still one of the highest‑ROI marketing channels:
Learn it. Use it. Leverage it!
Your customers want to learn about you on their terms — at any time, from anywhere.
When you’re just starting:
A clean, one‑page site with your services, story, and contact info is enough to begin. Get one free for a year here.
Marketing works best when it’s intentional. Before you start posting, emailing, or networking, take time to think through your strategy.
Here are the questions that shape a strong DIY Marketing plan:
A little planning goes a long way. Especially when you’re doing your own marketing!
A simple bonus can help people choose you over someone else. It doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive.
You can offer:
Small touches create BIG loyalty!
This is one of the most powerful forms of DIY Marketing — and it’s completely free.
When you create an experience people love, they talk about it. They share it. They remember it.
Think about:
A great experience becomes a story people repeat.
Visibility isn’t just online. Your local community can be one of your strongest marketing channels.
Get involved by:
The more people who know you, and trust your work, the more your business grows.
It’s not just who you know. It’s also who knows you.
DIY Marketing doesn’t require fancy tools or a huge budget. It requires clarity, consistency, and a willingness to show up before you feel ready.
Start with the basics. Build your presence. Learn what works. And remember, you don’t have to do it alone!
If you’re ready to take your DIY marketing even further — with clarity, confidence, and a message that actually attracts the right people, then SHINE: The Visibility Starter is your next step.
It’s a simple, powerful coaching experience that helps you get clear on what to say, how to show up, and where to focus so your visibility finally starts working for you.
You don’t have to figure this out alone. You just need a clear path — and that’s exactly what SHINE gives you.
Whether you’re jumping in your car with a lukewarm mug of coffee, battling traffic before you battle office politics, or you’re a stay‑at‑home mom juggling a thousand things at once… you know one thing for sure:
You don’t want to do it forever.
I get it!
For years, I spent an hour in traffic every morning and another hour every evening, Monday through Friday, just to sit in a job that drained me more than it fulfilled me.
Today, several of my friends work from home too. We all had different reasons for working from home, but the desire was the same…
We all wanted something more!
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This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on those links. It doesn’t cost you more and you may find you save money using my partnerships.
Blogging is great to use in your content marketing strategy for your business. It’s a non-salesy way to market without having to do cold calling. In fact, according to Hubspot, 55% of marketers say blogging is their top inbound marketing priority.
Continue reading“Without good content, you don’t get anybody in the hopper,” Matthew Lacroix, Director of Brand Marketing, Newell Rubbermaid (LENOX), said. “Specifically, LENOX’s blog has been a great entryway tool for getting customers into the lead generation funnel.”
This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on those links. It doesn’t cost you more and you may find you save money using my partnerships.
Have you heard the phrase “the money is in the list?”
But you may be wondering… what list?
It’s the email list they’re referring to.
An email list is a group of people who have permitted you to contact them regularly, to whom you have direct access.
It’s a valuable business asset!
Consistently building your list, staying in regular contact, and creating irresistible offers are key to business growth.
EVERYONE should be embracing the power of email marketing, or you’re simply leaving money on the table.
You may be asking yourself, “Why is an email list so important to my business?”
Let me explain…
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“Blog” is an abbreviated version of the word “weblog,” which is a term used to describe websites that maintain an ongoing chronicle of information. Not all websites, however, contain a blog.
You can start a blog for different purposes and in different ways. It’s really only limited to your imagination.
You can create a blog as a journal, to share a certain message, or create a business. The choice is yours to make.
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One of the best ways to increase your productivity is to delegate.
If you’re an entrepreneur or small business owner, you can delegate to a virtual assistant (VA).
But how can a virtual assistant help your business?
By hiring a virtual assistant, you can increase your productivity and do more of what YOU’RE good at and what YOU love doing.
They can help you save time, money, and your sanity!
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I wanted to address the most common question I get asked since starting my business…
“What is a virtual assistant and what do you do?”
I started my virtual assistant (VA) business as a side gig in 2014 and quit my city corporate job as an executive assistant in 2018. I now operate my business almost full-time from my home in the country. You can read my personal story here.
Continue readingThis post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on those links. It doesn’t cost you more and you may find you save money using my partnerships.
Did you know successful leaders delegate nearly 50% of their workload, freeing up time to focus on what truly matters?
Are you wasting your time on tasks other people can do more cheaply?
Are you sacrificing your family, friendships, and freedom to keep your business alive?
You say you’ve tried getting help before, but it didn’t work out?
Afraid others won’t get it done right?
Don’t assume it’s just low productivity or inadequate skills and dedication. It could be you!
Are you sure you know how to use task delegation effectively?
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We have tornado warnings here in the Midwest every spring, and it’s fascinating to observe the different reactions.
Some people, cautious ones, dashed to the basement at the first sign of trouble. Others, more daring, ventured outside to watch the sky and await the storm.
Some individuals were completely unaware, carrying on with their routines as if nothing was happening. And then there were the prepared folks, equipped with weather radios, flashlights, blankets, and pillows, ready to take shelter if needed.
I once heard that our reactions in specific situations reflect how we approach other areas of our lives. This thought led me to draw a parallel with business strategies, particularly in marketing.
How do YOU respond to challenges and opportunities in your business? Do you see yourself in these personality types, and is it time for a change?
Join me as we explore these personality types and their impact on business strategy and discover how understanding your approach can help you thrive in the face of adversity.
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High-level business leaders are experts in delegation as they have learned that they can’t do everything themselves.
Delegation becomes increasingly more important as you progress through your career and will greatly increase your productivity.
There is no other skill that will increase your productivity to the same degree as being able to delegate successfully.
To be successful, you need to allocate as much time as possible to the development of your business.
This requires focusing a significant amount of time on planning for the short-term and long-term goals of your organization.
In practice, this is actually difficult to do as your time gets overtaken with everyday operational tasks, problems, and putting out fires.
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This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on those links. It doesn’t cost you more and you may find you save money using my partnerships.
The image of your business sets the tone for your company’s success. You’ve heard that you may not get a second chance to make a first impression?
Just as we judge others within the first few seconds of meeting them, we do the same for a business.
✔️It’s your customer service.
✔️Your marketing and sales.
✔️How you communicate with customers.
✔️How they perceive you.
✔️And it’s the way you do business.
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If you’re running a business, your online presence isn’t just a “nice to have” — it’s a living, breathing extension of your brand. And whether you’ve touched Yelp or not, there’s a good chance your business is already listed there.
But here’s the catch…
If you haven’t claimed your Yelp page, you’re leaving your reputation, your customer experience, and your revenue in the hands of strangers.
Let’s break down what really happens when a business doesn’t claim its Yelp listing — and why taking control is one of the simplest, highest‑ROI moves you can make this month.
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