Do you ever find yourself stuck in the loop of making things perfect before you share them? You're tweaking that design for the 273rd time, or you've got an idea for a course but just can't seem to finish it to absolute perfection? If you nodded along furiously, this episode is for you!

We're dropping into the world of perfectionism and how it might be holding back your business.

Spoiler alert: perfectionism can stifle creativity and slow your progress to a crawl! I’m sharing some real-life examples from my own journey and giving you actionable tips to break free from the perfectionism trap.

We’ll chat about:

• The real reasons behind perfectionism and how it's killing your productivity
• The negative effects of over-perfecting everything, like wasted time and missed opportunities
• How to set timers and get accountability buddies to keep you on track
• Celebrating progress instead of waiting for perfection

So, grab a cup of tea, sit back, and let’s get you past those perfectionist tendencies and toward a more productive, creative, and successful you!

Ready to design your brand together? Join my DIY Brand and Design course! Doors now open: https://whitedeer.com.au/diy-dmb

Gravity timer: https://www.becstewart.net/products/productivity-timer-cube-1 (Use the code JACQUI10 for 10% off - not an affiliate, I just got you a code!)

Ever wondered how to make a membership model work like magic in your business? Get ready for an exciting episode where I chat with the incredible Leonie Dawson. She's figured out the code to success and is ready to share her secrets, all while working only 10 hours a week!

Leonie has created a hugely successful membership, the Brilliant Biz & Life Academy, boasting around 5,000 members and generating a jaw-dropping $11-12 million! She'll let you in on the wonders of the membership approach: offering massive value, creating from joy, and skipping the stress of constant launches. Plus, we'll dive into how aligning your membership with your personality and strengths can lead to phenomenal success.

So, if you're dreaming of building a thriving membership or simply want to optimize your business hours for maximum joy and productivity, this episode is packed with the insights you need. Tune in and get ready to be inspired by Leonie Dawson’s magical membership journey!

ABOUT LEONIE:

Leonie Dawson is an internationally best-selling author of the 2024 My Brilliant Year workbooks (formerly known as the Goal Getter workbooks) which have been used by over 500,000 people worldwide.

A multi-passionate entrepreneur, Leonie has generated over $14 million in revenue while only working 10 hours a week. Leonie has been recognised for her business acumen by winning Ausmumpreneur’s People’s Choice Business Coach, Global Brand & Businesses Making A Difference Awards.

Leonie has spent the last 10 years living in some of the most beautiful places around Australia. She currently lives with her two daughters and husband on the Sunshine Coast.

GET IN TOUCH:

Website: https://leoniedawson.com/

Podcast: https://leoniedawson.com/podcast/

Ever wondered how creating a simple quiz can skyrocket your business leads? Well, let me take you through the journey of creating my own quiz and how it amassed over 2,000 leads for my business!

In this episode, I share my step-by-step process from creating the quiz, the pitfalls I encountered along the way, and the strategic approaches that finally made it a roaring success. We'll talk about the importance of making your audience feel known, how to tailor your quiz to connect with them, and why a solid funnel is the key to success.

I'll also offer tips on keeping the quiz fun and engaging, making it a breeze for your audience to relate to your brand while feeling excited about their results. And hey, we'll even chat about promoting your quiz with some nifty marketing tactics!

So, if you're ready to ramp up your business leads in a creative and engaging way, join me on this episode to unlock the power of quiz funnels! Trust me, the potential is limitless, and I can't wait to spill the beans with you!

Want to try the quiz platform I use and recommend? Here's my affiliate link (obviously only sharing link to products I believe in!): https://get.tryinteract.com/f7vnhupludam

Oh and want to check out my quiz for yourself? Here's the link: https://whitedeer.com.au/quiz

Why do you need to think like a designer when you're NOT a designer?

Well, if you're doing any of your own biz graphics you are YOUR designer and thinking like one will help the process be so much quicker, enjoyable and fail safe.

When I teach design to small business owners I use my White Deer Framework, it's split into 3 pillars but today I want to share with you the "Attitude" pillar. It sits in the middle between "Clarity" and "Content" and is arguably one of the most important parts of the process.

Attitude asks: "How can I think like a designer?"

We cover:

Demystify designer details:

1. Learn principles
2. Learn Canva
3. Learn file types

Cultivate communication:

1. What message are you trying to communicate?
2. How can you use colour, fonts, imagery, style to support your message?
3. How can you use text to make your message clear?

Grow your confidence:

1. Feeling excited to create helps inspiration to flow
2. Getting confident (and quick) at using Canva
3. Enjoying the process equals less burnout

Every small business owner thinks that it won't happen to them.

But the truth is, hacking is on the rise!! And if you're like me [until now] you've had your head in the sand crossing your fingers it'll all be okay.

But did you know: even though a hacker isn't getting that much if they hack you... they can hack more of us quickly because our businesses are not secure so, it's still worth their time and you and I are so at risk!

Thankfully, my guest, Caitriona specialises in helping small businesses stay safe and we chat in this podcast episode what hacking can look like right now and actions you should take to be safe.

CaIT is passionate about protecting small businesses from hackers, CaIT is on a mission to educate businesses and our community to understand the risk of cyberattacks.

The stakes of a cyber-attack are at an all-time high, yet CaIT believes that taking small steps to improve your online security will decrease your chances of getting hacked.

With years of experience working with businesses of all sizes and across many industries, she strongly understands business operations and what is required for business growth. She applies this knowledge when devising and implementing tech solutions that will securely assist with business growth.

Follow CaIT on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/cait_cybersafe/

If you watch my Instagram Stories you'll know that each day I share a screenshot of a message my nana, Shirley, has sent me with a pearl of wisdom for the day.

So, in this episode I read out a couple of good ones to inspire you - short, sharp and powerful!

Plus, I experiment with some sound effects... Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing!

Enjoy, and let these nuggets spur you on!

Rebranding your business is a BIG deal and shouldn't be done on a whim.

But sometimes we get sick of our brand, or it feel really outdated...

So when is it RIGHT to rebrand?

In this episode I cover 5 questions to ask yourself to know if it's time for you biz to get a new look.

1. Am I just bored? Or is it really time?
2. Is what I'm doing the same as when I started?
3. Is my niche still the same as when I started?
4. Do I feel like this is holding me back? Do I feel embarrassed?
5. Do I have a full brand? Can I just add to it rather than rebranding?

Listen now to find out what these questions mean for your business. And happy rebranding or NOT rebranding!!

If you'd like some help rebranding, you can work with me in 1 of 3 ways!

1/ Let me teach you in DIY Design My Biz!

2/ Rebrand together in The Co+Creation Club!

3/ Work with me in the One:One Rebrand Experience.

I LOVE scrolling my socials and seeing business owners taking charge of this business by designing their own graphics.

BUT

There are some mistakes I see them make, especially RIGHT NOW, that are jeopardising their professionalism.

Design mistakes that are saying to their audience "I'm just a little side hustle, not a professional you can trust".

Thankfully though, these mistakes are SO easy to fix (whether you are a side hustle or running your biz full time).

In this episode of Design Hacks for DIYers I want to jump in and let you know what these 3 mistakes are and how you can fix them and make sure your graphics are screaming professionalism as well as communicating super clearly!

When a client comes back to work with you again because they loved working with you the first time, it's free!

What I mean is that you didn't have to spend your advertising budget or time getting them to purchase from you because they were already sold on you the first time.

The art of getting return clients comes a lot down to creating a premium experience. An experience that feels nurtured, exciting and smooth the WHOLE way through.  

And a lot of this comes down to design.

[Although not ALL design - I touch on quite a few elements on business in this episode, not just graphics].

There are 5 parts to what I like to call the "5 Stages of Nurture". These are the stages someone goes through when they become a client/customer of yours. Right from their first awareness of you to their final interaction after having purchased.

1. The Pre-Purchase Experience

2. The Purchase Experience

3. Immediate Post Purchase Experience

4. THE Experience

5. The Post Experience Experience

Inside this episode I dissect each stage and show how you can WOW your clients in EACH one so they are left with the sweetest taste in their mouth and are LOOKING for ways to work with you again and share you with their friends.

This is one of the funnest, easiest and most beautiful ways to grow your business. Enjoy!

Being alive for 29 years doesn't really qualify me to be THAT wise. I know.

But, I do think I have a couple of nuggets to share in the world of business. And so to celebrate my upcoming celebration of another year around the sun I wanted to share with you 29 things that I've learnt before I turn 29.

Some of these lessons I've learned the hard way, others came naturally (thank goodness!!).

Grab a cuppa and tune in as we whip through these hopefully wildly helpful lessons!

And I'd love to know - what are some of your biggest biz lessons? Message me on Insta and have a share (@whitedeergd)

PS. If one of your lessons has been learning the importance of design and you want to step things up a notch in your biz...

Make sure you take a look at my birthday sale! Courses, workshops and coaching all 29% off!

SHOP NOW: https://www.whitedeer.com.au/goodies

Choosing the fonts to use in your business graphics is no small decision! It'll totally impact the way your business will look, how professional it comes across as well as the type of feel people get when they see your biz flyer, instagram or website.

Most biz owners get VERY overwhelmed choosing fonts though - they know it's important but they don't know how to do it well.

Well, I'm here to help - this podcast episode will cover some very important things to think about as well as some of my pro tips to remember.

Choosing fonts can be done once and last you YEARS so it's good to do it right the first time.

We'll cover:

- Different types of fonts and what each represents

- Different font voices and how that impacts your business

- How many fonts you should use in your business

- Where you can buy unique fonts from

Canva can be tricky to learn [and master!] - just like all new things!! But dear business owner - you DON'T need a Canva teacher.

I've seen a lot of people who actually are quite apt at using Canva still creating designs that suck... #soz

Because Canva isn't magic.

And design isn't just about prettiness.

Design is about communication...

and it's non-negotiable [as a biz owner making your own graphics] to know about DESIGN and how you can make a good impression with your audience through it.

Do your designs communicate your value?

Do they communicate your message?

Do they communicate what you do at a glance?

Do they communicate and connect with YOUR niche?

Do they communicate your professionalism?

Don't get me wrong - spend time learning Canva, but don't do it at the cost of learning design skills. spend time upskilling yourself in learning key design principles like: hierarchy, colour psychology, contrast, font pairing and more.

You won't believe what it does to your confidence and your biz success - trust me!

If you'd like help with design you can get started with my half-day workshop replay: Brand Slam. Purchase your access here for just $50: https://www.diydesignmybiz.com/brandslam

It's been exactly 1 year since I shared about life, motherhood and running a business - back when bubs was almost 6 months old (back in EP 24).

It's time for another check-in because, honestly? This is the kind of stuff I'd love to hear from other biz women/mothers.

This episode is less advice and most an honest look at where I'm currently at - the struggles, the frustrations and the wins.

Sit down with me for a few moments as I let you behind the curtain on:

- How much work I'm actually doing as the main carer for our 18 month old.

- Why I run my business the way that I do

- The hustle of trying to work in nap times

- Being comfortable not wearing makeup

- Why I haven't put Mahlie in childcare yet

- The struggle of not being present with Mahlie

I hope it gives you comfort on whatever season of life you are in.

One of the best ways to grow your business WITHOUT just working "harder" is automation. Automation is the art of using technology to do tasks, or connect tasks FOR you. (AKA. Freeing up time so you can focus on the money-making tasks in your business).

Automations can be as simple as sending a new subscriber the freebie they signed up for (yep! That's an automation), sending an abandon cart email, or automatically asking a client for feedback when they've finished working with you.

In this episode, host Jacqui Naunton, sits down with Brianca Johnson to delve into the world of business automation and how it can revolutionize the way you operate.

Key Takeaways:

Discover the potential of using technological tools to streamline tasks, save time, and enhance efficiency, from setting up welcome sequences to utilizing tools like Zapier for seamless integration.

Personalized Touch: Understand the importance of making automations feel personal and high-touch to maintain a genuine connection with customers, and learn from real examples of successful automated client interactions.

Testing and Avoiding Mistakes: Explore the significance of thorough testing to ensure seamless automation implementation, and uncover common mistakes made in the process.

Be inspired: How automation lead one of Brianca's clients to a five-figure launch hands off.

ABOUT BRIANCA:

Brianca Kirkman (Johnson), MA is a Marketing Operations and Automations Consultant and the author of It Ain’t Rocket Science, Friend! How to Position Your Expertise, Build an Authentic Personal Brand, and Plan a Profitable Launch in 90 Days. Brianca specializes in helping executives, entrepreneurs, and CEOs build, launch, and grow sustainable marketing systems through simple online marketing strategies and advanced automations. Brianca has assisted her clients in generating over $500,000 in first time launches and has coached over 600 women between three core programs since July 2020.

CONNECT WITH BRIANCA:

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/thebriancajohnson

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thebriancajohnson/

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyfJ1L2AzF5fFtjF9W4U14Q

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/thebriancajohnson/

Marketing Performance Assessment: www.briancajohnson.com/quiz

Five-Figure Sales Funnel Training: www.briancajohnson.com/free-training

Clarity to Coins Membership: www.briancajohnson.com/membership

SPECIAL LISTENER COUPON: Get $100 off 3 months in Brianca's Clarity to Coins Membership:  https://marketplace.briancajohnson.com/discount/DNGYJFVKJDSZ?redirect=%2Fproducts%2Fclarity-to-coins-course

Most designers would shout an almost deafening "NO!!!" at the idea of a business owner designing their own logo.

And for good reason!!

Logo design is more than just making a pretty logo for your business.

There are MANY things the common DIYer misses that can be detrimental to their businesses' professionalism, quality and legal soundness.

So, in this episode let me take you deep on the 5 things you must do correctly when creating your logo! (You can thank me later).

We discuss everything from:

- Readability across all uses

- Legalities around copyright and unique designs

- Creating versatile variations to suit ALL your needs

- Making a logo that goes beyond the trends

- Saving in the correct file format that will make sure you logo is clear, crisp and will take you into the future

Plus, if you'd like HELP while doing this to make sure you really nail these 5 things, join me inside my online course DIY Design My Biz. Doors open now: https://www.diydesignmybiz.com/

Creating content for allllll of the different platforms that we're on, almost constantly can be wildly exhausting.

A few posts a week to our socials, showing up in Instagram stories, sending emails, podcast episodes, reels, blogs... (are you exhausted yet!?)

BUT there is a magical method we can take advantage of to STILL keep up sharing as much but not become inevitable overwhelmed.

It's called repurposing. And it's something I know I need to get better at!!

Repurposing is the idea that we take content from one platform and share it across other platforms, or reshare it on the same platform down the track!

Pretty much it's about doing the hard work of creating once - and the repurposing that wonderful content to use more than once.

Cos it can be A LOT of effort put into one Instagram post only for 5 people to see it! (#amiright)

So in this episode I chat with content wizard, Tahryn Bolt on how you can practically reporse your content.

We cover how to do it, where you can actually repurpose to, how to overcome the idea that you're being repetitive and boring, and so much more!!

Enjoy this ep and get repurposing!!

ABOUT TAHRYN:

Tahryn is the Biz Wizard behind The Social Bolt.

She's a content wizard, a launch wizard AND a biz wizard (business coach for the muggles) - which makes her a tri-wizard aka a triple threat.

She supports her clients to share their magic and create wildly abundant offers, booked-up launches and magical content through 1:1 Business Coaching and her programs The School of Content Wizardry & Become a Launch Wizard.

And in the process she's built a 6-figure business based around the things she loves and being authentic AF in the process.

Tahryn works alongside her Barketing Manager Ned (her 8 year old Border Collie) and together they love to curl up on the couch, with a glass of red wine in hand, watching Harry Potter.

LINKS:

Tahryn's Website - https://thesocialbolt.com.au/

Tahryn's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thesocialbolt/

TAHRYN'S TIPS:

Once a month look at your best performing posts on Insta (or podcast episodes) and the topics you cover - then note all these down (these are you best topics!)

Use google docs, asana, air table to note all this down and continue adding to this list regularly

When first creating content, write it down in a central document - not just straight into an email or on insta

Reuse good posts - either just copy and paste and reuse as is, or slightly tweak.

Email your list the content from some of your best social media posts

Blogs: again, steal a best performing post and email out! Also share these to your Instagram (can spread this out over multiple posts).

“The Club reignited my love and excitement for my business!”

Laura came into the club with a beautiful logo but wasn’t sure how to translate into her everyday graphics that would do her truly incredible offerings justice.

But boy, Laura took these 6 weeks in the club and made them work for her!! We created SO MUCH together.

She now has so much ready to take her business forward for YEARS - not only for her, but her team.

In this episode I chat with one of my clients, Laura Banks, on her real experience in The Co+Creation Club - The intimate, 6 week group coaching experience crafted to catapult your business to the next level in professionalism, authenticity and growth through supported self design.

Laura chats about how she had no real idea what she was signing up for, the change it made to her business and confidence and what it's really like working with me.

If the club piquing your interest, do yourself a favour and look into it. Doors close May 16 2022 - find out more here: https://www.diydesignmybiz.com/club

It might be the experience that changes everything for you.

Every business owner must make this decision - will they choose to hire a graphic designer to create their graphics, or will they roll up their sleeves and do it themselves?

If you've chosen the latter than this episode is for you. I want to share with you my White Deer Framework - a framework I've never actually shared publicly before but that underpins everything I do with my students and clients.

This framework will take you through the order you need to tackle the design process in your biz.

Picture 3 overarching pillars that cover the steps in this process: Clarity, Attitude and Creation.

Clarity asks "What does my brand need to succeed?"

Here you need to start by looking at your brand and WHO you want to serve, WHY your business exists and EMBRACE your originality and uniqueness.

The next step, Attitude, asks "How can I think like a designer?"

You must now learn how to communicate! Design isn't about looking pretty, it's about communicating your value and message. You must demystify designer details, cultivate communication and grow your confidence. Educate yourself on file types, font pairing, conceptual design, hierarchy... all the things!

Finally, it's time to Create and ask "How can my graphics support my business?"

It's only after tackling those first two pillars that you can make it to this section confident, sure, inspired and have the skills to actually create designs that 1. don't take you forever, 2. don't leave you running for the hills and 3. your audience actually love and act on.

I want to say to you - you don't have to do this alone. Even if you've chosen the path of DIYing, you can still be supported. I call it Co+Creation and I have a whole program dedicated to walking alongside business owners... taking them through these steps, holding their hand along the way and helping them create truly impactful and beautiful brands and graphics.

Doors to The Co+Creation Club are open right now and I'd love to have you join us in this 6 week experience crafted to catapult your business to the next level in professionalism, authenticity and growth through supported self design.

Join the club: www.diydesignmybiz.com/club

What does it FEEL like to interact with your business? Not as you, the biz owner, but as a stranger?

Is your experience like walking into the Reject Shop? Fluro lights, a little cluttered and duck in duck out vibes?

Or is your brand experience like walking into a Louis Vuitton shop... perfect lighting and surfaces, spot on tunes and an attendant giving you their full attention?

In this latest ep of Design Hacks for DIYers I chat through the power of a brand experience, the areas of your biz it can impact and some of the things you need to start thinking about if you'd like to create one through your graphics...

Because when our brand experience is top notch your business has more power to scale, grow (and charge the premium price tag - whatever that is for you!).

If you'd like some real help in this area join us for the Elevate Your Brand virtual workshop running Tuesday the 3rd of May! 10am-12pm AEST. We'll look at your brand and get things kicked off with elevating your Instagram feed.

Buy your ticket here: https://www.diydesignmybiz.com/elevate

You'll leave with:

- Clarity on your visual brand so that your biz is READY for the next level

- All the tips on knowing what it takes to create your own client converting Instagram grid

- A professional and consistent brand that reflects the new levels your business is striving for.

- Time to sit and smash out everything you've been putting off!

Can't wait to have you there!

Me: Mum, I'm hiring a VA!

Mum: A what?

Me: A virtual assistant?

Mum: Huh? Like a computer assistant?

Me: No, like a personal assistant... but she's not with me in person, she helps me online.

That is a bit of a glimpse into the convo I had with my mum a few months ago when I first hired a virtual assistant.

But it wasn't a quick decision. I'd been thinking about it for a year or so but was never sure when the right time would be.. or if I had enough jobs to give a VA... or if I WANTED to hand things over to someone else (how could anyone else do something as good as I could??).

In today's podcast episode I chat with Online Business Manager and virtual support agency owner, Nivek Harrison on all things you need to know when it comes to hiring a VA.

We chat:  

How to know when it's time to hire

What kind of things you can get help with in your business

How to find the right person

and how to onboard your new VA

ABOUT NIVEK:

Nivek Harrison is an Online Business Manager and the owner of The Virtual Chapter, a virtual support agency for soul-led coaches, course creators and consultants who want to transform & elevate their business through the power of leveraged systems.

Nivek is passionate about supporting business owners to show up and deliver their magic, with the support of incredible team, structures and systems.

After training with the Beautiful You Coaching Academy and building a successful life coaching business, Nivek quickly found her passion in all things technology & people, and supporting other entrepreneurs to build their dream businesses. Her signature framework of Strategy, Systems & Soul is designed to create business and life-changing outcomes, all while taking care of the behind-the-scenes of business.

When she's not project managing like a boss in Asana, you'll find her spending time with her young family, reading a book or getting her nerd on with the latest tech news.

GET IN TOUCH WITH NIVEK:

Download '70 Tasks a VA Can Do For You': https://thevirtualchapter.co/70-tasks

Instagram: www.instagram.com/thevirtualchapter/

Website: https://thevirtualchapter.co/

When we're in those early stages of business (and throughout and whole business to be honest) there are TWO graphics I think are non-negotiables.

Two graphics that we must have sorted to give us a professional, consistent and easeful business.

1. A style guide: This is a guide to your style. Not only does it lay out your colours, and your fonts but also your brand elements... are you going to have collage style graphics? Or are you going to have minimal designs and colours? Or maybe watercolour and glitter! There is so much more to your brand than just the fonts or colours and the more we have this nailed the more recognisable and brand will be AND the easier it will be to vreate graphics for.

2. Social media templates: Social media has got to be one of the things business owners dread the most. They don't know what to post or what things should look like... and this usually stops them from posting at all (or far less regularly than they should!). So, creating a set of social media templates that are already designed to match your brand can be a game changer! Now all you have to do is tweak some of the text or replace an image and you can put up a new post in minutes!

Once you nail these two things in your biz design becomes a lot less daunting and maybe even enjoyable! If you'd like help with this I'd like to invite you to the Brand Slam on Thursday the 7th of April 2022. This is a 1-day online workshop to help you to create both your style guide and social media templates in a day full of inspiration, support and encouragement.

BUY YOUR TICKET HERE: www.diydesignmybiz.com/brandslam

Writing a Sales Page can be SUCH a daunting task! Sales pages are those long form web pages that we use to sell something - most often, an online course or program.

But there are SO many things to know...

How do you know what to write?

How long should it be?

What do I need to focus on?

All. The. Things! In this podcast ep copywriting genius, Nami, gives us some incredible insights! Including uncovering some of the biggest mistakes she sees entrepreneurs making in their sales pages.

Listen now to get your sales pages actually SELLING!

PS. Keen to join in on the Brand Slam on April 7th!? You're invited to join us in this 1-day online workshop to ace your brand style guide and smash your social templates so you feel confident in your brand to win dream clients. BUY YOUR TICKET HERE: diydesignmybiz.com/brandslam

ABOUT NAMI:

Nami Clarke helps course creators, coaches and consultants shake imposter syndrome and take their launch sales from beige to badass.

The creative refined her magic toolkit of copywriting, sales, and content strategy while running a photography studio for 10 years in one of Melbourne’s fancy postcodes.  What surprised Nami more than the fact that she made use of her Arts degree was realising she could support so many other business owners who dreamed of ditching the 9-5 grind to launch their own business too. Today she works with private clients worldwide, while her online course, Course Launch Confidence, is due for release in April this year.

Along with the results she helps clients achieve in their businesses, Nami's written work has been published by Mamamia, Elephant Journal, Huffington Post, and more... but nobody likes a bragger.  She lives in Bendigo, Australia.

Connect with Nami:

namiclarke.com

instagram.com/namiclark

Have you ever thought about designing your social media posts, or your business logo but felt overwhelmed and given up before you started?

Or maybe you've created a design but you just can't bring yourself to post it anywhere coz you know it's not perfect...

Or are you just too scared to even login to the Canva account you created 6 months ago and attempt to make something?

Mindset can play a huge role in how well we can create graphics for our businesses - or if we even start!

In this podcast episode I want to help you to get out of your own way in your journey to being able to create graphics that not only look amazing but create momentum and success for your business!

We chat about:

- What's hindering your creativity

- How confidence impacts your skills

- The myth of perfectionism

- and allowing yourself space to create (and not copy)

The existence of my whole business is targeted at one thing - helping biz owners create their own graphics, posts and logos.

But WHY should a business owner actually do it? Actually, get onto Canva and make their own graphics over hiring a designer?

I firmly believe there's a place for both BUT in today's podcast episode I want to share with you my FIVE favourite reasons to know how to make your own incredible biz graphics.

1. Gives you the control

2. Can create any time

3. Your graphics reflect you

4. Can change in the future if needed

5. Saves money and ongoing costs

Want to learn more about creating your own *GOOD* biz graphics? Here are a ton of free resources to get you started: https://www.whitedeer.com.au/freebies

Have you ever found yourself trapped in the web of an online course, only to emerge months later with barely a dent in your progress bar? We've all been there. But fear not, because today we're diving headfirst into the world of online courses. As a seasoned online course creator and avid learner, I've got a treasure trove of tips to ensure you wring out every drop of value from those digital learning experiences.

Join my online course (that's so much more than an "online course") and start showing up seriously in your business: https://whitedeer.com.au/diydmb-limited
 

Key Takeaways:

- Immediate engagement: Open the course as soon as possible to familiarise yourself with the content and structure.

- Anchor into your "why": Revisit the reasons for enrolling in the course to stay motivated during challenging moments.

- Schedule commitment: Set a realistic schedule to work through the course and set deadlines for each module or section.

- Leverage live support: Take advantage of any live components or support offered to enhance the learning experience.

- Connect with others: Engage with fellow course participants to form connections and gain additional support.

- Embrace flexibility: Don't be discouraged by falling behind, as online courses often provide lifetime access, allowing for a reset and renewed commitment to learning.

Selling can often feel kinda awkward and yuck... BUT one of the best ways I know of to sell authentically is to share stories.

As humans we are so pulled to stories. They pull us in, make us feel things and often guide us to discover something new.

And so to learn how to tell stories in our business can actually be a really powerful and natural way to sell.

And it's NOT just in using your brand story - but almost ANY story can be used to somehow educate, entertain and connect with our audience.

In this podcast episode I chat to storytelling expert, Sarah Beisel on how we can use stories in our business. We chat about where you can use stories and how they can be so powerful! As well as some tips to get you started on your storytelling journey!

BIO:

Sarah is a Copywriter and Storytelling Coach to Christian Entrepreneurs. She focuses on helping her clients promote themselves in a way that feels natural. Sarah teaches authentic marketing through storytelling in her program, the Authentic Storytelling Academy. Get started with her free story prompts at sarahbeisel.com/starthere

Links:

instagram.com/sarah.beisel

facebook.com/groups/authenticchristianentrepreneurs

sarahbeisel.com/starthere

Creating graphics for our business isn't about making "pretty things". Design is actually all about COMMUNICATION.

Communicating our message.

Communicating why people should work with us.

Communicating how to take action.

Communicating our value.

Communicating how professional we are.

And in this episode I want to talk to you about one of the biggest problems I'm seeing in graphics that business owners are DIYing.

Graphics that they're making for their business but aren't quite hitting the mark - that aren't COMMUNICATING.

It's quite a simple change but it makes a HUGE impact.

Tune in to find out what it is and how you can make your own graphics stand out and COMMUNICATE!

I see people that look like me EVERYWHERE. In clothing shops, models, ads, in business, as mums... everywhere I look I feel like I'm a part of the conversation.. I'm included.. that I belong.

But for so many other in our country (and the world) they don't see themselves represented. They don't see their skin colour or ethnicity shown.

They don't see themselves in ads,

or in the jobs they dream of,

or on stages,

or running successful businesses.

And so in today's podcast episode I had the pleasure of interviewing Annie Gichuru. Annie is a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Coach and she shares how we as business owners, can take steps to helping the world to be a more inclusive and beautiful place.

A place where people of all colours are represented, included and seen.

I know you're just going to LOVE this episode. Let it inspire you to action.

ABOUT ANNIE:

Annie is the founder of Uplifting Studios, a platform dedicated to supporting online business owners to build culturally & racially diverse, inclusive and equitable businesses.

Annie has become a leading Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) coach & consultant for online entrepreneurs. Annie’s grace, gentle spirit and passion for a racially equitable world is setting her apart in the coaching and personal development industry as a compassionate educator with an incredible space holding ability.

Jump into Annie's world via her instagram: instagram.com/upliftingstudiostv/

REPRESENTED Course:

https://www.upliftingstudios.com.au/represented
 

Wanna know what it's like to have your business transformed by YOU with the help of a designer?

Then this episode is gonna be your cup of tea! Join me as I chat with 2 incredible small busienss owners, Nic Everist and Marie Vakakis. Nic and Marie just finished my coaching program, The Co+Creation Club where they worked on their own business graphics in Canva - but with my help.

As a result they created incredible, professional brands while also having support to know that what they were creating was actually looking great, communicating with their audience AND saving them time, energy and stress!

Marie and Nic designed social media posts, logos, podcast covers, flyers and SO MUCH MORE during their time in the club and boy did they SMASH IT.

Enjoy hearing from these legends as they let you in on their experience and the transformation they achieved.

JOIN THE CLUB! https://www.diydesignmybiz.com/club

Doors close Monday 21st Feb 2022.

ABOUT NIC:

Nic Everist is a visual artist and creative mentor working out of her studio in Geelong, Australia. Endlessly inspired by her travels and explorations, Nic loves to visit new places, discover new landscapes and delve into the stories behind them. Whether that be the story of the places she is visiting, or the connection or intrinsic stories that develop through these explorations. Nic also runs a 4 month Mentoring program and The Full Time Artist Podcast where she helps other amazing creative humans build their own unique, soul led, thriving creative careers. 

You can find Nic on instagram at @nic_everist_art or @nic_everist_mentoring 

Check out her work over at niceverist.com or join the community of amazing creative humans building their own thriving careers at The Full Time Artist facebook group and listening to The Full Time Artist Podcast. 

ABOUT MARIE:

Marie Vakakis is an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker, Family Therapist, presenter, podcaster, and trainer. Her focus is on supporting adults to have better relationships with the teens and young adults in their lives. Marie facilitates programs for parents and carers in a safe, supportive environment in which she teaches skills to help build emotional intelligence and promote positive relationships between caregivers and young people. Through the delivery of innovative and engaging training workshops, clinical supervision groups and a successful podcast, Marie also equips mental health professionals to work confidently with young people. She is committed to improving mental health awareness, reducing stigma, and promoting prevention and early intervention in the field of mental health.

You can find marie on Instagram: @marievakakis and @thetherapyhubcounselling

Or online at thetherapyhub.com.au

When someone works with your business as a solopreneur they work with YOU!

It's so essential that your business not only looks great - but resonates with you.

WHY?

For 2 reasons:

1. That your audience can get a real idea of what it's like to work with YOU. You are unique, the way you work is unique - let your brand channel that.

2. So that YOU feel connected to your business. If you're trying to hide who you are and be somebody else in your brand you'll feel distant and aloof - line up who you are with your business and you'll find it so much more fulfilling!!

This episode is a sneak peek of Day 1 in the Seriously in Business Free Challenge - a 3 day experience for business owners to start looking serious in their businesses!! This round is run on Feb 7-9 2022. It's not too late to join!

Join the Seriously in Business Challenge 2.0 here:

https://www.diydesignmybiz.com/SeriouslyChallenge

Have you ever thought "Hmm, I probably shouldn't really be using Canva for my graphics... it's not that professional".

Sure, it doesn't do as much fancy things as Photoshop or cost as much as the Adobe Suite but friends - I use Canva for 95% of my own designs!! (AND my clients who run million dollar businesses).

So, the clincher isn't Canva itself... it's something else.

In this episode of Design Hacks for DIYers I give the goss on why it's not Canva that's the real culprit (the THREE things actually).

I talk to how these mistakes are hindering your success:

1.  Not having a brand strategy

2. Not knowing how to communicate your message

3. Not being in the know around good design

LINKS:

Website: www.whitedeer.com.au

Instagram: www.instagram.com/whitedeergd

Helpful Resources (Free): www.whitedeer.com.au/freebies

The Co+Creation Club Waitlist: www.diydesignmybiz.com/club

Most small business owners cringe at the idea of calling themselves a "CEO"... but should we really shrink away from the term so fast?

In this podcast episode I interview Ellie, my business coach and client, on how thinking like a CEO is a non-negotiable for every business owner. Ellie is a mindset and marketing coach that has created MASSIVE results for her clients (including me!). We chat about the game-changing ways that CEO mindset can have on a business.

Because let's be honest, we don't FEEL like showing up for our businesses every day. But sometimes we just have to do what we know is best for our business. Do what's best for driving it towards our goals. Best for growing it in the way that we dream of. Best for creating strong and sustainable income. And to do that, sometimes we've just gotta put on our CEO hat and GET. THINGS. DONE!

Learn how you can put your CEO hat on and let it transform your biz from the inside out!

Ellie and I also chat about the the skills she's seen over and over again in her clients that grow to have successful businesses, and how you can cultivate these things in your own business.

Buckle up for an incredible episode!

ABOUT ELLIE:

Ellie Swift is a Mindset & Marketing Coach for high-performing women who are ready to build heart-driven, intentional and abundant online businesses.

Using her signature Swift Marketing Method, Ellie helps service-based business owners connect with their customers, shine online, and create life-changing results (for both themselves & their clients).

Ellie spent a decade working in marketing in London, Sydney, and Perth, achieving her goal of Head of Marketing Strategy by the age of 28 before making the transition into her business. She has built a million dollar business in 3 years and has supported her clients as they’ve created six and multi-five figure launches, tripled their income and completely transformed their businesses (and lives!) through both mindset and marketing.

Ellie’s mission is to support soul-led women to experience the lives they dream of through entrepreneurship.

ELLIE'S LINKS

Join the free challenge: https://www.ellieswift.com/thepowerquarter

Website: https://www.ellieswift.com/

Podcast: Shine Online with Ellie Swift: http://ellieswift.com/podcast/

Instagram: @elliehswift 

Let's pull back the curtain a little. This Friday hubby and I are celebrating our 5th wedding anniversary. And as a little nod to that I thought what better episode to share with you than an interview and discussion with my lovely husband himself!

Join us in this episode as we discuss:

• What it's really like to be married while running a small business each and parenting a toddler
• The uncertainty and financial instability of working for ourselves
• How we split up time between working, life and parenting

And so much more! I hope you love this little peek into my life and marriage.

LINKS:

The Brand Upgrade: The coaching experience designed to upgrade your visual brand to match the new levels, pivots and experiences your business is going to offer.

Purchase here: www.whitedeer.com.au/thebrandupgrade

Website: www.whitedeer.com.au

Instagram: www.instagram.com/whitedeergd

Helpful Resources (Free): www.whitedeer.com.au/freebies

The Co+Creation Club Waitlist: www.diydesignmybiz.com/club

Toph's website: https://livingitlive.com.au

If making graphics for your business feels hard right now... you're not the only one.

But I want to let you know: Design does NOT have to feel hard.

You don't have to feel overwhelmed when you know it's time to upload a post onto Instagram.

You don't have to put off creating the slides for your presentation next week.

You don't have to get stressed at the idea of making a flyer or business card.

In this episode I want to share with you 3 different things you need to implement to get creating beautiful and EASEFUL designs.

It doesn't happen by accident, but it can happen for you.

LINKS:

Website: www.whitedeer.com.au

Instagram: www.instagram.com/whitedeergd

Helpful Resources (Free): www.whitedeer.com.au/freebies

The Co+Creation Club Waitlist: www.diydesignmybiz.com/club

Want to know a sure-fire way stand out?

Create your own league.

Creating a business that is in its own league means you’re no longer treading water trying to keep up with your competitors, but you’re doing your own unique thing. One that no one can compete with because it’s YOU.

The wonderful Sofia Bernadi joined me on this weeks podcast to discuss how signature frameworks and personal branding can give your business the edge it needs to call in just the right people.

If you don’t have a point of difference and are just copying businesses around you, you’ll always be one step behind them.

ABOUT SOFIA:

Voted as one of the top 30 coaches to look out for in 2021 by the New York City Journal, Sofia Rose Bernardi is a Mindset & Business Coach helping new and rising coaches master their mindset, create an aligned and profitable strategy & grow a 6 figure business using The Rising Coach Method.

Sofia has built a multi six-figure business at the age of 24, and credits her journey to the discovery of the power of the mind and the process she journeyed in her late teens and early 20s of overcoming her own personal trauma to recognise her greatness and potential. Sofia now helps people cultivate confidence through the power of mindset, and scale to $10k+ months in their businesses.

LINKS TO SOFIA:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sofiarosebernardi/

Website: http://sofiarosebernardi.com/

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/risingcoaches

Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/2LpKL2G0TMT5jq16Lg8CZs

Looking for ways to make your business more easeful and balanced? To honour rather than fight the season you are in? Join me, Jacqui Naunton, as I chat to special guest, Laura Canham, about the challenges of work-life balance and the journey of building an intentional and fulfilling business.
 

Key Takeaways:

- The challenge of work-life balance differs when working for oneself compared to working for someone else.

- It's okay to pause the business during unpredictable events and personal circumstances.

- Creating an "easeful" business requires intentional effort, including investing in systems, teams, and personal well-being.

- Identifying and addressing "sticky icky" points in business to make necessary changes for better ease and support.

- Regularly assessing business challenges and making necessary changes incrementally rather than through drastic shifts.

- Prioritising personal happiness and fulfilment over financial success and aligning with personal values and passion.
 

ABOUT LAURA CANHAM:

Laura is an award-winning business coach on a mission to help women do business their way. She has supported over 400 female entrepreneurs to scale with ease, increase their impact and income, and most importantly, create more freedom, fun and flexibility in life and business.

She has scaled her online business from start-up to a quarter of a million dollars in just two years (while also birthing two babies!) so she knows a thing or two about keeping things simple and still getting big results.

She is a proud boy mama, speaker, podcaster and is currently in her digital nomad era, running her business whilst travelling Europe with her family.

CONNECT WITH LAURA:

www.instagram.com/lauracanham_

www.lauracanham.com

It's almost the new year! And what could be a better way to finish 2021 and start 2022 than with a collection of Nana's Nuggets!?

If you watch my Instagram Stories you'll know that each day I share a screenshot of a message my nana, Shirley, has sent me with a pearl of wisdom for the day.

So, in this episode I read out a couple of good ones to inspire you - short, sharp and powerful!

Plus, I experiment with some sound effects... Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing!

Enjoy, and let these nuggets spur you on! Happy 2022!

LINKS:

Website: www.whitedeer.com.au

Instagram: www.instagram.com/whitedeergd

Helpful Resources (Free): www.whitedeer.com.au/freebies

This week I had the pleasure of sitting down with Grace Howes. Business Mindset Coach and all-round-legend!

Grace and I chat about some of the mindset block and hurdles we as business owners can face - and some steps we can take to move beyond them into deeper success and joy.

We cover:

• How we can learn to trust ourselves

• Becoming self-aware and learning what our triggers are

• How to stop getting in our own way

• Things we can do to end comparison

Guest Bio 

Grace Howes is a Business Mindset Coach who helps soul-conscious women do their inner work to ditch the self-doubt so they can show up in their full power and create big external results in business.

https://www.kgracehowes.com/

https://www.instagram.com/kgracehowes/
 

50 Episodes! A baby, a group coaching program and some incredible interviews later and here we are... at episode 50!

In this episode I wanted to celebrate with you (and THANK YOU). I'll be sharing the 5 things I've done that have been PIVOTAL to my success. I can guarantee each of these things has resulted in my business taking huge leaps - and even if I took away one of them, my biz would be in a different place than what it is today.

I hope you learn so much from this episode and hopefully, if you implement these things sooner than I did your biz will grow even quicker!

I cover how I:

1. Learnt skills: podcasts, observing others, courses
2. Got support: coaching
3. Leaned into who I uniquely am
4. Built relationships: committed to different containers and experiences
5. Got visible: showing up and having a brand I'm proud of

Plus, I have a VERY exciting offer. 

To celebrate 50 episodes I'm re-opening doors to DIY Design My Biz or 50 hours only! Doors are open from Tuesday 14th Dec until 8am Thursday 16th.

PLUS PLUS!! If you enrol in this window I will gift you a bonus 1:1 coaching call with me! Join now: www.diydesignmybiz.com

In business, we can't afford to not use our time well. We can't afford to waste time doing things that:

1. Won't move our business forward

2. Take us longer than they should

And that's what this episode is about. I've taken a snippet from my workshop Supercharge Sales in Your First Year of Business + Beyond and am sharing with you how you can make sure that the graphics you ARE making ARE communicating!

There's no point creating ANYTHING that's not going to stand out and communicate your value with your audience.

Doors are also currently open for 2 more days to DIY Design My Biz - my online program designed to teach business owners how they can create their own standout brand and graphics!

Enrol here: www.diydesignmybiz.com

It's a non-negotiable. If you want to *easily* create graphics for your business that not only look amazing, but stand out to your audience, communicate your value and reflect YOU - then you need to first create a moodboard.

A moodboard is a collection of images that stem from research that can inspire you as you create your brand and graphics. It helps you to go beyond "that looks pretty" to "I KNOW what kind of graphic I need to make, and it's going to *work* to support my business".

You see, once we have a moodboard we have a direction. We're no longer feeling around in the dark trying to work out what our next graphic will look like! We're instead feeling confident of the style of our business and how that translates into what our business looks like.

In this episode I chat you through how business-changing a moodboard can be, as well as how to create a moodboard that reflects YOUR business and what to do once you've got a moodboard (and how you can practically apply it to your biz).

If you want to learn more about creating a business that supports you, join me Friday the 3rd of December 2021 for a free online workshop: Supercharge Sales in Your First Year of Business and Beyond. Register here: https://www.diydesignmybiz.com/register

So many of us running our own businesses love it. But we love it so much that it's often all we do. And when we're not working - we're doing all the errands, house jobs and planning.

But I want to share with you something that I've done since I first started my business. Something I don't always WANT to do, but know I need to do if I want a sustainable, lasting and enjoyable business.

This is quite a personal episode... I don't often share about my faith but I really believe this principle can be so helpful to all biz owners (and humans), not just Christians.

It's the idea of "Sabbath" - one day a week where we STOP. From everything. And we just BE.

I think we so often believe the lie that our worth lies in what we DO. How much we work, what we earn, what we own, what we can achieve... but what's left of us when we stop and just exist? When we stop trying to earn our place on this planet and just enjoy our present moment without striving or comparing or wanting something different to what we already have and who we already are.

Once a week I take a day where I completely stop. Every single week. No matter what's happening - in the middle of a launch, or when life is ridiculously busy. Any time.

And I choose NOT to do chores, to not do errands, to not consume social media, to not do work. And instead, I write myself an a la carte menu of things that I love and I do those! I read, journal, walk, eat delicious food, relax with family... anything that energises me!

This day is one I look forward to every single week. It's often the highlight of my week.

BUT it has to be a choice. It's HARD to stop. It's the opposite of what I naturally do.

It's hard to get all the chores done before my day off. It's hard to trust that I'll be okay even if I don't hustle. But gee it's worth it.

If what I want to do in my life can't be achieved in 6 days, then I'm doing too much.

So, I'd love to challenge you - what might a "sabbath" look like for you? Are you willing to risk stopping? To let your worth be found outside of what you DO?

Try is one day. Then try it again. And then again. And let it become a rhythm of your life.

I also want to acknowledge that in our current, unjust and unfair world that this might not be possible for everyone. There is an element of privilege that comes with being able to rest. I firmly believe this SHOULD be for everyone, and could be... if we as humanity chose to really care for one another. But, if you, my friend are not in a place where stopping is possible - I pray you can find rest and rejuvenation in the little moments. You deserve it too.

Being the “expert” in our field is a RIDICULOUSLY daunting phrase. Yet, in business, we’re told so often to claim this word for ourselves.

In this podcast episode, I chat with Rachel Kurzyp on what being an “expert” really looks like NOW. And it’s NOT studying for 10 years, practicing for 20 years, and wearing a tweed blazer that does it.

Being the expert can be a simple as combining your unique passions together. As being one step ahead in the journey than your client.

Let’s learn to claim our unique expertise and share with the world how we can help them.

Rachel and I also cover 3 simple ways to claim your expertise:

• Knowing your leadership style
• Talk about your results and how you support your clients (in a different way than everyone else is doing!)
• Share content that connects with your audience (even things that aren’t “business-related”!)

Connect with Rachel:
Instagram: @rachel_kurzyp
Website: rachelkurzyp.com.au
Podcast: rachelkurzyp.com.au/the-rachel-kurzyp-show/

What does it take to carry a brand from just starting out to 7 figures? Well, SO many things... But one of them? A killer brand and graphics.

Erika at The Queen of Confidence has been a client of mine for almost 3 years, and while I no longer take on 1:1 done-for-you clients Erika and I wanted to share with you how design has impacted her business.

The Co+Creation Club has its doors open RIGHT NOW until the 15th of November 2021 (unless sold out prior - only THREE spots are currently left).

The C+C Club is an intimate, 6 week group coaching experience crafted to catapult your business to the next level in professionalism, authenticity and growth through supported self design.

Join now: www.diydesignmybiz.com/club

Connect with Erika:

Instagram: @thequeenofconfidence

Website: thequeenofconfidence.com

Let's find out your unique flavour! If you don’t know your vibe you’ll feel constantly unsure about your brand. Second-guessing yourself all the time.

And the worst bit? Your audience can smell it.

If you aren’t sure about your brand, you can bet your audience is even more unsure. This leads to confusion about what you offer...your audience are unsure if your business is for THEM and if they get confused you can bet they'll be navigating away from your business because it just doesn't make sense and they don't have the time to try work it out.

And if you’re like me - that is the LAST thing we want. We don’t want customers edging away from us and never buying from us. We want the opposite! We want to be drawing in the RIGHT people who feel aligned with us, sure of what we offer and excited to purchase.

So in this episode I share with you a sneak peek into DAY 1 of the #SeriouslyInBusiness challenge as we look into how YOU can uncover YOUR unique brand.

Join in on the challenge free here: www.diydesignmybiz.com/seriouslychallenge

Join the Seriously in Business 4-day FREE challenge HERE.

I was chatting with a business owner recently, asking her why she believed design was so important to a successful business...and she replied with a phrase that I LOVED. She said,

"Because it looks like you're seriously in business.”

So. Spot. On!

It painted the picture so perfectly.
There's SUCH a difference between those businesses that look like a little side-hustle and the ones that you CANNOT wait to work with.

🍉Between those businesses that look like they aren't in it for the long run and the ones that look like they've been around forever (in a good way).

🍉 The ones you are nervous about working with and the ones you seem to just trust immediately.

🍉 The ones that look like they don't know what they're doing and the ones that look like they're seriously in business.

And it often all comes back to how the brand looks.

As consumers, we are making split-second decisions about whether a business is right for us... if we trust them to deliver what they promise. 🤞🏻

Does your brand look like you're seriously in business?

In this episode I chat through 4 ways that you can really look serious in business:

Know your vibe

Learn to stop the scroll

Get serious about thinking like a designer

Set up for success with templates and processes

Join the Seriously in Business 4-day FREE challenge HERE to really take action to up-level brand so 2022 can be your best year yet.

I'm always SO interested in how a business *actually* runs behind-the-scenes. How much are they spending to make everything tick, what are they doing manually vs. automatically, what programs do they use to keep on top of everything?

In this episode I share a detailed look into the behind-the-scenes of my online business, highlighting the tech stack and software tools I use to efficiently run my business. From project management and content repurposing to design programs and financial management.

Key Takeaways:

- I utilize a combination of free and paid software tools, including Asana for project management, Airtable for data organization, and Slack for team communication.

- My paid subscriptions include Kartra for course hosting and email management, Gmail for professional email accounts, Adobe Suite for graphic design, and QuickBooks for financial management.

- I also employ additional software such as Simplecast for podcast management, Showit for website building, and Cast Magic and Opus for content repurposing.

Full list of tools (*some links are affiliates):

Asana https://app.asana.com/

Slack https://slack.com/

Google suite https://workspace.google.com/

Airtable https://airtable.com/

Creative Market https://www.dpbolvw.net/click-100887243-15136940

Castmagic https://get.castmagic.io/gyp4w1pwvk0o

Capcut https://capcutaffiliateprogram.pxf.io/ZQ3ngk

Kartra https://kartra.com/

Adobe https://www.adobe.com/

Quickbooks https://quickbooks.intuit.com/

Simplecast https://www.simplecast.com/

Crazy Domains https://www.crazydomains.com.au/

Zoom https://zoom.us/

Vimeo https://vimeo.com/

Calendly https://calendly.com/

Interact https://get.tryinteract.com/f7vnhupludam

Canva https://partner.canva.com/whitedeer

Creative Fabrica https://www.creativefabrica.com/promo/8407/0P1055-FGHIJKLMNO/ref/4088225

Dubsado https://dubsado.com/?c=whitedeer

Showit https://account.showit.com/r/2mnkq4b1

Opus Clip https://www.opus.pro/?via=b49cd0

Zapier https://zapier.com/

Since recording I'm now also using:

Manychat (paid): https://manychat.com/

Signature Hound (paid): https://signaturehound.com/

You open up Canva or Pinterest and all you see are SO MANY PRETTY THINGS and you're overwhelmed by choice.

Too many options.

It's all so distracting and confusing. PLUS all you want to do is use that new pretty font you found or that super cute colour.

NO. STOP.

Getting distracted has no wins for your business. The key instead is to KNOW your brand. Take time to nut it out in a way that you are solid on what your biz is about, who you serve, the core message of your brand and how that is represented visually.

Once you KNOW what your brand looks like (and you're proud of it) - you know there's no need to get distracted by everything else. You have YOUR look, and you stick to it - anything else is you getting stuck outside your zone of genius and procrastinating the real work.

PLUS, I want to remind you that no one else is getting sick of your branding. No one else sees it every day. Rest in the fact that if you're getting sick of your brand then that might be a good thing because at that point you know that you're using it so consistently that everyone else is beginning to form a loyalty and connection with your brand and recognizing it when they see it in the wild #WIN.

PS. Using the same visual brand doesn't have to be boring. You can still have fun. Promise.

Get confident in creating graphics that connect with your audience: Download the "7 Mistakes that Make Your Business The Last Choice" free guide now.

Selling can feel so yuck - but to have a successful business chances are we're gonna need to sell (I KNOW! Shock horror!).

So what's a small biz owner to do?

Thankfully, there are actually methods we can use to sell in a way that doesn't come across pushy or rude but has service and care at its heart.

You see if you believe in the product or service that you sell, then you believe it will be able to help people...so?

Well once you switch your mindset to knowing that you're HELPING people, you can remember that when you're "selling" you are actually giving people all the information they need to be able to decide if you're offering can HELP them.

And you know what? If you choose to keep quiet and "not sell" then the people you want to help with your offering will never be able to find you.

(Don't worry, I'm preaching to myself here too).

In this episode of Design Hacks for DIYers I'm chatting to guest expert Merit Kahn. Merit is an expert on helping businesses to stop selling, and instead, helping their clients to "sell"ect them (see what she did there!!).

There is a TON of little nuggets of wisdom in this episode. All things ranging from emotional intelligence, creating appropriate offers and SO much more.

ABOUT MERIT:

Merit Kahn, CSP, is the CEO of SELLect Sales Development, author of Myth Shift: Challenging The Truths That Sabotage Success, co-host of The Smarter Sales Show podcast... and... writer, producer and star of the one-woman inspirational comedy show, "Book of Merit."

With more than 20 years of sales, sales management, coaching, training, consulting, writing and speaking experience, Merit has worked with thousands of clients across multiple industries with one goal in mind... grow sales and influence. She is certified in Emotional Intelligence and earned the highest designation in The National Speakers Association, one held by less than 12% of professional speakers worldwide, The Certified Speaking Professional, CSP.

Merit's work experience and certifications in both Emotional Intelligence and cultural transformation give her a unique perspective for hiring, onboarding, selling and retaining top talent.


CONNECT WITH MERIT:

For FREE resources: http://meritkahn.com/podcast
Need a speaker for your upcoming event: http://meritkahn.com/
Ready to stop selling and start getting SELLected by your top prospects? https://www.sellectsales.com/
Connect with Merit on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meritkahn/
Email Merit: Merit@MeritKahn.com

It's no secret design can do HUGE things for your businesses success. But HOW?

Well if you're making some of your own graphics I want to let you know of 3 different ways that design can help you save time, attract clients (or customers) and feel proud of your business.

1. Create a style guide. This is a document that outlines the fonts, colours and graphic style of your visual brand. No longer will you have a mismatch of branding and feel overwhelmed every time you start a new graphic - instead the key design elements are already decided! All you have to do is refer to your style guide.

2. Know who your audience is. It goes without saying almost, but even I forget this sometimes. Learn who you LOVE working with and who you BEST serve and create graphics that appeal to them.

3. Use margin and space in your designs. Creating space is one of the EASIEST ways to up the professionalism of your graphics. Leave room around your graphics where the key design elements stay away from the edges. Make sure to also leave room for the eye to "rest" as you create your graphic. Don't feel like you need to squish everything on and into every gap you see!

Want to see this visually explained and get a recap of these points? Head here to download a freebie outlining it all now.