by Suellen | Meeting the Challenges, Success
Being a successful solopreneur is an extremely challenging goal.
Being a great parent is likewise extremely challenging.
So can you be both? With careful thought and planning, yes you can!! Many have accomplished this.
Both of these ambitions will take up lots of time and thought. They both leave you with very little energy at the end of the day. And they both linger psychologically: meaning that it’s very hard to “switch off” in either case.
As you can imagine then, finding a way to do both these things at the same time is quite a challenge. So what are some secrets for doing this?
Let’s take a look.
Perhaps you are too focused on work, which leaves you stressed when spending time with your family. Your webinar didn’t go well and you realize that you made mistakes in your presentation.
Or maybe you are thinking about your new product launch.
Or your business stress has you in a bad mood.
Maybe the cash flow isn’t what you want and you are struggling to pay your bills.
Then perhaps you’re too far the other way. Maybe you’re a great parent, but you let that interfere with your work-life. Maybe you can’t focus at work and you’re constantly taking holiday to spend time with your family.
Maybe you’re distracted by hearing the kids play downstairs and you just can’t focus on work.
These are definitely issues many stay-at-home Moms face when they start a business.
So, what do you do?
There’s no single answer to this. There are so many variables in this situation that one answer wouldn’t be relevant for everyone.
I would say to pray and ask God for guidance. He will help you to see how to maneuver this. How to plan and how to implement your plan.
But here’s a truth that is fairly universal: If you try to do both things simultaneously then you will do neither well.
This is why you need to be very strict and disciplined about what you consider to be “work time” and what you consider to be “home time.”
Some successful solopreneurs “dress” for work – just as if they were going to an office. No pajama days for them. This simple trick can help them and their families realize that office hours are important.
Set up a schedule for work, and stick to it. Focus on your work for these set periods of time, and afterwards, switch your attention to your family. Then focus on them!
You might feel as though that defeats many of the benefits of being self-employed in the first place. But there are ways to get the benefits AND still keep things separate.
For one: as long as you are able to focus hard and work fast, there is nothing to stop you from taking additional breaks throughout the day. As long as they are clearly defined and you go back to work afterward!
Sometimes you can try to focus on completing a certain amount of work, rather than working for a given amount of time. This incentivizes you to work quickly, and it means you often can take more time to be with your family!
One of the great benefits of being a solopreneur and a parent is that you are setting a good example. Your children see that you are working hard – and they want to emulate that behavior.
They also see that you are setting goals and accomplishing them. Children thrive when they see the success of their parents. They will even benefit from seeing you make mistakes and correct your course along the way.
Such examples are “caught” and you will see your children being more productive. They too will want to be visionaries and set goals. They too will want to put in the work necessary to achieve those goals.
So pray, plan, implement, and be a great role model for your children. They will gain much from having such a parent!
And you will flourish in your pursuits!
by Suellen | Meeting the Challenges, Success
Being a solopreneur means you are an entrepreneur who runs everything in your business.
Whew! Everything sounds overwhelming!
Yet, there are countless advantages to this kind of business model, and thanks to the web, now it works for more people than you can imagine.
The notion of running an entire empire single-handedly would have seemed like an impossible pipe-dream only a few years ago. Today though, this is what more and more people are living as their reality. The internet is such a powerful force multiplier that it allows many people to truly become “digital polymaths.” (People who have knowledge in many different areas).
For many years, it was impossible for an individual to compete with the resources of larger companies. But then things changed.
Really smart people started developing and selling (or sometimes sharing) software, platforms, and apps which helped individuals accomplish things they never could before.
Now you can design your website, write for your blog, sell products, collect the money, and have them delivered. All by yourself. All from your home! Amazing, isn’t it?
But while the solopreneur lifestyle is liberating in many ways, it can also be extremely challenging. That’s because it requires you to wear a lot of hats and to take full responsibility for every aspect of your business.
Even if you are simply running a blog and selling affiliate products, this can be a surprisingly challenging lifestyle. Suddenly, there is no employer. There is nobody else who is going to take responsibility for your business. Or to accept the blame if things go wrong.
Likewise, there is no guaranteed paycheck. There isn’t even a guarantee that you’ll have work this time tomorrow.
Things can be going extremely well one day, and terribly the next.
What if Google removes your site from its listings and you can’t sell any more products?
What if you have one big client and they leave? Now you could have a quiet spell lasting for months.
What if a shipment of products goes missing? Or your links get messed up and you can’t seem to fix them?
As the solopreneur, you must be ready to weather all these scenarios. And you must be ready to make countless huge decisions.
You run a YouTube channel, and you want to sell an eBook from there. But how much do you charge for it? What eCommerce store do you use to sell it from?
What if your loyal audience finds it offensive that you are now charging for information, and thus they leave you?
What if the WooCommerce store crashes because you have an outdated PHP version on your server? And what if that means you lose thousands of preorders?
And do you let that other creator you met upload videos to your channel? What if those put off your viewers because it’s not what they came to see? What if they like the other person’s content more than yours??
Juggling work is also extremely difficult – especially if you want to maintain some semblance of a work/life balance. This is especially true for a service provider. In this scenario, there is no delineation between work hours and downtime.
That is to say, that you could work 9-5, but you could also work 9-9. That latter option would mean you earn a LOT more money! Do you really need to be relaxing in the evening when you could be getting closer to your goals?
What if you don’t finish your work on time? Do you work a little more?
What if there’s something you need to buy, but don’t have the money?
Again, the number of variables is huge, and you are constantly forced to make these decisions. Even when you are “relaxing,” you might be questioning whether you could be doing something more useful. You might still be worrying that your work wasn’t done to standard.
Then there is the customer service. Download problems. Negative comments. Etc., etc., etc.!
You get the point! It can be stressful!
But it can also be very rewarding.
You as a Solopreneur, are a pioneer. And with a new type of career, you need a new approach to health and productivity.
The healthy, happy, productive Solopreneur starts with a plan. And this plan must include not just work, but your spiritual goals and health goals.
You are not just trying to “survive” in business. You want to thrive. You want a happy personal life. A close-knit family or group of friends.
Planning for total health and well-being helps you include all of these things in your life. And planning for that well-rounded life increases your productivity.
The truth is that the more you improve your focus, energy, creativity, and health, the more you will produce. As a solopreneur, everything you sell and everything that earns you money comes from you.
If you want to be more successful, that means that you need to produce more. And if you’re going to produce more, then you need to manage your energy levels and your focus. You need to learn how to get the most from your body and your brain
And this can result in a HUGE increase in your productivity and profits. Because when you’re a solopreneur, learning how to double your output, means doubling your profit!
In the next few posts we are going to be discussing ways to increase your energy levels, your focus, and your productivity.
Remember, it’s the whole you and not just the working you that makes your Solopreneur lifestyle so productive.
So take a deep breath. Pray and ask for God’s guidance.
Get in a quiet place and write down your thoughts. Which areas of your life need improvement?
Are you battling confusion? Overwhelm? Lack of Confidence?
God will help you see some things which need to change. And which areas need growth.
As always, it’s one step at a time. Patience and perseverance.
You will get there if you don’t give up.
by Suellen | Meeting the Challenges, Start Your Week With Purpose
This little-talked-about blessing is a lesson we can learn from Mary.
In Luke 1:26-38, the angel Gabriel came to Mary and told her of God’s plan for her to give birth to Jesus. of course, she’s shocked, but young Mary receives God’s plan. She says, “Behold the bondslave of the Lord. Be it done to me according to your Word.” (Luke 1:38 NASB)
Next she ran to her Aunt Elizabeth and shared her encounter. John leapt in Elizabeth’s womb, and she started to prophesy. Her final word was, “And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.” (1:45)
Think about this a minute.
In both verses we see that Mary believed and received what God had spoken.
Elizabeth didn’t say she was blessed just because of the word spoken. She was blessed because she believed it!
The Bible is full of Words which the Lord has spoken to us, and sometimes special words seem to leap off of the page – as if they were there just for us! But it’s up to us to say, “Be it done to me according to God’s Word.” Or not.
All of those beautiful promises and directions can be like seeds which fall upon the rocks. They won’t produce.
When we, like Mary, receive and believe what God speaks to us, we are blessed. The seed of His Word falls on the good soil of our hearts and what He has spoken begins to produce in our lives.
It’s an amazing thing to see God’s word being performed like that.
Just thinking about this makes me want to dig in deeper than ever. I want this Christmas and 2021 to be my most believing days ever.
Don’t you?
It’s a good time for us to gather the words which have especially spoken to us and write them in a journal. Then read and meditate on them. Pray them. Think about them. And believe them.
When we do things God’s way, many blessings – and surprises – will follow.
And now may it be done to you according to God’s Word.
Keep on Soaring!
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by Suellen | Join the Mission, Reach the World,
We have entered a new era, and it’s here whether we’re ready or not. A few years ago, I wrote my first book, and at the suggestion of some savvy people, started a blog to promote it. Little did I know where this would take me.
As I roamed around the internet, looking for like-minded people, I found something very interesting.There are some really great Christian blogs, podcasts, etc. out there, but over all, we don’t have the representation we need – or that our Father wants. Sure, there are some Christian ministries, but we are greatly outnumbered. There are many voices out there, but relatively few Christian voices.
Our presence is sadly lacking.
I have continued to pursue my own presence online, and have learned a few things in the process.
First, I have learned (as you may have also) that the digital world has totally taken over our culture. Just as TV changed the lines of communication several decades ago, the internet and wireless devices now hold the keys to communication in our world. People in their 20’s and 30’s are not watching Christian TV; they are surfing the web – and usually on their phones or tablets.
Second, I have learned that mastering the tools of the digital world is not as hard as you might think. There are so many software programs now which simplify the process. It’s often a matter of discovering which ones to try.
Third, in the process of learning, I have found some great instructors, who are eager to share what they know. Some people who have been online since the inception of the internet are more than generous in sharing how to get the job done. And the numbers of experts who are willing to share their information is growing by the day..
Fourth, I have learned that the internet is inexpensive compared to other means of communication. To my surprise, many applications are totally free.
I am convinced that God had the invention of the internet put into our hands at this moment in time for us Christians. I am convinced that the internet is here for us to reach the multitudes, worldwide. Let’s not miss this opportunity to saturate the web with God’s message and His presence.
Perhaps you already have a thriving blog or internet business. The rest of us could learn from you.
Or you might be saying, “I would like to, but I don’t even know how to start.”
There are plenty of people who would love to help you.
Our new mission is to help you as a minister or lay person fulfill your purpose. We know that you have a message, and we want to help you get it out to the masses.
When you speak to your audiences in person, you can reach hundreds – or even thousands. When you go on TV or radio, you can increase your audience to millions. When you take your messages to the world wide web, you can reach hundreds of millions – and even billions. (Yes, I said, “billions!”) Digital technology can go into places which don’t have TV or radio.
God has provided this golden door of opportunity for us to reach the world, so let’s do this. We hope you will join us in taking up this torch.
We have a world to reach.
We can do this!
by Suellen | Success, Website Tips
Do you sit at your desk all day and look at things online with your dual wide screens?
Uh-oh. You may be making some mistakes. (Just like I do from time to time).
It’s fun to design and implement beautiful layouts. But we need to take a look at this
In the last few years, more and more people (figures are about 33%), are using their smartphones and tablets for all or most of their internet needs. So a beautiful website on your desktop can sometimes look clumsy – and even weird on your phone.
So, as always, we smart people adapt.
We have to design our sites so that they look good – and are readable – on all devices.
So let’s look at a few tips to help us maximize our audience.
Be Minimalistic.
A flashy website is not going to translate well on a mobile device. Stick to the basics, and remember the acronym you’ve learned before. K.I.S.S. (Keep it simple silly)
Consider how mobile readers see your content — Check for yourself on the mobile device that you are targeting to assure yourself that the mobile content translates well to the device. You can’t be sure without looking.
Cut down on ad clutter
You may find that you need to move your ads to other areas that work better with mobile devices. Ads right in the middle of content might not work well with a mobile device like they do on a regular website
Choose a website theme which is good for phones.
Some – like Divi by Elegant Themes – have a means of customizing a page for all devices.
Or if you are a bona fide techy, you can detect platforms that are viewing with proper coding — Learn about special coding that you can do for your content so that it detects what device is looking at the site, and appears in the best format for that device.
(I’ll stick to choosing the right theme).
Have Lots of navigation
For a mobile device you likely need more navigation than on a website. Consider using shorter drop down menus, and think of ways to drill down to the minute information on your site with more menus.
Make short links
As we know, typing on a handheld device is not fun or easy. So make links as short as possible so that no one throws their mobile device across the room in frustration when trying to view your site.
One post or set of content per page — this goes back to being minimalistic but keep the content to one post per page for easier viewing.
Put content front and center —
Instead of having an entry page, put the newest content front and center so that mobile content viewers see what is important right away.\
Reconsider how you put textural links within a post.
While this is great for a website viewed on a webpage it might work better to put links under the post as well as within the text for easier navigation.
Add drop down navigation or hover navigation –
This type of navigation saves a lot of space on the mobile device and makes it easier to actually click it to move to the mobile content that the visitor wants to view.
So there you have a few tips for pleasing your mobile viewers.
We want to keep those mobile viewers coming back again and again.
