Some weird hippy shit. (But it worked)

As a new-ish business owner, I recently found myself in a funk because I wasn't sure where I was heading with Barebone Marketing. I found myself doing anything and everything, acting more as a people pleaser rather than a specialized solution. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't kissing ass to my clients, but I wasn't doing what I enjoy, nor what I'm best at.

I didn't know what direction I wanted to go and not being able to answer "what do you do exactly?" stressed me out. So. I did some weird hippy shit.

Okay, it wasn't that weird. Not like I pulled out the ouija board and asked some spirits for advice.

But it was weird for someone who rarely does this stuff.

Using some quartz from our land, I plugged the drain to the broken tub and poured myself a hot bath. I closed the door so the steam could be trapped, then lit candles and incense. I turned off the lights and turned on Stick Figure radio on Pandora. I applied a face mask (for glowing skin - ooo la la) and just closed my eyes while I laid in the hot water.

As someone whose mind is always thinking a dozen thoughts at once, this was weird. I forced myself to focus and envision what exactly I wanted Barebone Marketing to become. I pictured simple, efficient, and lots of creativity. I pictured Etsy sellers that make earrings, personal trainers who want to work for themselves, and podcasters who want to share knowledge about health. I pictured all the local professional photographers that have frustration-causing service details on their website, or small boutiques that don't have a "@companyname.com" email address.

I saw myself and the entrepreneurs combining our energies, brainstorming all the unique possible ways to build out their business venture. Our ideas building off one another to effectively create a successful strategy and curate a life that the entrepreneur is excited about.

I saw three different solutions for these artisans, trainers, and small shop owners.

The first, a DIY workbook/checklist/template or something that instructs the entrepreneur how to do the set-up themselves. The second, a highly personalized set-up service to create the curated website, social accounts and all that jazz. And the third, my favorite, a one-month service that gave Barebone Marketing full artist's discretion to build out an online presence that best fit the client's business.

All of these would be fast turnaround, fun to create, and effective. It would save the entrepreneur time and energy, so they can apply themselves where their talents are best used. On the other hand, I would have the satisfaction of helping start these small businesses on the right track, get to use my eye for design to create beautiful deliverables and build Barebone Marketing into a successful business with profits and diversity in my days. And perhaps best of all, get to connect with other business-minded folks and this wonderful community of entrepreneurs.

I saw it, I focused on it, and I got to work on the details. And now I'm doing it.

Weird hippy shit - but man, that works.