Confession:
For the past couple of months, something’s been feeling a bit “off”about my business.
I couldn’t put my finger on it and it was starting to frustrate me.
I love leading my OBSESSED class so…no. That’s not it.
My website still makes me happy. I’m still totally into blogging and I’ve got no shortage of ideas.
So…what?!
I decided to do what I call a “pleasure audit.” I went through every single page of my website, and every single thing on my recurring business to-do list, and I asked myself,
“Does this feel right?”
“Does this feel necessary?”
“Does this bring me pleasure?”
“Does this give me energy — or drain me?”
That’s it. Just four simple questions. But as I discovered, if you are willing to be honest with yourself, those four questions can provide a LOT of clarity very quickly.
Here’s what I discovered:
I love pretty much everything about my business (yay!) with one major exception.
I have a series of online classes that I created several years ago. Classes covering topics like how to get booked in the media, how to make the press your BFF, and other PR and publicity-related subjects. These classes are good. They help people. They generate a nice chunk of revenue for me.
But…honestly?
It doesn’t feel right, necessary, pleasurable, or energizing for me to sell them anymore.
Here’s why:
In an earlier chapter of my life, I worked as a professional publicist helping clients get booked on national radio and TV shows and profiled in top magazines.
I was really good at my job. I wrote zillions of media pitches. I built powerful connections. I learned a TON about what it takes to woo a reporter and entice an audience.
But “publicity gal” is not who I am anymore.
Sure, I can explain to someone how to get booked in the media — which steps to take, which people to email, how to structure a formal pitch — but it’s no longer my driving passion or my mission as an entrepreneur.
There’s a reason for this shift.
Looking back on the past ten years of my career, what happened is that somewhere along the journey, I had a personal epiphany. I realized:
Having millions of fans can be great. Getting on TV can be fun. But getting “famous” is not always all it’s cracked up to be… and getting featured in the media doesn’t always lead to sales, either.
Personally, I would rather have a tribe of customers who are completely and totally OBSESSED with me and who I can impact, deeply — rather than a massive media spotlight and no intimacy with my business community.
Small but mighty.
Boutique but insanely profitable.
Low stress. High freedom and pleasure.
That’s the kind of business audience and business model that I want. That’s what I love helping other people to create, too. That’s my pleasure-zone.
And that is why — as of today — all of the old classes that were making me feel grumpy and frumpy have been officially removed from my website. Bye. Spring cleaning. Ahhh. Feels so good!
If you visit my totally revamped WORK WITH ME page you will see lots of freshness and newness…and also a link to my all-time favorite twerking video. Because this is my business and I do what I want. 😉
It feels SO good to make these changes. I feel my energy soaring already.
If you’ve been feeling a little schlumpy about your work lately, here are those four “pleasure audit” questions again:
“Does this feel right?”
“Does this feel necessary?”
“Does this bring me pleasure?”
“Does this give me energy — or drain me?”
Go through every single aspect of your business — every website page, product, service, item on your to-do list, and commitment — and be honest with yourself.
You might be surprised by what you discover.
Then: your next move is to bravely splice away whatever is making you feel like a sad panda.
You might feel some fear or resistance at first (“But that’s how I’ve alllways done it!”) but I promise you: once it’s done, you’ll be so grateful you trusted your gut.
Happy auditing, simplifying and sprucing!
Less clutter. More pleasure.
Hellz YES.
Forever.
Melissa