We just finished up a huge conference with music studio owners from all over the country (and a few from other countries). It was a jam-packed 4 days, full of new information, inspiring conversations, lists of new ideas, and many new business contacts who want to use our business services.

One of the most impactful statements of the conference was: "There is no easy button."

Often, I get asked, "What's the ONE thing that you did that brought you success?"
Or, "What's the ONE big take-away that you are going to do to move your business forward?"
But the reality is there is NOT "one thing" that will make a difference. 

Successful businesses are built upon focused discipline day upon day. It's making the decision to set a block schedule so that marketing is budgeted into your week, hiring and training has priority, and that your to do list gets finished every day. There is not "one" thing that makes all the difference. It's really all about little tiny things every day of the year.

As we walk away from our conference, I'll whittle down all my notes into one big Action List. I'll focus on exactly what I want to accomplish in the next 90 days. Then, I'll tackle the next few items on the list. I won't start 10 projects and leave them unfinished. I'll start one at a time and finish each one.

I'll be focused and disciplined and I'll keep my eyes straight ahead.

That's how success happens. 

I encourage you to take the mountain of intentions and ideas and whittle them down into an actionable list. What are you going to focus on next? Who do you need to delegate a project to? Who do you need to recruit to help you? Because you can't do it all, you know. You have so much on your plate already. But you CAN get help and you CAN turn your ideas into reality, which translates into new revenue.

There's no easy button. There's no shortcut to success. But there IS help out there for you. Dan Kennedy, master marketer and business genius says, "Pay to get help! Pay to outsource! Take the shortcut."

I want you to know that I'm cheering you on. There is nothing I love more than encouraging and helping business owners! I'm so grateful for all the amazing consultations and conversations that I was able to have this week with other business owners!

I want you to know that Chris and I are here for you if you need us. If you have big plans and big projects and you need a shortcut to get them done, I promise it will be worth every penny. Don't struggle alone. We are here to help.

Book a call with us right now. Don't wait. Don't procrastinate. Let's do this together. 
Click here: ​https://www.neveralonebusinessservices.com/new-project-call.html

Last weekend I attended a conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and next weekend Chris and I are headed to Cleveland, Ohio, for another conference! I can't tell you how powerful it is to be surrounded by people who "get" you and who are living the same life as you are! It's amazing to instantly jump into likeminded conversation, filled with laughter, shared experiences, shared frustrations, and celebrating victories with high-fives, because you just "get" it. Contrast that with halted conversation about the weather or light and fluffy comments about surfacey topics. To me, that's exhausting. But give me like-minded people and my heart soars! We can go deep with our discussions and really hash things out. We can share perspectives and shed light on perplexing situations. We can help one another and encourage each other because we speak the same "language."

I love learning. I love to keep asking questions and then searching for the answers. Conferences are one way that I do this. I'm able to meet new people and hear speakers and be encouraged by people who are on a similar journey. Some are further ahead than I am, and can light the path. Others are just behind me and I have a chance to encourage and inspire.

As business owners, we are often in our own little worlds. Many of us work from home. Most of us are the "boss." That's why it's so important to get out of the normal routine and attend workshops or conferences or masterminds! Meet new people. Get encouraged and inspired. Get hope and encouragement! 

I want you to remember that you are not alone. Your struggles may seem unique, but they aren't. I guarantee someone, somewhere, has been where you are. It's a lie (that we often believe) that no one could possibly understand my situation or my circumstances. It's simply not true. Reach out your hand for help. Take the first step. Open yourself up and ask for guidance and direction.

This last weekend, I went to a conference for home educators. I didn't walk in with a huge agenda, but I just had an open mind. As the weekend unfolded, I realized the concerns and worries I was holding deep down in my heart. As I listened to the presenters and visited the booths, those locked down fears began to emerge. I asked questions. I listened to advice and wisdom. I reached out for solutions and resources. And I returned home renewed and refreshed. Encouraged and energized. 

There is immense power in hanging around with like-minded people. If you run a business and homeschool, I invite you to join our private Facebook group. Come hang out--you're not alone.
If you are feeling lonely, I encourage you to attend a conference. Sign up for a workshop. Find people who are on the journey with you. Reach out your hand for help. You'll be handed hope. And that's a powerful thing!

I have a secret love affair with Formstack. I don't talk about it very often, because Formstack is so near and dear to my heart. It's a relationship that, up to this point, I really haven't wanted to share. I've held it close to the chest for many years. But now I'm ready to go public. I'm ready to share my Formstack secrets.

I really want other people to experience the love and affection of Formstack, just as I have for all these years. So I'm willing to share.

I've been using Formstack for the last 7 years. With it, I can create my own forms, but that's not the magical part. Oh, no. There are many form builders out there. But Formstack is better. I promise. Here's why:

1. Create your form in Formstack. It's a drag and drop editor and they even have pre-built forms to use. (Or we can build them for you!)
2. Here's the magical part: Choose the email recipients of the form. This can be your entire team, an email address dedicated to just hiring new people, or just you. You can also send your emails to Evernote! (Another business tool I LOVE.)
3. Here's the BEST part: You can write auto-responder emails with conditional logic! After someone fills out your form, YOUR email will be sent with NO extra work from you! You can vary the message, depending on what they chose on the form. You can have the email sent right away or it can be delayed to send a week later! This is super effective in my business and can be amazing for yours!

I'm actually feeling REALLY giving and generous, so if you own a music school, I am willing you give you the exact set up that I use in Formstack for my Request Info form, my teacher applications, my front desk applications, and my customer surveys! I'll even sell you my auto-responder emails! If you'd like that info, just email me and ask! I'm pretty sure you'll want to hug me after you get it. (Smile.) It's pretty awesome.

Here's where you need to go to get set up with Formstack: CLICK HERE. It's an affiliate link, because I'm savvy that way. I mean, if I took the time to share my love affair of Formstack with you, it's only fair that I use an affiliate link, doncha think?!

I'm alllll about saving time and money. I want to spend the least amount of time responding to emails as possible. I'm actually pretty obsessed with efficiency. That's why I love Formstack so much. It's saves me soooo much time. I hope you'll love Formstack just as much as I do!

(Just email me if you want my exact instructions for your music school! This is gonna save you so much time and sanity. I promise.)

The other day, I did a quick video on my Facebook Page. It's pretty funny, but more importantly, it's a spin on marketing that you can't miss. Listen, your clients are selfish. That's because we are ALL selfish. We are thinking, "What's in this for ME?" And we have to remember that in our marketing. It will make ALL the difference!

A year ago, I was unsure about so many things. Should we move or should we stay in our house? Should we expand our business or maximize what we have? Should I hire more staff or not?

Maybe you have a lot of questions right now. Maybe you are desperately trying to determine the next steps in your life or business.

A few months ago, I was suffering from deep disappointment. I had been let down again. It felt like one step forward, two steps back.  (Not a fun dance in life or business.)

My good friend and fellow business owner told me, "You're just getting clear on what you really need."

In the moment, my thought was, "That is NOT helpful." But the more I ruminated on those words, the more they impacted me.

​"You're just getting clear on what you really need."

Frustrated with your current office situation? You're getting clear on what you REALLY need.
Employee frustrating you? You're getting clear on what you really need.
House too small? You're getting clear on what you really need.
Schedule not working for your family's needs? More clarity.

It's a shift in attitude, really. Instead of just complaining, bemoaning, languishing, or despairing, you can reframe your situation. "Well, THIS isn't working!!" you can say. And as you throw your hands up in frustration, start to say, "I need <blank.>"

I need employees I can count on.
I need an office that is on the main floor and big enough for me and my husband.
I need more flexibility in my schedule.
I need more time with real human beings.
I need more alone time.
I need more help around here!

With every trial and hardship, you're getting clear on what you need.
Don't complain about it--change it.
Use this hard time to teach you and shape you. Use this frustration to form a new vision for your life--and then RUN after it.

I like to grab a fresh page in a notebook and just "braindump" what I want and what I need. I make a list (no matter how pie-in-the-sky or how ludicrious the idea might be) of what I want and need. This list is the springboard for changes and decisions I can make in my life and my business.

Don't just complain about it. Change it.

Get clear on what you REALLY need and then go take action. You can do it. I know you can!

You have a "Contact Us" form on your website, right? Psst. Here's a hint: change your link to "Request More Info."

Why? Because the people who land on your website are thinking about themselves. When they see an option to "Request More Info," it's the perfect next step. They are putting the ball in YOUR court and taking the action off of themselves. They want to fill out a form and let you handle it from here! 

Are you getting forms filled out from your website every. single. week?? If you aren't, there is something wrong with your website. You need it optimized for Google so people will find you when they search for you!

Let's have a chat about your SEO. Chris can quickly assess what's going on, find out what you need, and build a custom SEO package for you. Book a call with us this week. Let's get you more prospects and more clients!!

Let's Talk!