The Workshop Weekly

With Keina Newell

Money, mindset, and mimosas. Well, I will be the first to admit that I only reeeally like talking about two of these things. Haha. 

When I started my photography business, I dreaded and avoided money conversations like the plague. Clients would ask me what my rates were and I’d change the subject by asking a question: “What’s your budget?”

But, just because we don't like talking about something certainly doesn't make it any less essential to our success. If you’re like me, the word money makes you want to drive your head deep into a sandbox until the discussion ends. I’m not really sure how I became so weird about money talk, but entrepreneurship has definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone there.

And for today’s guest, Keina Newell, she hears it from her clients allll the time. The truth is, so many of us avoid talking about it and addressing it head on. And as a result, we are sacrificing our success, our ability to set goals, our ability to confidently make business decisions and our ability to grow. It’s a pretty big trade off that is definitely not worth taking if you ask me.

So, let’s get comfy getting uncomfy so that we can talk about the tough stuff here today. Because, as William J Brenner Jr once said, We must meet the challenge rather than wish it were not before us. So, if numbers, finances and money make you skittish, lean in. If numbers, finances, and money are one of your favourite topics, well you’re gonna like this episode. No matter who you are, at the end of this episode, you will be one giant step closer to getting your money house in order. You ready for that? Let’s do it.

• How she found herself in the position of being the amazing finances spokeswoman that she is today. 2:53
• What we don't learn in school about money management. 4:38
• The dangerous trap that is student loans and debt. 6:00
• Understanding your debt threshold. 9:12
• Things you can do if you are feeling anxious about your financial situation. 11:06
• Looking a head, dealing with uncertainty in 2021. 12:33
• Getting a head in your finances when you have a good grasp of your cashflow. 14:54
• Money Dates! Spending some quality time with your finances. 18:37
• Being both and employer and employee in your business. 19:33
• Understanding how much to pay yourself. 20:47
• Setting money aside to invest back into your business. 22:23
• Tips for how to make the most of an uncertain year. 23:42

My number one go to is to create a spending plan for your business. It is going to guide you in what you need to do in terms of your revenue, how much you can afford to pay yourself, getting you set up to pay taxes, and also invest in your business. I always say that, $1 is not $1 when you're in business for yourself, so you have to be able to look at those numbers with a different set of eyes because money is different when it flows to you as a business owner.

Talking about money isn’t easy, I get it. It’s something I struggled with and continue to work on in my own business, for sure. I’d love to tell you that you can build a thriving business by avoiding these conversations. But I would be doing you a disservice because these discussions are not only really important, but quite frankly unavoidable. I am so grateful that Keina joined us today for some enlightenment and some solid strategies for embracing the money of things in business.

For more information about today’s episode, including how to get in touch with Keina, please visit the show notes at kellylawson.ca/048. And until next week workshop warriors, keep those money audits and money conversations flowing.

Bye for now.

www.wealthovernow.com

www.instagram.com/wealthovernow

www.facebook.com/wealthovernow

Do you ever think about starting your own podcast but you worry that the sound quality might hold you back? Well don’t let that be the culprit. I wanna let you in on a little secret... lean in... East Coast Studio

East Coast Studio is the reason that this podcast sounds so amazing and they will take care of all your sound editing needs so that you can focus on the fun stuff. The experts at East Coast Studio will ensure your podcast is the highest possible quality, to reflect well on you and your brand and to deliver the best possible listening experience to your audience. East Coast Studio is a proudly Atlantic Canadian business and today they are offering 25% off of your first audio editing service. Just send an email to [email protected] and tell them Kelly sent you.

-

If you’re looking to elevate your business or brand photos using your smartphone or any other photo-taking device, I don’t want you to miss out on my most downloaded free resource.

The results people are getting from this guide are crazy, some say I should be charging actual money for it. But for now, I don't want to because I want everyone to get the beautiful photography results that they deserve. No more blurry, dark, dull, yellowish, shadow-y embarrassing photos for you! It’s so much easier to get a beautiful photo than you probably think. Simply visit kellylawson.ca/freeguide to download your free photography guide and start taking better photos for your business TODAY.

Click here for the transcribed version of this podcast.

With Erin Perkins

It might be something you accidentally overlooked; web accessibility. If you’re a small business owner and you don’t even know what web accessibility actually means, well, sadly you are not alone.

You might’ve heard the term accessibility and given some consideration to your physical spaces, but have you considered ensuring that your web content can be consumed by all people? 

Web accessibility is one of the most important issues facing online businesses today but somehow it remains surprisingly unnoticed for many businesses, particularly small to medium sized businesses. Because of this, many business owners don’t fully understand what the term actually means.

Web accessibility doesn’t mean ensuring that everyone has access to the Internet (though that’s an important issue, too). Web accessibility refers to ensuring that all online content can be readily consumed by all people, including people with disabilities.

Physically or brick and mortar businesses generally command a decent understanding of how their particular Disabilities Act affects their day to day business operations but online companies have some catching up to do because the needs of those with disabilities are often neglected.

However, times are changing and online businesses have a greater responsibility than ever to prioritize their website accessibility and that’s why today’s guest Erin Perkins is here to help you discover if your business is accessible, and to get you started with what you need to be doing if this is something that you haven’t given much thought to yet in your business. 

I am particularly excited about today’s episode because it is where my two worlds finally converge - my background as an occupational therapist and my current online business educator status. Today’s goal is to ensure that your business is set up to be accessible to all walks of life so that everyone can enjoy becoming your customer. Are you ready? Let’s dive in.

• Erin's journey to becoming a passionate educator on accessibility. 4:03
• Tips to getting started with making your online business more accessible TODAY. 6:49
• What transcription resources are available to help you transcribe audio or visual media. 9:03
• Common mistakes and barriers that people run into when trying to make their online business more accessible. 13:49
• The resources that she offers to her clients to help them along their accessibility journey. 18:02
• The time and resourced needed to ensure your business is up to date on the latest practices (it is less than you think!). 20:05
• What it looks like to ensure your podcast is accessible. 22:18
• Making your website accessible (pay attention to alt images!). 24:52
• How to let your audience know that you are committed to doing the best you can with the resources you have to ensure your materials are accessible online. 29:07
• More tips to make sure your website is accessible! 31:05
• Who is already doing this well and what can be learned from them. 32:17

Pay attention to your social media because, more than likely, people find you through social media first more than your website. If you're doing regular videos, make sure your video are captioned. Camel cap your hashtags (use a capital letter for each word).

I loved chatting with Erin. She is a wealth of knowledge and provides so much insight into how far behind the online world is with being accessible to all. We all need to do our part because, much like the physical world, the Internet is an essential part of our day to day function. As such, businesses have a responsibility to ensure that all potential consumers can access their content.

And by the way, making sure that you comply with web accessibility standards won’t just help you avoid lawsuits, it’ll leave you much better equipped for long-term success in the growing digital world. So please don't walk away from this episode and ignore it.

For more on today’s episodes including Erin’s free roadmap, how to get in touch with her, and a transcription of this podcast, please visit the shownotes at kellylawson.ca/047. I am looking forward to seeing your online assets become more accessible to all people and until next week, keep on dreaming big and slaying your goals.

Of course, there is Erin's Accessibility Made Easy course that you NEED to check out, and it only costs $147!

Otter.ai is a great transcription service and free up to 600 minutes!

We talked a lot about alt images and alt text and here is a good article to learn more about that.

We mentioned a couple of businesses doing a good job with their accessibility: Maggie Germano, Wealth Over Now, and the PR Bar. Check them out!

If you have a Squarespace website, you may want to check out Square ADA who can help ensure your website is accessible.

www.mabelyq.com

www.facebook.com/MabelyQ

www.linkedin.com/company/mabely-q

www.twitter.com/AccessibilityME

www.instagram.com/mabely_q/

Do you ever think about starting your own podcast but you worry that the sound quality might hold you back? Well don’t let that be the culprit. I wanna let you in on a little secret... lean in... East Coast Studio

East Coast Studio is the reason that this podcast sounds so amazing and they will take care of all your sound editing needs so that you can focus on the fun stuff. The experts at East Coast Studio will ensure your podcast is the highest possible quality, to reflect well on you and your brand and to deliver the best possible listening experience to your audience. East Coast Studio is a proudly Atlantic Canadian business and today they are offering 25% off of your first audio editing service. Just send an email to [email protected] and tell them Kelly sent you.

-

If you’re looking to elevate your business or brand photos using your smartphone or any other photo-taking device, I don’t want you to miss out on my most downloaded free resource.

The results people are getting from this guide are crazy, some say I should be charging actual money for it. But for now, I don't want to because I want everyone to get the beautiful photography results that they deserve. No more blurry, dark, dull, yellowish, shadow-y embarrassing photos for you! It’s so much easier to get a beautiful photo than you probably think. Simply visit kellylawson.ca/freeguide to download your free photography guide and start taking better photos for your business TODAY.

Click here for the transcribed version of this podcast.

With Emily Walker

Creating an online course.

By now you’ve definitely heard about it being a lucrative way to supplement your income, but how do you even get started creating an online course and how do you know it is even for you? Today we’re going to cover why you can be an educator, how you can create your first course, how you choose the right topic, and all the nitty gritty in between.

I created my first course in April 2017, Beginner Photography Mastery, and since then I have created Product Photography Mastery. At the time of this recording I’ve taught over 4500 paid students through my courses. And that number grows daily. In fact I expect it will be close to 10 thousand students by the summer of 2021. I can't begin to tell you how exciting and rewarding it is to know that I have reached this many people with my photography teachings.

Before I go any further, I want to say that I can practically hear your objections and inner mean girl through my podcast booth saying: Kelly, I am NOT an expert in anything, what could I possibly even teach? Heck, I’m already an imposter and the thought of charging money to teach something is such a farce. 

Oh inner mean girl, how she tries so hard to protect your ego, but here’s the thing, she also gets it all wrong because she holds you back from your full potential. By the way, I thought all of those things too and I sometimes still do. Who am I to teach photography to the masses? I mean, I learned most of what I know from Google University. But if I listened to that negative little voice over 4000 people wouldn't be nailing their photography right now and things like this podcast wouldn’t exist either, and I think that would be so sad for us. Am I right?

So, I wanna say to you that you already have the knowledge, know how and expertise in something, and there are people out there who would happily pay you to teach them what you know. What you take for granted as day to day stuff that you do so easily may not come as easily to everyone else. So before you start thinking that you have nothing you can teach, I want to challenge you to dig a little deeper into that mindset. Start thinking about the things that people ask you to show them, things that people turn to you for. Maybe it’s how you get your kids to sleep so effortlessly every night. Maybe it’s your epic candied apple recipe. Maybe it’s how to set up a WordPress blog. I’ve seen online courses on things as simple as learning to can vegetables! I have recently enrolled in a course where I learned how to make animated gifs for my business. The possibilities are endless and there are literally limitless ideas that would make for a successful online course ranging from super simple to more in depth.

Today’s guest, Emily Walker, works with her clients everyday to navigate the mindset blocks and processes of creating and launching online courses. She is going to uncover everything you need to know to get started from what to include in your course lessons and how to strategically put it out into the world.

Emily is a wealth of knowledge and she has helped so many lucky students make an online course a success in their businesses and I just know that after listening to today’s episode, you will be full of ideas and raring to get started with YOUR very own online course. So if putting your own online course out into the world is something you’ve been pondering, well today’s episode is especially for you!

• The difference between growing your business and scaling your business. 5:43
• Where to start when you are thinking of scaling your business (hint: focus on the transformation). 7:04
• How knowing your people well, what they need and their pain points, will influence how you design a workshop, program, or course. 8:41
• The two key secrets to developing the perfect program. 10:01
• How to build up anticipation and get your program out into the world. 12:29
• What to do when you have already put out content and was met with crickets. 15:50
• The secret to a successful launch. 18:03
• Tips and tricks to create a quality and engaging course - design and mechanics (done is better than perfect). 21:03
• Best practices around pricing your course. 23:31
• Examples of low ticket, strategic, and signature types of courses. 25:38
• Getting unstuck with an existing course offering and put it back to work for you. 28:14
• Common mistakes people make when they are putting their content out there. 31:37
• How Emily landed herself in the position to teach people how to create effective courses - taking what is in your head and creating a transformation learning experience. 33:28
• Getting past the old mindset block and embracing your unique magic - who are you NOT to be teaching your course?! 34:36
• Launching like a pro and making it fun! 36:34
• Shift away from the mindset that selling is inconvenient to people, you are offering a solution that people want and that is okay. 38:20
• Overview of sales tools for selling your course and having a successful launch. 40:48

If you are just starting, connect with your people. People that are going to be an excellent fit for the program your are going to create, people you know are your dream audience. Chat with them and find out what is going on in their world, what problems are they having, what questions do they have and really connect with them.

So there you have it, Emily’s very best tips for creating your very own online course and how to set yourself up for success so that your digital course can reach the masses and become a repeatable income stream for you well into the future. It has been a very effective way for me to drive profits in my business without needing to drive a lot of extra time. And it has enabled me to reach THOUSANDS of photography students, which would never have been possible in the non-digital world.

I hope my chat with Emily has left you feeling inspired about what creating a course could do for you and your business. And before you move on with your day, I want you to go write down some course ideas and set some goals for yourself... Then keep those promises and do the work. This type of business venture is so easy to push aside because it will not be screaming for your attention, but hopefully, after listening to today's show, you have a better understanding of the potential impact it can have on your business and on your future students.

So, set the goals, put them in your calendar and be accountable to yourself. Okay? Okay.

Thank you again for tuning into yet another episode of the workshop weekly podcast, and head over to Instagram and let me know what course you are thinking about creating. Telling the world is a very important early step in the process, and make sure you tag me so I can cheer you on, and maybe become your student!

Until next week my friend, bye for now.

www.emilywalker.com

www.facebook.com/modernleadersco

www.instagram.com/modernleadersco

Do you ever think about starting your own podcast but you worry that the sound quality might hold you back? Well don’t let that be the culprit. I wanna let you in on a little secret... lean in... East Coast Studio

East Coast Studio is the reason that this podcast sounds so amazing and they will take care of all your sound editing needs so that you can focus on the fun stuff. The experts at East Coast Studio will ensure your podcast is the highest possible quality, to reflect well on you and your brand and to deliver the best possible listening experience to your audience. East Coast Studio is a proudly Atlantic Canadian business and today they are offering 25% off of your first audio editing service. Just send an email to [email protected] and tell them Kelly sent you.

-

If you’re looking to elevate your business or brand photos using your smartphone or any other photo-taking device, I don’t want you to miss out on my most downloaded free resource.

The results people are getting from this guide are crazy, some say I should be charging actual money for it. But for now, I don't want to because I want everyone to get the beautiful photography results that they deserve. No more blurry, dark, dull, yellowish, shadow-y embarrassing photos for you! It’s so much easier to get a beautiful photo than you probably think. Simply visit kellylawson.ca/freeguide to download your free photography guide and start taking better photos for your business TODAY.

With Desola Davis

Today I am chatting with my new business bestie Desola Davis all about how to create an unforgettable client experience in your business. You might be delighted to discover that it doesn't necessarily need to cost you anything extra. 

The customer journey can be described as the path a customer follows as they venture from being a complete stranger, to ideally, your biggest fan. From their first time hearing about your business, to the end of their relationship with you, and everything in between. As you can imagine, this might include social media, a blog post, a phone call, a visit to your store or scheduling a session to receive your services, right through to what happens after you walk away from each other. A customer journey includes each and every touchpoint from beginning to end and collectively makes up the customer experience.

Really dialing into what your customers are experiencing at each and every stage can truly be very insightful and also your most effective path to business success. Here’s the thing, mapping out your complete customer journey is a surefire way to identify shortfalls and therefore revenue loss in your business, and it is also VERY often overlooked. I mean, I’ll bet you can already think of a handful of examples where as a customer, you had an amazing experience in some areas, and then other things fell flat, and you’re left wondering if the business owner has ever taken a walk in their customer’s shoes. Maybe you had a great experience all the way through, but then you never heard from the business owner again. 

It seems like a lot of ground to cover, but guess what? Understanding the customer journey (and overall customer experience) isn’t as tricky as you might think it is once you get organized. This is exactly why Desola is here today to walk you through getting started with customer journey mapping in your business.

So, if serving your customers to the very best of your ability is important to you, today’s episode is one that you DEFINITELY don't wanna miss!

• Helping online coaches and creates design a delightful online experience. 3:41
• Focusing on your best customers (80% of your revenue comes from 20% of your customers!). 4:15
• The relationship involved in sales and how to build trust to advance to a sales "marriage". 5:13
• The difference between relationship building online and physical products, and what that looks like (hint, it involves feelings). 6:13
• The way you deliver the transformation of your product is the prop, how to sell the journey and convey these transformations to the world. 10:11
• How to get started gathering effective customer testimonials. 14:45
• Examples of the types of questions that potential customers (or prospects) have at the beginning of the journey. 17:49
• Strategically extracting valuable testimonial information from the people you work with. 20:18
• How to build testimonials into your system... before it is too late. 22:42
• The importance of timing in gathering the best testimonials and having a community to allow people to share, fostering this culture 24:49
• Where your testimonials should live. 27:13
• How everything you are doing in your products suite should align with your story that you want to tell. 31:42
• Timing is everything! 35:47

If you already have a product, identify what that quick win for your customer is... once you figure that out, you can share content with your audience and overcome objections for your prospects. Figure out what that quick win is, then you have a place to go.

See? Desola is awesome. She has this all figured out - and I wish for all of us to have a little bit of her insight into our businesses.

Getting to know the customer journey is about nurturing and refining the customer experience. Along the way, customers will interact with your various touchpoints, such as an ad or your website. Once you’re in the customer mindset, you can map out your touchpoints, which likely include: social media reviews, your website, your customer service team if applicable, and the super important follow-up customer feedback surveys. So investing time into understanding your businesses customer journey and going through the process yourself will help you see where you can identify weak spots, make improvements and perfect your customer’s experience so that they just keep coming back for more and more. 

If you really like this show, please consider recommending it to your business besties and leaving a review on iTunes. It really helps us to keep delivering this show as a free resource to you week after week.

Until next week, workshop warrior, keep honing your wonderfully positive customer journey so they keep coming back for more. Bye for now.

https://www.desoladavis.com

https://instagram.com/desoladavis

Do you ever think about starting your own podcast but you worry that the sound quality might hold you back? Well don’t let that be the culprit. I wanna let you in on a little secret... lean in... East Coast Studio

East Coast Studio is the reason that this podcast sounds so amazing and they will take care of all your sound editing needs so that you can focus on the fun stuff. The experts at East Coast Studio will ensure your podcast is the highest possible quality, to reflect well on you and your brand and to deliver the best possible listening experience to your audience. East Coast Studio is a proudly Atlantic Canadian business and today they are offering 25% off of your first audio editing service. Just send an email to [email protected] and tell them Kelly sent you.

-

If you’re looking to elevate your business or brand photos using your smartphone or any other photo-taking device, I don’t want you to miss out on my most downloaded free resource.

The results people are getting from this guide are crazy, some say I should be charging actual money for it. But for now, I don't want to because I want everyone to get the beautiful photography results that they deserve. No more blurry, dark, dull, yellowish, shadow-y embarrassing photos for you! It’s so much easier to get a beautiful photo than you probably think. Simply visit kellylawson.ca/freeguide to download your free photography guide and start taking better photos for your business TODAY.

With Lee Chaix McDonough

Running a business can be compared to riding a rollercoaster. One day you are productive and you know exactly what to do to move the needle in your business, the next day you’re lost and discouraged and left wondering if you should just throw in the towel in on the whole thing. 

Wash. Rinse. Repeat. 

And no matter what level you are at in your business or what juncture you find yourself on that roller coaster ride, at some point you will find yourself standing in one place thinking to yourself, “I am not sure what to do next.”

Hiring a business coach can help you find your way out of these kinds of ruts, and it can also help you to set goals, be accountable to someone other than yourself or your team, it can help you deal with overwhelm and it can also certainly lead you to develop new skills.

But knowing whether or not you need a coach, or if you are even ready to hire a business coach is a whole other question. That’s why my guest, best selling author and founder of Coach with Clarity, Lee Chaix McDonough, is here today to help you decide if coaching is right for you. In today’s episode Lee will help you to better understand the world of business coaching, she’ll walk you through how to know if you are ready for coaching, where to begin your search and what to look for in a business coach.

I’ll add this: Research by the International Coach Federation has found that, of small business owners who hired a business coach, 70% have seen increased work performance, 86% have seen a return on investment and an impressive 99% of entrepreneurs were happy that they made the decision to hire a business coach. So before you click away because you think this is just another business expense that you don’t want to add. You may want to listen in today because dodging a business coach could be costing you business growth.

So without further ado, let’s dive in to today’s episode.

• How this psychotherapist made the leap to business coach.
• Putting your uncertainly aside - why you need a business coach.
• Defining businesses coaching - The Three Elements.
• Questions to ask yourself to determine if you need a business coach.
• How to create the magic container in scheduled coaching sessions and still allow for creative space.
• What working with a coach looks like.
• Three M's: Meaning, Mindset, and Mindfulness.
• Working around mindset, how we relate to our own internal experiences.
• Why we tend to self sabotage and how to fight the natural instinct to play it safe.
• Meaning - aligning your business with your values.
• What you should look for in a business coach, where do you begin?
• Coaching certification... is it necessary?
• Coaching claims - the red flags to watch out for when you are looking for a coach.
• Act on your Business- Braving the storms of entrepreneurship and creating success through meaning, mindset, and mindfulness.
• How to get started.

Ask yourself how you are doing in terms of achieving your goals (do you know what they are?) and how it is going in the process of achieving them? How are you feeling about it? Taking a personal assessment of where you are at in your journey (without shame), and check in with yourself. If there is a disconnect, that might be a sign that checking into coaching is your next step.

I loved chatting with Lee. She is just so articulate and she really seems to get the process.

A business coach is someone who can prop YOU up, ask you intelligent and strategic questions to get you thinking about your own business and business goals in a new way. A good coach will challenge your self-defeating beliefs and give you the tools you need to push them aside so that you can stay focused on your priorities.

Hiring a business coach may be just the solution you need to start your business or to improve the one you already run. If you find yourself feeling stuck, a business coach can help you work through the processes in a systematic way to take your business wherever you want it to go. Yes it’s an investment, but maybe it will unearth new returns for you.

To check out any of the resources we mentioned today including how to get in touch with Lee, or to begin the search for your next business coach, please visit the show notes at kellylawson.ca/043. Remember, you can't contain the sky, nor can you even get there if you’re too busy standing in your own way.

Until next week my friends. Bye for now.

International Coaching Federation

Book: Act on Your Business

Coach with Clarity Podcast

ICF Find a Coach

https://www.instagram.com/coachwithclarity/

https://www.facebook.com/coachwithclarity

https://www.linkedin.com/in/lcmcdonough/

https://www.coachwithclarity.com/

Do you ever think about starting your own podcast but you worry that the sound quality might hold you back? Well don’t let that be the culprit. I wanna let you in on a little secret... lean in... East Coast Studio

East Coast Studio is the reason that this podcast sounds so amazing and they will take care of all your sound editing needs so that you can focus on the fun stuff. The experts at East Coast Studio will ensure your podcast is the highest possible quality, to reflect well on you and your brand and to deliver the best possible listening experience to your audience. East Coast Studio is a proudly Atlantic Canadian business and today they are offering 25% off of your first audio editing service. Just send an email to [email protected] and tell them Kelly sent you.

-

If you’re looking to elevate your business or brand photos using your smartphone or any other photo-taking device, I don’t want you to miss out on my most downloaded free resource.

The results people are getting from this guide are crazy, some say I should be charging actual money for it. But for now, I don't want to because I want everyone to get the beautiful photography results that they deserve. No more blurry, dark, dull, yellowish, shadow-y embarrassing photos for you! It’s so much easier to get a beautiful photo than you probably think. Simply visit kellylawson.ca/freeguide to download your free photography guide and start taking better photos for your business TODAY.

With Kelly Lawson

In honour of this completely whacked year (and because it’s the holidays) I thought I’d do something a little different for this week’s episode. In a year where everything felt like a lot, I thought I’d pare it down. So, there will be no ads, no hook, no music. Just a simple message from me to you.

So get cozy, grab a tea or an eggnog and put your feet up for a change. You deserve it. Hoo boy, do you ever. 

OK, so this crazy year is almost over, and maybe you can’t wait to see 2020 in your rearview mirror. My friend, I can totally relate. I am so ready to move on. 

Now, I’m not talking about epic wins. I’m thinking more about survival skills. And it doesn’t need to be about business. Maybe your accomplishment is the times you did something good for yourself, like going for a walk when you felt like you couldn’t be trapped in the house another minute. It could be a new piece of software that you mastered as our entire lives moved online. Maybe it’s the fact that you kept your business alive during a pandemic. Or that you learned some wonderful new domestic skills, like how to knit or make sourdough or garden. Maybe your biggest accomplishment this year was keeping your family intact through really challenging times. 

Whatever it is, I want you to hold this accomplishment in your mind for a moment. 

And if you’re struggling to come up with anything, let me help you out because you're missing the biggest accomplishment of them all:

Now, if you’re anything like me, your brain probably goes directly to all those things you thought you’d do but didn’t. You’re seeing your goals list from last January and picturing all the unchecked boxes. 

I get it, I really do. But this is not productive or even fair to yourself. And so I’m reminding you- as I have to remind myself- that you might not have knocked every item - or even most of the items off of your to-do list. 

And that is OK.  It really is. I want you to give yourself grace and permission to release the unrealized dreams, the unanswered wishes, or the unmet goals. You’re here, listening to this. You’ve tuned into this podcast at least a time or two this year, you managed your life and your bills and your children and you’re here to tell the tale and that, my friend is worth celebrating.

When I started this podcast back in the spring I knew I wanted the content to be equal parts mindset and action. What I never expected was how deep and impactful the mindset shows would be, when we covered topics like imposter syndrome, scarcity mentality, how to face your biggest fears, how to cope with uncertainty and how to be a good ally.

Beyond all the expert advice, the handy tips and tricks, above all else, I know you showed up here because you’re working on a dream. That despite everything 2020 has thrown your way you haven’t given up.

Because,  whether you’ve listened to every episode three times over or just caught the occasional show, you probably know by now my key message is to keep taking imperfect action. 

So don't be afraid to do it wrong. Don't be afraid of failure. Just make a decision and take an intentional action, no matter how tough things can get. The truth is, even the most successful among us need to show up, and some days it's gonna feel like squaring a circle, but remember on those days it’s just about putting one foot in front of the other.

So are there decisions that you are sitting on? Did covid put your life on hold? Does imposter syndrome have you procrastinating? If you answered yes to any of these questions, I want you to close out this year by making a commitment to yourself to keep going. I want you to proceed by promising to make a decision and take an action even when things get tough. This is how you grow. This is how you progress no matter what gets thrown your way. This is how we come out of 2020 on top. Stronger. More confident. More resilient.

This is how we salvage goodness from this year that was often, frankly, pretty shitty. 

I won't sugar coat that. When March happened and everything went into lockdown, including my business and all my revenues, I was not, ah, taking it in stride. After years of building my business from the ground up, suddenly it felt like I was back at square one. 

And I gotta tell you, it was really scary. In a few ways. I was worried about finances, of course, but also just wondering if and how I’d ever bounce back, or if my clients would return. Honestly, I went into a pretty big panic spiral. And that scarcity mentality that I had been working so hard to overcome, came barging back in.

And you know what happened? I made mistakes, I said yes to things that I would have otherwise said no to. I dropped balls. I lost my focus. I behaved like a human under stress does. Imagine that! 

But it wasn’t all bad. Not at all. Afterall, this podcast was born. I reached you. Our perspectives shifted and we grew together. And in hindsight, there isn’t one single thing that I regret about that.

As a non-religio, Christmas to me means a time to collectively put away all our differences, our work, our stresses, our judgements for just a day (and a night, let's not underrate Xmas eve) and "be together." 

This year, that togetherness feels more important, but also more challenging than ever. I mean, you know this, it’s a reality we are all living. 

And while being together in the same room isn’t possible, I think the feeling of togetherness is. So let’s be creative and big-spirited about what that means this year. Let’s give ourselves and each other permission to do things differently this year. To find joy in connecting with those you love however you can, safely.

I’ve been jotting down some ideas I have on how to make this holiday feel abundant and fulfilling. I’m happy to share them, and I’d love to hear your plans, too, so be sure to DM me with yours.

Ok, so what about doing a virtual holiday dinner or brunch? If you can be together you can still break bread together. Coordinate a time, and put the laptop down on the table and Zoom it up. Heck, leave it on all day if you just want to have that feeling of ‘being together.’  Put your father in law in the washroom for 45 minutes for added effect :P Or is that just my family? Ah, gotta love em. 

So, If you have the means to do so, consider giving to those who don't have the basics instead of beefing up what's under your own tree. Consider donating to your favourite charities. If you have school-aged kids, reach out to their schools to see if there are families in your community in need. Remember, this year was reeeally hard for you, but it was probably much harder for someone else. It’s our duty as humans to look after one another. I know you’ll agree. I will link some of my favourite charities in the show notes to make this easy for you. But I know you probably already have a plan to give back up your sleeve, and that is why I love you so much.

Finally, I’d like to say thank you for being a loyal listener. While looking for highlights from 2020, and I know it might feel like you need to dig deep, don't forget to add this podcast to your list. If it wasn't for 2020, I wouldn't be speaking these words into your earbuds right now and if this is the only good thing that has come of 2020, that’s definitely good enough for me right now.

First Steps

Coverdale Center for Women

Canada's Best Charities 2020 -MacLean's

With Danielle Gagnon

SEO. Or SE Oh no!

SEO or Search Engine Optimization... You hear this acronym all the time. You see ads for it and you likely get spammed about it. But what does it really mean for your business? For starters, SEO is the beast that you need to slay if you want your website to be found in a deep dense sea of websites and algorithms.

Best case scenario, your website will be seen AND it will rank high so that it doesn’t end up on page three of the google search results where all websites go to die. 

If you’re already feeling lost, don’t worry, by the end of this episode you will not only fully understand what I just said, but you will also have an action plan to improve it.

SEO is one of those topics. I’ve covered it on the show before, but its importance isn't going away anytime soon. Think of it like this: if your website is your car, SEO is the gas you put in it. So if you haven't been gassing up your website, this is your friendly reminder that your online assets can only go as far as you fuel them. I would say by now you’re likely ready for a top up?

The Google algorithm ranks our pages with over 200 different criteria, trying to nail all of those would totally be a full time job, and I already know you’ve got more important things to do. 

That’s why my guest, Danielle Gagnon is here today to give it to you straight and tell you what SEO actions will actually move the needle, how can you rank ahead of your competitors online, what you should be focusing on when it comes to SEO and what you can ignore. 

Danielle Gagnon is an SEO ninja obsessed with helping small business owners turn their passion into profit online. Danielle is the founder of the Content Cash Machine, a 5-day online SEO bootcamp for entrepreneurs where she helps business owners learn how to grow their business online through simple, actionable search engine optimization strategies.

She’s breaking it all down for you in today in a super digestible way, so by the end of this episode, you will have a clear game plan, a simple effective strategy and easy action steps you can take, to get your page SEEN by the people who you want to see it.

Are you ready? Let’s dive in to your SEO strategy.

• Her journey into the realm of SEO and how she uses it to help her clients be discovered online. 6:36
• The amazing results that clients experience when they take the dive into integrating smart SEO practices. 8:29
• How SEO concepts can help you be discovered on other platforms. 10:59
• Recap: What actually IS SEO? 12:19
• Understanding your baseline analytics is key to understanding the progress you make when implementing an effective SEO system - the best kind of before and after picture! 13:30
• Talking the time to really understand your ideal client is key to knowing how they will search for you (sound familiar?). 17:30
• Effective keyword research using the words your clients actually use (stop with the jargon!). 19:54
• What do the search bots really want? 27:32
• Pro Tip: How to name your files and images to optimize searchability. 31:14
• How blogging can boost your SEO. 32:43

One of the things I always like to recommend that people do is a little competitor research. It is always surprising to me how people rarely spend any time looking at their direct competitors and their website... go to their website and see what they are doing right.

Ok, so it’s not as crazy complicated as you might have originally thought right? I really love the idea of just taking frequently asked questions or checking out the “people also ask” section of google and writing a post for each of those. Heck you are probably already answering these questions everyday in your business anyway. Next time, pop on the dictation tool on your phone and record it into a word doc, then have someone format it later. It doesn't have to take you a ton of time and it doesn't have to be complicated.

I love that Danielle broke it down in a way that was super digestible and actionable so that you can get to work refining your SEO strategy and ramping up the likelihood that you will be found by your dream clients in their Google searches.

I am grateful I got to hang out in your earbuds, or your car stereo or your google mini, or however you are tuning in today. Thank you so much for having me. I appreciate you so much. So until next week, go clean up that alt-text on your site okay? Okay. Bye for now.

Get started with Google analytics, Google Keyword Planner, and Ubersuggest.

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With Robyn Walker

Goal setting. You either love it or hate it. But either way, I think we can all agree that no matter what goal setting looks like for you right now in your business, you likely wouldn't be where you are today without it, and similarly, you’d be headed nowhere without it as well. That is precisely the opposite of what I want for you my friend.

There is so much power behind strategic planning for your business, and also for your life, and this episode applies to both. 

2020 has been hard on us. It threw in a lot of curve balls and plot twists, and if we’ve learned anything from this dumpster fire of a year - it’s that resiliency rules. And at the heart of resiliency is your ability to actually set goals you will stick with, define your path, be adaptable and make changes based on the needs and desires of your ideal customer at any given moment. Keeping your finger on the pulse of those you are serving, staying motivated and being a strategic goal setter will set you on the path to success in big ways - no matter what gets thrown at you.

And today’s guest Robin Walker of Women’s Business Workshop (.com) is here to show you the way, to teach you how you can stay motivated and on top of your goals. She’s here to tell you to NOT throw away your annual planner just yet, that 2020 has actually taught us a bunch and how we can use this knowledge to make 2021 a massive success.

I loved chatting with Robin, and I think if you’re feeling a little wary of what 2021 might throw your way, this is just the episode for you. I’m so excited to help you prep for the year ahead. 2021 here we come, let’s dig in to this week’s episode!

• How real life experiences of being a mom and struggling with balance inspired her work to share productivity tips and motivation hacks. 5:36
• What to try when you lack motivation and stay motivated (Hint: it isn't more coffee). 6:54
• Breaking down daunting activities into bite sized pieces and avoiding costly distractions. 8:17
• The top motivations suckers and how to get unstuck when you get caught up in them. 11:33
• How having multiple action steps and to-do's to pick from can help you keep moving the needle a head... even when you don't feel like it. 13:29
• Time audits and why you need to do one and how it well help you plan out your week to be most productive. 15:09
• Goal setting in pandemic times (yes you can!). 23:11
• Strategies for quarterly planning. 25.32
• How to plan around unpredictability. 27:17
• Why now is the best time to revisit the needs of your ideal client and readjust as needed. 29:31

Try to start training yourself to focus on one thing. Pick one thing you will work on today that will take you less than an hour, write it on a post it and put it on a laptop and put away you big list.

I loved chatting with Robin. I think she does an amazing job taking the scary out of goal setting, and keeping it simple. Sit down and figure out where you want to be at the end of 2021, personally and professionally and back pedal from there to figure out the exact steps it will require. Then, figure out what you need to do that quarter, month, week, and day to get there. Give yourself nuggets, 15-20 minute tasks to accomplish. Tell yourself you just need to do the thing you dread for 5 minutes. Grab an accountability partner to hold your shoes or fancy bottle of champagne. Pay attention to the needs of your customer and be strategic with your goals. When you know where you are heading, why you are heading there, and what you need to do to get there - everything seems so much less daunting. 

When you have your vision, you have a purpose. When you have a purpose you will have intention, and that's where the real motivation comes in. And this relates to every aspect of life.

So, dont be afraid to dream. Dont be afraid to fail. Just start because it is from there that you are truly able to learn and grow. If you dont start, well, learning and growing arent an option for you. So, here is your permission to dream ridiculously big in 2021.

And, as always thank you again so much for joining me for yet another episode of the workshop weekly podcast. I hoped you learned a whole lot and you are left feeling motivated to tackle whatever 2021 tosses your way. I dont know about you, but I feel like after living through 2020 we can handle just about anything life throws at us.

For more on today’s episode including how to connect with Robin and grab her freebie, visit the shownotes at kellylawson.ca/041, and I will see you next week for another action packed episode. Bye for now.

Your period has everything to do with your productivity! Episode 023 of The Workshop Weekly Podcast talks about understanding our cycle and planning accordingly.

Not enough hours in a day? Episode 021 of the Workshop Weekly Podcast features time management guru Elaine Shannon!

Need a refresher on understanding your ideal client? Check out Episode 004 of The Workshop Weekly Podcast!

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The 4 Step Framework for Creating Product Photos That SELL. Register now at kellylawson.ca/freemasterclass

With Kelly Lawson

What would an extra thousand dollars mean to you this month? Rent? Car payment? Stay home with your kids more? Accelerate your debt payoff? Speed up your savings or investments? Go on that fun weekend getaway you’ve been dreaming of?

Let me guess: the holidays are making you skittish about cashflow, covid drained your savings, and you’re looking for ways to earn a few extra bucks before the end of the year.  Well, that is totally do-able. In this week’s episode of the Workshop Weekly Podcast, I’m giving you three simple ways to make more money- and I promise, you don’t need a degree in finance or an investment magic wand to make it rain. Nope, just simple, actionable steps you can literally take today to add a little cold hard cash to the ole bank account. 

Making an extra thousand dollars is more attainable than you probably think. And to help you hit the cash runway without delay, I’ve broken each of my three ideas into three simple steps so that you can get started TODAY. By following just one step per week, three short weeks from now, you’ll be on your way to an extra four figures this month. Cha-ching!

The biggest thing to know and believe is that you don't have to over-complicate it. I’m giving you permission to keep it simple. That means finding the simplest possible way to present your offer and a super-easy way to accept payments. There’s always time to get fancy later. But I do not want tech or process to be a barrier to entry because truly it doesn't have to be!

And I need you to know that these are not your run-of-the-mill, boring money tips like “save more” or skip the Starbucks. These are some different, new and fun ways to add some extra zeros to your bank account. We are talking about everything from how your everyday skills can bring in some more dollabills to making money by recommending or reselling your favourite things.

This isn’t just for the self-employed peeps out there. Even if you have a full-time job, there are things you can do in your spare time to easily pocket a thousand bucks a month. 

So, what do you say? Let’s close out 2020 with a nice bonus to ourselves and get set up to make 2021 our best and most profitable year yet!

• Addressing the negative mindset that keeps you objecting to real opportunities to create an abundant life for yourself! 3:40
• Upper Limit Problems (ULP) - why we sabotage ourselves when we reach success and how to stop doing this. 4:26
• How to use service related freelancing to bring in some extra cash, and 3 simple steps to get ready for it. 7:02
• Making money by teaching a workshop or class, share the skills you have with these 3 steps. 14:11
• Open shop! Creating an online shop is easier than ever and here are 3 steps to do just that. 26:04

To drive awareness of your offer and sales, you want to be super intentional with showing up on social media AND showing your face. Yep, you’ve heard me talk about it before, but showing your face in both your stories and feed will allow people to see and get to know you. So not just your voice. Not just your written words. Not just photos of your product and your home decor. I want people to fall in love with you and trust you, so you’ve gotta show up for it!

And there you have it. Three easy ways to make an extra thou this month by following just three easy steps. 

Remember, none of this has to be perfect to start. You just need to have a simple way to get the word out about what you’re offering and a way to accept money and fulfill orders. You can learn and tweak and refine things as you go.

And after you do it one time, the best part is you can repeat it again and again, tweaking and pivoting along the way. You could eventually grow your little side gig into a bigger one, to constantly offer it to your people and bring in income consistently. Remember as you build out your systems to include a way to collect feedback so that you are always learning and improving. 

In an upcoming episode, I will be chatting with a variety of “side hustlers” to hear their perspective on running a successful side gig. And I want to point out that I use the word side-hustle lightly because if you know me, you already know I don’t love the word hustle… so think of it as a side gig or a side passion if you need to.

For now, I want you to get started today doing those simple things that can easily make a bundle of cool hard cash before this dumpster fire of a year is out. 

So just to recap: 

Number one, you can freelance your special skills as a service for hire. 

Number two: Teach what you know in a workshop, online course or ebook. 

And number three: Create an online shop for selling what you make or reselling what others make. 

And there you have it. A nice, easy way to fatten your wallet before the year is done. And hey if you give this a try, I wanna know how much richer you are 3 weeks from now, kay? Kay.

I will see you at the same time, same place next week, lovely human!

The Big Leap - Gay Hendricks.

Freelance Research Questions - some questions you can ask to elicit the kind of magical responses you need.

Why being in a confident mindset matters, check out The Workshop Weekly 001.

Learn more about freelancing, check out The Workshop Weekly 032 with Caley Dimmock.

Check out these platforms to open shop: Shopify, Etsy, Society6

Ingrid Munroe of The NB Box, built a pandemic proof business - learn how!

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The 4 Step Framework for Creating Product Photos That SELL. Register now at kellylawson.ca/freemasterclass

With Holly Gillen

If you’re trying to grow a business (and I think that’s why you’re here) you already know that video content is super important. We are constantly getting clear signs every single day that if we’re not using video for our business, we’d better start. And when you sit down and think about it, the recent additions to social media platforms are all video heavy. I mean, just take TikTok or Facebook Live, or Instagrams IGTV, stories and Reels for example. They'll all video centered and social media algorithms heavily prefer live video content so I think we can finally admit that the absence of a video strategy in your business could be costing you serious growth. 

But showing up on video is super tough. I am not here to candy coat that. I mean, when I think about that 3,2,1 countdown timer for showing up live, I get a straight up pit in my stomach. I just want to retreat back to the safe land of posting a selfie using my favourite filter or preset, or posting a blog after it’s been reviewed and edited, but video is A LOT harder to show up for because it leaves us feeling exposed, raw and vulnerable. 

So today’s guest, Holly G of hollygstudios is here today to help take the scaries out of showing up for your business in this sometimes frightening way. Holly spends her time teaching leading entrepreneurs how to create video content that is purpose driven and strategic. Videos that move your business forward and have a bigger purpose.

Holly is over a decade into creating a thriving business using video and now she has invested herself in teaching others how to rid themselves of the fear and mindset blocks that can come with needing to show up on video, especially live video, in your business. She also has a program called VIDEO MADE EASY, and she refers to it as not just video for your business, but business cinema, so I knew she was the perfect guest to come on and talk to you about video today. 

And I gotta say, Holly brings so much energy and actionable advice to the table that today’s show is a real treat. So if you’ve been hearing about the massive benefits of using video to grow your business but you have no idea what to do or how to get started, well, you are in the right place my friend.

So without further ado, let’s roll film! Or, hit record, or whatever. Haha.

• Her journey to becoming a video guru... annnnnd ACTION! 3:48
• Why showing up on video is so important for your business. 7:33
• The difference between video content traditional content such as blogs and photos. 8:46
• The impressive longevity of video content and why is pleases the algorithm gods. 10:58
• Tackling your fear of showing up live (yikes!). 12:24
• How your FAQ's can be a goldmine for video content ideas. 15:58
• The Four Pillars of Pre-Production. 16:19
• All you need to know about tech and equipment for quality videos (and it isn't as much as you would think!). 19:34
• Video length best practices. 22:52
• The Thriller-Filler-Spiller Formula 24:31
• How to get the most use of your video content by repurposing. 26:43
• The logistics of backgrounds, branding, and other videos to speak to your audience. 29:58
• Common mistakes people make when showing up on video. 35:38
• Mastering your mindset - dealing with naysayers. 39:55

If you are not already doing video, start with the Four Pillars of Pre-Production. If you are already making videos and want to make better videos, focus on creating the best possible content you can create right here, right now.

Okay, I hope you’re feeling empowered to just walk away from this episode and hit record on your camera. And I gotta say, I just love the way Holly shows up on video, and her approach. When I watch her video content I truly feel as though I am sitting down to chat with a friend, and Holly truly is just the best kind of human. And I don't know about you - but video is just one of those things that I think I fear as much as death haha. Not to get too dark there.

I know I need video but it’s just one of those things that easily gets pushed to the very bottom of the todo list. I've been working on it, and let me just say, I will lead you on how to show up when you aren't ready, or imperfectly with this one. And I gotta say, video is the only type of content that will truly let your personality shine through, and that at the end of the day is what makes you, well, uniquely YOU.

I really hope that after this episode I will get to see your face online... with your video content!

Until next time workshop warriors, keep showing up imperfectly, because that is where all good things start!

Bye for now.

Revolab Microphone mentioned in the podcast as well as ring lights are great tech to add to your toolkit to up your video game.

The Rule of Thirds is one of the first things a photographer (or a videographer) learns. You may recognize this grid if you have a professional camera but you can even enable it to show up on your smartphone!

Essentially, the rule is that your eyes tend to be drawn to the intersections of the grid. By placing subjects of interest at those intersections, you can be assured that your image is balanced and had a pleasing composition.

Creating Graphics with Canva: Part 1 and Part 2

Design your set! Check out this Pinterest Board for inspiration!

https://www.hollygstudios.com

https://www.facebook.com/hollygstudios

https://www.instagram.com/hollygstudios/

https://www.youtube.com/hollygstudios

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The 4 Step Framework for Creating Product Photos That SELL

Register now at kellylawson.ca/freemasterclass