Where to Find Your Business Bestie

When you run a digital business, it can be difficult to find people who can relate to your struggles and your triumphs. Your family and friends may be supportive of you but they don’t understand what it’s like to work online.

The wonderful thing about having business friends is that they do understand what you’re going through. Other digital business owners can sympathize when you’re dealing with difficult tech problems or struggling to rebrand your site. They can also celebrate your successes with you and provide valuable guidance along the way.

But how do you find these business besties? Where do you go when you want to form friendships with digital business owners? Consider looking for new friends in these places…

Join Facebook Groups

Look for Facebook groups for online business owners. You’ll want to join a mix of groups—some should be general business groups. These are perfect for finding friends who may be in various niches or have business models that are different from your own.

You also want to look for groups that are specific to your business. For example, if you’re a virtual assistant, look for a few groups that are made up of just virtual assistants. If you’re a coach, you may want to search for specialty coaching groups.

Once you’ve joined a few groups, introduce yourself. Tell the group a bit about yourself and how you got started online. This isn’t the time to promote yourself or your website. Simply share a simple bio and mention that you’re looking forward to getting to know the other members.

If you're looking for a great group to join, check out our very own Ninja Marketers!

Attend Business Conferences

A business conference like the Like a Goal Digger Event can be the perfect place to meet new people. It’s important to understand that conferences come in all shapes and sizes. If you’re an introvert who prefers quiet, look for a small single-track conference with a small number of attendees. If you enjoy offline events and crowds energize you, then try to find a larger conference.

Some digital business owners approach a conference with the wrong mindset. They want to hand out as many business cards as possible and meet as many new people as possible. While this may feel more productive, it doesn’t allow you to plant the seeds for deep relationships.

It takes time to get to know people. Focus on making a few meaningful connections, rather than thirty or forty shallow introductions. You’ll be more likely to make lasting friendships this way.

Dive into a Mastermind

If there’s an area of your business that you want to excel in while finding like-minded friends, a mastermind group could also be useful. For example, if you want to improve your copywriting skills, then joining a mastermind dedicated to the topic will be helpful.

The advantage of a mastermind is that it gives you the opportunity to meet others who are also working on improving their businesses in a similar way. You can engage with the other participants by asking (and answering!) questions, giving feedback, or sharing notes.

When it comes to finding your business besties, you have to put yourself out there. That might mean joining a mastermind, attending a conference, or hanging out on Facebook groups. These activities might feel uncomfortable or even scary at first, but keep showing up and participating with others!

4 Myths That Keep You From Connecting and Collaborating

Social media marketing is all about building relationships.

Collaboration is the currency of entrepreneurship.

And yet it's easy to let assumptions about connecting with other business owners keep you from developing deep relationships. 

See if you recognize any of these myths in your own thoughts.

Myth #1: They're My Competition

If you think of other entrepreneurs as competition, it's hard to build a relationship. You're constantly worried that they might steal your ideas or take your clients and customers away from you. You feel like you have to protect your business from outsiders.

Rather than viewing everyone as competition, what if you started looking at them as co-workers? Sure, your goals might not be exactly the same but you're all working towards the same mission - building a business that supports your dreams.

Myth #2: I Am Not As Far Along

Sometimes, what holds you back from building connections isn't your beliefs about others. It's your beliefs about yourself and what you do. Maybe you think that an award-winning coach won't want to hang out with you because you run a tiny mom blog that gets only a trickle of traffic each month.

But we don't pick friends solely for where they are in their business. We choose our friends for how they make us feel, for their support and encouragement during the different seasons of life.

Myth #3: You Need to Be in the Same Niche

You don't have to connect with others based on which niche they're in. Maybe you know a blogger who runs a website about parenting and your niche is al about low-carb eating. That doesn't mean you can't connect or collaborate with them. It just means that you have different interests and desires and that can be a good thing!  You can still learn from each other. You can still promote each other. And you may be surprised to find that there is something you have in common that you can collaborate on.

Myth #4: She's Not Like Me

You think you'd be great together. She has the same wacky sense of humor or passion for health and wellness. But a quick look at her Instagram or Facebook page and you see she's in a totally different place in her life.

Sometimes, we create an idea of what a friend will look like in our heads and when someone new doesn't quite fit that mold, we automatically dismiss them. This can be a terrible mistake that keeps your from making wonderful new connection.

Stay open to new relationships that might not look like you'd first expect. Be willing to take your time and get to know other entrepreneurs. Be willing to take your time and get to know other business owners before making a snap decision.

Discover your next business bestie! Join the Ninja Marketers!

I'm Not A Coach

I'm not a coach....


I'm not a "guru"...


I'm a Trainer...


Have been my entire career....


Or as someone nicknamed me years ago...


Sage...


Bringer of knowledge...


Giver of wisdom...


And I love nothing better than working with people face-to-face....


Answering their questions


Showing them how things work


Watching them put concepts into action


And seeing the look on their faces when the light comes on and you know they understand.



If that's how you like to learn...


Then my next live workshop might just be for you.


Come hang out with me and let's see what we can do together.

Who's Using Reels?

In case you missed it....

Reels are HOT right now. In fact, all aspects of short-form video are taking the online marketing world by storm!

TikTok

Instagram and Facebook Reels

YouTube Shorts

I'm using them all and you should be too.

I recently did a VERY BASIC training for my folks on the mechanics of creating TikToks and Reels.

And after thinking about it for a while, decided I should share it with my loyal readers as well. 

Watch the video. Then go do some REELS...or TikToks...or Shorts...

Or all of the above!

Books, Trainings, Podcasts...Oh My!

Personal growth. Personal development. You've heard the words. But do you understand how important they are to you as a business owner? 

"Of course I do, Melodieann! I'm always learning new skills."

That's great. But that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about developing your mindset. I'm talking about working on YOURSELF. I'm talking about feeding yourself material that develops that millionaire mind... that forces you to think bigger, get uncomfortable, and develop your unlimited potential prosperity mindset.

Personal development can help you grow stronger and more confident. It can help you make the most out of your life and your business so you can experience all the success you're hoping for.

That's why it's so important to incorporate time for personal growth/development into your DMO (daily method of operations).

Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. Read. You knew I was going to say that. An avowed bookworm like me would never let a chance to encourage someone to pick up a book slide by! Read. Read often. Read at least one book a month. More if you can. 

Not only does reading expand your knowledge and vocabulary, it also helps stimulate your mind and improve your critical thinking skills.

Some of my favorite personal development books? The Success Principles by Jack Canfield. The Power of Positive Thinking by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale. How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie.

2. Online Training. For those of you who don't like to read (gasp), enrolling in online trainings is an option. You'll reap all the benefits of reading. By engaging in personal development courses, you can develop skills in areas such as strategic and creative thinking, listening, problem solving and mindset development. With the right skills and knowledge in place you will become more confident, fulfilled, effective and empowered not just in your business but in life as well.

Of course I have favorites courses. Check out The Science of Well-Being by Yale University. Learning How to Learn: Powerful mental tools to help you master tough subjects. Mindshift: Break Through Obstacles to Learning and Discover Your Hidden Potential by McMaster University

3. Podcasts. Okay. Don't like to read. No time for training courses. Don't worry, We've got you covered. How about listening to a podcast while you're doing whatever keeps you so busy each day. There are a ton of great personal development podcasts out there. Some of my favorites? Optimal Living Daily. Happier with Gretchen Rubin. The Tony Robbins Podcast. And of course the MLSP Daily Wake Up Call (not exactly a podcast but close enough). Just dial in at 11 am every day. 512-807-0222.

4. Find a mentor. A professional mentor can help you achieve real improvement. If you don't have a mentor, but want to be surrounded by upbeat, encouraging people, join the Ninja Marketers Facebook Group. Who knows? You might even learn a marketing trick or two.

There are many ways to incorporate personal development into your daily routine. Not all of them will work for everyone. But there is something that will work for you. So always be learning, growing, and working on YOU.

What to Offer in a Bundle

I remember when I was asked to participate in my first bundle. I was excited at the idea of contributing and building my mailing list. But I had no idea what to offer in the event. So I did some research and found these suggestions:

An e-book

If you already have an e-book up for sale, you can easily provide a copy of it to bundle buyers. You can do this by having subscribers sign up for your mailing list and creating a welcome email with the link to your e-book.

Of course if you already have a shopping cart in place, you could create a special discount code that gives participants 100% off. Just make sure to keep the coupon specific to the product. Otherwise someone may use that coupon code on other items that aren’t part of the bundle event.

A Planner or Workbook

Planners and workbooks are popular right now and they are low-content. That means you don’t need to take a lot of time or energy to create one.

Many people use the term “planner” and “workbook” interchangeably. They are similar but the big difference is that a planner typically teaches users how to do something while a workbook helps participants explore a topic in-depth.

A Collection of Templates or Checklists

Another idea that could be useful is creating a collection of templates or checklists. Try to make sure your templates are related to what you offer so the people who claim it will be interested in your other products or services.

For example, if you’re a graphic designer then offer a collection of graphics templates. Don’t try to create a copywriting checklist. You’ll muddy your branding and confuse new customers.

A Webinar

If you don’t have a product available yet, you could create a simple webinar. You can use a program like PowerPoint or Canva to design your presentation and make it look professional.

Then you could put up a sales page that features the information about your webinar as well as an area to sign up for it. If this is a bundle that involves paid products, be sure to include a price somewhere on the page so participants understand that.

Use PLR

Private Label Rights (PLR) content is special content you buy with the right to edit and brand it as your own. You can find PLR e-books, PLR planners, PLR workbooks, and other amazing resources.

Of course, not every bundle host is open to PLR. Some creators want to keep the products offered unique so they don’t allow any form of PLR content. If you’re not sure if PLR is acceptable, reach out and ask the bundle host in advance.

It’s OK if you don’t have any products before the bundle. Just take this as the opportunity to create a product that will serve your community and grow your mailing list!

I Hate To Break It To You....

This is a tough post to write. Because I think I'm probably going to piss a few people off. What I have to say is going to be hard for some folks to swallow. But here goes...

If you aren't actually working on your business every day, it's your fault if you don't get ahead.

You can't just cold message a few random folks...

Put up a cat video on Instagram...

Spam your link all over Facebook...

And then spend the rest of the day watching Real Housewives...

(Or whatever the hot show is. I'm so out of touch with television, I don't actually know.)

And then tell me you are building a business.

Now that might hurt a little. I can already hear the collective gasp of indignation. Followed by the usual litany of excuses.

"I'm still working my job so I don't have time."

"I don't have money to advertise."

"I don't have all the right equipment."

"I don't know how to do __________ (fill in the blank with whatever)"

"I'm too ________ (again, fill in the blank)"

Et cetera, et cetera, et cetera...

I hate to break it to you, but none of these excuses are valid. 

Still working? So are lots of other up-and-coming rockstars. Can you spend an hour...just one hour...every day doing something to move your business forward? If you say no, you and I need to talk. How serious are you about this?

No money? No problem. Most of us didn't have money when we started. That's one of the reasons we started a business. We needed more money! Fortunately, with the internet and all of the tools available, you don't need a lot of money to get started. 

No fancy gadgets and gizmos? All you need anymore is a laptop or smartphone and a way to connect to the internet. 

Don't know how to do something? Google it and learn. Or go search YouTube for a how-to video. Or join my FB group. We teach you stuff!

And if you think you're too (rich, poor, fat, thin, old, young, whatever), you're wrong. There are literally hundreds...maybe thousands...of people just like you who are doing this. Successfully.

The difference? They treat their business like a business. It's not a hobby that they work on only when everything is perfect. It's NEVER perfect. So when they hit a speed bump and those excuses start to creep into their heads, they push forward. The rest of you grab the popcorn and the remote and complain about how tough it all is. 

I'm being tough with you right now because I don't want your business to be like this. If you are a reader of my blog, I assume you are an entrepreneur at heart. Even if you're struggling to get started. 

So let's make some changes.

Change your mindset. If you want more out of your life and your business, you have to believe that it's possible.  

Look for ways to learn and grow. Sure you may need a few new skills. You can learn most of them for free or very inexpensively. Then it's just a matter of practice.

Start making connections. Sometimes it feels like you're the only one struggling. I promise you, you're not. Surround yourself with other entrepreneurs who are building their businesses. You might be surprised how many of them have been right where you are now and found solutions. You might even have the solution for someone else's problem. 

So...I hate to break it to you, but...

If you REALLY want to build a successful business, it's possible. You just have to do the work. Or you can continue to whine and complain. 

But if you have time to whine and complain about something, you have time to do something about it!