Alright, so here’s the deal: You have a dream, but you have zero idea how to make it a reality. Sound familiar? You have a business you want to start or a job role you desire, but it all feels overwhelming to begin. Which steps do I take first? It can feel like so much that you find yourself paralyzed with fear and confusion, and you stay stuck in the comfortable routine you’ve been in because… well, frankly, it sounds easier than the work you need to put in to make a life you love.
STOP. BREATHE. LET’S DO THIS. You get ONE life. You have a specific purpose. Your dreams are God-given. Don’t waste any of it!
6 years ago I began blogging and started sharing my life with intentionality on my Instagram and website. I wanted a space to write and loved the idea of growing an authentic community when I lived in the middle of a city at the time that felt anything but. I was an exhausted newlywed working in the start-up fashion industry in the heart of Dallas, and I was unfulfilled to say the least. I knew the pace I was running couldn’t last forever… so, I started to take my life into my own hands. All these years later and I am truly living a dream and multiple businesses under my belt that came to life because of the blog I said “yes” to over Christmas break. Whatever your dream may be, I want the same for you. I want you living a fulfilled life with purpose.
Practical first steps to see your dream come to life
- Write a why statement for the dream/business/end goal. A sentence that encompasses the hopes, goals, and dreams of whatever your business or self-investment may be. And then – you filter absolutely everything you do and every effort you put into it through that. My why statement has morphed over the years as my life has literally changed before my online community’s eyes. But, my current statement is “Finding joy in life, motherhood, and fashion.” This phrase tells you, the audience, that coming to my page/website will *hopefully* help you find joy, mommy and fashion tips, and a glimpse into my overall lifestyle. Yep, that one sentence tells you ALL of that.
- Write a list of the practical things you need to do in order to begin!
If this is starting a business endeavor, start with the basics:
-File your business as an LLC or DBA depending on what the nature of what you do is
-Create a website/hire out somebody to design your website (Your site is something you shouldn’t skimp on. If you can’t do it, hire somebody who can.)
-Reserve any social handles needed (IG/Pinterest/Facebook)
– Choose 5 pillars for content branding and be sure ALL content strategy stems from these (i.e. when looking at your grid of 9 on Instagram, every single pillar should be subtly shown in one glimpse. You have 2 seconds to captivate somebody and tell them what you’re about!) - Write a list of 50-100 goals for your business and start crossing them off. This means send as many emails as you possibly can and tell everybody about what you’re doing. Somebody knows somebody who knows somebody. No… really. Email the most seemingly achievable collaborations or business mentors and work your way up. I will never forget meeting with Katey McFarlan in my earliest days and she said “start with brands who are at the same place as you and grow together.” That, of course, is most applicable to blogging, but the concept is all the same. My first big contract was with BareMinerals all simply because I created consistent content and tagged them on my photos as the make-up I was actually using at the time.
- Pick your colors and 5 words. What words, emotions, and colors do you want people to think of or feel when they come to your page? Do you want whimsical, clean, minimal, warm and inviting, editorial-like, inspirational? You have to know the feelings and stick to them with everything you post, write, execute!
- Stop saying you wanna do it…. and just do it. Not to sound harsh, but it’s the truth. You WILL be your greatest road block. Do what makes you happy and make it come to life. Hire a business mentor if it doesn’t come natural to you. Whatever you gotta do… take practical steps daily to make it happen.
Looking for more? you can hire me to help consult your business plans and vision meetings. Email me hannah@cakemedia.org
Leave a Reply