I am so often asked for recommendations for everything from what books I read to which automation systems I have set up in my business.
I am a researcher at my core and I love learning all the things, but I realize that not everyone is wired this way. Sometimes you just need someone you trust pointing you in the right direction, right? Well, here we are! We are going to edit this list often and add my new recommendations to it so you can bookmark this page as your go-to spot for all the things that will push you, challenge you, get you thinking outside the box and tools to help you in your business.
168 hours book: This book seriously changed my life and changed my outlook on time management. Not kidding! Knowing that I have the same amount of hours in my week as Beyonce was a total game changer! Now I get to look at my available hours and I decide how to use them each and every week to get closer to my goals.
Dare to Lead by Brene Brown: Brené Brown’s books are ones I just can’t put down! Her down-to-earth way of writing and her humor always speaks to me. In this book, she shows us how to lead by daring greatly, rising strong and braving the wilderness. This is a must-read for all my leaders out there!
The One Thing: Usually when I say reading… I mean listening! I am obsessed with audible and free audio books through the library! This particular book teaches you tips for dialing in on the ONE thing in your life that is going to move the needle and bring results and how to keep it in focus.
High-Performance Habits: Shortly after finishing this book, I already started adopting some of the habits that he talks about in the book. PS: His podcast is 🔥 too!
Start Today Journal: If you know me even just a bit you know how much I LOVE Rachel Hollis – this Start Today Journal is how I start every day and I can’t even express how much this process energizes me to reach my goals. I wake up each morning, meditate, sit in my massage chair (spoiled I know!), read a few daily meditations and dive right in. Something about the process of writing your goals as if they have already happened is SO empowering! Tip they sell out fast!
The Happy Planner: This thing keeps me so organized! What I love most? I can design my own pages, print them out and hole punch with their special hole punch (that I got 40% OFF at Hobby Lobby) WIN!
The Libby App: If you haven’t discovered the Libby app yet then let me help you out my friend! Libby is the new app by OverDrive, i.e. the libraries app that allows you to check out audio and e-books for FREE!! All you need is a library card from your local library and you are ready to read/listen to your heart’s content!
Strides App: Habits are on my mind right now! I’m all in with setting routines and making sure my regular habits are easy to achieve. The stride app is awesome for habit tracking!
The Marie Forleo Show: If you haven’t watched Marie’s YouTube channel you NEED to! She is not only informative, has the best guests ever but she is SO funny!
Dave Hollis: Guys, this one’s for you. You NEED to follow him on social. He held an amazing job with The Walt Disney Company for the majority of his career and now serves as CEO of The Hollis Co. following in the entrepreneurship footsteps of his wife Rach. PS > His book comes out in March and I can’t wait! (P.S. Don’t forget to follow anyone who’s podcast or book I mention!)
Online Marketing Made Easy Podcast by Amy Porterfield: If you are in the business of making money online, or want to be, this is the podcast for you! Amy digs into everything from how to build an email list, what your first course topic should be and more. If you want a podcast filled with actionable tips and tricks, this one’s for you!
Rise Podcast: Those of you who know me personally KNOW how much of a Rachel Hollis fan I am. Why? Because she is super real and honest about all the things! In her business podcast, Rise, she interviews influential business owners and entrepreneurs with a strong focus on women. You are sure to find a snippet of wisdom in each episode no matter what your journey looks like.
Goal Digger Podcast: I can’t even begin to tell you how amazing Jenna is and her voice is so great to listen to while you work, not distracting but not easy to tune out either. She is a photographer by trade, but focuses in this podcast on helping people build their dream careers.
StoryBrand Podcast: I LOVE hearing an out of the box approach to brand messaging. This podcast is wonderful – not only do they bring on amazing speakers, but their company is one to follow! PS > If you like this, you should definitely pick up the Building a StoryBrand book too!
How I Built This Podcast: Ever wonder how extremely successful entrepreneurs did it? How did they balance life and business, take the leap for growth and do all the things? Wonder no more, this podcast from NPR features the best entrepreneurs!
Ed Mylett Podcast: If you are interested in inspiration, great ideas and strategies to improve your life then this is the podcast for you! This is Steven’s FAVORITE and we loved seeing him LIVE this past November!
Do a calendar audit: I did this for the first time this January looking back at 2019. I track my time diligently so it wasn’t too difficult, but OH so enlightening and empowering. It is so important to look at how you spend your time vs how you want to spend your time so you can make better decisions around how to allocate your time moving forward.
Loomly: I get asked all the time which automation service I use for social media. I use Loomly because of a few key factors: price, scalability, ease of client approval and team collaboration and because their interface jives with me! You can try it for FREE for 15 days with this link.
*Full disclosure: this is an affiliate link so if you like it and purchase I will receive a small kick back.
Canva: The best and inexpensive web based program to design graphics of all kinds. While I have extensive knowledge in all things Adobe, I use Canva often for quick graphics and especially social. Also, the team collaboration options are awesome!
Stock photos: Another question I’m asked often! The best free sites I’ve found are pexels.com and unsplash.com. I love me some shutterstock.com but if you are looking for the best bang for your buck that also includes graphics and fonts elements.envato.com is my go to!
Stop letting your life run you! Take control of your time by creating a Not To Do List! Reclaiming your sanity but letting go of the things that do not serve you, and that other people can do! Use this FREE resource to create your Not To Do List today!
I get it, sometimes the hardest thing to do is just to start. That blank page (or Facebook post box) can be super daunting. So I sat down and challenged myself to write down 100 post ideas for small businesses that YOU can start using today to fuel your social marketing calendar.
Just like you go to the doctor for a checkup – your brand needs a wellness exam too, and maybe throw in a spa day for good measure! 🙂 This is NOT a bad thing! This means that you are aware of the fact that your company is changing and growing (sometimes at a very fast pace) and maybe that your ideal clientele is changing, growing up, wanting more, etc…
In the PDF I will guide you through a simple 3 part process to re-discover who your brand is and give you a few tips on how to evaluate what you are putting out there to make sure it is in alignment with your voice and aesthetic.
When you own your space online, you 100% control your client experience. It’s important to understand your customer’s journey in every aspect of your business, but it’s especially important when it comes to your website. You may think it’s easy to put yourself in your customer’s shoes, but is it really? Use this FREEBIE to think through the thought process a customer goes through in making a decision and how you can utilize that to make your website more effective.
Get super strategic with your marketing plan by knowing WHO you are marketing to! Use this customer avatar blueprint to find your ideal customer today.
Save yourself time, I took the best of the best and combined it into one easy-to-use document.
The Ultimate Resource: Community
The ultimate resource I’ve found in my life is community. I had this crazy idea to create a space, a community where entrepreneurs and freelancers can come together and surround themselves with people on the same or similar path. A place where everyone can share the mistakes they have made along the way, can ask for advice and support when they need it, and receive real help and feedback. A place where you can remember why you fell in love with your business idea in the beginning!
Being an entrepreneur can feel like one of the most lonely things in the world, but the truth is there are so many other people out there that get it! They have walked in your shoes, have stood where you are standing and have gotten to the other side. What if we could come together and help each other, pull each other up when we stumble and offer the advice that is needed and can actually help?!
So, I decided to go ahead and make that group! I would be honored if you would join me in this dream and join this group.
