Enjoy this week’s guest post by Jodi Bogart!
At the beginning of the year, I was feeling a strong desire to make changes to my business. For fun, I decided to get a psychic reading. I’m sure that most business owners don’t seek advice from such sources but I find it can be helpful and interesting.
The psychic said that I need to put myself out there more so people know what I’m offering and it will require hiring people to help. This is not what I wanted to hear and it was way out of my comfort zone! I was hoping, rather, that people would magically discover me and hire me to do what I love to do. She continued to tell me that I must let go of anything that I’m tired of doing; suggesting that I pursue what is most joyful for me.
I left my reading feeling disappointed and a little nervous. I knew that change was needed in my business but it sounded uncomfortable and challenging, requiring me to let go of what was no longer “sparking joy” to quote Marie Kondo.
I’ve been a graphic designer for 33 years and have never hired anyone to help me with my marketing or website building. If I was going to grow my business and take it in the direction of my dreams, it was time to invest in myself and my business. I decided to hire Melissa to help with my marketing, and I’m so grateful that I did.
Together, we realized that I needed to build a strong foundation which required a website that could do some heavy lifting. I wanted to sell my artwork, have art classes, graphic design services and a free gift that would grow my email list. I thought about my business from the standpoint of how I could serve my customers and make it user friendly – and what it meant for me if I served them in that way.
I left our meeting filled with inspiration and direction. I sat down to sketch out the structure and flow of my website. It included three distinct services on my home page – one being graphic design. When I looked at my sketch, something felt off. Without thinking, I grabbed another piece of paper and redrew my home page. I held it out for review. I deleted graphic design from my website. Gulp!
This is what the psychic was talking about… let go of what I’m tired of doing.
In order to be true to myself, which is a value of mine, I needed to relinquish graphic design. This is a pretty big deal for me because I earned a degree in graphic design and have been successful for over three decades. It’s become part of my identity. And now I had to accept that these aren’t the clients I want to attract anymore. It was a scary idea, but an exciting one, too.
I used this new information and forged ahead building my website offering only services that light me up and fill me with joy. It’s been a challenging process at times because I’ve had to be honest with myself and step out of my comfort zone. I’ve had moments where I’ve asked myself, “What am I doing and why did I think this was a good idea?” Melissa has been a great cheerleader, reminding me that it will all come together and be worth the hard work.
She was right. I launched my website two weeks ago and I love it! My new site feels more “ME” than my previous ones. It has a touch of whimsy, daily inspiration, a link to my Etsy store and plans for future art classes. But, just as important, it no longer offers graphic design services. I am taking a risk and making a choice to lean into the business I want, not just the one I’ve always had.
I forgot to mention that I got another psychic reading a few days before my launch. She said that my new website would be successful. Who knows if any of this is true but at the end of the day, I made a courageous choice – to be true to myself. I don’t think we can go wrong when we honor ourselves.
Hi, I’m Jodi Bogart – an artist, teacher, designer and life coach. I create whimsical images which I offer as cards, prints and original paintings. Besides making art, I’m passionate about helping others connect to their creative spark. I often hear people say they aren’t creative or “good” at art. I believe that we are all creative and that we can become good at what we practice. More importantly, it’s about the process more than the outcome. I love being a champion of others and reminding them of their wisdom, strength and that they are worthy of good things. I’ve taught many people over the years to paint, draw and design. I enjoy teaching because I get to support others as they learn to express themselves in new ways. Visit my website to learn more.