Last week I mentioned on Twitter that I thought designers and crafters should be on LinkedIn. Almost everyone seemed to disagree with me. The overwhelming question was, “Why?” Why be on LinkedIn if you’re not looking for a job? Why have a LinkedIn profile if you’ve already got a website and a blog? I knew…
How to Set Year-Long Goals for Your Creative Business
I have trouble thinking big. I’ll happily write a daily to-do list and plow through it, but ask me to dream about what could be and I get very uncomfortable. I’m not a big risk taker, I’m really careful with money, and I definitely don’t want to sink all my energy into a crazy idea…
How Bartering Can Help You Grow Your Creative Business
I got a lovely email yesterday from someone I’ve never met. Her name is Karen Katin and here’s what she said: Abby, As a subscriber to your newsletter and avid reader of your blog, I wanted to say “Thank You” for the creative service that you are providing through your words and products. I find…
“This is How We Do Things Here”: Developing Guiding Principles for Your Business
Should you say yes to being part of an upcoming blog tour? Should you have a Black Friday sale? Should you install Google AdSense on your sidebar? When you have an online business, or even just a blog, you begin thinking about these questions and hundreds more. There are big overarching questions like what kinds…
Delegating Tasks Can Be Worth It
An elderly couple lives next door to us. They are devoted dog owners with two terriers, Tiffany and Jean Luke, whom they love dearly. I see my neighbors out every day, taking the dogs on long walks. Whenever we stop to chat, they always give me an update on each dog’s funny antics. Managing two…
Get More Done by Making and Following Your Own Rules
“No dessert until you finish your dinner.” “You can watch a show once you finish your homework.” “20 minutes playing on the computer is enough for tonight.” Sound familiar? I find myself repeating these rules, and a dozen more, to my three children day after day. As I say them I hear the echo of…
Why I’m Uncomfortable With the Term “Work/Life Balance”
This post is part of a six person blog hop on the topic of work/life balance. A chat on Twitter sparked this discussion. This is a big topic and I think our perspectives will vary in interesting ways. Okay, here we go! In 2004 I became a mother and left my full-time job. It was…
How I Made Exercise a Part of My Life
I woke up one morning a few months ago in a terrific mood. I got the kids ready for school and walked them over to the schoolyard. As I was headed home I ran into a neighbor. She’s a mom, too, and we sometimes talk on the way to and from school. She’s tall and…
Why Saying Yes Will Help You Grow Your Business
What should you do when you’re presented with an opportunity to pursue a project that’s not perfectly aligned with the mission of your business? Most business advice would tell you to say no. Turn it down. Don’t stray. Your time is your most valuable commodity, so don’t go spending it on things that aren’t mission…
How to Maximize Efficiency and Make More Time For Creativity
“You’re so productive!” “With three kids and a business to run, how do you find the time?” People say this to me all the time. For a long time I wasn’t sure how to answer. I would start to say, “Oh no, not really,” but that wasn’t true. The truth is I actually enjoy being…