February 4, 2020
In this episode, we’re doing a super fun Q&A. We’re answering questions from YOU – our podcast listeners!
We’re covering how to set boundaries to avoid being a workaholic, how and when to go full time, how to cultivate confidence, how to find your niche, how to deal with unsupportive family or friends, our experience hiring a team, and budgeting as a freelancer.
WOO it’s packed. So brace yourselves cause this one’s LOADED.
It can be so easy to fall into a workaholic lifestyle and mindset if you are not careful. First and foremost, you have to create boundaries! This can look different for each person since we are all in different seasons of life.
Creating the boundaries that you know work for you and being willing to experiment with them is beyond vital.
For Evie, this has looked like implementing a cut off time from work. Her schedule now looks like this: get up between 5:30-6, goto the gym, haveJesus time, make breakfast, and then start working around 8 and work until 4 or 5, and then she is done for the day. She uses the evening to recharge and make sure her priorities in life are not just work. Setting specific work hours and days off has been a huge game changer.
For Lindsey, she has worked on treating her phone and social media in general like it is work. When there is a cut off time to her work day, this means she is also cut off from her phone. Being really intentional about this, especially if it is a weak point for you, can be such a huge help.
During your work week, be sure you are very intentional and focused on the tasks that you do have. For example, on Sundays sit down and create a list for the week and be sure that you begin each day with the most important, needle moving, tasks on your list. This way, when you get to your cut off work time, you will have accomplished your most important tasks. The tasks you didn’t complete can move to the next day. Make a list, and meet those goals. Implementing batch working days can also be incredibly beneficial.
Set specific goals. Then, backtrack and figure out the exact tasks you need to do to reach that goal and break it up by daily, weekly, and monthly tasks.
Create boundaries within your work of what is due when. Focus on that and not everything all at once. Not doing this is what can create that workaholic mindset. When you feel that everything needs to be done all at once it is easy to get overwhelmed and fall into that workaholic mindset.
Create a routine and a system that allows you to take breaks and not just live your life for work.
Many entrepreneurs have turned their passion project into a business. It is so easy to get burnt out of the art or passion you use to love. Make sure you also have a hobby that does not make money whatsoever.
What can be so helpful is to look forward 50 years. When you look back on your life what do you want to see? Do you want to see nights slugging away at a computer ignoring your family or do you want to see all the memories with your family.
Yes, work has to get done, but where does it fall in your priority line?
If you want to change the world, go home and love your family.
There are two different ways to do this. The first way is to take the leap before you are potentially financially ready. This only works if you have a spouse or partner who can support you, a savings, or a backup plan!
The second is to make sure you have promised income, even if the amount is uncertain.
Ask yourself if you have offered this product or service before. Do you have proof that your idea is marketable? Even if you have to work at night, then do that. Be sure you have the work lined up before putting your two week notice in.
If you have made sales from what you sell then you know it is marketable.. You will most likely be able to turn this into a profitable business. If you think you can make it work and have savings to fall back on, you still want to make sure what you are offering is going to be marketable. Even if it is super small, be sure you have a least one sale and a business built. You don’t have to have a full year lined up, but you do have to know that it can work. You need proof that people are interested in what you are selling.
Before Evie went full time she was working at a restaurant as she built up her business. She was working insane 70-80 hour weeks. She would work double shifts at the restaurant and then wake up early or stay up late to work on her business. She hustled so hard in the season and there came a point where she knew she was hitting a wall. She had put in as much work and hours as she could while still working her full time job and it was beginning to hit a crossroads. There was only so much she could do for her photography business working full time at the restaurant. She needed to choose whether to maintain her photography business where it was or quit her full time job and let her business grow. She quit her full time job and within 3-4 months she went from five bookings to fully booking her entire year. She knew the growth was possible if she put the amount of time and energy that she was putting in at the restaurant into her business. Sometimes you get to the place where you have done all you can while juggling two balls and you just need to focus on one thing at time and give it all your energy.
The number one thing Evie and Lindsey do to cultivate confidence is spend time with Jesus. Period. He is everything for them when it comes to their identity, confidence, peace, and focus. Everything comes from Him. Be intentional and prioritize time with Him every single day. Listen to His voice about you and what He has to say about you. Not what the industry has to say about you. Not what other people have to say about you. Not what that random person on Instagram has to say about you. None of that matters. What matters is what the Lord, the creator of the universe, has to say about you. If you tune your ears to what he has to say about you, your life will be completely changed. The minute you have a doubt about yourself, or question yourself, immediately turn in your heart and ask God what he has to say to you. His voice will drown out every other lie and every other voice. His truth is stronger than any other lie you are believing about yourself. Those lies are tearing you down and keeping you from being the confident person that you can be and that you want to be.
You have to rewire your brain. We all struggle with how we think about ourselves. More so, we worry about what other people say. When you are constantly saying “I am not successful” or “I am fat” or whatever thoughts you are thinking, you have to rewire your brain to stop and look for the truth for what the Lord says about you. He says you are a gem. You are a treasure. He loves you so much.
There are other practical tips and tools that can also help with confidence. Invest in community and people who are going to support and speak truth is so important. Having people who are constantly tearing you down or causing fear can affect us more than we realize.
Positive affirmations are key. Speak life to yourself every morning. Say them to yourself in the mirror, write them on a whiteboard, keep them at your desk. Write down the things that you love about yourself and things that are true. If you would not speak it to a friend, don’t speak it to yourself.
It is so important to narrow down the focus of your business. People want specific answers to the problems in their life. Everyone is going around needing solutions to their problems. The more niche and specific you can be with your business, the more you are able to provide a specific solution to people’s problems.
When you are trying to pick something you want to do, whether that is creating a business or narrowing down your business, recognize that you need to have an intersection. The intersection is a 3-way intersection. The three parts are skill, passion, and need. If you recognize you have a skill in one area, a passion in another, and are aware of a need in your community, work to find a crossroad between all three. That is the sweet spot where the magic happens. That is your niche. Know that sometimes your skills may not line up with your passion. Or, your passion might not line up with the need. Work to find that intersection. You need at least two of those things to create a successful business, and the need must be one of them.
Sometimes narrowing down and finding your niche is a process. It is possible to create multiple businesses in multiple niches. But, know that you do not have to monetize every single passion you have.
Lindsey and Evie both have incredibly supportive families. First and foremost, find a community that will cheer you on. Finding that community, even outside of your family or friends, will be a game changer.
Sit down with your family and explain to them your vision: how much money you plan to make, what you plan to do, how many hours you are working, etc. Show them examples of people in your field doing extremely well. Show them your vision and strategy along with numbers.
Finally, buckle down and prove it. Work hard, show them that you are willing to put in the effort, and show that this isn’t just a pipe dream. This is a reality.
A lot of people are held back or lacking confidence because they don’t have someone cheering them on and believing in them. If there are any moms or dads out there, infuse worth, value, and confidence into your children every single day. Infuse that security into your children.
It is so important to be there for our children and show them that we love them. We need to be encouraging them constantly and not second guessing their abilities or what they can do. Yes, be critical, but, more importantly, love them. Show that you love them by constantly encouraging them. If you didn’t have those types of parents, then be those types of parents.
Both Lindsey and Evie hired editors first, and then an assistant.
So many people are scared to hire an editor. Outsourcing is so much easier than you think and will allow you so much more time to work on your business.
If you are overwhelmed and need things off your plate, look for a VA. They help with the tasks that may not move the needle of your business, but still need to get done.
First, create a spending plan. You have to know all of your expenses. Know what your non negotiable bills are each month. Have this number solid and written down. Then, look at each month and look to see if you have any income coming in each month. Write this number down. Then, take note of any potential payments that might come in. Do not count those, but be aware that they may come in. Make sure that you have enough to cover your non-negotiables. If you have extra, use that for reinvesting: gear, options to grow your business, etc.
Bottom line: plan ahead. Know your numbers.
Be smart and save up. Create a spending plan for how much you can spend on groceries, rent, food, etc. Save the rest of it.
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WASSUP FRIENDS. We’re Evie + Lindsey, co-founders of this wild partayyy called The Heart University. Our goal is to empower entrepreneurs to kick freaking BUTT in their businesses, dive down into the heart of their why and how, and serve you with all possible tools you’ll need to up-level your business game and CRUSH those goals of yours.
Whether you’re coming to an in-person workshop, joining our online course, or soaking up all the strategies via this blog or our podcast, we’re STOKED you’re here + can’t wait to see you out there kicking butt.
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