Reflecting On Your Why + Your Next Launch

This is the first post in a series of posts as part of The Suitcase Entreprenuer's 30 Day Blog Challenge.

Who are you trying to teach? Why should people care?

Have you been so caught up in your latest launch that you can’t quite recall?

What if you were to take 30 days to answer and reflect on those questions?

How would that affect your next launch? How could that impact your business?

Remembering, reflecting and sharing where you started and where you have evolved to is important.

People on the edge of starting something new need that intel. They need to understand and be able to use your story as proof that the process is possible.

But why do you need that information too?

Launches require clarity and honesty.

• clarity on what you offer
• clarity on who you're offering it to
• clarity of the bigger vision
• willingness to be open/honest about your experience

Clarity Clarity Clarity!

The 30 Day Blog Challenge + My First Question

Natalie Sisson does an amazing job of keeping the “how I started” and “where I am now” in full focus.  She’s heavenly practical and created a blog challenge to help as many people as possible do one of the following – take their very first step – or share their process and hopefully in turn learn something new about themselves and business.

Day 1 of her 30 day blog challenge asks the fun (for me) to answer question…Why did you start your blog?

I’m following that with two more answers that I think people also need to hear.

Did I start with the intention of a business? Did I know what I was getting myself into?

Beginnings Aren't Always Sexy.

There's nothing fancy, sexy, or sad about the reason I started blogging. No internal to share something specific or because I was dealing with a tough period of my life.

I started blogging because the platform was interesting to me.

Yes – nerdy mcnerd – it was all about the technology and fun of setting up a blog.

I saw lots of people back in 2009 creating these blogs – Initially I wanted to use blogging as a form of journaling… I went through several different free platforms – and noodled around for the first part of the year until I discovered something called the 30 day challenge.

So – funnily enough – what started me understanding that there was something more I could do with blogging was a 30 day challenge just like this one!

I spent 30 days learning how to run an online business, build an online presence, and focus on serving one small niche.  The goal – to make $1 online.  Well, I’m happy to report that yes I did indeed make at least $1…and that’s when it bit me.

Sadly – the dollars didn’t stay consistent until I launched my first ebook (2 years later!) and figured out a few key things.

I was good at the pieces, I could pull them together…I could figure anything out.

But it took me another 2 years to really figure out the more important part of blogging and building a business–figuring out what bits of my own knowledge would hit the mark and allow me to share with a bigger audience.

Yes – when I started – I wrote about pilates, health, then personal development and productivity…and it was all VERY general now that I look back.

Good solid writing. I stand by that, but not terribly targeted to any one type of person or even a specific person.

As soon as I honed in, wrote for a real person, wrote from my specific experience and knowledge base :>>>> only then did the business I have today start to take shape.

Like a light switch – I turned on the launch lightbulb – and all the sudden people heard me.  I wrote for a few specific people (who I’ve since told are who I wrote too) and narrowed in on a topic.

That was the game changer. The moment things clicked.

Why this Challenge Is Important

I'm really looking forward to sharing more of the journey and lessons I’ve learned along the way.

As I embark on a new chapter of my own business, I've spent a lot of time THINKING about where I want to take the blog.  The second Natalie told me about the challenge, I knew that I had to be part of it…

Taking 30 consecutive days to put effort into one project can be powerful and have illuminating results.

My intention: Write at least once a week for an extra post every week. My personal goal with this blog is to provide more content MORE OFTEN – and this challenge will get me in the habit of posting more often! I'd say win win for me on that goal if I stick to it!

I love a challenge that has daily public actions and that involves a group of people willing to share.

So – I really hope to have you along for the ride with me…

No matter what your blog is – you can and should give yourself permission to share the 30 day process.

Check it out here: http://suitcaseentrepreneur.com/blogchallenge/blog-challenge-day1 for more info!