Grow your business sustainably

Some of us have invested in our business and are happy with the pace we’re playing at. Others are at an earlier stage and/or hungry to grow. If you fall into that second bucket, this newsletter is for you. Today, we’re sharing advice and resources to help you take your business to the next level.

Before I dive in, a little personal advice from me:

When considering your goals and next steps, ask yourself if you’re ready for a sprint or marathon. During a sprint, you speed up — lots of progress can be made in the short run. During a marathon, you conserve energy, and focus on the long run. My therapist and I frequently use this metaphor when discussing my business plans and life decisions.

Most of the time, I’m in marathon mode, chugging along toward my long-term goals. It’s productive, but sustainable. But I’ll periodically shift into sprint mode when it’s time to accelerate toward a near-term outcome or go through a major business or life transition. Before I determine whether it’s time to speed up, I go through a three-step process.

I ask myself:

1. Why do I want to speed up? Am I doing this for me, or am I trying to prove something to others?

2. What is the goal I’m trying to achieve? What qualifies as enough? What will success of this sprint look like?

3. How can I keep from neglecting other parts of my life as I speed up? How can I make sure I don’t sacrifice my health and relationships in the pursuit of money or growth?

My main goal is to make healthy, thoughtful choices, so it’s important I get honest with myself before launching into a sprint period.

So, if you’re considering speeding up too, I’d encourage you to go through a similar reflective exercise first.

Understanding your why and having a goal in place makes all the difference. When our goals are rooted in authentic desires, our actions become more supportive of our long-term vision. Setting our sights on sustainable progress also lowers our chances of burnout.

Now, on to growing that business.

Dig in below for resources to help you expand your client list, diversify your income streams, or get more streamlined and productive.

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Events, resources & people to help you grow

Events:

Indecollective is hosting a free event: “7 Keys to Building a More Profitable Consultancy, While Saving Valuable Time.” They’ll be going over how to productize your work, differentiate your brand, create value-based pricing + more. Don’t miss it.

The New Narratives retreat is for established independent content marketers & writers. If you’re ready to grow with renewed focus, clarity, and confidence — and you’re seeking meaningful connections and a community of peers to help you get there — this Costa Rican retreat may be right for you. Seats are limited, so check it out ASAP.

People:

Planning on diversifying your income and packaging up your skill set into a course? Jeff Felton is the guy to follow.

Thinking about newsletter or social sponsorships to grow your business? Justin Moore teaches creators how to find and negotiate their dream sponsorships.

Need real-life advice to help build your best business? Blair Sharp helps you land clients.

Resources:

If you’re at the very beginning of your journey or looking to get your freelance biz organized and official, use our free business launch checklist for a helpful list of to-dos.

Read our interview with Elna Cain on building multiple income streams and how she did it as a mother of twins.

Check out our story of scaling up to a $1M consulting business by outsourcing. We talk about how we hired, managed subcontractors, priced out services + more.

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New gigs

A thousand PLUS more jobs are waiting for you on the Harlow job board. Don’t forget to bookmark or subscribe at the bottom of the page to get notifications for new jobs weekly or daily.

A couple EXTRA hot jobs right now

Be Rooted is hiring for a freelance illustrator. Pay is up to $50/hr.

Betches Media is hiring for a freelance content manager for their instagram account. Pay is up to $30/hr.

WB Creative Consulting is looking for a freelance copywriter. Pay is DOE.

If you’ve decided that you’re ready to grow your biz, we’re behind you. Whichever method you choose — ramping up your client work, diversifying your income streams, subcontracting, or something else entirely — just be sure to do so thoughtfully. Remember: Your wellbeing is your #1 resource, and prioritizing yourself is always the right move.

If you have any additional questions or need advice along the way, we’re here. Follow along on social or reach out to us directly.

Cheers,

Samantha & Andrea