How Often Should You Blog?Less Often Than You ThinkEveryone knows of my strong belief that blogging is a tool that every Lifestyle CEO should use to grow their business and expand their reach. As a result, I am frequently asked how often one should blog in order to achieve positive and consistent results that ultimately lead to sales opportunities. This post answers that question. Before I dive in, if you have not read 5 Reasons Why You Should Blog Consistently, do so now. Unless you first ... Read the Post
My Favorite Blog of All Time
My Favorite Blog of All TimeThe Blog of Seth GodinMy favorite blog of all time is the The Blog of Seth Godin. I'm not sure why or when the question of what blog I love most popped into my head, but it did. Using criteria that are important to me, I considered several blogs by several awesome bloggers, including Tim Ferriss, Michael Hyatt, Marie Forleo, Leo Babauta, and Gretchen Rubin. Seth's blog won, hands down.Why Seth Godin's Blog is My Favorite Blog of All Time1. Seth is consistentSeth has ... Read the Post
My Current Favorite WordPress Plugins
My Current Favorite Wordpress PluginsThese are the Plugins I Cannot Do WithoutNow that I've shared the importance of consistently blogging, I thought I would take a few moments to quickly post my favorite Wordpress plugins. I use the free versions of the plugins featured here. (Yay!)I use plenty of good plugins that are not mentioned here. This post includes only the plugins I rely on the most to keep this blog interesting and useful to you.My Current Favorite Wordpress Plugins1. Akismet ... Read the Post
Why You Should Blog Consistently
5 Reasons Why You Should Blog ConsistentlyNothing Builds Online Credibility Like Consistent BloggingNo matter what you sell, you must establish and maintain credibility in order to sell it. There are many ways to do that, but as an online entrepreneur, blogging consistently is one of the best.A blog is a website that is updated regularly with articles, or "blog posts," designed to benefit your specific target audience. Here are five reasons why you should blog consistently.5 Reasons Why You ... Read the Post
What is a Lifestyle CEO?
What is a Lifestyle CEO™?We Are Different From Traditional EntrepreneursA Lifestyle CEO™ is a person who owns a business in order to enjoy the entrepreneurial benefits of freedom, flexibility, and fun, usually through a recurring revenue business model.I coined the term Lifestyle CEO on February 25, 2004. I knew immediately, that it perfectly described the kind of integration of life and business that suited me best.Today, as in 2004, most of the businesses featured by mainstream media are those ... Read the Post
6 Steps to Hiring a Virtual Assistant
6 Steps to Hiring a Virtual AssistantStart With a Success RecipeI hired my first virtual assistant at the Indie Business Network, over a decade ago. I shared a bit about the experience at Indie Business Blog. Today, I work with a very small team of people who help me manage the day-to-day tasks at IBN.Since I have worked with virtual assistants for so long, and since the bulk of my business is conducted virtually, I am frequently asked how to hire a virtual assistant. Based on my experience, ... Read the Post
Rule No. 1: Don’t Trade Your Integrity
Rule No. 1: Don't Trade Your IntegrityEarn EverythingThe first and most important rule of Lifestyle CEOs is this: do not trade your integrity. For anything. This does not mean you don't make mistakes. It does not mean you don't do things incorrectly at times.But since the brand building actions you take in your business earn you the trust of the people you serve, you should never exchange your integrity for the shiny objects of unearned fame or financial gain.For the last two weeks, I have ... Read the Post
A Membership Site is Not A Business
A Membership Site is Not a BusinessDo You Know the Difference?In recent years, I have noticed an increasing tendency for people to confuse membership sites with businesses. They are not one and the same.The confusion seems to happen when people think that because a membership site may generate income, it must also be a business. Not true.A Membership Site is Not a BusinessA membership site is not a business.It's a solution to a business problem.A website is just a website.A membership is the ... Read the Post
The Perfect Lifestyle Business
The Perfect Lifestyle BusinessFollow These Steps to Create YoursI followed 10 specific steps to create the Indie Business Network, the perfect lifestyle business for me. As I look back, I didn't articulate each step clearly as I went along. Instead, I built the plane while I was flying it. In hindsight, however, I can see a clear road map, and I'm going to share it with you here.Before I get to that, I want you to know that there is a bit of irony in my use of the word "perfect." As I write ... Read the Post
The Community Economy
Recently, I delivered the opening keynote address to the 2019 United States Lavender Conference in Charleston, South Carolina. My topic was The Community Economy, and it was all about how to build community around your brand. Here is the graphic I used to illustrate my three-pronged approach to building community around your brand.The Community EconomyI was thrilled to share the secrets of how I have built a solid community over the past 20 years around my brand, the Indie Business Network, and ... Read the Post
2019 Lavender Conference Recap
Last weekend, I delivered the opening keynote address to the 370 attendees of the 2019 United States Lavender Conference in Charleston, South Carolina. My keynote topic was The Community Economy, which I chose because of its importance to the success of your business. If there is no strong and engaged Community Economy around your brand, it's not going to last very long. Here I am doing my thing.Not only did I get the chance to empower hundreds of small business owners to be more effective ... Read the Post
I’m Speaking at the US Lavender Conference
I'm coming to Charleston. Squee! In a few short days, I will deliver the opening keynote address at the United States Lavender Conference in that beautiful and historic city. I recently read that there are more than 300 independently owned lavender farms in the United States today. How great that we no longer have to travel internationally to enjoy the many benefits of this beautiful herb. If your business includes working in any way with lavender (growing it, distilling it, cooking with it, ... Read the Post