On Working on Your Craft

My office closet is like a little shrine to all of my 'failed' business attempts.

If you read my book, you know I started a food blog called Barrister's Beet when I was still working as a corporate lawyer.

This wasn't just some side hobby. I really wanted to be a famous food blogger.

So I did what I thought you were supposed to do when you wanted a really big thing.

I bought everything a "famous food blogger" needed.

A fancy camera I didn't know how to operate. A 20-piece, overly complicated lighting system I couldn't set up myself. Editing software to brighten and adjust the photos I didn't know how to use.

Not knowing how to use these things was the least of my problems...

I didn't even want to learn.

What I really wanted was pretty photos that made my website and food look fancy...

I just didn't want to learn how to take them.

🔓 I'd just unlocked my first business lesson: you can tell a lot about what you really want by how willing you are to struggle to get it.

After ditching my food blogger dreams and shutting down the health coaching business I created right after, I was shocked to see how differently I approached my legal templates business.

I don't understand this whole SEO thing... no prob, I'll teach myself!

What kind of content do I need to create to get people to buy my products? I'll just play and figure it out!

Not one of the 50 people on my email list replied to my newsletter? Interesting! I'll learn how to write stronger calls to action to get them to click/reply.

This time, I was willing to be bad in order to get good.

Obstacles weren't challenges; they were opportunities. I genuinely celebrated the fact that I had 50, then 100, then 1,000 people to email each week -- I couldn't imagine speaking to a room full of THAT many people!

These days, I hear from so many people who want the outcome --

​
The big email list. The huge following on Instagram. A packed book tour...

But what they don't realize is that in order to get where they want to land, they're going to have to go through a lot of turbulence first.

In order to build an audience, you have to get really good at creating content.

To build a big email list, you've got to work really hard, for a long time, to learn how to attract people who need you and then learn how to retain them.

To sell thousands of copies of your book, you have to work on your writing so you actually have an audience to sell to.

In other words, you've got to work on getting good in order to get the good result you want.

Here's what you should focus on first if you want to build an audience full of people who buy, share, reply, and listen. Listen to this week's episode→​

I'd love to hear whether this email resonated with you. Hit "reply" and let me know. I read and reply to everything you send.

Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.​

🔗 Links You'll Love

⚠️ Thanks to a lot of changes in the online business space, I just updated my free legal workshop: 5 Steps to Legally Protect & Grow Your Online Business to add all the info you need to know about ADA lawsuits, privacy concerns, and more. In it, you'll also learn exactly how to start an online business the right way -- fluff-free. Watch it here→​

📝 Marisa Corcoran's free LIVE copywriting class gives you the 3-part framework to whip up irresistible copy with creativity and chutzpah. Grab your seat for Marisa's Leave 'Em Wanting More live class→ $0 (affiliate link)​
​

📚 Get my book When I Start My Business, I'll Be Happy on sale for $17 here→. (affiliate link)

In it, I teach you how I built my 62k subscriber email list, how I plan and run my $500k 4-day launches, and how to create evergreen content that builds your business in your sleep.

This isn't a legal book (there's ZERO legal advice!) -- if you've wanted to learn more of "how I do it," my book is the only place I teach you. (affiliate link)

​Unsubscribe | Update my Name and Email

PO Box 1112, Setauket, NY 11733