HOW TO MANAGE A WEBSITE REDESIGN

10/18/2019

The Marketing Pro's Guide to Managing a Website Redesign Project

As a marketing manager, you will likely only lead large website redevelopment projects a few times in your career. But, as a website specialist, I have led many. This post contains my best advice for a non-geek leading a website project.

I have been creating websites practically since they were stone tablets, so I have launched quite a few websites for large organizations. These include:

SMARTER WAYS TO SPEND YOUR 'USE IT OR LOSE IT' BUDGET

9/13/2018

End the Year Looking like a Rock Star

Between October and December of each year a phenomenon occurs in marketing departments all over the US. It's the magical end of the year use-it-or-lose-it marketing spend.

3 WAYS TO BOOK MORE APPOINTMENTS FOR YOUR SPA

8/28/2018

Your website could do a better job bringing in appointments - here's how

I see a lot of websites. I mean a lot of websites. All day I take calls with potential clients and we look at what they are doing right, and what they could do better.

JOY TO US ALL

8/13/2018

Why Joy Matters at Work + How to Create More of It

I recently watched a TedX talk by Ingrid Fetell Lee on creating joy through design. Ingrid suggested that there is a relationship between physical things and the emotional reaction we have to them. Bright pops of color, round shapes, multiples of the same object, and a sense of elevation tend to put us at ease. While sharp corners and dull colors bring about stress.

HOW TO CREATE A WEBSITE

8/6/2018

Options for creating your website for free or cheap

I just typed "How to create" into the Google search bar. And do you know what the first auto-complete option was? "How to create a website."

It's really not that surprising. Businesses need a website, but they often don't have a budget for one. PLUS, do-it-yourself website builders have come a long way. More and more business owners are looking at creating the website themselves in order to save the expense of working with a designer.

I COULDN'T BELIEVE HOW THIS PODCAST EPISODE TURNED OUT!

7/18/2018

Hands down the best podcast episode I ever did...

This week Amy Mewborn released my episode of her new podcast "Turning Lemons to Lemonade Podcast." Her podcast is dedicated to telling the true, real, not-so-pretty stories of female entrepreneurs.

BE HAPPIER EVERY DAY

6/26/2018

3 Simple Changes to Make your Life More Enjoyable Starting NOW

10 year old me in my first cheerleading uniform. This picture is what I think of when I imagine pure happiness. The joy of a 10 year old!

I know all kinds of entrepreneurs and business leaders at different types of businesses. And although for the most part these are strong, empowered people, their level of happiness varies. It is not correlated in any way to their level of earnings or success. Nor is it necessarily attached to their upbringing, or their future prospects.

Happiness is not determined by past, present, or future situation. It is separate from external sources.

We only need to watch any reality TV show centered around the rich and famous to know that success and riches do not guarantee happiness.

USE THE POWER OF THE SUMMER SOLSTICE TO YOUR ADVANTAGE

6/21/2018

Calm the Fire, Radiate the Light Today

Today marks the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere, with the Earth’s 23.5-degree tilt most directly oriented towards the sun. For those in Alaska, this means that the sun will continue to shine for 24 hours a day until early August. But for residents of the continental United States, June 21st, 2018 will simply be a slightly longer day than usual (between 13.5 to 16 hours of daylight; compared to 8.5 to 10.5 hours on the shortest day of the year).

Pretty boring from a scientific standpoint. But there is quite a rich history surrounding the Midsummer holiday. Pagans, astrologists, and yogis all find unique ways to celebrate this turning point of the seasons. Summer Solstice has something interesting to say to all of us. There are many themes that give the Solstice merit in today’s world, but here are three of them.

The sun shines on a statue of an Olympic discus thrower outside of the Panathenaikon Stadium in Athens, Greece. Photo taken by a friend in 2018.

ANXIETY IN THE ENTREPRENUER

4/25/2018

49% of Entrepreneurs Suffer - Here's What Worked for Me

A study from by Dr. Michael Freeman at the University of California San Francisco found that 49% of those who start a company say they have struggled with some form of mental illness in the past. 72% of entrepreneurs are directly or indirectly affected by mental health conditions.

QUITTING A JOB TO START A BUSINESS

3/21/2018

Why BURNING THE BOAT worked for me

Two years after I quit corporate America to start my business I found myself driving an hour and half each way to a new job. I got out of bed at 4:30 AM in order to get my workout in before leaving for work by 6:30 AM. I missed walking my little girl to the bus stop, and a million other precious things about self-employment. On top of all that, my new position was not for me. But I was desperate and scared.