Hi everyone! I was catching up today – which means catching up on some ghostwriting projects, writing a little of my business balance book, and getting organized – and I stopped to scroll through the Warrior Forum, which I know many of you dislike.
I found a thread, though – where this person was talking about how they unsubscribe from 99% of all email lists and prefer the personalized ones. At first I thought I’d do a blog post about that specific topic, but really, it’s more broad than that – what I’m thinking about today.
Especially after what I’ve recently been through – what you guys were there for me for – I wanted to talk about what makes us satisfied in our businesses overall.
We already have what makes us happy about life, right? For me, it’s these things:
- Having my babies around me
- Cooking
- Certain TV shows
- My pets
- Hot baths
- My Mom and sister
- Reading
- Working on my business
When I have those things, I am so happy I can’t even stand it. And that last one baffles so many people – people who look forward to shutting down their computer and quitting work every day. But I LOVE to work.
I want you to think about what you love about your work. Do you even have anything you love? If not, you might need to change business models or niches.
Here are some things I love about what I do:
1. Personal connections.
That’s it! Without it, the whole business would be absolutely boring to me. Everything I do would just sit there, stale on my blog. Blogging wouldn’t be fun unless people interacted with me.
Researching wouldn’t be fun unless I knew that my digging and insight might actually help someone. When I’m researching something like a strategy I feel might help, I don’t just think in broad terms of “Oh it’ll help people.”
No – I specifically picture one of you, maybe many of you – and when I’m researching or writing, I’m picturing you with your health problems, you with your own babies, you feeling overworked and needing a rest.
When I release something, the joy that I feel is because I’m picturing you maybe making more money with my strategy and envisioning you taking a day off thanks to your residual earnings.
When I send an email, like that person was mentioning in their post on the WF, I do it like I’m saying hi to a friend. I feel that way. I can be a dork or talk about non business stuff.
Obviously I’m not close to all 9,000+ people signed up. I wish I were! I wish the lurkers didn’t feel like an imposition emailing me their questions. I wish everyone wanted to form real friendships online.
But not everyone does. I’m grateful for those who do – but also hopefully that even without that personal connection with me – they’re finding value in what I offer.
During this harrowing time I went through, I got so many sweet emails. Not just people supporting me – but people reaching out to me because they, too were going through something very similar – or something equally distressing, yet different.
I felt like we were there for one another. And that just makes doing business with people you trust and like that much sweeter.
Oh there are other things I like about my business. I love writing about many topics. I love researching new things. I love the continuing education element. I love not having a boss. I love the hours. I love the freedom to do what I want and not have a boss.
But nothing – not one single thing – compares to the friendships I’ve formed in this business that fuel me to create good products and help those who need whatever guidance I can give them.
What is it for you? What elements do you love about YOUR business?
Tiff 😉
30 replies to "What Fulfills You About Your Business?"
Funny you should mention it- I am currently unsubscribing from a majority of my email lists because I am sick of all those sales pitches! Currently I am working full-time out of my home but for a major corporation. The job is one of the best I have had because it is not too stressful but I still work FOR someone. In pursuing an online business that I own, I am looking for these things that make me happy- freedom- time freedom, financial freedom, freedom to travel and doing things I enjoy- reading, researching, learning and writing. I love my family but they are growing up and moving on. Time to start writing the next chapter of my life!
Ah Sheila yes I hear you! My baby isn’t so much a baby anymore. So for me, the emptying nest or kids involved in other stuff leaves me wanting people connections. I also like the time freeing up to read more for relaxation.
I’m unsubbing from a lot of emails too this week – they all just promote promote promote with no added value at all. Tiff I think your emails are very personal and you always bring the value which is why I look out for them. Erica Stone usually has useful emails too but she tends to only write when she’s releasing a product.
Ah yes I bug people daily (usually) lol!
Thanks for a thought-provoking post. I’ve been struggling lately because I honestly don’t know if I love working online. I’m sort of an in-person kind of girl, and online work feels so abstract to me it’s hard to get excited about it. Although I love it when someone finds my work online and emails me – I feel like a million bucks! When you dig in and write about all the research and writing you do, I think, “Oh, I WISH I felt that way so that I could really just POUR into my business.”
I think it’s because when I started online it wasn’t about making personal connections. It was the keyword-content writing, then getting SE rankings, then “monetizing.” Of course it was about giving 100% awesome info and giving people what they need – but it was about the formula first. I got so burned out on that (and trying to write to the “SEO rules”) and I think that’s what still keeps me stuck online.
That’s why I love your work. It’s all about personal, good, bad, struggle, success, you’re a real person. I *will* find my way!!
And Kim, that’s okay! Not everyone needs to be an online person. I know many people who really need to be getting out every day and interacting in person!
You’re right – I was taught keyword density, etc. too.
It’s hard to let go of that because it was ingrained in us. I was able to let go out of sheer laziness.
The touchstone of my business is being honest with my customers and providing quality products. It doesn’t get any better than that.
It does feel good Holly!
I LOVE the interaction I get and meeting and connecting with people all over the world. And to think it all started nearly a year ago by taking up your vlog challenge!
I love the idea of giving people AHA moments and helping them succeed in whatever area they want to!
Yes Tamsin this global thing has amazed me. I was so sheltered in my little city and getting to know REAL people (not just news stories) has really been fulfilling for me. The vlog challenge really did help.
Glad you’re getting back into your groove! I’ve been rootin for ya all along and realized I hadn’t commented here in probably 6montha but I’ve been following along silently all along 🙂
Aww thanks Clefty! Good to hear from you my friend!
Without a doubt being able to work from home is one of the main things I love about my business. Not being answerable to anyone but myself is another. I do not like taking orders from people so it suits me just fine to tell myself what to do.
I really DO love what I do, although at times I get burned out. I spend about 12 hours a day 7 days a week online and you would think that with that kind of dedication I would be raking in the dollars…but I’m not. I’m still in the testing phase of several projects after losing 80% of my income when Google b*tch slapped Squidoo up the side of the head.
I don’t have a following yet so that is irrelevant. Still not sure that anyone wants to read what I write but I still write with the belief that one day someone WILL want to read it!….lol
Great insight Dee. I too LOVE the no boss element. God help me if I ever have to go back to being an employee – I’ll be a brat! LOL!
Hi Tiff, great article and food for thought.
I love working on my website and despite lack of time love researching and writing articles.
I need to get a better balance between time spent online and time spent offline with customers as that is where I get most of my fulfillment actually working with clients and seeing how much they change and seeing them get healthier ie lowering their cholesterol levels.
Ah yes balance is always the Achilles Heel to many people, me included at times! 🙂
Although I miss the routine paycheck, I like the independence I have to do what I want when I want. I can take off in the middle of the day to hangout with my grandson and his mom, etc. I’m not making as much money as I would like, but it’s my choice as to what I work on, when, and where. I’m also enjoying the people I meet online, especially as we have moved around so much the last six years. The online friends are more steady than those offline. 😉 It’s all good!
I love my online friends. I feel closer to them than I do most of my offline ones.
I feel outed! I am one of the “lurkers” 😉
How did you know I was there? LOL
Thanks for the reminder on how important interaction is in an online business. I tend to get lost in the business/content creation aspect and forget that building relationships is just as vital.
Love the lurkers too 🙂 LOL! Relationship building is where it’s satisfying for me.
What I like in Online business – is the freedom of movement… I can work from everywhere.
BUT I combine on-line and off-line because there is some higher level of energy and adrenaline when I meet people in a dynamic workplace.
So I have a privileged to have 2 days a week off-line customers and other 5 days a week to work from home….and I love it
I also like that I can interact with people from any place on the globe. I have friends, mentors and followers from every continent!
Oh that IS a great perk Liat! The mobility of it all is unlike anything else. I also love my global friendships. They’re precious to me.
Hi Tiff & company 🙂
I love the freedom working online, having my own business gives me. For instance, these past few weeks have been full of family issues, kid sick, trips to doctors, etc. It’s just been mayhem – but I could still work on my tablet, and late, late nights when I could. With a regular j-o-b I would have been fired before I could Google what that meant!
And the people I run across online make all that I do so worthwhile. I have learned more from comments others have helpfully left than I could have from any thousand dollar online course.
So the bottom line for me is simple – I may never make a million dollars online (who does really?) but I can care for my family without fear of losing my job. The folks who allow me into their online lives are priceless and I would never trade them for the fanciest water cooler around.
Don’t you love that? I love that when chaos hits, there’s no boss to beg for time off. I can navigate emergencies around MY schedule.
Great to see you, Tiff!
I love it when people leave comments, and come back for another look. I’m making online friends, which I didn’t expect.
I like having 2-3 marketers I can ask for help.
Most of all, I absolutely love working with coaching and hypnotherapy clients online!
Shan
That’s great Shan! I love the whole comments thing too – when discussions take place. That’s the best.
I love the “no boss” and “set your own hours” things too, but hands down I absolutely LOVE my clients. Now that I’ve figured out exactly WHO I am serving, and what they most want from me, it’s a kick to know I’m making their lives easier at the same time they are challenging me to learn and grow because each job is just different enough to make it interesting. 🙂
Glad you’re making your way back, Tiff! You’ve been missed!
~ Lena
Yes – when you have an audience you truly care about, nothing compares. They become family. I’ve missed everyone!
Wonderful post Tiff. What do I love about working online? All of it.
The stretching of those brain cells when I get those AHA moments. The growing bank of knowledge I am accumulating. The flexibility of working when I want. I haven’t done anything since my diagnosis but I’m not stressing about it. When and if I get back to it is fine with me. My priorities have changed.
But most of all I love the people I’ve met online. They are the ones that have made such a positive difference to my life. A big thank you to all of you.
Hey sweet friend! How are you doing?
I’m glad you’re not stressing. What good would that accomplish? We’re all here for you ((hugs))