Hey guys!
Normally you see me around doing #TechieTip posts and going live to talk about mindset and marketing strategies that don’t feel intimidating.
But I thought I’d stop in and reveal a little more about myself.
Can we get real with each other and admit that our lives are not that glamorous?
I’ll go first.
*deep breath*
I am not rich. I'm a middle class girl in a boring suburb where the only thing that's open after 9:00pm is Target. I shop on Amazon and filter my search so that I only get products with free shippin. When I go out to eat for a special occasion, it’s probably Applebee’s instead of a ritzy 5-star place that serves you half-cup portion sizes for $180. Sometimes I go all out and go to Olive Garden (and yes, I do ask for refills on the bread sticks). I always use a coupon when I shop for art supplies at Michaels, because, well, they ALWAYS have a coupon available. So why not.
Uh, what else?
(I’m trying to show you how normal and real I am, just fyi)
Today my errands included:
- Phone calls with students
- Dropping off a dusty corner shelf and an old office chair at the Goodwill (Did you know they recycle anything they don’t re-sell? Pretty cool!)
- Dropping off my second generation Kindle (it literally only holds a charge for about two hours now) so I can get a $20 credit with Amazon to buy the Kindle Paperwhite (I saw it at Staples while chair shopping and fell in love. It’s so cute and small!)
- Mailing my business renewal license with my city, which is 3 months late. What normally costs me $50 for a business with zero revenue (yes, you read that right — zero revenue last year! I had a LOT of expenses) actually costed $90 because I’ve been procrastinating and the fees stacked up. I mean, I just didn’t get around to it! #normalright?
- Filling out a form at my doctor’s office to get medical records transferred.
- Going to Costco to get my membership card. I’ve been grocery shopping at Walmart for the past two years because it’s new, not ghetto (yet), and right next to my house, but I’m a little burned out and needed a change of scenery.
Okay, what’s with the MAJOR off-topic vibes, right?
… honestly?
Because the stuff you see on this blog is exactly the kind of stuff I send to my email list. I consider all of my subscribers my BESTIES, but the only way I can honestly feel like I'm being real and “best friend-like” with you is if I'm completely open and real.
So here's some more realness for ya!
(There’s a method to my madness, I promise)
Maybe you hear about people leaving their jobs and becoming crazy rich.
Maybe you're tired of your friends messaging you and trying to sling you into their wraps, shakes, and closet parties.
I'll level with ya — they kinda get on my nerves, too. But some of them really do make it big and are able to quit and retire all their second cousins. (That was sarcasm but you get my point, right?)
What's the difference between them, and you?
How come you both live in a middle class suburb, but you're stuck in traffic for two hours a day while they work from home?
Because they're real people who saw the opportunity and hustled until it worked for them. There are SO many ways to make a business work, but you have to do it in a way that feels good to you.
These people are no different from you and me, with our middle class tract homes (my house model is exactly the same as the one fives houses down) and eating at Rubio's or Chili's for a family birthday.
Most of them don't open up about how totally UNGLAMOROUS their lives are. So while I'm not super stinkin' rich from self employment (yet!), I'd like to help you realize that the entrepreneur lifestyle isn't as far off as it seems.
How much of this feels normal and relateable to you?
• I work from home. My first three businesses didn't take off and I ended up in a lot of credit card debt through that learning process (and I don't mind!)
• I have four cats living in my house right now (one is sort of “on loan” but she’s my sweetheart so I don’t mind). I know what each of their poop looks like, and I can’t have any more cats — not because I don’t want any more, but because I just CAN’T clean up any more poop!
• I know which streets to avoid at 3:00pm when I know the traffic jams are the WORST because that’s school pick-up time.
• I have an developmentally disabled autistic brother named Robert (my baby 30-year-old brother) and he basically goes everywhere with me. I may not have kids but I kinda do, with this boy. I love and hate that autism is so mainstream now. Growing up, everyone got that “what-the-huh??” look on their face when I said he’s “autistic.” Nowadays most people can tell before I even introduce him. (It’s probably the bunch of strings that fall out of his pockets or his headset that gives it away)
Anyway, my point is this:
I am a normal, real, middle class person back here, behind all these emails or blogs you read from me.
So are you, behind the facade you put up when you’re marketing your business.
I spend a lot of time mingling and watching in Facebook groups, and it’s pretty easy for me to see who’s new and who’s not.
I can tell it took you two days to write that post, make that video, or write that email.
I know you've got talents and skills, but you're using the same language as everyone else because, well, you sound exactly like everyone else.
I can tell, because you probably ran it by your friends, re-wrote it, got distracted by REAL LIFE (maybe you have lots of litter boxes to clean, too), had to run some errands like the ones I shared above, and about seven more things, right?
You’re okay. You’re normal, and you’re perfect. No matter what your house looks like or how much poop you clean up every day.
Your ideal client will love you no matter what you say.
That’s why I have confidence in myself as I write this VERY UNGLAMOROUS sneak peak into my life.
And yes, I did send this email to ALL of my subscribers. Not just certain segments. You ALL get this message, today.
Here's the deal:
I don’t have a cash shopping spree to share with you.
I don’t have a “yay this my third month in a row of hitting five figures!!” celebration.
I know this:
I have no idea why I got charged 78 cents for a postage stamp at UPS today. I paid it because I was embarrassed that “Forever” stamps might actually be 78 cents now and I'm completely out of the loop. (I checked Google — they’re not. It was just an outrageous price hike)
And I ALSO KNOW:
You are a Godsend to someone out there, even if you have a cluttered house, say “um” a lot, or have any other imperfections. Your clients will understand and stick around BECAUSE of those imperfections. But you have to be real with them.
Deal?
Take some pressure off yourself, let your guard down, and just write an honest email to people who showed interest in you. That is exactly why they opted in! To hear from YOU. Not to hear you regurgitate everything you've heard “works best.”
If you're going the email list route (and I hope you do!), don’t be afraid of unsubscribes. When I sent this blog to my email list, a handful jumped ship and I expected that — I get personal in my emails and I don’t mind people stepping out if they’re just not interested.
That’s cool with me.
But if you’re here for the long haul — you know, the dirty, “ugly cry” moments, the months where you launch an NO ONE buys, the wasting of money even after you finally find the courage to invest in your business — then welcome.
You are my bestie. <3
And I believe in you!
Rochelle
P.S. I’d love to hear a little bit about you, from behind the scenes. What did you do today? No matter how mundane or ordinary (uh, re-read this post if you think I’m only about flashy lifestyles, right?), I want to hear from you. Tell me in the comments below how your middle class life looks like on a day to day basis.