Solopreneurs: Anxious About Getting More Visible?

Transcript

Welcome to a compassionate side hustle strategy hosted by me, Rochelle Sanchez. I'm a business designer and mindset coach and I help side hustling, solopreneurs like you quiet your inner drama and build compassionate systems that allow you to show up consistently and authentically in your business.

No matter what culture you were raised in, your current setbacks, economic status, or internal struggles, you deserve to do what you love for a living.

So let's go together and find that next best step for you on your business journey.

But if you’re not vibing with that kind of messaging, then then maybe this will help. Because in my opinion, that kind of advice, the kind where you can just get a reminder, snap your fingers and you do the thing — in my opinion, don’t leave a whole lot of room for people with anxiety, or excessive amounts of stress, or even any kind of neurodivergence.

Sometimes it’s too high-pressure to show up as the expert and share something relatable. It’s hard because it’s vulnerable, and no one enjoys being vulnerable to, let’s face it, complete strangers on the internet.

Strangers can be mean or judgmental. The internet is (or can be) the worst place, sometimes!

Sure, it’s necessary to put yourself out there and be visible if you want your side hustle to scale. We can’t just pre-schedule content, build a website off a template, and expect the sales to come pouring into our bank accounts.

We do need to be visible.

We know that the whole point is to build relationships with complete strangers. Complete strangers become interested, and then they become fans, and then they buy from you and ideally turn into advocates who willingly share your work with other people.

And this is the point, right? Because yeah, future clients, lead generation, public image and all that stuff.

It’s visibility, right?

But sometimes when we think about all the fancy funnels, and marketing strategies, and PR, and advertising, and guest speaking, it can be overwhelming.

And while other brands might have a whole team of either employees or subcontracted agencies doing that kind of work for them…

In your business, maybe it’s just you.

And you’re doing your best to get things rolling until you can outsource some of the work you’re doing.

So YOU…

have to balance the strategy with analytics and of course, the emotions.

It can feel like you’re alone, because you’re literally doing this on your own.

It’s just you.

But I would argue, and maybe gently correct that thought just a bit: it’s you, being super brave.

It’s you, doing your best.

It’s you, courageously planning to make a difference with your business instead of just letting your dream perpetually exist on your vision board.

Sure, It’s scary as heck and feels way more complicated than simply posting some words on the internet.

And somehow, YOU have the courage to step forward and do it.

Because here’s the thing: there’s something about RIGHT NOW that matters to you.

There’s also something in your life RIGHT NOW is about to change (for better or worse, right?)

It feels important, because it is. And that’s why you know you have to keep going, even if you’re on your own, for now.

So of course my advice is to go for it.

But instead of just shoving you into the deep end, snapping my fingers and expecting you to, “go for it.,” I invite you to reframe the way you see your efforts to get your message out there and to have as much compassion for yourself as possible.

So I want you to try these three words:

“It’s just practice.”

It’s just practice.

You’re practicing being visible.

There’s no final exam.

There’s no annual review.

There’s nothing to pass.

Nothing at risk, here.

It’s just practice.

If you’re doing video, I encourage you to say those words out loud before you hit the record button.

It’s just practice.

If you’re about to sit down to write something— Something you’ve been meaning to share the world, but it feels too big?

It’s just practice.

It’s just practice.

You can say it with a smile.

You can try shrugging as you say it.

It’s just practice.

You might find that it will help release some of the pressure you’re putting on yourself for getting it right. Whatever that may mean, for you.

And remember that with any effort to bring more visibility to your business, this will be the first of MANY attempts. Many, many creative ways to connect with your online client from now and through the next twenty years at least.

Because remember that whatever you share or post today will get buried underneath all of the other times in the future that you’re gonna try this gain.

Keeping that in mind, there’s less pressure. Less stress.

Also, since it’s just practice — you know, to just do it and to be able to say that you did it — if it’s a video you’re doing, we’re not going to do any fancy graphics or teleprompter or backgrounds.

It’ll just you. Looking at the camera lens and talking about something that you believe in.

Just for practice.

If you’re writing something personal, remember again that: it’s just you, and it’s just practice.

You’re the same person who’s grown from that experience that you’re writing about.

You’re a brave person who has something to share, and you’re allowed to take up space, no matter what platform you post it on.

And you’re going to post it, and then you’ll move on to the next piece of writing.

Because it’s all just practice.

That’s all it is.

Okay? Then when you’re done, you can celebrate!

Maybe first you can put the phone down or shut down you laptop and then scream into a pillow or jump up and down or run around the neighborhood or whatever it takes to get the nerves and adrenaline out of your body.

But then after that, you know what?

You’re going to be fine.

You’ll have one video, or one post, or one blog under your belt.

Practice Round 1 DONE.

And you’ll be proud of yourself for the effort!

Then when you’re ready, you’ll take another go at it with some more practice.

You’ll do it again. And then again.

That’s how it starts! From now until 20 years from now.

It’s all just practice, and you’re getting better and better at it every time you try.

Of course you won’t have the safe, “practice” bubble to hide in forever, but for now you can use it as a transition tool from “omg who am I to do this! Who am I to say what I want to say on the internet! Saying what I want to say is self-serving and ridiculous!” to “Yeah, I’m here. I’m ready to try this thing! I have things to say.”

Just remember to say the words out loud before you start:

It’s just practice.

That’s all for today! I hope you found this advice encouraging, to see your visibility efforts or “putting yourself out there” as a practice run to take some of the pressure off. I invite you to go ahead and put yourself out there, within the next week. It’s really the only way you can get all of your brilliant intentions and ideas out of your brain and out in the world. And that’s the whole point behind your business, right? To get it out there and make a difference? You can do it. I’ll see you next time.

Compassionate Side Hustle Strategy is sponsored by Gentle Momentum.

What if you had someone to help you navigate both the inner drama AND the back end operational stuff that comes with running your business?

What if you never felt overextended, rushed, bullied, or pressured into doing things for your business that just aren't your thing?

Gentle Momentum is a hybrid coach-in-your-pocket mentorship and accountability system designed to help ambitious, mission-driven solopreneurs just like you, stay on track and focused.

It's exactly what it sounds like: a program designed to help you generate momentum in your business!

To learn more, visit Rochelle Sanchez dot com and click on the "Work with me" button.