Things that Made My Entrepreneur Life Easier in 2020
Though we hate this phrase, we’re all slowly getting used to this “new reality.” We were all thrown into the socially-distanced, voluntarily-quarantined virtual world, and many practices and tools have emerged since that have helped to make it easier. Sure, Zoom is so widely used it has now become a verb—but beyond the obvious, what has made my life easier this year’? What comes to mind at first is comfortable clothes, a ting light
Airtable - I first used Airtable when working on B.PHL, and I was hooked from the start. The platform is difficult to set up, but once it is set, it makes it so easy to collaborate across teams, whether those teams are internal, external, or a mix of both. I’ve since implemented it in my own business and am starting to optimize it, which has been incredibly challenging and fun at the same time. Can’t wait to start using it with new clients in 2021.
Calendly - I used to dislike the ‘check my calendar’ conversations, and thought that sending a calendar link was impersonal. While I still do see that there are things about this new process that are impersonal, I absolutely love Calendly and the time it has saved in my life. It hasn’t been as easy for me to create space between work time and at-home time in this new reality, so anything that saves me time gets my vote. I love the integrations as well, and am so glad I implemented this prior to the pandemic.
Dr. Frantonia Pollins’ Programs - I was introduced to Dr. Frantonia Pollins and her work in June of this year, when I enrolled in a course she led entitled "The Evil Behind Your Love & Light,” which facilitated candid conversations on how to create an uncompromising anti-racism action plan for new-aged spirituality and women’s empowerment spaces. This course came at such divine timing for me, as I was having my own battle with the wellness communities I had been a part of in recent years. From there, I knew that Dr. Frantonia was the transformational life coach I wanted to learn from. I have since enrolled in her Take Back Your Life course and her Claim Your Confidence workshop, and I cannot recommend her enough to any woman looking to do the work to break through and claim the life you were born to have.
Virtual Fitness Classes - This year put the spotlight on mental health more than ever, and for me, one of the things that keeps me sane is movement. Running, yoga and dance have become staples for me due to their ability to help me get out energy and maintain focus, especially before ‘big’ days. From City Fitness’ Instagram live offerings this past spring, to my monthly Namastream subscription and live classes with Megan of Profound Movement; to my small group Zoom yoga sessions with my friend Robin Miller, it made me feel more connected and less alone.
Asking for Help - I’ve done a lot of work on myself this year , and one of the things I realized is that I have a very hard time asking for help. No more! In addition to growing my team, I have expanded the outside help that I receive on my business. My accounting firm, MCA Accounting, helped me to get a PPP loan when I simply could not do it myself. When I realized that I was too close to my Social Media and not thinking about it in a strategic way, I enlisted Sarah Q. Leonard to put together a strategy deck. With this new and invigorated brand voice and direction, I could seamlessly integrate the updates to my existing social media accounts and relay it ton my team members easily—whether they had been working with me for awhile or they had just started. Similarly, when Sarah Zero of Wellstruck launched her Mastermind, I knew I had to jump on the chance to apply to learn from her and the other members of the cohort. It just launched this month, and I’m already feeling invigorated!
I love learning new processes, implementing new systems, and growing as a person, and am so thankful for the many opportunities I’ve had this year to get uncomfortable enough to innovate. What are some tools, mindset shifts or best practices that have helped you survive this year?