Hey there online business owners, let’s talk.
I know you’ve been siting there, glued to your computer for hours, eyes glazing over with ideas and inspiration. Smack in the middle of all that I’m sure, are the stunning promotional videos for B-school. If you haven’t seen them yet, you’ve surely caught an episode or 50 of Marie TV, so you know how polished and sharp Marie’s content is.
I know you’re watching her, because I have seen and heard so many of you lamenting how you’re not like her. Your videos aren’t as good, message isn’t as clear, and hair not as did – or is that last one just me? Gracious I want a hair team to follow me around!
It makes my heart hurt to think of anyone sitting around, lamenting their ‘non-Marie’ ness, because it’s the worlds most unfair comparison. That’s like sitting around wondering why you’re not Martha Stewart or Oprah. And c’mon, comparison really IS the thief of joy. You really shouldn’t compare yourself to ANYONE, but it’s especially unfair when you choose such a high profile target for your comparison-itus, it’s just a no-win situation.
Listen, she’s been in this business a LONG time and her work has evolved, she also understands the value of image and positioning, so as she earns more, she invests that in stylists, (can anyone make their hair that bouncy by themselves? If so please tell me how!) sets, and I’m sure a team of video editors, and anything else she needs to make her business hum. And that’s great. That’s soooo wonderful. Because the more she invests in her business impact, growth and positioning, the bigger space she creates for all of us to have these businesses so near and dear to our hearts. She’s changing and growing an incredible industry, and I could not be more grateful to her for creating this path.
She’s done an incredible job of evolving with her audience. If you go back to older episodes of MarieTV her tag line was different, if you pay close attention, she shifts it every 6 months or so, which I LOVE because it’s like “See? Businesses evolve!”
She walks the talk of listening and tracking what’s working with your audience, and then making improvements to create the most value and impact.
If you want to compare yourself to her, compare yourself to where she was early in her career, working 2 or 3 jobs, trying to figure out where this is all going. Or her low-budget videos in her apartment. Or her work pre-MarieTV that was blogs without video. You can’t compare your beginnings or middles, to her very successful middle – I don’t want to say end, because it’s all an evolving journey.
But the point is, the reason she has attained the type of success she has, is because she’s not afraid to try new things, to be honest with her audience, and to put herself out there.
If you sit around waiting for the perfect tag line, you’ll never have it, because the perfect tag line comes after you’ve said it 100 times, and you realize what works better.
You get really polished by starting with rocks and refining them into gems, and that refinement, clarity and polish comes from action. Putting your work out there, playing with tag lines or titles, and evolving as you go.
I adore Marie, I think she is a pioneer. She’s someone I look forward to crying on when I meet her because she’s made such an impact in my business and life. But it’s the opposite of helpful (and her message) to sit around feeling bad about yourself because you haven’t mastered videos, or affiliate marketing yet.
Give yourself a break, and go out there and put your work on the line. Put it out there, try new things, see what works, and move forward with it. I think you’re amazing, and I totally agree that “the world needs your special gift”. I want nothing more than for you to unlock yourself and let it OUT, without obsessing about why you’re not already super evolved in your career.
Stuck on your services? I can help. I’m Ellen, Money Making Expert. I help creative business owners make more money and revolutionize their businesses.
It’s my mission to help you triple your monthly income and start really creating the opportunities you want for yourself. Ready to find out what’s possible when we work together? Book your power sesh here. 20 minutes, you and me, totally free.
“Go for it! In fact, if you have ANY doubt that you might not be going in the right direction in your business, all you need is one session with Ellen. She’s not only extremely business-savvy and able to come up with innovative, creative and totally ON FIRE ideas quick-as-all-hell, her razor-sharp wit and relaxed demeanor made the whole session feel like I was talking to a (super–smart) BFF.” – Erica
Ooooh my goodness… such a beautiful read and it’s so true. I LOOOVE what you wrote: You get really polished by starting with rocks and refining them into gems […]”
I love Marie, but if others actually take time to learn her story, Marie shares that she didn’t always have the “stylist, hair, set, production team she has today.” She is a smart,savvy, talented business woman who has actually “worked” and tweaked things consistently and focused on what works… to get where she is; she didn’t stop when she wasn’t feeling it, like many budding entrepreneurs do. You are exactly right we should compare ourselves to the people we value, look-up to, mentors, etc. as who they are now… as many started out just like us.
Fantastic piece Ellen !
PS. I actually think your hair is gorgeous and this is a compare-compliment: very Marie-like, but prettier because it’s yours!