4 Things I’d Tell My Day-One Self (Now That We’re 4 Years In)
4 years. 208 weeks. 1460 days. That’s how long I’ve been writing blogs for a living!
September is my business birthday month and I genuinely can’t believe Natty Writes has been a thing since 2022.
I’ve been thinking about how I want to celebrate this milestone and what I want to say about it and if I’m being so for real, I almost didn’t acknowledge it.
I almost convinced myself that the celebration will matter more next year when I hit year 5…
HOW SILLY!
Starting a business is a big deal. And keeping that business running for 4 years is a big deal. So we’re going to freaking act like it, okay?! 🥳
So here we are!!! Celebrating 4 years of writing blogs for some really cool people and when I started to reflect on the last 4 years, I just couldn’t help but feel so proud of what I’ve built.
2022 me would be absolutely shook by where we are now so in this blog post, I’m sharing 4 things I’d tell my day-one self now that we’re 4 years in!
4 Things I’ve Learned In 4 Years of Business
Keep the main thing the main thing.
When I was first starting my business, it was tempting to offer a lot of different things because well… I know how to do a lot of different things.
And I thought if I offered a bunch of different stuff then I could make more money.
But after working with a few clients early on, I realized that I didn’t want to write blogs, emails, and create social media content. I didn’t want to help manage launches or take on anything and everything they needed help with.
So I quickly pivoted to offering one thing and one thing only: blogs. ✍️
Since 2022, that’s ALL I’ve been doing (with a side of emails here and there for clients that I write blogs for because emails and blogs go hand in hand).
Over the past 4 years, there have been times where I’ve yet again been tempted to add other offers because again, I could technically make more money by doing so.
But at some point, I realized that money isn’t the only currency that needs to be considered.
What about my time? What about my sanity? Those things are just as important, so when I would get the itch to switch things up, I would always remind myself: keep the main thing the main thing – become REALLY good at one thing and own that space. So that’s what I’ve done!
When people think of Natty Writes, they immediately think BLOGS.
They don’t think, “oh yeah, that’s the girl that writes websites… and emails… and can create social content… and blogs.”
They think, “that’s the blog girlie” and that’s exactly how I want it to be!
Put your blinders on.
In the online business world, it’s SO easy to pay attention to what other people are doing and think that you have to do things the same way.
During the 4 years of growing my business, I’ve definitely fallen victim to this, but at some point I had to get real with myself and really think about how I want MY business to run.
The truth is, there’s not just one right way to do something and until you really understand and believe that, you will continue to get distracted and try to do things how you see other people doing them.
By continuing to do that, you’ll eventually end up in a spot that you never intended to be. You can grow to resent the business you’ve built and might even wonder if it’s still even worth it.
If I could go back and tell my fresh entrepreneur self this one thing, I’d tell her to find the people she wants to learn from and do that, but don’t try to be a replica. And the second you find yourself comparing and questioning why it works for her, but not you, MUTE THEM.
Mute or unfollow the people that are getting in the way of you creating the thing that the world needs AND that you actually enjoy doing.
Because yes, there’s always going to be people that appear more successful than you or seem to have it altogether and it will make you question sooooo many things about yourself, but that’s when it’s time to put the dang blinders on and do the next right thing that feels good FOR. YOU.
For example, if everyone and their mom is suddenly hosting a paid challenge to get people into their program, but that’s of no interest to you… don’t host a challenge.
If everyone is creating a 52 week email funnel and running ads to a freebie to get people on their list, but that sounds like the most dreadful thing for you to create… don’t write the emails.
If your biggest competitor is launching a new course and charging $5k and you have no interest in launching a course and would rather stay in the service provider world… don’t create the course.
If someone you look up to is starting a Substack, but you can’t fathom creating content for yet another platform… don’t start the Substack.
If everyone around you is launching a podcast, but you prefer writing blogs or recording YouTube videos… don’t start the podcast.
End of story! 🎤
Be where your feet are.
This is something I've always heard about and wanted to implement in my life, but always had a really hard time with.
As a business owner, it’s so easy to always be ON. Not just when you’re working, but when you’re home, when you’re on a date night, when you’re with your family, the list goes on.
To some extent, we just can’t help it! Our brains are wired to think creatively about our business and we get excited when we have new ideas and it can be hard to shut off.
But this whole concept of being where your feet are really hit home for me when I had a baby in 2024. I was 2 years into business and it felt like things were just getting good. I had some footing underneath me and I was really excited for where things were heading.
However, if you’ve ever had a baby, you know that they slow things down a little for you (in the best way). And I was someone who didn’t want to put my son in organized childcare right away. I really wanted to stay home with him for as long as possible.
So I did that. For almost his entire first year of life, I stayed home and only had one dedicated childcare day per week. And it worked… for the most part. But looking back on that time of life, I realize how sidetracked I was and how I was multitasking ALL. THE. TIME.
My feet (aka my focus) were hardly ever in just one place.
When my son was nearing his first birthday, I decided to put him in organized childcare 3 days/week and it was during that shift that I realized just how important it is to truly be where your feet are because time is the only thing in life we can’t get back.
And I never want to look back again and say, “I wish I would’ve just been more present with him.” 😭
So now, during my working hours, I’m working. But when I’m at home, I’m at HOME – playing, laughing, momming.
My computer isn’t out. I’m not checking and responding to emails. I’m not responding to DM’s. I’m not checking my Slack messages.
I do my work at work and that’s it. And I’m really proud of that because that’s the EXACT reason I started this business in the first place. 🤎
“Basic” and “boring” aren’t a bad thing.
Lastly, if I could go back and tell my 2022 self something, I’d remind her that “basic” and “boring” aren’t a bad thing. Just like the temptation to copy what everyone else is doing, there's also constant pressure as an online business owner to jump on every new thing thrown your way.
It’s never ending and it’s honestly exhausting. It’s so easy to get shiny object syndrome and think that we have to have this or we have to do this.
But something I’ve grown to love over the past 4 years is having a “basic” business. Meaning, I do one thing. I serve my clients well. I charge this price. I market like this. And that’s that.
I don’t overcomplicate things and I don’t switch things up all that often just for the heck of it.
And that’s because I love the “boring” business I’m building. I know what works for me, I know what goals I have, and I know that they don’t all have to happen tomorrow.
So just because my business doesn't look very flashy and I’m not constantly promoting something new, that doesn’t mean it’s not successful – it just means it’s MY version of success and that’s completely enough.
Here’s To Many More Years of Natty Writes
So there you have it – lessons, 4 years, and one "boring" business that I wouldn't trade for anything!
If I’ve ever written blogs for you, if you’ve participated in Blogmas, been a Writer’s Room member, read my blog content, subscribed to Notes From Natty, or followed along on Instagram, from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU for being here!
Here’s to the next 4 years being just as good. 🥂