Really, I am. I thrive on love in all forms. Online love. Offline love. Love for my work, love for other people’s work. Love is my favorite.

I think we’re all little walking love machines. It would be cool if we had glowy hearts on our chests that we could push to disseminate and receive the love we need. When we’re feeling low, our glowy heart would be dim. And then everyone would fill us up until we were day-glow bright again.

Gwen Bell posted this video a few weeks ago, and it’s one of those that I’m finding myself going back to over and over.

If you don’t have time to watch the whole thing, pay attention to 9:22 to 14:45. It talks about how technology has moved our society to a place where we’re seeking trust, meaning, and quality of life over our previously-held values of privacy, constant availability, and ease of use. Our use of technology has made us feel isolated and alone (our glowy hearts are dim!), and now we’re using it to foster meaningful connection.

So what does that mean for us?

I’ve been a pioneer in content-driven websites. Now that people are starting to get that, I’m paying attention to new practices that are solving some of the challenges we face with the content-driven model. It’s not good enough to be a pioneer. You have to know where things are going.

I like to watch people who have been online for a good while to sense the direction of where things are headed. When we’re new to working online, we tend to over-indulge in all of the candy. (But the candy! It might disappear! Must. eat.) But the more seasoned folks among us have over-indulged, under-indulged, and eventually come to a point of investing their time in the things that have longevity. Things I’m noticing now:

• A general repulsion for the exploitation of relationships. We’re funny and real and so transparent. We’ve gotten rid of the corporate lingo and have become comfortable being ourselves. Which is great. But if that becomes another marketing gimmick, we are sickened beyond belief. Which makes sense, given our society’s deepest needs are for trust, security, and meaning. Bad things happen when our deepest needs are exploited.
• Stepping up what we publish. Sick of excessive information and searching for real meaning, we are starting to take our content more seriously. Makes complete sense, and I’m glad it’s happening. Sometimes first drafts are okay to publish, but what would happen if we treated our work as art? What would happen if we polished and shimmied and shined everything we put out there, even to the detriment of frequency?
• Respecting when people disconnect. Our technology-free days are becoming intentional. We do not lose credibility when we disappear to work on our art. Rest is beginning to be respected.
• Instantly recognizing marketing cliches. Remember your favorite English teacher’s definition of cliche? Anything you’ve heard once. And it’s becoming even truer in online marketing. It is now so important to put on our horse-blinders and create strategy that is just ours.
• Having launch fatigue. Marissa Bracke wrote an extremely timely article on this last week. When our relationships with people online become 85% about what we’re launching or what other people are launching, we’re bound to get tired of all of the launching. It’s starting to happen, folks. Which is another reason to put on those blinders and do something no one else is doing. Including launching like no one else is launching.
• Appreciating the chopping block. We are tired of sifting through information. We want carefully edited direction. Instead of googling, we ask people on Twitter for their recommendations. When we visit a website, we don’t want everything in the sidebars — just a selection of what’s most important and useful. Instead of an exhaustive list of books on marketing, we would rather have Ted’s top five. It’s not enough to be simple. We want hand-picked. If you build a reputation of hand-picking the best stuff and chopping off the rest, people will come to you as a trusted resource.
• Going back to professionalism (a little). When we tossed out corporate crap, we tossed out a lot of…crap. But there was also a lot of good stuff that went out with the trash. Like quality. Just because it’s personal, doesn’t mean that we can shill crap (read Amy Hoy’s excellent article on this…and don’t worry. She informs me that it’s Nutella.). We need quality photography. Quality writing. Quality packaging. Quality products. If we’re going to continue to flourish in the online space, we can’t become known for over-priced, over-hyped crap.

So that’s what I’ve been thinking about while I’ve been being quiet. Love, crap, and sandwiches. Also, that LiteSites are back from vacay. And I’ve hired two people who I love and who you will meet very soon. And also that I need to hire a third, but I’m not a fan of being too big for my britches.

Love. To you.

I think we all agree that as startup business owners, taking care of ourselves is important. So we don’t get burned out…yada, yada, yada. But when we apply that to ourselves personally, it gets a little sketchy. Are we taking care of ourselves, or are we just being lazy? Are we conserving our energy, or are we not taking advantage of our passion? Do we need work-life balance, or is balance for slow-getters?

I certainly don’t have the answers, but I’ve noticed a trend in the business owners I’ve worked with, and it repeats itself over and over. You go through a time of blood-rushing-to-the-head excitement. And then you sober up. At the sobering point, you either decide that you were wrong and you need to start a different business so that the blood-rushing returns. Or you decide to start taking care of the goose.

Trailblazing and caring for the goose

When you start doing what you love for a living, for a while it’s hard. But somehow doing that hard stuff is so easy because you’re excited about the trail-blazing. It’s a rush of adrenaline that can last for months and months.

Are you at that stage? I know the uncertainty is tough, and I feel for that aspect of starting your own business. But I also want to let you in on a secret — that rush of adrenaline is a serious asset that mature businesses remember wistfully. Appreciate it. Languor in it. Use it for all its worth. Sure, take breaks. Eat when you’re hungry; sleep when you’re tired. But I’d argue that when you’re in that initial stage, you can get by with less self-care.

Most business owners I know (myself included) will tell you that the initial sprint was crucial for their business’ current success. Those 14 hour days that flew by…those days allowed them to book themselves solid in a few short months. Those times when they couldn’t sleep because of all the exciting ideas floating through their head…those sleepless nights are when they got their copy written, their website launched, their workflows staked in the ground. The likelihood of having that same energy two years from now is small. Take advantage of it.

Growing tall: When self-care begins to get important

When the startup adrenaline starts to wear off, you notice some changes. You start talking about things like “boundaries”. You start getting protective of your personal life. Or you start wanting to have a personal life. Maybe you start to doubt that this is what you’re supposed to be doing after all. You think a different type of business would be more fulfilling.

You probably just need to take care of your goose.

You know the goose I’m talking about, right? The one that lays the golden eggs. You. You need to realize that working for yourself brings different types of pressures than working for someone else. You’re not riding on a smooth paved road anymore. You are off-roading it in rocky terrain. Your vehicle (errr…goose) needs a higher level of maintenance and at shorter intervals than before.

Maybe you used to gleefully work weekends. Now would be the time to stop. It will take some time to get used to the feeling of not working. You might feel guilty or bored or anxious; expect it. You might even have withdrawals (gotta check EMAIL!). Let yourself have withdrawals. At this stage, burning the candle on both ends makes the goose resentful (or worse, sick).

Now’s also the time to become more economical about your time. Maybe you gathered your audience by spending hours every day interacting on social networks and commenting on blogs. Great. But at this stage, that’s probably not the best use of your time. Figure out more efficient ways to get yourself out there. Start collaborating with other people to get twice (or ten times) as much done in half the time. Don’t disappear from the internet, but be more impactful in your involvement.

Now’s also the time to start planning quarterly vacations or retreats. Put them on the calendar far in advance, or you won’t have time for them. I heartily recommend that at least two of your vacations be 100% work-free. One or two can be more of a reflecting, re-grouping retreat.

Bubble baths and candlelit dinners are not the point

You’re not fragile, obviously. You wouldn’t be in business for yourself if you were. Even if you call yourself a delicate flower (phrase stolen from @copylicious), you’re made of sturdy stuff.

But we’re not looking for mere survival here. We want to flourish. And we have to take the steps to get there. (Read Joe Duffy’s take on it.)

Eventually, you are going to transition to a place where you are enjoying the fruits of your labor. Might as well be now. The point to starting your own business was to free yourself from corporate limits, live your life the way you wanted to live it, spend more time with your family and friends. If you’re not doing that, you might as well go back to work.

After another week of doing The Artist’s Way, I find myself kind of off-balance. I feel like I don’t know what I’m doing tomorrow, much less next month. What I previously deemed possible has gotten much bigger. I can do anything. What am I going to do with all of this possibility?

An example of someone I admire who is chasing a Big Dream–my good friend Felicia Barton, who has made it into the Top 36 of American Idol. She’s singing tonight, in fact. She’s chasing her dreams (and they’re Quite Big)–and watch–they’re coming true. What does this mean for me?

First of all, I thought I was doing exactly what I wanted to do. And I am. I love what I do. But is it my Big Dream? Being self-sufficient doing something that I’m naturally gifted at is definitely a part of the dream. But it’s not the whole dream.

You wouldn’t know it, but I’m a sensitive soul. The first time I walked into the Main Theatre at Regent, I really did burst into tears. It’s beautiful. It’s nostalgic. It makes my heart do this weird flip-floppy thing. It represents another part of my Big Dream that I hadn’t given a second serious thought to.

Yesterday, John mentioned that I could finish my theater degree. I looked at him and just started laughing. Not a “whatever” sort of laugh, but a giddy, 5 year old sort of laugh. It was like, “Really? Do you think I can really do that?” And I did say that. About six times.

Now I’m saying it out loud. And I’m sort of still skeptical. Am I really going to get a degree in theater arts? Will I really fulfill my dream of playing Kathy Selden in Singin’ in the Rain? (Because that is really the best part.)

I think so. I hope so. And yes, I’m still going to design websites (I don’t think I could ever let go of my code-loving side).

So in case you missed the Very Important Announcement, I’ve been going through the Artist’s Way for the past two weeks. Except I’m still on week one, because a.) I’m not very good at re-training old habits, and b.) I got really busy working on the Felicia Barton fan site. But let me tell you what I’ve got so far.

I am terrified of the Artist’s Date.

Okay, let me explain. The Artist’s Date is a once-a-week date that you’re supposed to have with your inner artist. It’s supposed to last two hours. At first I thought…easy. Just go somewhere by myself for two hours. Should be nice. Luxurious, even.

I decided to go to the library. No computer, no cell phone, no kids. Just me and a bunch of books. I love books. Couldn’t be too bad, right?

I think this is what my Inner Artist looks like

Seriously, how did this happen? I would pick out a book, and my inner artist would say “Well, that’s not really very artsy.” So then I would put it back. I would try to find a place to sit, and there was not a comfortable chair left in the place. My inner artist didn’t like that at all. The library was actually very noisy, and my inner artist was extremely irritated. I left after 20 minutes. Next time I might just stand her up.

You think I’m kidding, but I absolutely am not. I am rarely alone. Well, I’m alone, but I’m with YOU. My internet friends. My computer. The people I work with and for. By myself, I feel kind antsy. Like I should be doing something. Like someone might be emailing me or twittering me, and oh my gosh, I am not there to answer.

So I guess I’ll try again. I’m sure my inner artist is truly a loveable kind of person, once I get to know her.

I am embarking on a journey. (Cue the inspirational music…)

Okay, wait. I can’t be sarcastic about this. This requires complete and total seriousness. So put on your serious faces guys. Seriously now. I’m serious.

Not looking forward to Week 4. Image by MaryaFor the past week, I’ve been working through The Artist’s Way. Ever read it? It’s a book/process that helps you re-kindle your inner-artist. I like it because it’s kind of soul-searchy, and I think it’s about time to re-charge ye olde batteries.

So don’t be surprised if you see some rather strange and unusual things popping up here on the blog. Now that I’ve successfully fooled you all into thinking I had fallen utterly in love with Twitter and would never write again, I just may surprise you.

Mark McGuinness from Lateral Action wrote an article today that I really connected with. It’s about how you don’t need to be a creative genius to achieve success, but for me, it was about perfectionism. Did you know that Michelangelo destroyed much of his work because it didn’t measure up to his lofty expectations? Wow.

Now I don’t consider myself a Michelangelo, but I do relate to the fact that creative professionals are really hard on themselves. In a way, this is good, because that means our work is constantly evolving and getting better. In another way, it can cause a real creative Ice Age.

One of my “things” is that I look at design SO much. I absolutely immerse myself in all sorts of design. And not just good design, either. I am always looking for ways to improve upon whatever visual design I see.

The downside to this is that I can spot a trend a mile away. And a lot of them repulse me. Not because they’re bad trends, but because I see them over and over and over again. Sometimes they seep into my work, sometimes not. But when I purposefully try to keep them out, my brain starts stuttering. I subconsciously won’t even let an idea develop if I can’t keep out overdone design trends.

Obviously, I have to check my inner editor at the door when brainstorming, or I’ll never get anything done. Perfectionism and creativity go together like SNL and funniness these days. (What is UP with that show? I appreciated the political skits, but man. The rest is sadly…pretty sad.)

I cannot WAIT for Adobe Photoshop CS4 to come out. I never hopped on the CS3 train…just couldn’t get excited about it. But CS4’s 3D imaging capabilities look mind-blowing. Take a look at CreativeTechs’ sneak peek at some of the new developments in CS4…way cool. I wonder if the software will come bundled with its very own pair of 3D glasses.

One of the hardest things about my job as a creative professional is coming up with that great idea, time after time after time. When you’re being paid by the hour, the pressure’s on to come up with something quick AND good…hopefully great.

I was reading this article today by Tim Berry, one of the Entrepreneur gurus, and it sparked that idea in my head…what is it that gets my juices flowing? And how can I ensure that I give myself the optimal advantage to be able to come up with those ground-breaking ideas again and again? Here are my thoughts so far:

• Reading good books
• Talking with people who are doing Great Things
• Attacking each day with the motivation to create something significantly beautiful
• Getting enough sleep
• Spending time away from the computer
• Noticing the beauty around me and using it to spark a bigger idea
• Keeping track of my ideas

That last one has been elusive for me so far. I haven’t yet had the discipline to keep track of my ideas. I’m going to make it a part of my routine to sit down for 15 minutes every day and find one thing that sparks a new idea. Not only will I be disciplining myself to think creatively on a regular basis, but I will be creating a well that I can draw from when the ideas aren’t flowing as easily.

I was completely blown away by this series by Ira Glass, Host and Executive Producer of Chicago Public Radio’s This American Life. You can apply this wisdom to all aspects of the creative life, and more generally, innovation itself. (The 2nd in the series is especially good.) [Thanks, Dave.]

Ira Glass on Storytelling #1

Ira Glass on Storytelling #2

Ira Glass on Storytelling #3

Ira Glass on Storytelling #4

This is the third part of a seven-part series designed to help creative professionals succeed in doing their life’s work…for a living. New here? Start at the beginning. The third deadly sin is…

Using Ineffective Marketing Tactics

Many new business owners make the mistake of limiting their advertising to low-cost or free opportunities. They mistakenly think that cheaper = better. Banish this idea from your head. Think on it no longer. I’ll tell you why.

When you have your own business, the purchases that you make are investments. That $500 suit is an investment in your brand. That $1500 computer is an investment in your efficiency. Whatever you put toward marketing is an investment in future projects…which really might be the most important investment of all.

There’s that “target audience” phrase again

Remember when we figured out who our ideal clients are? Find out how the people you want to serve get their information. Do they read blogs? Do they spend hours stuck in rush hour traffic? What magazines do they read? What keywords do they use in the search engines?

Take some time to step into your client’s shoes. Put on their glasses and see the world as they see it. Ask yourself the above questions and make up your own. Then brainstorm all the possible ways that your business could fit into their natural ways of finding information.

If you want specific ways on how to market yourself and your business, Entrepreneur Magazine’s Ultimate Small Business Marketing Guide is a solid resource with tons of good information. Yeah, the title is kind of hyped up (what do you expect from a marketing guide?) but it’s absolutely packed with great ideas.

Why “free” isn’t (necessarily) free

How much is your time worth? You know where I’m going with this. If your time is worth $100 an hour, and you invest 7 hours in promoting yourself (for free, no less!) in places where nary a soul will notice, how much did you really spend? $700. Not cheap.

If you spent that same $700 on an advertisement on a well-targeted high-traffic blog and got $2400 of new business out of it, how much did you really spend? Nothing. In fact, you made yourself $1700.

Bottom line: if you find a marketing avenue that effectively reaches the people you want to serve, cost should not be the first thing you consider. In fact, it should probably be the last.