Balance

The last few weeks we've been busy with several projects--some large, some small, but all important. Our bi-weekly meetings keep us on track (more or less) so that we've got everyone worked into our schedule.

But this past week, we've also been working on a project that we've managed to squeeze in to our already busy schedule, a project we took on knowing we wouldn't get much financially from, but important to us personally. We've signed on to do the website and communications for our neighborhood elementary school and this week we sent out the first of our email newsletters.

This week has been a lesson in finding the balance in getting paid for what we do, and contributing our talents toward improving our community.

Potential

Recently, a recurrent question I ask myself is: Am I capable of more? Am I living to my potential?

There’s so much opportunity for anonymity, mediocrity, to coast through this life, to be passive. But, what a disappointment to just sit back and let life go bye.

Its risky, being involved, to lose your anonymity, to take on more. It takes a certain amount of confidence to put yourself out there. You might actually attract attention! But also open yourself up to criticism, public failure, embarrassing situations, being spread too thin, or losing your mind.

For me, the choice to become more involved started a couple of years ago. Maybe it was having kids, or being in my mid 30’s, or having our own business... or the feeling that I have a stake in the future that is beyond myself. Don’t get me wrong--in my younger adulthood I had a more theoretical understanding and desire to promote the sustainability of the human race and our world. But now, I definitely have a deeper, more emotional relationship to the future than I felt when I was younger. It makes everything important. This is my chance to do something good in this world, to make my community better, to ensure that my kids will have only the best of everything.

I have a belief that we (myself included) are all capable of more than we do on a day-to-day basis. What if we all lived to our potential? How awesome would that be? I realize we can’t be ON 100% of the time. But even if we had bursts of energy that would take us 1 step closer to our potential a day, that would be somethin’.

Married to the web guy

Being married to the web guy has its pluses.

First, if I have a question about anything webby or technical, I know the guy to call. And he’s really good. I don’t think I’ve ever had a technical problem that he couldn’t fix. Granted, my technical problems probably aren’t that complicated, but still. Knowing I have someone literally in-house to call is a great comfort. If Mark weren’t here, my computer would have been thrown through the window a long time ago.

I’m inspired by his creativity. I love watching him create amazing designs. At some point during our clients’ projects I get to see the work in progress. I get first glance at the mood boards, design concepts, logo designs, etc. I’m no web designer, but after seeing a lot of web design, I know that Mark’s work is pretty amazing. Frankly, I don’t know how he does it. Every client gets a unique design, some clients depending on the size of the project, might be presented with 2 or 3 design concepts. How he comes up with so many ideas, I’ll never know.

I’m totally proud of the business that he’s created. Mark is a modest guy. He will read this and be embarrassed. But, under the laid-back-Seattle-web-guy exterior, he’s a sharp businessman. He’s planning Bizango’s future even when the week is booked with working on client projects. Every week, we set aside time to develop new and improved features to the update tools, or to develop future Bizango endeavors. Sometimes carving out the time for these long-term goals hurts. That time has got to come from somewhere, and every week we look at the schedule and make sure that its on our to-do list. He doesn’t compromise on this. His eye is on the future of our business and the security of our family. He’s my hero.

What Disneyland does right

Our family just got back from a 3 day vacation to Disneyland. Our kids, ages 5 & 3, are finally at an age where they could appreciate the fun, magic, and craziness that IS Disneyland.

Disneyland is over-the-top in every way. To go there and really appreciate it, you have to let your inner kid lead. For those who stick up their noses at Disneyland---there’s seriously something wrong with you. To enjoy Disneyland you have to let go of your inhibitions. Don’t worry--no one in southern California knows who you are or even cares (if you’re not a movie star, that is). You can be a kid again. You don’t need any mind altering drugs, you just need to be one with Disney.

The creativity put into Disneyland is amazing. Where else is as extravagant, larger than life, and fantastical? Part of what makes each “land” feel so real is that there’s no holding back. Disney has seen to even the smallest detail to make your experience feel REAL. It creates desire in the weirdest ways-- I could totally see myself living out the rest of my days in Tarzan’s treehouse (Tarzan could stay, of course). Seattle? Work? House? Bahh!! I’ll take life in the treehouse any day.


Even if it is Disneyland, there’s a lot to appreciate about being in a place where creativity is valued. While we were waiting in line (part of the DL experience, no doubt), we saw a group of executives getting a tour of Pixie Hollow. It was funny to see a group of men in suits walking though Tinkerbell’s forest, taking everything in all so seriously. They’re no fools, they know this is a goldmine.

From a business perspective, there’s a lot to learn from Disney. Disneyland is expensive. But still the people come and pay. Disneyland has spared no expense at creating an experience. Disney wants everyone to feel special. Everyday is a celebration. The parades, fireworks, and musical numbers are spectacular. Our kids got to meet Tigger, for goodness sake. Can you put a price tag on that? Apparently you can. Yes, this vacation set us back some, but it was worth it. We’ll totally go again.

Coffee to the rescue

This week we’ve been struck by the crud...again. WIth 2 kids in preschool, we’re bound to catch any virus that’s out there. And we do. I can take the coughing in my face and the wiping of runny noses, but my patience is truly tested by our little ones’ extreme crankiness and sleepless nights. Sometimes I just have to laugh at the insanity when I’m up at 2 am trying to get one of them back to sleep, while I can hear the other start up again. What a tag team they make. Its like they’re conspiring against us.

Despite the sleep deprivation and the fact that I am now also sick (thanks to the coughing in my face), I still have to get up and go about my day; work, meetings, childcare.

The thing that pulls me through is coffee.

Honestly, I don’t love the taste of coffee. I didn’t really drink it until I moved to Seattle. Well, it was hard to avoid in a city that has a coffee shop every 50 feet. I do love the smell which is probably what drew me to it. But mostly, I love the routine of making a pot of coffee, and fixing my cup just the way I like it.

There’s something about having a cup of coffee in front of me that helps me focus. Even before that first sip, just the ritual of sitting down with a coffee in front of me, helps me plan my day, prioritize what I have to get done, and set to work. However tired I am, however much I have on my plate for that day, I know I can get through it because at least I’ve got my coffee.

And its not just me. I can’t even have a conversation with Mark in the morning until I see that he’s got his coffee in hand. It took me at least 10 years of being married to him before I figured that one out.

So, we take our coffee ritual seriously here.

Before kids, Mark and I took a trip to Italy. (Little did we know that would be our last hurrah just the two of us.) One of our stops was a 3 day stay at an agriturismo. We slept in the carriage house of a thousand year old castle in the middle of Tuscany. Yes, you’re right-- it can’t get any better than that. We happened to be stranded there at that castle, seeing we hadn’t thought to rent a car (we arrived at the castle mostly by luck and a very expensive cab ride). So, we spent our days lazily wandering through vineyards and olive groves, playing with the family dog who we named “Paulo”, communing with the cattle that we would later eat that night sitting at the family’s dinner table. We also learned about espresso.

Our room was equipped with cornflakes, homemade biscotti, a hot plate and an espresso maker--the beautiful silver retro kind you put on the burner. We had our first lesson how to make espresso from the young Italian woman who let us in. In our feeble attempts at conversing in half Italian/half Spanish/half English, we learned how to craft a brew of true Italian espresso.

If the ritual of making coffee is good, making espresso is even better. It seems the more elaborate the ritual, the more meditative and focused the act becomes. Coffee is our routine, espresso is Special.

So, when the kids are driving us crazy, work is busy, creativity needs to be evoked, or we need that special focus in our cluttered mind---its coffee to the rescue.

Blogging from the inside out

When I started blogging over a year ago, I was a novice. I was finding my way in the blogging world. I wasn’t sure what to write, but I knew I wanted to tell our story of running our business, having a family, and trying to make it all work together somehow.

I guess I’m still trying to find my way as a “blogger”. Lately, I feel I’ve lost something in trying to write articles and blogs that are more focused on Business, and less focused on our internal process. I’m no expert, but I fear I may have come across that way in my effort to be prolific about running a business.

Maybe I’ve been a bit misguided to believe that in order for people to want to read my blog (so far, not so much), I need to be an expert on a topic (I’m not) and write information that others will hopefully find useful and relevant (Geez, who knows). And, the business of trying, maybe too hard, to sound informative, has got me hating my new writer voice. Blogging has lost its magic for me personally. So, its not really working out for me, this blogging business. What am I missing?

For me, what’s missing is the account of our personal experience. That’s how this blog got started and I think I was closer to being on track in the beginning. Its our experience that’s compelling. Anybody in the web/tech/marketing business and their brother can write about why its so important to have a beautiful website. But running a family business is a more interesting story. Running a family business has all the stuff sitcoms are made of. We may not be quite so witty, or have musical numbers, but we can be entertaining in our own way. Who can’t relate with being stressed about money or deadlines, feeling angry at STUPID accounting software or annoyed that the kids are too loud to take a call just then? We try to cover up the things that make us human (mistakes, debt, insecurity, farts/burps/BO, etc), but really its the experience of being human that’s so entertaining.

So, today, as I plug in my iPod to drown out the sound of Mark and our 3 year old dancing to “Take On Me” upstairs, I sit down at our cluttered desk that we share, I am turning over a new blogging leaf. Blogging from the inside out. This blog is about our experience as a family, running a business, raising 2 daughters in this crazy world, staying happily married, doing it our way, making compromises along the way, but trying to never loose our way.

Entrepreneurism is about creating, not just going into business

Entrepreneurism is more about creating something than it is “going into business”. Its about having an idea and making it happen.

Despite the variety of businesses represented among the self-employed, a common thread among entrepreneurs is the ability to create solutions to common problems. Entrepreneurs want to find meaning in what they do and create. And most importantly, entrepreneurs possess tenacity.

Bizango’s content management system was created out of a vision to make something better. One of Mark’s (Bizango’s creative director and visionary/developer of the Easy Update Tools) many passions is his focus on “usability” (truthfully, he’s a fanatic on the subject). It was Mark’s goal to create a CMS that was intuitive, especially to non-technical people, and required little if any training. Our business was essentially born out of this desire to create a simple, intuitive, elegant tool that would improve the lives of small business owners.

Going into business for yourself is almost never about the money. Make no mistake, money matters--we couldn’t be in business without some profit. But the bottom line is more than the dollars and cents. Its about pride and satisfaction in creating something that will make other peoples’ lives better, easier, or more beautiful.

Rules to writing copy for the web

Written content for your website needs to inspire your potential customers to contact you. Does yours? There is a technique to writing web copy that can help you overcome barriers to connecting with your potential customers.

According to web usability expert Jakob Nielsen, users will only read about 20% of the words on a web page. So, how do you sell to people who may only spend a minute or so, if you’re lucky, reading your website?

Here are 5 rules to consider when writing for the web:

Use small words and short paragraphs. Recognize that people are in a hurry and want information that is easy to read and understand. They don't want to be forced into thinking. People aren't impressed with big words--they get annoyed and move on.
Use bulleted lists and highlighted key words. Peoples’ eyes are easily drawn to bulleted lists and highlighted words and they are quickly scannable.
Start with the most important. Your most important message should come first. Your readers may loose interest and never finish reading the rest of the page and then you’ve lost them.
Speak clearly. Write how you would say it. If you’re trying too hard to explain something, you may be trying too hard. Think simple and direct. To be honest, you should assume your audience is less intelligent ( I mean no offense) and speak to that level. You're not trying to win awards for literary fiction here, you're trying to sell.
Be compelling. This is probably the most challenging. You need to spark the interest of your reader, and then keep them hooked. If what you’re writing isn’t interesting, then go back and find a way that is. The whole point of writing is to get your audience to keep reading and, in this case, to ultimately contact you.

The message you convey on your website should be true to your personality and values. Your message should be clear and consistent throughout your site. It should also tell a story that will motivate your customers to contact you. If you believe that your product is special, then tell us why! Pretty pictures sure do help, but well thought words and a compelling story will sell too.

You don’t have to be a “writer” to write your web copy. Understanding some techniques for writing web copy can help you overcome the challenge of writing for the web, and help you connect with your potential customers.

What are you doing to market your website?

A beautiful website is essential. But once you’ve got that, then what?

It would be great “if you build it, then they will come” applied to your website. But honestly, it takes work to market that beautiful website. Once your site is live, you can't just sit back and watch business flow in.

According to a recent study conducted by Webvisable and Nielsen, small businesses spend less than 10% of their marketing budget online. Interestingly, business owners are often frustrated that they are not being found online. So, is there a connection here? If you’re frustrated that prospective clients aren’t finding your website, first ask yourself; what are you doing to market your website?

To start

Announce your site to friends, family, clients, and business contacts. Keep in touch with email newletters. Include a link to your site with your email signature, pass out business cards, reward referrals, offer promotions on your site.

Consider your search engine optimization

Working on optimizing your site for the web, so that Google recognizes it and hopefully ranks it high, is a hot topic and one that a lot of business are spending a lot of time and money to do. Here are some basic principals of SEO:

Keywords--Keywords are search terms (words and phrases, such as “Seattle green remodel”) that prospective customers type into Google. Use keywords especially in your headers, in the first paragraph of your site, and embedded in your meta tags. Google offers a free tool to help you choose your keywords https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal.

Incoming links--This is probably the hardest, but most valuable, part of improving your SEO. Essentially, getting other websites to link to yours, especially if they are relevant to your industry and link to you using your keywords, will help you rank higher in Google searches.

Frequent site updates--Google rewards sites (by ranking them higher) that update their website frequently. Having a content management system that is easy to use will encourage frequent site updates.

Using social media

Businesses are increasingly using social media to promote their business. But, a word about marketing using social media: the return on investment (and its usually an investment of time) is slow and happens over time with constant attention.

Create a profile for your business on social or business media platforms such as facebook, or LinkedIn help people find you and direct visitors to your website.

Blogging, and being an active participant and commenter on other, industry-relevant blogs will help people find your site over time.

Writing articles and content for online media sites such as Digg, and Examiner can help direct traffic to your site also.

Other considerations

Google Adword ads, working with a PR or marketing agency, and traditional marketing methods such as paid ads in publications, radio/tv ads, and direct mail may have a place in your marketing strategy depending on your budget.

Your website is an essential part of your businesses’ online presence. Its important to have a marketing strategy for your website--your website will work for you, if you work for it.

Why a frequently updated website is important to your business

One of my recent articles, "Why a frequently updated website is important to your business" was published on Examiner.