Video content

Video content

Video is a great way for people to get to know you while you do other things like laze on the beach or make dinner for your kids or even sleep.

But maybe you don’t feel like getting dressed up, doing your face and getting yourself onto video. Can you still use video for your business? 

I don’t want to spend ages convincing you a video is a good idea. 

If you are here you clearly want to start making videos for the marketing of your business. 

If you do not want to show your face don’t stop reading now because it is entirely possible for you to create videos in lots of different ways.

There is no denying how good it is if you can bring yourself to do videos of your own face especially if you are service-based. But if you can’t do that for whatever reason I do not want you to navigate away and not make a video for your business because it seems too hard.

There are loads of ways to get around not showing your face and all the ways of creating video give you some benefits.

I know that people always like to hear what I do personally so I will start with that and then I will also share a couple of other ways that I think you can create video if you want.

My current 2 favourite video processes are:

60-second (or less)

10-minute or so videos

I like to create short videos and publish them on Instagram. I try to make these 60 seconds long or less.

I create these on my phone and record them directly so they go onto my camera roll. Then I pop onto Instagram and share them in my feed with a small caption.

I love this method because I can experiment with ideas without investing too much energy in the process. I also find that people like to see me and they like to hear from me. These feel light yet intimate.

They are the quickest and easiest way for me to create video and they also feed into my entire content creation strategy. I have another blog post about that which you can check out over here.

Basically I test the water with new ideas in my 60 second videos so if they are well received they may get turned into a longer blog or video. I usually don’t overthink these and I get important feedback from my people when they do well.

The other way I love to make videos is using Zoom. I begin a Zoom meeting with myself, click record then I just chat away to the screen in my own meeting with myself.

When I click “end meeting”, the recording gets downloaded onto my computer. I am then able to share it directly to YouTube which I also embed onto my blog.

The fun thing about these Zoom videos is that I can often use the audio download to create a podcast as well. I just love it when one piece of content can be used in lots of different places.

I also like to use this video on IGTV (if it is not a how-to demonstration style vid).

One other cool thing about these podcast episodes is that I can create a video from the episode using Headliner App really easily. I have another post about how to use Headliner App over here.

If you don’t want your face in the video.

If you don’t want your face to be in the video for whatever reason you can still use the Zoom methods and just don’t worry about how you look on video.

You can then use the audio component of the zoom recording and turn it into a podcast.

The podcast episode can be turned into a video using Headliner app. This means that people can experience your energy through your voice without you having to even get out of bed.

Literally some of my podcast episodes I made late at night in bed or early in the morning in bed. That’s how easy it is to use Anchor. I then turn those podcasts  into a video without having to show my face at all.

If you don’t want to deal with a podcast and Headliner App you can also use Canva to create videos with an audio recording you have created.

These audio recordings can be created on the voice memo app on an iPhone or a similar voice recording app on an Android phone. You can then upload those to canva and add a couple of little animations and a nice stock image and then you have basically the same thing as the Headliner app video without having to create a podcast and without having to show your face.

There is a part of me that does want to kick in and start telling you how important video including your face is so I do just want to touch on that lightly.

A lot of people who come to me for a free 30 minute chat have already ”met me”  through watching my videos.

People often tell me how nice it is to finally meet me in person and that I am exactly like my videos and how comforting that is for them. Usually they watch my videos while I am on the beach, making dinner, sleeping or doing other things in my business.

I find this duplication of myself really great.

It means that people who are referring their clients or friends to work with me have somewhere they can send those people to figure out whether they want to work with me or not.

The other thing that is good about video is: if you’re posting them on social media the algorithm which decides who sees what content will slightly favour a video over other kinds of posts.

That is the end of my convincing you about why video is good.

There are just so many places and ways you can share video.

Here’s a hard and fast list:

    • YouTube video
    • YouTube short
    • YouTube live
    • Instagram Reel
    • Instagram feed video (60s max)
    • IGTV (15 minute max)
    • Instagram Story
    • Instagram live
    • Facebook live
    • Facebook feed Facebook Story
    • LinkedIn
    • On your blog
    • Twitter
    • Tik Tok
    • Slideshow with you talking over the top
    • Plus all the ways I mentioned in this blog

    I think if you are not doing video you are missing a really potent opportunity so if you’re not ready to get your face on I would recommend trying one of these other methods for creating video content for your business.

    If you found this helpful and you like, you can make a small donation.

    “I pay my respects and acknowledge the people of the Yuin Nation, traditional custodians of the land on which I live and work. I also pay respect to all Elders — past, present and future.”

    Take a week off your business

    Take a week off your business

    When was the last time you had a day off from your business?
    What about a week off?

    And I don’t mean school holidays – because if you are a mum you know that is not a real holiday.
    I haven’t had a week off. Ever.

    Every time I have holidays it means time away from work but I’m still thinking about meals, and other people’s well being

    And once a year I go to Vipassana for 10-days of silent meditation. 

    But if you’ve ever done that, then you understand that meditation is work too. Facing up for 10 hours a day of sitting and then no breaks as an older student is actually quite a task. It does bring amazing fruits and I wouldn’t swap it for anything.

    So since I was a youth I have had no time where I just do things in my own time with a total disregard for the needs of others.

    I finally had a week off.
    Just for 5 days between 9 and 3. 

    But it was good. I got to really release the endless tension I subtly hold on to and just BE on a time frame that suits me and what I want. 

    It was delicious actually – the bliss and pleasure that is available just sitting quietly in the sun for that minute or two extra without having to answer someone or worry about someone or give anything to anyone at all.

    I am feeling a bit self conscious saying all of this.
    Even as I write this I’m having some internal dialogue about being selfish and how great mothering is and blah blah blah. 

    That is all true. 

    I love my kids. 

    But I really needed a rest and to reset my adrenals. 

    If we never have a deep reset, we are going to burn out. I have burned out several times in my business. I have given it all up. Called it off. Broken up with her. 

    And after a day or 5, the little spark has kindled back into a flame and I’m ready to fall back in love with it. 

    So I know from my own experience that space is helpful, and I’ve done school hols + Vipassana but this was a new epiphany. And I highly recommend that you create space in your business for your business fire to burn.

    One dilemma I had before the week off was: what was I going to do with all my time. 

    I was well aware that I could too easily slip onto the laptop and start working.
    Because I really do enjoy my work.

    Mostly, I find it fun and I love creating stuff in my business + I get really nourished from connecting with other business women as I support them on their journey. 

    So I knew I was going to need a strategy to stay away from work. 

    I asked my people.

    I did have a few ideas already, and there are a number of things they mentioned that I already do in my working days. So they didn’t feel quite as meaningful. But I thought I would share a mega list of week off ideas – partly to remind myself and also to inspire you when you have a week off. 

    So here it is:

    The Big List of Things to Do on Your Week Off

    Nothing.At.All

    Day bath

    Naps

    Laying in the sun

    Watching movies

    Bush walks

    Time in nature

    Tea with friends

    Reading books

    Painting

    Phone chats

    Make kombucha

    Meditation

    Play the yes/no game and feel into your intuition for every choice

    Yoga

    Smell flowers

    Dance in the moonlight

    Beach time

    Bake

    Get a Massage

    Swim

    Play with a cat or dog

    Download and print this fun week off planner.

    I have some tear off ideas and I left space for you to add your ideas!

    No need to sign up – just click the button and get it planned! 

    If you found this helpful and you like, you can make a small donation.

    “I pay my respects and acknowledge the people of the Yuin Nation, traditional custodians of the land on which I live and work. I also pay respect to all Elders — past, present and future.”

    How to create content intuitively AND productively

    How to create content intuitively AND productively

    This blog is intended to share a simple, practical structure to support wild, rule-defying creatrix women to create content.

    What???

    I mean: I work with a lot of women (and I myself am one) who dislike norms. Women who need to pave their own way. Who have a lot to share but say “f*&# you” to shoulds. 

    Or maybe they’re not quite that shouty but they find it hard to follow a regular set of rules about content creation. 

    I have been there. I thought I knew how to create content and I would just go with the flow. I would just pop into Facebook and post a bit there and then pop to Instagram and do a bit there and then pop to LinkedIn and then POP – the day was over and I wasn’t sure what I’d really achieved and where the time had gone. 

    Plus, I wasn’t sharing my gold. 

    I was kind of splatter gun promoting, not really building an audience around my deeper soul work.

    Sound familiar? 

    The thing is: I am SUPER creative (and so are you) but I didn’t realise how deeply this runs in the veins of content creation and entrepreneurial life. I could embrace cooking amazing meals, sewing fabulous garments, or painting and drawing as creative pursuits – but business?? 

    After I read Big Magic, I had a strong sense that my business was a creative endeavour. But writing and content creation? They were just for marketing and business and “getting” clients weren’t they? 

    The artistry of content creation was lost on me until I started working with my 2021 mentor, George Kao.

    Through working with George and following his Authentic Marketing  approach I have realised how much content creation is about me and my service to humanity and how little it is about “getting” clients – although that is a lovely outcome sometimes. 

    And over time I’ve learned to apply some of the things I’ve learned through making art to creating content. I did the Artist’s Way process with the divine Aesha Kennedy a few years ago and since going deeper with creative practices I’ve realised 2 key things: 

    Content creation and creativity in general flourishes when there’s a regular practice 

    Creativity flows when there is space to feel free and unhindered

    These 2 things seem to be in conflict though don’t they? 

    Let’s unpack that a little.

    When I make something every day, whether it’s a painting or a piece of content for my business, I just get more relaxed and comfortable. I make more and from that more means there are more wins. Not that the ratio of “happy with this” to “this is balls” changes, but rather, because I made 100 in total instead of 10 in total, the number of “happy with this” is 10 rather than one (if that were the happy:balls ratio). 

    DId I lose you in the maths? 

    I just mean, there is always some content/creations that we are happy with, that resonate with others and that really “work”. But if we only make content two times a year, it will take us 20 years to even have 40 pieces of content. If we make one a week we have 40 pieces of content in under a year and if we do it every weekday, we have it in 8 weeks. 

    Not that 40 is a meaningful number. 

    It’s just that out of 40, you might have a few that you are happy with, that resonate with other people, that really “work”. 

    And further to that: as you create more, you will naturally get better. Because creativity is like a muscle and when you work it out – it gets stronger. You get clearer on what it is you’re trying to say and how you say it. You get better on certain formats, like video or (if you’re like me) writing. 

    So, I wonder if you feel inspired to do a little creating each day? 

    Or if that’s too much once a week? 

    I used to try for one a week and that was great for a couple of years. I really didn’t think once a day was for me. But since I’ve been doing daily content, it’s become a lovely and heart warming practice that I miss when I can’t do it. 

    But how does that work – when creativity needs to feel free + unhindered to flow?

    The trick is: knowing where to constrain and where to be free.

    A simple practice that I recently shared with a client is to use Google calendar for 2 things:

    1. Collect the ideas I have for upcoming blogs
    2. Create the space and time for content creation 

    Basically, you can create a new Google calendar if you need to or use an existing calendar and make some repeating Content Creation events. 

    I go to the Google calendar and create an event. Call it Content creation and allow about 1hour for writing a blog and around 15 minutes for a simple piece of content. 

    In the date and time of the event, I set it to either recurring weekly for a blog or recurring every weekday for general content creation. In the description I gather together my content ideas that I have on bushwalks, in the bath or wherever they strike me. I might have to write them down till I get to tech, and then pop them in my collection spot when I get to it. 

    Then, when it comes time to sit down and create, I don’t make myself work through the list. This is when I leave it to my inner compass to guide me. I trust my energy and intuition to decide what to post about on that particular day. 

    This is the balance of structure + flow. This is knowing when to constrain and when to flow. 

    The commitment to your growth and the commitment to sharing your brilliance is the constraint. The time that you lovingly set aside to dedicate to humanity and your business is the constraint. Your loving commitment and service. 

    The choice of what you will create content about and what format is the freedom and intuitive aspect. What is lighting you up today? What is alive in you? What is ignited today? If it’s definitely NOT a video day (we all have them) maybe it’s a writing day. If you feel sparkly, then maybe it’s a video day. You get to decide + be free. 

    What do you think? Could you experiment with this method and start to share your brilliance? 

    If you found this helpful and you like, you can make a small donation.

    “I pay my respects and acknowledge the people of the Yuin Nation, traditional custodians of the land on which I live and work. I also pay respect to all Elders — past, present and future.”

    Do you just want to talk to me about your business and website?

    I’d love to chat. You can book a free chat and we can discuss website set up and all of the other things I mentioned here. We can even set it all up of ryou and save you the headace. 

    Go ahead and book a free chat here: 

    Sustainable business foundations

    Sustainable business foundations

    This year I’m bulletproof when it comes to clever marketing messages.
    I can even look at a Grace Lever page without buying anything.

    The thing is: successful online marketers and business coaches are successful because (among other things) they have done their market research. So they know exactly what you and I struggle with and they know how to sell to us. 

    How many courses have you bought that are just sitting on your desktop gathering virtual dust? And are you glad you bought it? Hmm. Why did you buy the thing – whether it’s a course or a program or a membership? 

    Because you don’t have a rock solid plan. 

    You don’t know what you need to do next. 

    You sit down and you scattershot actions into the internet in the hope that it will get you sales.

    I know babe. I’ve been there. 

    But this year, I’m bulletproof. 

    Why?

    I have a vision and tactical plan for the business that I have 100% bought in on. So when I see sales pages from clever marketers, I’m safe.

    I don’t have any illusions that their “thing” is going to 10x my biz. Or any other fancy promise. 

    I developed my plan myself using the Authentic Business Planning workshop from my mentor George Kao

    Now here I am telling you about the course that saved my ass and might even give you bulletproof. I just want to be transparent. You don’t need this course. George might not be your guy. He is my guy this year and I’m loving it. 

    What you do need is: 

    Clarity about your plan in a 5-10 year view

    Clarity about your plan for this year

    Clarity about your plan for this month

    Clarity about your plan for this week

    Clarity about your plan for today

    Clarity about your plan for the next hour 

    If you ask me right now how what I’m doing relates to “future me”, I could go all meta and tease it out for you. 

    Whether you use George’s course, or my Soul Biz Planning course, or just your own epic method, your business will be more sustainable when it’s intentional. 

    And part of being sustainable is living in a conscious way. 

    Having a plan requires you to take some time and reflect on what your big vision is. 

    Sometimes, it’s scary to realise you don’t have one. 

    We all know from the last year or so that the best laid plans can all go to shit. But without a plan, things are a bit shit anyway right? 

    I have had to be agile with my plan this very month, so I know it’s possible to have a plan and be agile. The plan is the anchor and the mindfulness. 

    My 2 keys for a sustainable business have been born from my life coaching and meditation practice.

    From those 2 practices I have experientially learned the value of having a plan and putting my business and my personal wellbeing at the front of the conversation in my business.

    I call that “me first”. 

    I’ve learned the hard way that putting the clients first all the time burns me out. 

    I lose the love and want to throw it all in the bin. 

    I love my clients. And they love me. And I can sit at the desk for HOURS. I can jump on tasks as soon as they hit the inbox and smash them out. 

    But after a month or two of staying up late, working endlessly and jumping at the inbox I’m fried. 

    I can go for hours without a drink, and just work like a horse. 

    But in 20 years, will I have that same weird disease my dad had from being sedentary? 

    Sustainable means: it can be sustained. 

    So I need my business to have space for me to walk, breathe and love. 

    You  might wonder how I can make space in the business for walks, breathing and love. 

    The truth is: the business can’t be sustained unless I make that time for “me first”. 

    I can work in blasts and then lose the love, but I can’t keep doing it for another 5 or 10 years if I work like that. 

    I know from experience I can’t even sustain it for 2 months like that. 

    The other thing I’ve learned on a savvy business level is that if I spend all my time serving clients, I’m not planting the seeds for the clients of next month and next year.

    So as well as looking after my body, heart and mind, I need to look after the business.

    She is so good to me and has contributed $$ to the family for 6 years, so I like to look after her with my weekly business growth activities. She gets 5.5h a week for content creation, new product development, market research, referral network building, learning new stuff and content distribution. This is all part of “Me First” too. 

    On a practical level how does that look? 

    Here’s a snapshot of my calendar: yes the calendar is my big secret to sustainable business. But for you, it could be a paper journal, or just a piece of paper stuck on the wall.

    It’s more about your planning and your commitment to yourself than the tool you use. 

    I’m not telling you to set up a Google calendar, or to make a schedule like this. I developed this routine through experimentation and it is only helpful to me. It is also in it’s 5th or 6th iteration because like I said, I’ve had to be agile. 

    I’m just sharing it with you so you can see a living example of a Me First approach. 

    No-one can book in till I’ve done the basics for me.

    In another article I’ll share what all of these actions are in greater detail but for now I only aim to inspire  you to put yourself first. Then put your business first.

    Because both your body/mind/heart matrix and your business give so much to you and they deserve to be placed at the top of the list. 

    That’s it for my sustainable business foundations. 

    What keeps your business ticking over week over week, year after year? 

    If you found this helpful and you like, you can make a small donation.

    I acknowledge the Djiringanj people of the Yuin Nation, the custodians of this beautiful land on which I live and work.

    I also pays respect to all Elders past & present.

    Thank you for taking such good care of the wild, beautiful places of Araganu, the coastline and forests where I get nurtured.

    Your offer

    Your offer

    What do you offer your clients?

    Your offer is the solution you deliver, and it’s also your service that you promote.

    It’s the way you serve others and it’s the way you make money in your business.

    Generally when I’m supporting women in business I’m seeing 2 things:

    1. Making offers all the time and not sharing content
    2. Not making offers at all and just sharing content

    It’s ideal if you create regular content as a creative practice and act of service. 

    Ultimately, you are going to have your own “Why” about creating content that will sustain you through any discomforts as you experience them (they will come!).

    And so, if you are the number one kind of goddess, I would encourage you to consider a daily creation practice. Like my mentor George Kao says:

    “Your content can be your public journaling to clarify how you feel and think about aspects of your work”

    It doesn’t have to be perfect, but it is great if you can create some non-promotional content. 

    If you post 7 days a week, maybe 2 posts could mention working with you. Otherwise, your audience will feel like your conversations with them are transactional and that you are always trying to get them to do your “thing”. 

    If you aren’t making offers, number 2 goddess, I would encourage you to ALWAYS be mentioning one thing per week. If you aren’t clear on your paid service yet that might be your newsletter list sign up, a free trial session or a market research chat. 

    If you are providing services, then you need to make a certain percentage of what you share with the world actually mentioning how people can work with you. They want to work with you and you are basically stopping their growth + evolution if you don’t tell them how they can work with you. 

    Other concerns people have about their offer is around pricing.

    I have spoken before about Compassionate Pricing. This can be pay what you can, or just affordable pricing that still allows you to feel fairly remunerated and feed your family. Read more deeply about Compassionate Pricing HERE

    Other concerns that I have about people’s offers relate to: “how did you figure out what your offer is?”

    Did you just pluck it out of thin air, or receive a download? Or did you base it on intel from your customers and prospective customers?

    If your offer is not aligned with what your audience actually wants they will not buy. The easiest way to figure out what your audience wants is to ask them. I have a whole rant on using this important marketing tool HERE.

    And if you have done market research, and the offer still isn’t selling, maybe you just need to keep experimenting…

    I like to chunk my offers up and down. What do I mean? There are 2 options:

    Break your offer down into a really small version like a 30 minute session, or an email consult. You can sell the first module of your program or the first chapter of the first module. You can sell one month of a six month program. Make sense?

    Bundle your offer into a VIP package. Just like my 1-1 VIP package is a combo of web design done for you and 1-1 Strategy Mentoring with all the courses and a bush flower essence session. All of the courses are selling as self paced and it’s easy to pop them into the bundle. Which bits of your offer can you bundle up into a VIP package?

    What other questions do you have about your offer? I would love to chat more about these so please comment or message/email me with more questions.

    If you found this helpful and you like, you can make a small donation.

    “I pay my respects and acknowledge the people of the Yuin Nation, traditional custodians of the land on which I live and work. I also pay respect to all Elders — past, present and future.”

    COVID Government Grants available for Australian businesses

    COVID Government Grants available for Australian businesses

    I just received an email from Laura Elkaslassy of Adroit Business Solutions about COVID Government Grants available for Australian businesses. I got this email as a subscriber and I would encourage you to join their newsletter and receive valuable info like this yourself. 

    Some of you might be eligible for these. It’s worth a peek 🙂

    Victoria


    Eligibility

    Grants Available:

    Business Costs Assistance Program Round Three – an additional $2,800 to successful recipients of Business Costs Assistance Program Round Two and the Business Costs Assistance Program  Round Two July Extension

     

    Small Business COVID Hardship Fund – grants of up to $10,000 for small business who have experienced a drop in turnover of 70%

     

      • Grants of $3,500 for Regional Victoria
      • Grants of $7,000 for Metropolitan Melbourne

     

    Rent Relief for Commercial Tenants – to match decrease in turnover

      • Off Mountain Businesses: further $5,000 payments
      • On Mountain and Dinner Plain Employing Businesses: further $20,000 payments

    New South Wales

    Grants Available:

    2021 COVID-19 Business Grant  – $7,500 – $15,000 depending on decline in turnover
    Employing business 40% of weekly payroll (capped at $10,000)
    Non Employing $1,000 per week

    Micro Business Grant – Grants of $1,500 per fortnight for businesses with turnover $30,000 – $75,000

    Payroll Tax Deferrals – Payroll Tax Payments due 28th July, 7th August, and 7th September 2021 can be deferred until 7th October 2022

    Payroll Tax Concessions -25% reduction in  Payroll Tax for the 2020-2021 financial year when there has been a 30% decline in turnover

    General Information about all grants available to New South Wales businesses can be found HERE

    Australian Capital Territory

    Grants Available:

    Covid-19 Business Support Grant based on 30% reduction in turnover
      • Employing Businesses $3,000
      • Non Employing Businesses $1,000

     Covid-19 Small Business Hardship Scheme – up to $10,000

    Accommodation and Tourism Venue Operator Support Program – up to $75,000 based on 30% reduction in turnover

    Small Tourism Operator COVID Recovery Payment – up to $15,000 based on 30% reduction in turnover for July 2021 compared to April 2021

    Hire Car and Charter Bus Registration Fees
     
     
    Food Business Registration, Outdoor Dining and Liquor Licencing Fee Waivers

    Micro Producer Application Fee Reduction –  90% reduction for first year of an Off Licence from 22nd May 2020

    Payroll Tax Exemption – Apprentices or TraineesWages paid to new employees who are apprentices or trainees employed after 1 August 2020 are exempt from payroll tax from the start of their employment until 30 June 2022.

    Queensland

    Grants available:

    2021 COVID-19 Business Support Grants for lockdown impacted businesses in Queensland – $5,000 if your business is impacted by the August 2021 Queensland lockdown

    Applications open from Monday 16th August 2021

    Eligibility
    Queensland COVID-19 Cleaning Rebate – up to 80% of cleaning costs for businesses that are confirmed exposure sites

    Payroll Tax Relief for Tourism and Hospitality Businesses – deferral of payroll tax liability for July  2021 for 6 months

    Applications
    Marine Tourism Rebate – more information about applying for this rebate will be available soon

    Tasmania

    Grants Available:

    Business Hardship: Border Closure Critical Support Grant – applications open from Monday 16th August 2021

    Western Australia

    Grants Available:

    Small Business Lockdown Assistance Grant: Round Two June 2021 – $3,000 cashflow support for small businesses in impacted industries

    Applications open until Tuesday 31st August 2021

    Eligibility

    South Australia

    Grants available:

    July 2021 COVID-19 Business Support Grant Program

    Northern Territory

    Grants Available

    Territory Business Lockdown Payment – $1,000 – over $75k in turnover and experienced significant reduction in turnover or ceased trading

    Applications