Welcome back to the Small Business Summary…I’m going a slightly different direction with this week’s newsletter. I’ve got something ULTRA important to share and I’m going to really lean into it. Take a peek and if you’d be willing to answer my “one click poll,” I’d like to know if you think I’m on the right track or not…kthanksbye…

In this week’s episode:

• The Secret to Small Business Loneliness

• Bezos: Where Stress Comes From…it’s not what you think

• How to Nail your Marketing Framework

• Win a $100 Business Book gift card - C’mon, people FREE BOOKS 🙂 

Next Week: I’m going to reveal the lineup for the SBOC Virtual Summit presented by Horicon Bank. I PROMISE YOU the keynote interview I’ve landed is going to melt your face. Don’t miss the announcement. Save the date: April 29, 9am-1pm CT. Get on the wait list here to win a free ticket.

Let’s get into it…

Pat

The Unique Opportunity of a Newsletter

I listened to a deep thought podcast over the weekend and the guest pointed out something that we all know is true: Social Media is a vast wasteland for almost everyone. Long ago, people stopped sharing what they truly believed and instead, many have become avatars of themselves and their real ideas, feelings, and provocative thoughts.

Why? Two reasons, really:

• The algorithm looks for highly engaged posts to amplify and the most engaged posts are almost always the most extreme. We don’t talk about a 10% growth, we talk about 10x growth in order to garner attention and “stop the scroll.”

• You don’t have a real relationship with all of your followers so you don’t always get the benefit of the doubt. If you say something that provokes a reaction, offends, or even gets MISINTERPRETED by someone, you stand the risk of being characterized on the platform as a heartless monster. It’s not about what you meant, it’s about how someone chooses to react to your statement. As a result, it can sometimes be better to just play it safe than accidentally offending someone you’ve never met.

These two forces have left a lot of business social media to become listicles, lead magnets, and manifested vibes with no teeth. The fact is that you have to “play the game” for any organic exposure on social media which comes at the cost of nuanced expression and perhaps deeper insight. I’ve done it, you’ve done it, it’s part of the game.

What I’m coming to realize is that this newsletter gives me the opportunity to share insights or thought provoking questions because we can build a relationship by connecting each week. We’re making a deal: You’re willing to open an email in exchange for something that makes you think or moves your business forward. And, if you tire of my insights, you can click delete and jettison me into the rejection sun. Meanwhile, I have the opportunity to share what I really think and perhaps go deeper than I might on social media.

To date, I’ve interpreted generating value for you in this newsletter as “cram it with business articles I think you should read.” And, while I think curation is important and I want to share stuff that might help you…I’m taking this week’s edition and sharing something that I believe to be is important: The Secret to Small Business Loneliness.

The video below is my interpretation of where we get small business networking, community, and companionship all wrong. We think that if we are around more people more often that we’ll finally “fix” our loneliness because we’re the only one that feels lonely. Wrong. The secret is that everyone feels lonely sometimes. In fact, so many of us are desperate for recognition, connection, and understanding. When you realize that you’re not alone and that others feel the same way, everything gets a little easier. The realization that we’re all seeking a deeper connection with others who understand our situation opens the door to real relationships.

I know it’s a lot to ask to watch a 15-minute video, but this talk expresses my vision on this critical topic and how it can lighten your load as an entrepreneur. It’s also what we’re trying to solve for in this newsletter, our events and the SBOC.

You are not alone. You are not alone. YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

Curated Stuff - Marketing and Mindset

Bezos: Stress Doesn’t Come From Where You Think

80’s Song of the Week:
Asia - Only Time Will Tell

WTM: Iconic synthesizer, heads on TV’s, and a gymnast…hey, why not? MEGA 80’s VIBES!!

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