Client Tell is a guest-post series from clients who have worked with me and want to share their process. The first series is a 5-part story from Alison Turner, Brownie Boss of Signature Bites, a small-batch, handmade and all natural gourmet brownie company. Let us know what you think of her story–and her brownies!
Brownies Blazing Forward
By Alison Turner
I think it’s safe to say I’ve broken through the brownie blockade – helped by Dyana!
There was a tipping point during the past few weeks, and Dyana’s unwavering enthusiasm was like a good luck charm on my shoulder. Knowing that I would report back to her on my progress was a small, but instrumental action point to keep me moving forward. Plus, the every-growing “to do” list kept my controlling nature in check and allowed my practical personality to just get it done!
I had sent Dyana a link to my website for review before I published. Her feedback was detailed and helped me adjust a few things before launching it upon the world. I wasn’t able to incorporate all of her recommendations, largely because the template I used to build the site wasn’t flexible enough to do all the things Dyana, and even myself, wanted it to do. It’s an “informational” site – a first iteration. It will evolve and improve in functionality (allowing online purchasing and payments) and style (more photos and more pages). However, with finances low I need to grow volume before investing in a designer to program a better site.
Once the website launched, I confess I procrastinated on sending out an email blast to my already built list of friends and contacts. Yet again I placed a brick wall, a STOP sign, in front of my own potential success. Why? I was back to those thoughts that I might not be able to do this.
“Did you ever attempt something at work and fail,” a friend from my Business Buddies group asked during one or our weekly meetings.
“No,” I had replied.
“Then what’s the problem? If you figured out how to do something in that environment, then why not with your business?” she added.
She was right. A few days later, I sent out my email blast announcing the launch of my website and ability to start taking orders. I received half a dozen by the end of the day, not to mention countless emails expressing support, delight and congratulations for taking the plunge. It was uplifting and I stopped to give myself a pat on the back. If Dyana had been there, I’m sure she would have given me successive pats on the back.
“Keep your eye on the prize,” Dyana said when we touched base a week later. We talked about my meetings with local women entrepreneurs who were so helpful in lending advice and tips for developing my business. One of them put me in touch with an upcoming event that I’ll be participating in next month – The Great American Bake Sale – at a local mall. It’s going to be labor intensive, but the ROI will be worth it – it always garners local media coverage and will be wonderful, charitable forum for people to taste my brownies and know that my company exists.
I recently sent out another email blast about Mother’s Day – and more orders have flooded in. Plus, I nearly got exposure on the Good Morning America show – nearly, but not quite. In the end, the producers of the segment on affordable Mother’s Day gifts wanted gifts for Mom’s made by Mom’s – and well, I’m not a Mom yet.
I’ve been so busy that I’m even beginning to let go of the anxiety of finding a “real” job. I will keep looking, but now that I’ve broken through the blockade and am following a new path, I feel a sense of focus that I didn’t have before.
Connecting with Dyana has most certainly been a positive development in my life and the future of my business. I wonder if I would be at the point I am today without her involvement and I’m confident the answer is “no”. She really is a healthy dose of optimism and creativity that I had not anticipated – and combined with other forces at play in my life during recent weeks, it all combined to bring me to this point today.
Give Alison some feedback, add your own story and add your own blockades or blockade-busters below.
Find out more about Alison and order some brownies!
