Behind-the-Scenes in Life & Business: Catching You Up!
Some exciting updates about my life and business since moving back to the States at the end of August. I've been appointed as the city councillor for Ward 2, and I'm really passionate about investing in my community. I also discuss my pivot towards creating more evergreen content and the upcoming launch of ads for my quiz lead magnet. I’d love for you to share your thoughts!
Transcript below!
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00:00 Hey, welcome back. Whether you're watching this on YouTube or you're listening over on the podcast at the Capable Collective, I am so excited today to give you an update on my life and my business. Uh, last time I recorded one of these updates, I had just moved back to the U.S. and so much has changed.
00:24 Honestly, life has been lifin', like a lot has happened, and so I just want to go over what's happening in my life, my business, it might be relatable to you, uhm, it shows you the ups and downs, the ins and outs of this wild, uhm, thing called entrepreneurship, but then on top of that, doing that, when
00:46 you have your home in two different countries, and your spouse is from that country, and lots of things happen, so, let's just, let's go through it, let's talk about the things that have been going on in my life, and what's coming up, and what's going on in my business.
01:01 So, we got back here right at the end of August, right before Labor Day, uh, so, we got the house sort of set up, I showed you some of this, uh, but we got, like, the basics in the house, and I'd really just started really feeling settled, uhm, and then in November, not long before Thanksgiving, my dad
01:21 had a heart attack, it was really minor, he is totally okay, but it meant that I had to sort of drop everything, he's not married, uhm, and didn't really have anyone who could take up, like, to, you know, take go to the hospital with him, drive him to his appointments, be there for a surgery, all those
01:40 things, so, I was really grateful to have my small business, that I could really put things on hold for a couple of weeks, and do really minor amount of work, uhm, during that time when there were periods that I could, there's a lot of waiting around when you're hanging out in hospitals, uhm, and so,
02:00 yeah, now it's, he's doing a lot, lot better, he is, uhm, the surgery's gone well, his health is going well, he's more active, all the things you're supposed to be doing, so I'm really proud of him.
02:13 So, that was November. We managed, we missed Thanksgiving really, but we managed to have a really lovely Christmas here, uhm, we had our first real treat in years, and it was just such a nice thing to celebrate.
02:24 Sort of help, or have Paul experience some of my family traditions over here and spend Christmas with my family, uhm, and then, in January, I joined the Chamber of Commerce with my business locally, uhm, so if you're anywhere, if you're in Pendleton watching this, uhm, I joined the Chamber, and any other
02:44 Chamber members and local businesses, they get 10% off my services, that is just a thank you, and out of a real, a real desire to help this community thrive.
02:55 Uh, small towns don't tend to have the income, or the resources that bigger cities have, and so I really want to serve this community with my digital skills, and help their small businesses thrive, because this, this community is really awesome.
03:12 Alright, and then, uh, I did something, uhm, so, the other things that I've done is, I also started an entrepreneurship group for millennials in the Pendleton area, so, uhm, that's not really a networking group, it's more of a closed door circle, uhm, just cause I really want people to trust each other
03:32 , so set that up, and that's been going strong, I actually need to send a text message to members today. About next week's meeting, uhm, but, in February, I, there was a spot available on the city council here locally, uhm, and, you had to live in Ward 2, and this is a pretty small town, there's only
03:53 about 17,000 people here, and I just thought, sure, let's go for it, like, I really want to make some change, I want to really invest in this community.
04:01 So, I put my name in, it was an appointed position, uhm, because there was an opening as the mayor, left her council seat and started out her term as the mayor, so it's a halfway through role, and out of nine applicants, I'm really humbled to have been selected as the city councillor for Ward 2, uhm,
04:23 so, one of the city councillors for Ward 2, there's two of us, and, yeah, it's just been a wild ride.
04:33 The, uh, city manager was just like, I bet you feel like you're drinking through a fire hose, and I was like, I absolutely do.
04:40 It might have been, maybe brash to try to be on the city council, to actively and I'll see beyond the city council, um, and part of this community and making decisions for this community only six months after returning to this community, um, but I wouldn't have it any other way.
05:01 I, like I said, I really care, and so I'm doing a lot of catching up, a lot of learning, and I'm just taking Mondays now, um, during the day to make sure I'm reading all these really lengthy reports and that I'm having meetings.
05:13 I have with city, uh, key city stakeholders, and then on Tuesday nights, every night, probably for the rest of forever, I, hopefully, um, I have city council meetings.
05:24 Again, if you're local, we would love for you to be involved, and in conjunction with that, I set up another website.
05:29 This was just a simple card website, and it helps, it's under my personal name, so it's under Ellen McBride, and, um, that will direct you to, sort of, the two avenues to work with me, if, whether you're looking for engagement with your local city councillor, or you are looking for some techie business
05:47 support. Alright, so, that is a big chunk of what's been happening in life. Um, just two days ago, so, So pretty late two nights ago, we got back.
06:01 From a trip to Ireland, so we went back to Belfast, for a cousin, one of Paul's cousin's weddings, and got to see all of our friends and family there, and it was honestly really, really lovely.
06:12 Um, quite a whirlwind, but these trips always are, and we know, we know how to handle it, because we've done it both directions now for quite a long time.
06:22 It was so much fun, and I'll see And tomorrow, we get a puppy, and we've, uhm, you may have seen over my social media, we are getting a cocker spaniel, we've named him Guinness, he's black, he's adorable, and he is going to be a handful, I imagine, as all puppies are.
06:41 So, um, we pick him up tomorrow, I will put a picture, and, in here, somewhere for you. So you can see. See you.
06:49 He has absolute adorableness. Okay. And, last but not least, around my life type stuff, our apartment is nearly done. From this angle, you can't see much.
07:03 We have our kitchen here, that was one of the first things we kitted out. Have our little dining nook here.
07:08 Um, we are currently in a two bedroom apartment. Sorry, I'll stop messing with my hair now. We are currently in a two bedroom apartment.
07:16 And, um, so my dad is in here in the dining room, um, for the foreseeable until we decided to buy a house.
07:26 But we decided not to get one of the three bedroom apartments because that view is incredible. Um, we love this little space that we've built.
07:36 But we have our live. We're going to nearly set up those frames or going up tonight. And we are so, so close.
07:43 We have the guest room finally set up. Um, I will be posting a reel about this in the next few days.
07:48 So keep an eye out. All right, so let's shift over and talk about what has happened or is happening in my business.
07:59 I have been pivoting more f- more towards systems work. It's really what I've always loved to do. So as much as website for me are a system and I love creating order and making things pretty and making things accessible for both you and the back end of your website as well as for your website visitors
08:19 and making all of everything you have to offer really clear, concise and functional. Umm, up my heart, I just love automated automation. So, umm, part of what I loved about websites is we can plug a lot of that in, we can plug in schedulers and CRMs and email marketing.
08:37 Umm, and, so I, but I'm leaning more into all of that side of things along with project management. Umm, so I have really great clients right now that I'm helping setting up.
08:48 All those things, umm, and it's just been so much fun. So, I'm creating a lot more content around that. You've probably noticed where, but I'm trying to create content that's more evergreen.
08:59 So, not just like, hey, Dubsato 101. Or, hey, here's how I use Asana. But, more around the core principles of boundaries.
09:12 3 5 3 Around saving time, conserving energy, outsourcing, creating freedom in your business, not letting your business run your life.
09:21 So, I'm running a lot more content around those things. And I hope you like it. Umm, along those lines, I've been creating a lot more reels this year.
09:31 Umm, I, for the last two years prior to this, predominantly had a. So that was really a thing for a while, a really minimalist Instagram, more like a website.
09:42 And that's just not working anymore for both me and my energy levels and what I want to achieve. It was really useful last year when I was moving countries and so overwhelmed.
09:54 But I really want to get back to connecting with people, really want to get back to talking about the things I love.
09:59 Umm, so I. I'm creating a lot of reels and I've put those over on YouTube shorts for the first time this year.
10:07 And it's going really well. I'm thrilled, honestly, with the engagement over on YouTube. Umm, finally, well, along this content creation kind of area.
10:18 Umm, we are testing ads, so for the last two plus years, my Mainly magazine. It has been my quiz. My quiz is all about how to dial in to the key system that is going to save you the most time, energy, and money in this phase of your business.
10:35 And that's different for everybody. So, I will put you into one of five systems typically project management, email marketing, website design, all these things I always talk about.
10:46 And then once it's your umm, like- problem area or solvable area really has been diagnosed, I give you videos, toolkits, like step by step by step instructions on how to solve that problem for you ASAP.
11:00 And really free up just all that energy, all that time. So, my quiz is- it's really good. It's really high value and it's been working for us, but re-arc- Alright.
11:13 We're going to try something new. So, the quiz software I paid annually and it is paid through August. So, we are going to try some ads to it this year.
11:22 And so, we've got those mostly designed and ready to go. Umm, we will hopefully be launching them very soon. And try them over a few months and if we get good results, we'll probably keep the quiz as my lead magnet.
11:37 And if we don't, we'll start redeveloping a new league magnet for the future. It's fairly pricey software and if it's not serving my businesses, if it's not converting as many leads as I'd like, um, it's, yeah, that's, that's not going to work for us.
11:54 So, we're going to look for something that's going to better meet both my needs and the needs of my evolving for the last year or so, maybe nearly two.
12:08 I've- for anticipated in quite a few summits and bundles and, uh, collaborations. And that has been so valuable, and I've really grown my lists and my community because of it.
12:18 But they're not, again, when you take my quiz, you're a pretty darn warm lead. I've given you so much juicy value.
12:25 But when you go through something like, uh, bundle or, uh, collaboration like that, usually there's so many of us in it.
12:33 That you're getting inundated with onboarding emails and welcome things and, um, resources. And I really want to build that more tight-knit community back up.
12:44 So, I've been clearing my email list out a little bit. I have been really warming up the people that I've gotten over through bundles and things over the last couple years.
12:54 And I've made the decision that going forward for the next- while we are not participating in any more of those kind of mass collaborations.
13:02 Um, smaller collaborations, I'm still really looking forward to if you have an idea. Hit me up. Alright. And last but not least, um, my word for the year is cultivate.
13:16 And so we are just through Q1. I'm going to be doing my Q2 plan- I'm getting a little belatedly this week because, well, because we were over in Ireland for two weeks.
13:28 Um, and I didn't want to work a bunch while I was there. But for me, cultivating is about carefully removing what's unnecessary.
13:38 So, tilling, weeding, and creating healthy soil in my life and in my business. Um, doing a lot of uncoluttering, decluttering.
13:48 Um, we are decluttering, uh, like I said, email subscribers, email list we don't want to be on. Um, clients that no longer fit our work.
14:00 Um, we're doing so much over here to declutter, simplify, and learn some new skills. Um. I've been, for example, I have been a long time user of Asana, and I know a lot about it, but it evolves so and, I'm going to be taking even more Asana courses, uh, so that I can serve my clients in all the various
14:29 shapes of businesses, even when they don't look like mine. And, so I'm cultivating new skills, I'm cultivating my own soil, and I am putting in the groundwork so that both myself and my business can bloom.
14:46 So that's what's happening. I think, in my life, in my business, if any of this resonates with you or if you have questions, feel free to leave a comment, um, like, share, whatever it is, um, subscribe to the channel, I would really appreciate it.
15:02 If you are ever in my neck of the woods, um, I'm always down for coffee or virtual coffee, I really love connecting.
15:11 With other entrepreneurs, other tech geeks, um, or other people who are doing this whole two country life or other co-carcospatial parents.
15:23 Anyway, I'm around. Hit me up.
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