It’s been more than a decade since Simon Sinek inspired us all to “start with why.” Today, those three words are the cornerstone of many a marketing mantra. The question is — should they be? “Start with why” is a great tagline. It’s short, catchy, and broad enough to apply…

Content strategy might be the most widely misunderstood concept in marketing. In a lot of small businesses, it looks something like this: Post 1 blog per month Send 2 emails per month Post daily to LinkedIn, etc., etc. A schedule like that might keep you consistent, but it also keeps…

TL;DR Content distribution is not the same as link distribution. To bring the audience to your amazing content, share the value of that content in small slices that leave them wanting more. Imagine hosting a party. The centerpiece of the celebration: a cake. Not just any cake — an amazing cake…

I’ve got 99 problems, but coming up with content ideas ain’t one. Jealous? Don’t be. Read on and I’ll give you 3 ways you can turn on a waterfall of ideas that help you build on your pillar topics. Pillar what now? OK, let’s start there. If you’re creating content about all the…

Everyone wants to be a thought leader these days. It’s the height of content fashion. The more popular it is to pursue thought leadership, somehow, the harder it is to define it. There’s a lot of educational content with a CEO’s name on it that calls itself thought leadership. …

If you want to eat healthier, exercise first thing in the morning. Mornings are a pretty crucial time when it comes to achieving your goals. There’s a whole movement around the idea that you can change the world just by making your bed at the start of the day. That’s…

“Personal brand” gets thrown around a lot these days. There are courses on building your personal brand, articles about why you need a personal brand, and professional coaches dedicated to helping you craft your personal brand.

“Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.” That was how Anton Chekhov advised writers to “show, don’t tell.” It’s a beautiful line. Powerful. Does exactly what it says. But then — that’s Chekhov. It’s a pretty high bar. To a lot…

There are a million things to keep track of when you’re running a freelance business. And just one you. It’s hard to wear all the hats — to be the accounting office, the marketing department, the customer service line, and the janitor while still doing the thing your business actually…