Notes About Yesterday.

Notes About Yesterday.

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Notes About Yesterday

This morning, before 8 o’clock, I am reflecting on yesterday. Yesterday, I wrapped up on a week that was filled full of addressing things it I don’t like to do or I may not be necessarily very good at doing but I have to do to progress further as an entrepreneur, as a thinker, and as a business person. So I ended my week doing a couple of things that I know that I’m not that very good at.

Those two things are editing video and editing sound.  I’ve worked in studios with editors for commercials, I’ve worked in studios with editors putting together music and sound but having to do them myself sometimes just makes my brain boil! I made a commitment to myself that I wanted to learn to do these things, at least efficiently enough so that I can get my own content out and then be able to preach the gospel for why these things are important to learn how to do for the advancement of your business and your brand. Then I can turn around and teach those things to my clients.

As a person that likes to live what they talk and talk how they live, I’ve tried to never to prescribe something or give advice on something that I myself don’t truly know about or at least have an experienced myself from a business standpoint. So yeah editing video, editing audio, two of the things that I don’t like to do, but I’m doing them, just to make content that I can put out. I want to make sure I’m putting out content in a way that is right for me and that I do it consistently. Also so that I can do it in a way that I like that is good enough to put out to the world. But there’s still a lot of things for me to learn. I go back and forth between Adobe Premiere because I think that’s the better program with more capabilities for me to produce content, however, I find it very very frustrating starting-out, and sometimes just putting a simple glorified slideshow together in iMovie works just as well! it’s a crazy journey, it’s a crazy learning experience but what I am learning on the other side is… do I like these things?

If I don’t like these things, what am I learning from these things?

And then how can I use these situations to 1. ask for help from someone else, which I do need help so if there’s anybody who can help me, please do! Please raise your hand please hit me up, drop me a message whichever because I do need help with these things or at least learning how to progress through these things.

And secondly past asking for help, I want to know that from failing or succeeding through these things, I want to know how to instruct someone else about these things, I want to at least know the language well enough from fumbling around with them, to where when I do ask for help, and someone does stand up to assist me I can then have an understanding of how to talk them through what I need for that particular piece of content or for my content strategy moving me forward.

Yeah today was just a quick reminder of yesterday and last week so I’m moving into this week with a better understanding of how to get things done for myself, a better understanding of how to ask other people for help, and better understanding of how to give them instructions once they do stand up to actually help me. Let’s keep moving, keep taking action, let’s keep planning to be better for ourselves, for our businesses and for the people around, Peace.

Double Up On the Goals You Set For Yourself.

Double Up On the Goals You Set For Yourself.

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“Bro! I don’t think I set my goals high enough… and I think I may be standing in my own way.”

I could feel my soul trying to escape my body when those words spilled out of my friend’s mouth the other day while we were on our way to a bar. This hit so close to home because I’d come to the same conclusion for myself a few days before.

How did he know? How was he in my head and forcing me to address this elephant in the room? Pushing and pulling me to look at the one thing that in many ways is still holding me back? Me!

We talk all the time about setting goals and what we need to do to achieve them but there was something different about this time. I found myself pissed off because these accomplishments were too small. If I want to be able to help others reach their potential in the ways I envision, then I better write down some bigger dreams and throw in a few monetary and material goals. Then double up on what it’s gonna take to get there.

A Job? Or An Opportunity?

A Job? Or An Opportunity?

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While on my path of self-improvement, and bridging the gaps between my strengths and weaknesses, I accepted a position/opportunity/challenge as the Digital Media Mentor & Portfolio Coach at St. Petersburg College, Seminole Campus. I will be mentoring students and preparing them for design life in the real world and I get to perfect my craft. So for those who are believers in “those ones who can’t do, teach”. That’s dumb! It’s nothing but silver linings and a lot to learn for everyone involved.

Find yourself a mentor, or two.

Find yourself a mentor, or two.

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Aside from my family and friends, the most important and valuable people in my life has always been my mentors. I have not always had mentors nor have I always understood the reason why I need them in my life. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I realized how my first mentor, Robert Rostick, was helping shape my life into something I could be proud of. I met Robert almost 20 years ago in Atlanta.

I was a student at the Creative Circus, a small advertising school nestled in an industrial park in Atlanta. Robert started as my photography teacher, I think at the time it was a mandatory class. The school found it valuable for us as they thought it would be a helpful tool on our way to becoming well-rounded creatives. Like a lot of things back then, I didn’t get it. What I will give myself credit for is realizing that I did not have a lot of leaders growing up, especially black men that were willing to take the time to help guide me through life. You know that whole “when the student is ready the teacher will appear” thing.

I knew that there was a lot I could learn from Robert. Fast forward, 18 years later not only did I get a lifelong mentor out of the deal, I also got a friend and Godparent to my children. Way more than I asked for, but I’m glad I asked. From helping me drive cross country to start my life, attending my wedding in Dallas to helping pick up the pieces after my divorce. Every time I’ve called he has been there and I’m grateful for all of it. I’m looking forward to another 20 years.

And as I grow through life and start to establish how I want to make my impact on the world, it hasn’t been a bad idea to pick up a few other counselors along the way. Tanya Williams from T.wynne Art & Design and Jeremy Bristol are two people who are still actively playing a role in my growth as a business owner and in life. Having people who have lived a bit more than you have or at least differently than you in your corner, is never a bad idea. The time and patience they have shown me through life and business have been priceless. I can’t wait until I can be that person for someone else.

Emails Are Never A Good Way To Have A Conversation.

Emails Are Never A Good Way To Have A Conversation.

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Stop having hard conversations with clients over email. I know it’s easier to hide behind your computer with well-thought-out emails about processes and why they should just listen to you because that’s why they hired you in the first place. It’s trendy for us to say all clients are crazy, and in some cases that might be true. The point is that solutions come from actual conversations. Be it a phone call, a Skype chat, or face-to-face. If you are trying to reassure your clients that you have their best interest in mind, pick up the phone and tell them so.

Everyone’s a Marketer, and an Expert?

Everyone’s a Marketer, and an Expert?

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Everybody is a marketer these days because of social media. Anyone can set up a camera or start a blog and moments later be on display for the world to see. Don’t get me wrong, I love how simple tech has made it for all of us to take more control of our lives and tell our stories at the pace we decide.

My only concern is for the many people who make the decision that they want more out of life, they want to grab control of their fate and jump out into the community of people making moves on the web. Right out of the gate, before they have thought about who they are and what they have to offer the people, they fall into the trap of how to get more likes, more followers, and how to become a social media bad-ass from day one. They spend hours, weeks, months trying to crack the code of being themselves while going about life like everyone else.

A handful of free workshops, a years worth of online courses and thousands of dollars later, most of us still find ourselves confused and overwhelmed and feeling like the only solution is to scrap it all and start over again. Instead of taking the time to reflect on what they learned from the process and question what they would need to do differently, they stall. When they turn to the experts that got them to this point, these experts can’t help push them through to what the problem is because they have spent no time learning what you as a customer needs to help you to figure these things out about yourself.

In fact, they have thrown you into a pot with every other person like you with their general approaches to what most times are very specific needs. It’s no wonder why so many of us second guess ourselves and give up before we have gotten started. My answer is that there is no one answer, no one real approach to how we should get shit done as individuals.

If we worried less about likes and follows and focused our time on how we are best suited to serve each other through our products or services and get really good at just doing that, our journey in becoming better marketers for our business will be rooted in becoming better believers, thinkers, and storytellers of ourselves.

Note To Self: Care more about the things that interest my clients. Learn as much as I can about those things and use that as information for better decision making in the future.