Summer may not be officially over, but it sure feels like fall with all things pumpkin pie and spice. And with the transition to fall, comes a new season of the Authentic Brand Builders Podcast.

If you’re new here or unfamiliar with my approach to building and running a business, I’m all about sustainability. For the past few years, I’ve prioritized taking a summer break to dive deep into my business and spend quality time with my family.

This past summer was no exception.

In an episode aired before my break, I explained that this wasn't a full sabbatical where I stepped away completely, but rather a period of minimized output. This allowed me to relax and recharge, which is crucial for every business owner.

Taking a break from creating new content freed up a lot of my time, enabling me to explore aspects of my business I usually don’t have time for.

As we jump into new episodes, I am excited to share a recap of my summer and some of the exciting discoveries and changes that happened behind the scenes at Brandmerry.

Inside today’s episode of the Authentic Brand Builders podcast, we’ll dive into:

Why I always prioritize taking an intentional break from content creation and how it doesn’t affect my ability to get leads or make sales in my business.

The #1 experiment I’m so thankful I did back in 2016, and how this summer proved it only gets better with time.

A reminder that sometimes what you want isn’t meant to be in that moment, but with patience and experimentation it will be better than imagined.

**I’ve included the main points below, but I encourage you to dive into the full episode via audio or video!

For the full content, and all the insider tips, listen to Episode 120 now.

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Entrepreneur Lesson: Always Measure Your Output

During the break, I opted out of creating new content and focused instead on evaluating my marketing strategy.

My approach to marketing heavily relies on long-form content like podcasts, YouTube videos, and blog posts. This video explains it in depth. Taking this intentional step back from creating new content gave me the space to dive deeper into my marketing strategy.

This summer reaffirmed that video content is incredibly powerful for my brand. It's effective for both brand awareness and moving potential clients through the sales funnel. As a result, I’m making it a priority to create more video content.

To do this sustainably I had to make a significant change to my recording setup.

I've moved from the living room to my office, where I'm now recording using a high-tech webcam. This has simplified the process and eliminated many of the previous challenges, like coordinating schedules and dealing with household noises.

Previously, my husband handled much of the recording and editing. However, as he returned to the workforce and with the rise of AI tools, I realized I could take over these tasks myself and give myself more flexibility to create content based on my schedule.

The transition to recording directly into Descript has been a game-changer. It allows me to use their incredible AI tools to edit and produce content quickly—saving time and increasing efficiency. Descript has made editing much easier for me, even though I’m not traditionally an editor.

I’m also stoked about experimenting with these new tools because they help me understand how to better support my clients who might not have a large team or a ton of time to spend on creating, producing, and distributing content.

Entrepreneur Lesson: SEO is the Advantage

One of the biggest reminders this summer was the power of SEO. I’ve been passionate about SEO for years, and this summer served as another reminder of its importance.

SEO not only allows my content to perform and drive traffic even when I’m not actively creating new material, but this sustainable strategy has generated amazing results for me, including signing four new one-on-one clients who found me via Google.

Even when I took a break from new content creation, my existing SEO-optimized website and content continued to attract leads and generate sales.

This summer reiterated why I teach all my clients the importance of incorporating SEO into their strategies.

Want to learn How to Attract Your Dream Clients with SEO? Join my upcoming free class on September 18 by signing up here.

Entrepreneur Lesson: Things Happen When They Are Supposed To!

This summer wasn't just about taking breaks and enjoying the benefits of SEO. It was also a time for innovation and restructuring.

After years of offering multiple programs, I decided to simplify and combine them into a single, comprehensive program: The Authentic Brand Builders Academy.

This new year-long program merges my signature courses, group program, and membership You Branded, Roadmap to Freedom, and Brandmerry Academy into one robust offering.

The creation of this program was nothing short of magical; everything just clicked into place. With the help of Delana on my team, we rebranded and rebuilt our offerings seamlessly in just a couple of weeks.

This is something I’ve considered doing before and even implemented on a different level, but it never felt this aligned. I’m thankful that I didn’t push it to work and instead honored the process, kept experimenting, and inventing within my business.

It wasn’t until my brand refresh earlier this year and the rebrand of the podcast that it all made sense. And boy, did it feel good when it all clicked into place.

Our new members and existing members are loving the recent changes and added materials inside the program.

Entrepreneur Lesson: Embrace Experimentation and Sustainability

The biggest lesson from this summer? The importance of a sustainable business and the willingness to experiment. Not everything works on the first try, and that's okay. It's crucial to audit, make small adjustments, and sometimes step back to reevaluate.

There are going to be times when you don't feel creative.

There are going to be times when you don't feel inspired.

There are going to be times when like, life is demanding so much of you, how you approach your business and how you set up your business for the long game is important because then it will allow you to continue with a sustainable business that provides for your family while still tending to these areas of your life that need to be tended to.

And the wave will come and the creativity will come and the inspiration will come and you will feel it in your body. Even if it's only going to be for a little bit of time, you go all in on that season of life.

Those are the waves of being a business owner, and the summer was just another fricking reminder of the importance of a sustainable business.

I hope my journey offers you insights and inspires you to prioritize sustainability and experimentation in your own business.

JOIN THE FREE SEO CLASS

If you're intrigued by the power of SEO and wish to attract your dream clients, don’t miss my upcoming class on September 18, 2024.

Sign up at brandmerry.com/getclients to join us live or receive the limited-time replay.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. Stay tuned for more incredible content, and make sure to subscribe to the podcast and YouTube for all the latest updates.

Tune in now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube Podcasts to hear the full episode and all the tips.

P.S. Ready to build a revenue-generating brand? One that not only stands out online but also makes it easier than ever to create high-value content? Tune in to my free brand class and learn my Build a Better Brand Method. Watch now at brandmerry.com/class.

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