Tag / business owner

by caitlyncallahan14

why I still use a typewriter

My writing career started on a typewriter when I was just six or seven years old.

Whenever I’d go visit my grandparents, one of the first things I’d ask is for Pappy to bring out the heavy “ancient” machine and put it on the coffee table in the family room so I could “work.” I typed out letters, poems, stories, notes, and anything else I could think of that needed recording.

Now, that typewriter sits on a small table next to my desk in my home office, a constant reminder of my humble beginnings as a writer, and a daily inspiration for my passions.

And it serves not just as a reminder and inspiration, but I still actively use it.

When I founded Callahan Communication, I thought for a long time about what I wanted my value proposition to be. There are a lot of people out there who can do what I do, many charging less money… so how did I stand out?

I’ve written about why I chose a typewriter for my logo and it comes down to this – with today’s technology, anyone can be a “writer,” “social media specialist,” “marketer.” But not everyone can be an expert.

Social media marketing, content marketing, digital marketing, etc. all stem from the basic knowledge and understanding of marketing and people. And without that foundation of knowledge, it can be a challenge to be truly strategic, agile and successful.

That’s how I’m different. I have that foundation. I’ve been building it professionally for nearly 15 years, and on my own for more than two decades. I’ve lived it, breathed it, studied it, and put in my 10,000 hours of practice to become an expert.

And once you have that foundation built, it can be applied across the board for marketing and digital marketing. And I built my business to provide that expert consultation and delivery for my clients. While the tactics may change and adjust, the basics do not.

The typewriter, other than a pen and paper (which I still use as well), represents the basics of writing. Using a typewriter forces you to slow down and think about what you type. You can’t go back and make edits or additions. Once something is typed, there’s no delete or backspace. You have to have the foundation of what you’re writing, and it must be thought through and designed before starting.

Which is why I still use my typewriter. While my laptop allows me speed and flexibility, I like to go back to the basics. To challenge myself and feel the energy and motion of the keys as I type. And it’s the same as how I approach work with my clients – go back to the basics, challenge them, and apply it to today’s world. Build the foundation.

If you’re just starting out as a freelancer, I encourage you to think through your value proposition. What makes you different? Why are you the one the client should hire? Do you have the foundation necessary to be successful?

And if you’re already a successful freelancer, I challenge you to go back to the basics. What’s your foundation that you’re building upon? Is it stable? Do you need to revisit that foundation, those basics, to continue to be successful? I

Today, go back to your typewriter. Whatever that may be. And remember why you do what you do, and why you’re the best. Use that energy to push on, and continue providing your clients with the best.

by caitlyncallahan14

in with the old

Recently I was messaged by a client I worked with in the past asking if I was still writing, and if I’d be able to help them with some content needs they had.

This client was one of the first I ever had on Upwork (in fact, I think he was the second). The pay was great (at the time), I was enjoying the content topics and writing, and he was an easy client to work with.

However, due to personal things going on at the time that took up a lot of mental space, and a lack of true commitment to freelancing (mostly because I was overwhelmed), I didn’t provide the best experience that this client deserved. We worked together on and off for a year, and then I basically ghosted them and one year later, ended the contract.

I was shocked when he reached back out. Because while the content I provided was exceptional, the rest of the relationship wasn’t. I’m embarrassed with how I handled our contract. I’ll be honest.

But I’ve come a long way in the past year and a half. And so when I got his message asking if I could do some work, I decided that, as embarrassed as I was, it was my duty to show up and prove my worth. To repair that relationship, and in addition to providing exceptional work, go above and beyond with my customer service.

It’s just the right thing to do.

The more I think about it, I’m willing to bet that I’m not the only freelancer/business owner out there who is disappointed in themselves for how they handled a contract, sale, client relationship, whatever. We probably all have that one or two clients or customers who haunt us and keep us up at night.

Because over time, we’ve grown. We’ve gotten better. We’ve learned to thrive. And those marks on our record are hard to forget.

And this past week I realized the important thing is… you’ve grown. And you’ve gotten better. And you’ve learned to thrive.

And it’s ok to have those ghosts.

Because we were learning. We were just figuring things out. We were overwhelmed, taking on too much too fast, or drowning while trying to find the balance between life, work and side-hustle work.

It’s not ok now. I won’t accept anything but the best for my clients. And I’ll never have more ghosts that keep me up at night. (Or at least I’ll do everything I can to make sure that doesn’t happen.)

But I fully believe part of growing your business is ensuring you grow as a person, both personally and professionally. While I improve my craft and learn more about industries and writing and content, I also improve how I communicate with clients, meet deadlines, stay organized, and build relationships.

That’s what’s important.

If you have those ghosts, don’t forget them. Let them push you to grow and be better. But don’t let them hold you back. It’s part of life. It’s part of owning and growing a business. It’s part of freelancing.

Is there a point to this blog post? Not really. But I felt it important to recognize that we all mess up sometimes. We all make mistakes that we have to learn and grow from. It’s part of what we do. But as long as we don’t do it again, and are constantly improving, it’s ok.

And, it’s even better if one of those old mistakes comes back and gives you a second chance to prove yourself.

by caitlyncallahan14

8-10 hours/day

I went to the eye doctor last week (for the first time in years) to talk about getting contacts because my vision is so bad. As we were going over my history and concerns, she asked me what I do for a living and how many hours a day I spend on the computer.

I told her 8-10 hours, average.

She laughed at first.

And then when she realized I was serious, she expressed concern about how bad that was for my eyes.

I told her that between my full time job and my business, it’s the truth. And yet, these last few weeks I’ve found that even that much time isn’t enough.

You may have noticed it’s been about a month since I posted a blog post. I also haven’t been regularly updating my social media, or posting industry articles. I’ll be the first to admit I’ve been slacking. My full time job has been so busy lately and it’s been exhausting. I’ve been working longer hours, and had no time during the day for a break (so many meetings!). On top of that, I’ve been very busy with my existing clients, and working on onboarding two more.

Therefore, I’m spending 8-10 hours a day, 5-6 days a week staring at my computer.

But, I’m still falling behind writing and publishing for my own business. Which without that new content, I’m not continuing to grow and establish. And while I know the importance of prioritizing my own business, I’m not. And sadly, it’s an active choice I’m making.

Because after 8 hours of meetings and 2-3 hours of writing for clients, I’m tired. And I want to watch an episode of my favorite show, or read some of my book, and then go to sleep. I know I should be writing a blog post, or scheduling out social media posts. And I can’t say I don’t have the time (because that would be a lie), but spending that time working means I’m sacrificing time doing other things I enjoy, or time with family or friends.

I’ve been doing this freelancing gig for about three years now and I’ve written before about finding the balance. Now more than ever it’s challenging to find that balance as I’m busier than ever with work and clients.

Don’t get me wrong – it’s the best feeling to have. I love what I’m doing with my clients and the work I’m publishing. I’m so proud of my success so far and how far I’ve come.

But to keep going, I need to continue to prioritize my business. I just honestly don’t know how.

So here’s a question to my fellow freelancers – how did you do it? How did you build a successful business, while also having and enjoying your life? Not missing those moments in life is so important to me, but I feel like too often I read about successful people having sacrificed everything to get to where they are, including family, friends, sleep and their own health.

I don’t want to be like that. I want to change the narrative. I want to prove to every kid out there dreaming of this life, having their own business and being successful writers, that you can have it all.

I’ll be sure to let you all know if I figure it out.

Until then, I’ll keep spending my 8-10 hours.

by caitlyncallahan14

brand guidelines

Whether you own a business, publish a blog, tweet using an alias, do freelance work, or something else along these lines, you’re likely doing so using a brand.

You may have intentionally created a brand, or it may be something that came naturally and just happened.

Or, like Callahan Communication, it may be a combination of both.

While I intentionally write blog posts and industry articles, built my website, and work with my clients using a brand I created, much of it also just happened because it was natural.

Something that didn’t happen naturally, though, and still takes effort, is keeping that brand.

Which is why this week I wanted to explore creating and following brand guidelines.

I’ve had to work within brand guideline constraints at every company I’ve ever worked for. It’s how we spoke, words we used, the tone we published in, the types of images and creative we promoted, the tactics we used. It was our logos, colors and typography.

And while I’ve owned this business for two years, I’ve never sat down and created brand guidelines for myself.

Since it’s only me, I never really felt the need. I generally used the same colors and font, same tone and types of content and imagery. But over the past few weeks I’ve felt a calling to sit down and create a brand guide book for myself as both something to follow in the future, and something to hold and be proud of.

I Googled “brand guidelines” and came across an article How to Create a Brand Style Guide in 5 Steps. I worked through each of the five steps, some taking a few days while others took just a few minutes. I found that much of it I’ve thought of before, such as my brand story, voice/tone, and logo. But some of it I’d never actually defined, like collecting brand inspiration and actually creating a brand color palette and typography sheet.

So I went to the store, bought poster board and a glue stick, and printed photos, colors, type, and other brand-related elements that inspired me. It made me feel stimulated, encouraged and motivated. It made me feel like, even after two years of working with clients and owning the business, I was actually a business.

And every time I look at that poster board, I get a little flutter in my stomach of excitement and pride.

(I also printed the same things, made some of my guidelines a little more formal, and placed them in plastic sheets in a binder to keep at my desk.)

So again, whether you own a business, publish a blog, tweet using an alias, do freelance work, or something else along these lines, you’re likely doing so using a brand.

And if you haven’t yet, I encourage you to sit down and create a brand style guide. It doesn’t have to be formal. In fact, it can be totally informal. Do whatever format works for, excites and inspires you. Put it somewhere you can see it – saved on your desktop, set as the background of your phone, hung on the wall above your desk, printed and placed in a binder.

Why?

It helps you be consistent. It shows prospective clients and your audience who you are without fail. It translates the heart, soul and mission of what you do into design and style, and should reflect that to others. It helps those who see your website, blogs/articles, social media content, and anything else you put into the universe, as yours. Your company. Your brand.

by caitlyncallahan14

onward

In January, I finished the book Onward by Howard Shultz, founder and two-time ceo of one of the most well-known brands in the world: Starbucks. In the book, he wrote about his inspiration for Starbucks and how the company began, and how he grew it into the brand we know and love today. However, even Starbucks wasn’t without struggles, as it saw significant financial difficulty in 2008 that took several years to overcome.

Personally, I’ve never been a huge Starbucks fan. Blasphemy, I know.

Most of the drinks were too sweet and even not-very-health-conscious me had a hard time putting those sugar packed liquids into my body. Then, the regular coffee tasted fine, but not good enough for me to pay $4 for. One thing I did always love and gave credit to was the atmosphere and the customer service, but I didn’t give myself much luxury to thoroughly enjoy it.

While reading Onward, I felt almost guilty for feeling the way I did about Starbucks. Howard was that inspirational and motivational. His passion and love for his company was almost tangible, even through a book. And I found myself highlighting, marking and sticky-noting several passages throughout the chapters with advice on business and life.

How Howard built Starbucks, with the passion and love, ingenuity, creativity and drive, is how I envision running my own business.

Not on the same level… obviously.

But with the same passion, creativity, drive and love for my work and customers that he had.

There was one particular passage at the end of the book that I both highlighted and sticky-noted so I would double remember. In fact, I might get it printed on something to hang above my desk.

Grow with discipline. Balance intuition with rigor. Innovate around the core. Don’t embrace the status quo. Find new ways to see. Never expect a silver bullet. Get your hands dirty. Listen with empathy and overcommunicate with transparency. Tell your story, refusing to let others define you. Use authentic experiences to inspire. Stick to your values, they are your foundation. Hold people accountable but give them the tools to succeed. Make the touch choices; it’s how you execute that counts. Be decisive in times of crisis. Be nimble. Find truth in trials and lessons in mistakes. Be responsible for what you see, hear and do. Believe.

I got goosebumps when I read that. Because not only can I apply that advice to running my business, but it’s also applicable to every day life. To my 9-5 job. To being a leader.

I think every leader in every organization should read this. Embrace it. Embody it.

My advice to you is to read, embrace and embody those words. Share with leaders in your life. Use it as a foundation for your business or career. You never know where it can take you or how successful you can be.

(After all, it comes from a man who built a company with a net worth of several billion dollars and instant brand recognition all over the world.)

Also, I highly recommend the whole book. Definitely a great read!