BONUS 028 – Why I’m No Longer Marketing Myself as an Event Planner

What’s changed?

Today, I wanted to talk about a big, big, BIG business decision my team and I made in the last couple of months that you may (or may not) have noticed. We did it very quietly… under the radar, if I’m honest.

I want to talk about why I’m no longer marketing myself as an Event Planner.

You see, I started The Simplifiers way, way back in 2003 in Austin, Texas. We specialized in planning and producing large-scale non-traditional events for mega huge brands like Google, Facebook, Microsoft and more. We also helped plan a ton of really creative weddings for some of the very best couples in the Universe. Hands down!

Those were fun times, mixed with 60-70 hour work weeks – and totally fueled on tacos.

I started the company when I was 25 years old. Oh man, I remember that girl! Bright-eyed, bushy tailed, up for anything, super positive and could work non-stop like nobody’s business.

I still see glimmers of that girl in me now… but I’ve also got a few more lower back pains, creaky knees and a couple of kids in the mix at age 40.

I’m on the cusp of my 41st birthday and boy, a lot has evolved in my work life since I started my entrepreneurial journey.

What I wanted from my lifestyle business back then is very different from what I want now. I’m sure those who have been in business for at least 5 years, know exactly what I’m talking about.

Let it go – time to evolve!

This year, I made the cognitive choice to shift (full steam ahead) into a new season of my business and my brand.

I’ve evolved in to a Business Coach, an international Public Speaker and a Podcaster.

My passion is all about helping business owners simplify their workflow, achieve their money goals and take back control of their schedule and their lives… ya know, get back to THRIVING!

And in order for me to be ALL IN with this mission, I had to let go of old identities and make room for new energy in my life.

(cue the Frozen song here – haha!)

In order to be the very best Business Coach, Public Speaker and Podcaster for you guys, something had to give.

So, as much as I absolutely LOVE to plan events, I had to close that chapter in my career and move on to what God was calling me to do next.

Plus, as I’ve been coaching business owners for the last four years, it was time to make it OFFICIAL.

Make it location non-specific

I knew that I wanted to build the next evolution of my business to be location independent.

We live in the UK today, but who knows… maybe one day, we’ll live in Spain or France or right back in Texas. And if and when we move again, the business can easily move with me… that’s HUGE!

How do I do it? My teams in Canada, the US and the UK are all 100% virtual, meaning they work from their home offices or co-working spaces, on their own schedules and in whatever way works best for them to thrive.

This is a BIG advancement versus how The Simplifiers used to operate.

No longer are we locked down to the old tenets of 9-to-5 working, clocking in and out or being chained to a desk. (Not that we were back then, but you get the idea.)

By giving my team this ultimate freedom, they’re more efficient and more content with the work at hand. And bottomline, we all get more done.

Future proof your brand

If you want to evolve your company or brand, here’s a few simple, practical tips to keep in mind:

• Choose a brand name that can stand the test of time in case you want to shift your focus from one product/service to another.
• Ask yourself, ‘what kind of work do I want to do in 1 year?’ How about 5 years? And will you still want to do this work in 10 years? It’s okay if you say no!
• Make sure to secure your domain name for at least 3-5 years from now. Just so you’ve got it. Just in case you’re in the long game with your business.
• If you’re feeling a bit worn down, burnt out or just a little crispy around the edges, make sure to take a quarterly personal retreat to check-in on your vision for your business and have a “come-to-Jesus” moment with yourself to make sure you’re still on the right path.
• So many times, people build businesses that they end up HATING, working long hours for low pay that doesn’t fulfill any of their true desires. It’s better to catch that early on and course correct NOW, so you can build a lifestyle business that evolves as you evolve.

And just one final whisper, just from me to you, dear friend… come in closer.

The beauty of being an entrepreneur is the fact that you are the ultimate decision maker on where you head next. You get to decide!

And with that, there comes absolute liberation and freedom to dream up a business that can bring the most amazing people to you as clients, and as teammates. It can provide you with the money you need to thrive, and allow you to serve others by doing your life’s work.

That thing that you were put on this planet to do in this chapter of life.

Keep journalling, keep listening to those divine nudges and your intuition. Keep seeing opportunity around every corner and keep your ears open.

Closing one chapter may be sad for a while… but once you step up and step into where you’re supposed to be next, you’ll understand the reason WHY all of this happened like it did.

Hindsight is always 20/20 looking back. Step out in faith, dream bigger than you can imagine and be willing to see where the Universe takes you next.

Evolution is a birthright.

Change is a gift.

You can do this, I believe in you.

It’s time to SIMPLIFY.

If this thought of the day inspired you…

Snap a photo of you doing the thing and send it to me via Instagram, privately or publicly… Just tag @thesimplifiers – I’ll be your virtual accountability buddy in your quest to simplify your life.

Mark your calendars!

The #DoTheThing Challenge returns, starting on Monday, October 1st, 2018!

Join us for our free 5-day sales challenge that’ll help you:

• Finish the year STRONG
• Smash your sales goals
• Recalibrate your compass (especially if you’re feeling a bit off-center since the summer!)
• …and help you shift your money mindset, removing any blocks that might have been in the way so far this year, ultimately, keeping you from achieving your 2018 goals.

It’s a fun, interactive and most importantly, SIMPLE 5-day challenge that’ll only take 45-minutes of laser-focus from you per day, in order to reap big, big results.

Lord knows, we don’t need to add any MORE to our to-do list. (haha!)

Built specifically for business owners in creative industries…so if you’re a:

• Wedding or Event Planner
• Photographer
• Graphic Designer
• Coach
• Creative Entrepreneur
• or Marketer

…and you want to join others just like you all around the world who need a kick in the pants right about now, this is for you!

Just listen to the results others got the last time we did the challenge:

Michelle T. : “I’ve been making a better checklist with my daily routines, keeping it SIMPLE is key. Mary is very energetic and helps me get my day focused!”

Yeraldin Y. : “Loved seeing Mary’s roadmap to how she runs in-person sales meetings. Her enthusiasm and passion really motivates you!”

Nancy H. : “This challenge helped me win two new clients in five days! Mary simplifies everything and is so positive and real!”

You guys…Do the thing.

Sign up today to reserve your spot in this free 5-day sales challenge.

It all starts on Monday, October 1, 2018 and I can’t wait to see you there.

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As always friends, keep things simple.

Watch the video version of this episode