EP 332: Maybe Simplicity Is Just A Dream…

I’m convinced that every entrepreneur has a fantasy business that they daydream about.



It’s free from all of the baggage and assumptions that we’ve built up around our existing businesses.



And I’m also convinced that that fantasy business—as pie-in-the-sky as it may be—has something to teach us about our existing businesses.



They can show us how we’d market differently, set policies differently, and protect our time differently. They show us the kinds of relationships we’d prefer to have with clients or the type of work we’d rather be doing.



And, maybe more than anything, they show us just how simple a business can be.



With a few exceptions, I don’t think most of us daydream about convoluted, complicated businesses. We dream up simple businesses—ones that thrive with minimal BS.



Today, I’m sharing 3 ways that I built my fantasy business—the one I’d been dreaming about for years—and how it’s different from What Works.



In this episode, you’ll hear:



* Why making changes to an existing business is less like steering a big ship and more like dragging the anchor behind you* How focusing on process & systems helped us create a simple business model* What we did to create an offer that was an obvious “yes” for the right people and an obvious “no” for the wrong people* And how we’ve gotten away with almost zero marketing since we got started almost 2 years ago



Read the full transcript below:



If you were to start a new business—something that has nothing to do with what you’re doing now…



…what would it be?



Maybe you daydream about starting a copywriting business specializing in beekeepers, or you fantasize about becoming a tarot reader for financial professionals. Perhaps you’ve thought about how you’d do web design differently or create a curated subscription box in a whole new way.



I’m convinced that we all have a business—or several—that we daydream about.



And I believe that there’s a lot we could learn from these fantasy businesses.



This month, we’ve been talking about simplifying.



I don’t think any of us dreams up overly complicated businesses. These businesses strike an elegant balance between your needs and wants as a founder and the market’s needs and wants.



None of my fantasy business ideas are complicated.



A few years ago, I wanted to launch a brand of bralettes for bigger busts. Just one or two styles sized appropriately for people with a D-cup larger. And mind you, this was before everyone started selling bralettes for bigger busts.



I’ve dreamed up a personal training business for high-performing women—part coaching, part fitness, all monthly retainer.



I’ve talked about how I’d love to open a simple, high-quality coffee shop in my town. And I’ve dreamed of opening a yoga studio on Main Street, too. While coffee shops & yoga studios might not be high-margin businesses, they’re undoubtedly simple models.



I’ve also joked that one of these days, I’m just going to quit everything and set myself up as a professional Canva designer. I also imagine this business to be pretty straightforward.



Our fantasy businesses can teach us what we’d do differently if we were starting from...

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