on pivoting in public

You know what that is? Growth.

#WednesdayWisdom

“Your rest is a healing and generative force. You no longer have to be the sacrifice or sacrifice it all on the altar of work. You can rest at the alter and remember who you truly are.” ~ Octavia Raheem

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Morning Musings

Photo by Daniel Thomas on Unsplash

I was supposed to host another pitching workshop yesterday, but late Monday night I decided to cancel it. Registration was low. It felt rushed (because it was) and I didn’t have the energy to promote it in the way it deserved.

You may recall I hosted a pitching workshop in late March. I had a goal of 10 attendees and 12 people registered. We had a great time and participants walked away with tools to start pitching stories, as well as personalized feedback on their ideas. Afterward, several people reached out about the recording.

Being the overachiever that I am, I didn’t think it would be *enough* to simply sell them the recording, so I spent the last month trying to retrofit the workshop into a Canva workbook template to make the offering worth it. And, because I’m still a recovering perfectionist, weeks and weeks went by with no workbook.

Then I saw that my business coach

Jenni Gritters

was hosting one of her workshops for a second time due to popular demand and a lightbulb went off in my head: work smarter, not harder. Offering the workshop again would be a workaround the workbook. It sounded good in theory, but in practice? Not so much.

First, there was the issue of timing. If I didn’t host the workshop yesterday, the next opportunity would be in June because of upcoming travel and an otherwise full May calendar.

Then there’s the fact that traditional media is having a tough go of it right now. I mean, this has been true since I graduated into a recession back in 2008, but it seems to have gotten significantly worse lately with news of layoffs every other day. Even though I’m confident in the value I offer in my workshops, I also understand times are hard for everyone.

Lastly, there was the energy (or rather lack thereof) to promote and host a workshop within a span of four business days. My head thought this would be a promising business venture, but my gut (rightfully) knew otherwise.

So on Monday night I emailed the registrants and offered them the option of a full refund, or a link to the recording from the first workshop, plus the workbook and the pitch critique. Gratefully, they took me up on the second option and, sometime soon, I’ll make it available for purchase on my website.

A year ago (heck, even six months ago) I would’ve been too prideful to admit what could be deemed as a business failure. But thanks to therapy, Zoloft and watching people like Jenni lead with vulnerability and empathy, I’ve decided to frame this as the business lesson that it is.

May this be your permission to “fail” and pivot in public. Not only is it liberating af, but you never know who you may be inspiring in the process. 💜

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ICYMI

I had a great time talking about perfectionism and all things publishing with Bethany Saltman and Fran Hauser of their Bookbound podcast. We discuss how I found hope in owning my fears and doubts, in both growing online community and my bookbound journey. Finally, I share all the details on how I battled imposter syndrome—by writing about it!

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Upcoming Events

• May 30: Join me for WIN Summit 2024: The Power To, presented by Walmart Connect, for a day of learning and inspiration on Thursday, May 30th in New York City. Discover new ways to harness your unique strengths, elevate your skills, leverage your value, and better advocate for both yourself and your company. Save 20% with the code LTP20.

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Links I Love

• The College Student Keeps The Score (

  Culture Study
  )

• The New Moms Who Have Had Enough Of Birth Control (Romper)

• Zendaya Talks Challengers, Talks to Serena Williams, and Considers Her Future (Vogue)

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