Smashing Self-Employment - Marketing and productivity help if you're self-employed.

Running your own business can be tough on your mental health. In this episode, I chat with copywriter Katie Rickson about routines, boundaries, and how to build a business that supports your wellbeing as much as your income.Katie opens up about her own journey sharing how she learned to prioritise rest, set better boundaries, and build a business that fits her life, not the other way around. We also explore why so many self-employed people struggle with guilt when taking time off, and the small, practical changes that can make a big difference to your mental health.Whether you have been running your business for years or you are just starting out, this episode is a gentle reminder that your wellbeing is not a luxury. It is essential to your success.You can find Katie here:https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-rickson-writer/https://www.katierickson.co.nz/https://businessinthebath.co.nz/LET'S CONNECT:Web: smashingselfemployment.comYouTube: @smashingselfemploymentLinkedIn: @karlcraigwestGet the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL

Burnout isn't just about working long hours. It's about what you're putting up with, what you're avoiding, and what you've come to accept as normal. In this episode, I chat with Michelle Niemeyer, a former lawyer who’s now a productivity coach, about the one powerful choice that helped her step away from burnout and create a business that fits her life, not the other way around.We dig into why saying no can be a growth strategy, how to spot and fire clients who drain your energy, and why setting boundaries is essential when you're self-employed. Michelle’s story is raw, real, and packed with practical insights that hit home for anyone juggling too much in their solo business.If you're feeling stretched, stressed, or stuck, this episode is your reminder that there is a better way to work and live. It all starts with one choice.Michelle can be found here: https://www.michelleniemeyer.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-niemeyer-3997936/LET'S CONNECT:Web: smashingselfemployment.comYouTube: @smashingselfemploymentLinkedIn: @karlcraigwestBuy the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL

Join host Charlie on "Ways to Wealth" as he chats with Karl Craig-West, a freelance digital marketer and business advisor living in Fiji. Karl shares his eclectic career journey, from property maintenance at 19 to running a web design agency; highlighting the freedom and challenges of self-employment. The episode dives into the freelance economy’s rise, AI’s transformative role in work (think productivity boosts via ChatGPT and automation), and strategies for building residual income through ventures like YouTube channels. Karl envisions a future with multiple income streams, living on a boat near his daughters in New Zealand, and stresses diversifying beyond property-heavy economies. He offers practical advice: find a passion, serve a paying market uniquely (e.g., his payment plans), and embrace AI to stay competitive. Charlie previews his membership model, blending expert access with financial tools, proving freelancers can rethink retirement and thrive in an AI-driven world.LET'S CONNECT:Web: smashingselfemployment.comYouTube: @smashingselfemploymentLinkedIn: @karlcraigwestGet the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL

Struggling to stay awake in the afternoon? Boost your energy in just 10 minutes with this simple yet powerful habit! Many of us hit a mid-afternoon slump, feeling sluggish and unmotivated after lunch. But did you know that a quick 10-minute walk can completely refresh your mind and body? In this podcast, I’ll tell you why this trick works, how it improves focus, and why it’s one of the easiest ways to stay productive throughout the day. No need for coffee or energy drinks—just get moving and feel the difference! This is the perfect hack for anyone working 9-5, entrepreneurs, or students looking to stay sharp. Plus, if you’re struggling to build an exercise habit, this is a fantastic way to start! Try it out and let me know how you feel. 💡 Don't forget to LIKE, SHARE, and SUBSCRIBE for more game-changing tips! LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com YouTube: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn: @karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL

Episode Description: In this episode of Smashing Self-Employment, we dive deep into a true story that highlights the importance of keeping in touch with your customers and prospects. Discover how a simple habit of consistent communication can turn cold leads into loyal clients—even years down the line! We’ll share real-life examples, including how a first aid training company became a customer simply because we kept in touch, and how a small change in email frequency helped a tax consultant grow her client base. Whether you’re self-employed or running a small business, staying front of mind with your audience is a game-changer. Tune in to learn actionable tips on how to stay connected without being overwhelming. 👉 You can also watch the video here : https://youtu.be/QVo5E1IZuVI Don’t forget to subscribe, share, and leave your comments. Let me know how you’ll implement this in your own work! LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com YouTube: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn: @karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL

In this episode, we dive into the world of marketing through the lens of a game-changing YouTube video. Discover the simple yet powerful ABCs of Marketing: Audience, Broadcast, and Channels, and learn how these foundational steps can transform your marketing efforts. We discuss why knowing your target audience is critical, how to craft a message that truly resonates, and the importance of choosing the right platforms to reach your customers. Plus, we explore advanced strategies like using CRMs, upselling effectively, and the power of incremental improvements through the aggregation of marginal gains. To wrap up, we challenge you to make one small tweak to your marketing this week because small, consistent changes can lead to extraordinary results. Actionable insights, practical tips, and a fresh perspective await—let’s dive in! LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com YouTube: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn: @karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL

You may have heard that content is King.And, if you want your website to do well in the search engines, you need to be creating regular content (usually blog posts).But that's not the whole picture.When you’ve created a new content item you need to be sharing it out on your own social media.If the sharing brings traffic back to your website, then it will give Google a good indicator that this content item is popular.And as a result, because of the additional traffic, you get additional points in the search rankings.So, don't just create content; share it.And then share it some more. LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com Insta: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn: @karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL

We're often asked "how frequently should you send out marketing emails" and there's no really simple answer. The main factors in marketing email frequency are: ~ Your business type ~ Your customer type If you sell to consumers then you'll probably get away with sending out emails quite often, maybe even daily. If you sell to businesses then you need to be more careful since stuffing your contacts'' inboxes will likely mean unsubscribes or spam labels. The key thing is to be informative and engaging with your emails. If you're providing value then most folks won't mind getting your marketing emails on a frequent basis. You also have to consider how much time you're able to dedicate to this. If you're self-employed you'll not likely have time for daily emails. So you'll need to give your email marketing strategy a bit more thought. However frequently you send out marketing emails, just be consistent. Commit to a regular schedule. LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com Insta: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn: @karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL

I heard a saying that "Life happens when you're planning on doing something else!" And when you're self-employed it can have a huge impact on your ability to get stuff done. The challenge for many people is to avoid giving yourself a hard time when your business activity is derailed by life. So, a few things to bear in mind are: Accept that "stuff happens" and that it happens to everyone Look for the opportunity to get something done, even if it's small Do your best to make the best of your situation Talk to someone if your mindset is going down a dark path LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com Insta: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn: @karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL

Gary Foster (https://www.linkedin.com/in/thegaryfoster/) is a Sales Hypnotist, sales trainer and salesman. In this interview he shares his thoughts on: Copying successful salespeople Making your sales pitch more comfortable and formal How to be a helpful salesperson Serving to sell Using language to increase sales Making selling fun LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com YouTube: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn: @karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL

In this interview with Daria Williamson (www.dariawilliamson.com) you'll learn how to work on your strengths and delegate out the things you don't enjoy and don't leave you energised. As self-employment people we end up doing a lot of stuff we don't enjoy (such as book-keeping) and these tasks often get left until the last minute, which causes stress. Or we won't even start things because they simply don't excite us and don't give us energy. Another thing is that we reluctantly do the boring stuff that goes with being self-employed. For example; not everyone is excited by marketing, so it often gets left or isn't done with real enthusiasm. So, listen to Daria's insights and start working to maximise your strengths and love the work you do. LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com Insta: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn: @karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL

Our mind and body regularly need time to recover and refresh from the working week. And a weekly day off is the ideal way to do it. However, when you're self-employed (especially working from home), it can be very difficult to disconnect yourself from your work. The constant input from mobile devices doesn't help. So, here are some pointers on making sure you take at least one day off each week. It'll help. LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com Insta: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn: @karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL

You can save yourself a tonne of time and money if you follow these steps to make sure you start a marketing campaign the right way. Make sure you understand your target audience and how you're aiming to help them Test and measure performance on a very regular basis Run split tests, if you can Start small and scale up if (or when) it proves to be profitable The aim is to make sure that every campaign provides a profitable return on investment as quickly as possible. LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com Insta: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn: @karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL This episode is sponsored by Social Media Me. Social Media Me is an online community which is home to easy, online courses. Their course, Facebook Ads for Small Businesses will help teach you everything you need to know in order to set up, run and analyse your own Facebook Ads. No more expensive marketing agencies, this course has been designed for small businesses, to grow their business themselves. The course is 100% online, and you can watch and re-watch videos as many times as you like. It's a one-fee too, so once you've paid, there's nothing to worry about. Most members make that money back on their first campaign too! Find out more here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3uFjH8k⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

These days websites are all about content. Decent content gives you a better chance of outranking your competitors in the search engines. And the best way to do this is to write regular blog posts. The challenge is that blogging takes time. So, in this episode we share a few ideas on how to create blog posts in less time. LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com Insta: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn: @karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL This episode is sponsored by Social Media Me. Social Media Me is an online community which is home to easy, online courses. Their course, Facebook Ads for Small Businesses will help teach you everything you need to know in order to set up, run and analyse your own Facebook Ads. No more expensive marketing agencies, this course has been designed for small businesses, to grow their business themselves. The course is 100% online, and you can watch and re-watch videos as many times as you like. It's a one-fee too, so once you've paid, there's nothing to worry about. Most members make that money back on their first campaign too! Find out more here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3uFjH8k⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Your marketing should be a process, just like the rest of your business.⠀ In fact, the more you make a system/process out of your marketing the easier it will be to do and more effectively it will help you to (win and keep) customers. You see, successful businesses run on processes. The more efficient and effective these processes, the easier it is to manage and grow a business. So, your mission should be to work out a successful process for your marketing. Look at what you do, how often it's done and what kind of results you get from it. Schedule your activities and monitor the results. It's simple but not always easy. Check out this episode on being Consistent in your marketing: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/auckland-business-builders/episodes/The-Key-To-Marketing-Success-Be-Consistent-e2e855e LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com Insta: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn: @karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL This episode is sponsored by Social Media Me. Social Media Me is an online community which is home to easy, online courses. Their course, Facebook Ads for Small Businesses will help teach you everything you need to know in order to set up, run and analyse your own Facebook Ads. No more expensive marketing agencies, this course has been designed for small businesses, to grow their business themselves. The course is 100% online, and you can watch and re-watch videos as many times as you like. It's a one-fee too, so once you've paid, there's nothing to worry about. Most members make that money back on their first campaign too! Find out more here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3uFjH8k⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Rich Ellis, of Fit 4 Life, share his tips on how to prioritise your wellbeing when you're self-employed. Rich's key points include: ~ Have a great start to the day ~ Your eating habits make a difference to your ability to stay well ~ Have something to look forward to (such as a weekend away or a holiday) ~ Take regular breaks (including micro-breaks in each day) ~ Look after your mindset ~ Your self-talk is important The thing to remember is this: "If you're not able to work, you're not able to earn". The buck stops with you and how well you perform. So looking after yourself should be one of your highest priorities when you work for yourself. If you want to connect with Rich you can do so here : https://www.facebook.com/Fit4lifeAHC https://www.f4l.co.nz/ LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com Insta: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn: @karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL This episode is sponsored by Social Media Me. Social Media Me is an online community which is home to easy, online courses. Their course, Facebook Ads for Small Businesses will help teach you everything you need to know in order to set up, run and analyse your own Facebook Ads. No more expensive marketing agencies, this course has been designed for small businesses, to grow their business themselves. The course is 100% online, and you can watch and re-watch videos as many times as you like. It's a one-fee too, so once you've paid, there's nothing to worry about. Most members make that money back on their first campaign too! Find out more here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3uFjH8k⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Multi-tasking doesn't work. In fact, it's bad for your productivity. You see, trying to get a load of stuff done, all at once, means that nearly nothing gets finished. You'll simple flick between tasks and get nowhere fast. Even worse is that you run the risk of stressing yourself out because you won't be finishing anything but you'll feel rushed off your feet. So, how do you fix this? Well, it's simple: You work on just one thing at a time. But to give yourself a better chance, it's worth setting a good environment with the following things: Clear your workspace so you only have the current task in front of you Switch off electronic notifications Put your phone on silent (and out of sight) while you work on the task Work in timed chunks (20 minutes is a good start) Once you begin to get the hang of this your productivity will seriously improve. Having said all of that, you need to be tenacious. After all, you're adjusting years of bad habits. LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com Insta: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn : @karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL This episode is sponsored by Social Media Me. Social Media Me is an online community which is home to easy, online courses. Their course, Facebook Ads for Small Businesses will help teach you everything you need to know in order to set up, run and analyse your own Facebook Ads. No more expensive marketing agencies, this course has been designed for small businesses, to grow their business themselves. The course is 100% online, and you can watch and re-watch videos as many times as you like. It's a one-fee too, so once you've paid, there's nothing to worry about. Most members make that money back on their first campaign too! Find out more here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3uFjH8k⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

"Shiny New Thing Syndrome" is so easily to fall into where you get distracted by something new and exciting. The issue is that it's far too easy to get sucked up by the hype and fail to question whether this new thing is going to be helpful to you and your business. And just because everyone seems to be raving about something, it doesn't mean that it's any good. A key question to ask is this: "Is this new thing going to help me reach my customers or build my business?" If the answer isn't a definite Yes! then just dabble until it's proven to be useful or not. But, whatever happens, don't just dive straight in because it's popular. Take the time to investigate and learn more. LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com Insta: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn : @karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL This episode is sponsored by Social Media Me. Social Media Me is an online community which is home to easy, online courses. Their course, Facebook Ads for Small Businesses will help teach you everything you need to know in order to set up, run and analyse your own Facebook Ads. No more expensive marketing agencies, this course has been designed for small businesses, to grow their business themselves. The course is 100% online, and you can watch and re-watch videos as many times as you like. It's a one-fee too, so once you've paid, there's nothing to worry about. Most members make that money back on their first campaign too! Find out more here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3uFjH8k⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Referrals are usually the cheapest and most effective way of getting more customers. It's the best way of knowing that you're doing good work and that many of your customers tell others about the good stuff you do. In this episode I share the story of a mortgage broker called Gareth. His strategy was to reward his top referring clients with dinner at their favourite local restaurant. Yes it was an expensive reward but each new customer was worth quite a bit of money. So it made sense to properly say thanks to those who'd sent plenty of friends and family. The key lesson is that you should reward your top referrers with something that goes beyond just a gift voucher. If you buy them an experience or something tangible that they can hold then they will be extremely likely that they will tell even more people about how wonderful you are. LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com Insta: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn :@karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL This episode is sponsored by Social Media Me. Social Media Me is an online community which is home to easy, online courses. Their course, Facebook Ads for Small Businesses will help teach you everything you need to know in order to set up, run and analyse your own Facebook Ads. No more expensive marketing agencies, this course has been designed for small businesses, to grow their business themselves. The course is 100% online, and you can watch and re-watch videos as many times as you like. It's a one-fee too, so once you've paid, there's nothing to worry about. Most members make that money back on their first campaign too! Find out more here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3uFjH8k⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Measuring your marketing is important because you need to know which elements of your marketing are actually working. Sadly, far too many smaller businesses and self-employed people just put marketing out there but simply don't know if any of it is effective. These days, with much marketing happening online, you have no excuse for keeping track of your stats. It's a good idea to find out where your customers heard about you or how they found you. It makes sense to work on this because you want to amplify what's working and adjust (or ditch) what's not working. LET'S CONNECT: Web: smashingselfemployment.com Insta: @smashingselfemployment LinkedIn :@karlcraigwest Get the Smashing Self-Employment book : https://amzn.to/2GiBBEL This episode is sponsored by Social Media Me. Social Media Me is an online community which is home to easy, online courses. Their course, Facebook Ads for Small Businesses will help teach you everything you need to know in order to set up, run and analyse your own Facebook Ads. No more expensive marketing agencies, this course has been designed for small businesses, to grow their business themselves. The course is 100% online, and you can watch and re-watch videos as many times as you like. It's a one-fee too, so once you've paid, there's nothing to worry about. Most members make that money back on their first campaign too! Find out more here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3uFjH8k⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠