Oiwehgiehwoweihgiehwgiehwehighew. That's basically what my hands WANT to type. Except I am going to force them to say something much more elegant, like:
Otter urine!
Can of cold farts!
Room full of Swiss people!
(My personality isn't a good fit for the Swiss. Anyone who makes you feel like your enthusiasm is about as welcome as a slug in your sandwich should not be on your “Yes, Let Us Hang Out! list.)
Assuming people will hang out once again, of course. Fortunately, I'm used to this whole “let's stay inside and work on the computer in musty old pajamas” ordeal, but The Big P is kicking The Tall Costa Rican's business's assssssss. (You remember him from THE BOOK, right? The book I launched right before a global pandemic took hold?) When you're in tourism and all of your clients have to cancel their trip and the airport closes and everyone wants a refund, it can be tricky to navigate. But I don't have to tell you this: this community is made up of makers and travelers and entrepreneurs and wedding photographers and yoga instructors and public speakers and all sorts of people who cannot proceed with business as usual. And whose incomes have been ROCKED because of it.
The good news is: finding creative ways to make money happens to be my specialty. And a lifetime working in online business has taught me that there's always a way to HELP PEOPLE—as long as you're willing to ditch the traditional way of doing things, and try a unique approach, instead. One that'll lift everybody up.
AND SO, GOOD CITIZEN. I've come up with a way to donate my time to help anyone who is in that situation, free of charge, to come up with some creative ways to generate more revenue for your biz by doing things you might not normally do. (But that'll feel generous and helpful, not tone deaf.) It'll be in online workshop format—again, completely free—and I'll be sending access information in the next couple of days. [EDIT: You can now register for the workshop here.] So if you are someone who:
- Is having clients or customers cancel (i.e. wedding photographers, tour guides)
- Had to cancel your own stuff (i.e. yoga instructors, jewelry-making workshops)
- Can't see clients face-to-face (i.e. real estate, therapists, hair stylists)
- Can't travel to an event you were scheduled to be at (i.e. public speakers)
- Can't put on an event you were hosting (i.e. retreats, masterminds, book tours)
- And anyone in general who works for themselves and is anxious about earning money in an uncertain climate
This workshop is for you.
I'll send out more details as I have them over the next couple of days. Going to try to pull something together for you as quickly as I can, so let this be a glimmer of a sparkly, delicious martini in a shitstorm full of stress. I've got ideas for you. And I know from experience that they work. And I'm happy to hop on and help you think through some creative new ways you can earn money and serve your people and keep on showing up as your best and brightest self, any way that you can. (We need you.)
What's going on in the world is some mad serious stuff. But like I wrote at the end of THE MIDDLE FINGER PROJECT book:
The difference between someone who becomes a victim of their circumstances and someone who rises despite them is in that tiny little word right there: despite. Moving forward despite your fears, despite your doubts, despite the struggle, despite it not being what other people think you “should” do. It’s the opposite of doing things because, which is how most of us live our lives. We do this because that. We do that because this. But what if you tried a different approach? Sometimes the most radical and dangerous decisions are the best ones of all.
And babe, I'm certainly here to help you make a few.
Talk soon—hope you're holding up okay over there.
XO,
Ash
P.S. I've been working on something new for a while—The Middle Finger Project Store ?—which will contain a series of helpful downloadable kits (like client contracts, email scripts, and guides for all sorts of scenarios), as well as any upcoming online workshops I'll be offering. Just wanted to say? I am ~lo-o-o-ving~ this software for building our new online store. TOTAL GODSEND. (Especially if god sent Lamborghinis.)