We recently connected with Stacey Swan and have shared our conversation below.
Stacey, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
When you have your own business it comes with ups and downs. There are times when you are so busy that you couldn’t possibly handle any more work. Then there are other times when things are a little slower and quieter. Over the last five years in business I’ve realized to embrace the highs and the lows. I take the low times as opportunities to work on things in my own business. This could be everything from blog posts to cleaning up my own site to doing all the things I didn’t think I would ever get to. I always remember that the slow times are just a moment in time, and I should take the opportunity to do things that will move the needle. Before I know it there are people reaching out again, wanting website updates or other designers needing support. I also remember that a slow time for me could be a busier time for someone else. Running your own business is a rollercoaster, and I think you have to be resilient and take the highs with the lows.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
My journey started as being a virtual assistant doing all the things. From website updates to Pinterest graphics to spreadsheets. As I moved along I realized that the website tasks were the jobs that I really looked forward to. I knew that website design is where I need to put all of my focus. Over the years I’ve adapted my services to focus on things that I really love. One of those things is my passion to support other Showit website designers. When I get the message of “I need help – do you have time?!” from another Showit designer, it truly gets me excited. I’ve always loved helping and supporting people behind the scenes, whether that was in my own business or when I worked in the corporate world. I have the ability to adapt to whoever I am working with. I feel like that is one of my biggest strengths. Every designer is different and runs their business how they want. The ability to jump in seamlessly is what I really feel like sets me apart. I don’t have strict processes or systems that I use. I am here to help and support other designers, so I want to be as flexible as possible for them. They are coming to me to relieve the burden of overwhelm, and that’s something I want to deliver.
I also provide website updates for entrepreneurs other than Showit designers. From coaches to photographers, I love jumping in and getting things done. There are always a million things to do on a website – update galleries, add a new service page, work on SEO, update copy, maybe add a freebie to a website. Most designers like a “start to finish” type project – like a custom website – but I love those random tasks that are building up on your to-do list. I can jump in, get the updates done with little direction and the business owners are so thankful that I made things so easy for them!
I just recently add SEO services to my offerings. After years of learning and working on SEO on my own site and seeing results on sites that I’ve worked on, I knew this would be a valuable service. Some people just don’t know where to start with SEO. I have three different packages which really depends on how serious someone is about their SEO. From just doing some keyword research to coming up with blog posts, I can give anyone a great jump on visibility in a Google search. It is always so exciting to implement changes to a Showit site, and check back in a few months later to see how much their site has improved!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
When I look back I think the three skills and qualities that were most impactful in my journey was: always being flexible, being smart with my focus and time, and never giving up.
Being Flexible – this is one part of my business that I have always focused on. I feel like this sets me apart from other designers. Although sometimes being flexible can backfire – whether that is with scoop creep or maybe projects lasting longer than they should, but I still stand firm in being flexible in my business. I feel like things happen in life and if someone needs to put a project on hold, or change the scoop of what we are doing, that’s ok. I would want the same flexibility if it was the other way around.
Being smart with my focus and time – I have never felt the pressure of “doing all the things”. When I first started my business I invested in the necessary things – CRM to pay invoices, a website and domain. That is pretty much it! I used the free versions until it was a nuance and I had to pay for a subscription. I never felt the pressure to “do this” or “pay for that”. I did it when I was ready. I feel like that is why my costs to run my business are so lean. There are so many free resources and work-arounds, you don’t need to go broke to start your virtual business.
Never giving up – there have been so many times over the last five years where things were slow and I thought about getting a part time job. I would start job hunting, only to feel discouraged. I would think about the times away from home, the lack of flexibility, and honestly being stuck in a specific pay rate. I would never end up applying for a job because I would say to myself “if I put more effort into my own business, I can make more money”.
If you are early in your journey, don’t feel the pressure of what everyone tells you. There are SO many resources out there and “experts” pushing something. You need to just go with your gut, and only do the things you feel comfortable with. A business is about you – and that’s why people will hire you. Not because you are doing all the things you are “suppose” to do.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
I would love to partner or collaborate with more Showit designers! There are so many designers out there that are spending so much time on things they shouldn’t have to spend time on. I know there are Showit designers that are nervous to outsource. Maybe you had a bad experience one time, or have something in your head with how things are “suppose” to be when you outsource. It doesn’t have to be like that. If you can outsource certain tasks, think of how many more projects you can bring in. Free up your time to spend more time on your own business, or maybe just take that extra time off to spend with your kids. Outsourcing doesn’t have to be scary. You can give a smaller job to see if you and I click and work well together. I always say the more we work together, the more I will realize what you look for and the process will get easier and easier. There are so many designers that I have worked with on bigger projects that can shoot me a message in an urgent situation and I’m there for them. Take a chance and see what happens!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://coffeeandflow.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/coffeeandflowcreative/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/coffeeandflow
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCj-OOudmndz7JVrGQoaQ4HA
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