THE BLISSFUL's Last Lettre

Dear Readers --

This is likely to be the last Lettre here on this blog. The reason for that is...the party has moved!

Please join me at my

brand new site for niche-y entrepreneurs

And thank you, so much, for following along with Lettres from THE BLISSFUL over the past four years. Wow. I'm grateful for your friendship and your readership.

Indie retailers, aspiring retailers, biz-minded artists and designers, and creatively entrepreneurial folks of any ilk, my new site is especially for you.

Love,

Abby

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AbbyKerrInk.com Launching This Thursday

I've always loved Thursdays. Forever, I think it's been my favorite day of the week.

So it's a nice coincidence that I'll be launching my new site, AbbyKerrInk.com, this Thursday, June 3rd.

Yep,

AbbyKerrInk.com will launch this Thursday, June 3rd!

What the site holds for you:

• How to design an entrepreneurial niche that aligns with your natural interests, talents and gifts, and the lifestyle you want to create
  
• How to nichify your offerings so that your right people can't help but be attracted to you and your biz
• How to find your right people -- customers and clients, partners and peers
  
• How to connect with your right people online, in print, and in person
• How to market your niche-y enterprise in a way that doesn't feel forced and huckster-ish

Plus advice and support for:

• Creative entrepreneurs and those who want a self-made career that looks and feels like them
  
• Indie retailers, both brick and mortar and online
• Crafters, artists, and designers who want to sell their work to boutiques
• Those who value the creative lifestyle
  

Plus help with:

• Copywriting for your niche-y enterprise, including SEO {search engine optimized} web copy that'll help your right people find your site
• Naturally niche-y marketing - vision and strategies
  
• Persistently romantic PR - how to's and how to get over yourself
  
• Indie retail start-ups and reinventions

If you've been reading this blog for a while, I thank you for following along with my entrepreneurial journey from high school English teacher to French-y lifestyle store owner to freelance writer/niche-y biz coach/blogger.

Now I look forward to following along with yours!

See you in a few days at my new site!

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Updates! I've Got Updates!

Photo courtesy of L. Marie, Flickr Creative Commons.

Here's what's going on around Abby Kerr Ink studios:

You know I have three?

Studios, that is.

One is my basement studio. One is my dining room table studio. The other is my bed studio.

All three are great for different reasons.

The first has a secret candy drawer, the comfiest office chair {Sam's Club, baby}, and near total privacy, except for two cats that wander through sometimes.

The second has great lighting, big, airy windows with floaty drapes, and a terrific table-under-chandelier set-up.

The third is the softest and the most filled with birdsong. If I lie back on my bed, I have the sensation of being in a bowery, as both windows are fringed by leafy trees. Sometimes birds even come and perch on my sills. Okay, one time two of them did. And it was pretty cool.

Here's a recap of what I've been doing since closing THE BLISSFUL back in February:

• Deprogramming from Totally On-All-The-Time Abby. {Any experience as intense as being frontwoman of a customer service-oriented business at least six days a week for four years has got to find her way back to herself once it ends. I promise you. And the trip? It's been delightful.}

• Nourishing my body and spirit in new ways. Flirting with vegetarianism and organics. Thinking of ditching diet soda. Getting more interested in yoga and long, meditative walks and what they can do for me. Not actually doing more yoga or taking more long, meditative walks, but my heart's in the right place.

• Writing like nuts. Writing for a handful of cool clients and lots for myself and for my new site, which will launch soon over at AbbyKerrInk.com. Also consulting/coaching.
  

• Luxuriating in Pandora radio. Last three songs that have played since I've been writing this post: "God Made the Automobile" by Iron & Wine, "He Said, She Said" by Joe Purdy, "Rain King {Live}" by Counting Crows. Sooth-y sunny day quietude.
  

• Putting myself through a self-designed grad school program-by-blog. {You can do this, too. Just find a blog that really resonates with you, one who shares lots of good links, and start following. You'll be amazed what you find.} Digging in deep. Slurping content as if through a spork. Discovering new mentors and making friends. Learning to dig Twitter. Really loving Facebook. Sharing as much good stuff as I can with people who are interested in the same stuff I am. And heavens! You are out there.
  

• Freeing myself.

• Reframing my relationship with money. That's been a big one.

• Getting clear about what I'm good at. Not what I can do well, or can do with the appearance of success. What I'm good at. What I'm good at that I want to do.

• Thinking a lot about my right people. Who you are, what you want. What I can do for you. What we can do together.

My new site is not going to be for everyone. For instance, there'll be probably no talk of design or decorating or gift-buying or home furnishings. That's the biz I came out of, but that's not where I am right now. So those of you who enjoyed this blog for the inspirational photos of French-y wonders, I have to let you know that my new site is not geared toward what THE BLISSFUL was about. It'll have its own inspirational wonders, but of a different sort.

If you're a creative person who feels passionately driven to figure out how you can do the thing you want to do, your way, sometime in your life and hopefully as soon as possible, then you're probably going to dig what I'm cooking up.

I'll be blogging about indie entrepreneurship, the creative life, connecting with your right people, naturally niche-y marketing, and lots more. Lots and lots of free content to help you out. And a 10 part e-course {also free} on Creating a Truly Irresistible Niche. One of my favorite topics under the sun, so I designed a course about it to share how fun and powerful nichifying can be. All coming soon.

So, here's an announcement: the site will be launching very, very soon. So soon I'm scared to say when. So I'm doing this much more casually than I usually do when I launch something.

I hope you'll be there. Keep watching this blog.

Meanwhile, I'd love to hear from you. If you feel like you might be my right person--and that'd mean I'd be yours! {goody!}--what exactly are you hoping to see, learn, or be inspired by over at the new site?

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Because of Danielle LaPorte, I Don't Have Time To Write This Post

Memo to my local readers:

You don't have to be mad at Danielle LaPorte. She's not the reason I closed THE BLISSFUL.

But she did help me create a blueprint for my new business, Abby Kerr Ink.

And she is the reason I don't have a ton of time today to do justice to explaining just how amazing and life-redefining her new Fire Starter Sessions Digital Experience for Entrepreneurs is. I did that over here in my first post about Danielle's new work, Why Every Little Entrepreneur Deserves a Big Fire Starter. Today is the work's worldwide release and what a great day for you to get your own copy.



Quick Testimonial About What A Fire Starter with Danielle Did For Me {& What It Can Do For You}

I've always seen myself as a writer. Know that I am one. Don't need approval or awards or, heck, even publication to prove to myself that I am one.

Despite anything else I've ever done {including running a pretty cool boutique}, writing has still been, for me, The Thing. Transcending all other things I could do.

But I didn't know how to take my natural-born gift, my driving passion, my positive addiction to writing {and sharing and teaching} and turn that into something that would pay the bills. {Clearly, I missed the day in college Creative Writing class when they talked about How Writers Can Earn a Living Working From Home}.

And then I had a personal Fire Starter Session with Danielle LaPorte. This was back in late October of last year. I already knew I wanted to close my shop--the how was the question. And the what next was a concern.

Danielle didn't answer those questions for me. But she helped me explore them in the context of what I really wanted to do. What I believed I was born to do. What felt good to do, and what I couldn't stop doing. What I'd do anyway, in between, around, underneath, over above, and instead of whatever other avocation was taking its place.

End of Testimonial. Let's Talk About You and Your Thing.

If you're ready for your own revelation, the Fire Starter Sessions Digital Experience for Entrepreneurs will be the best $150 you may ever spend.

Don't let the three-digit price tag put you off. You're going to spend a discretionary $150 somewhere anyway over the next couple months {couple weeks? couple days?}. Why not invest it in finding out what you really want to do with your one, incredible life?

Thanks to Danielle, I'm Too Busy Today to Write a Lengthy Post

Today, I'm in the thralls of writing web copy for a client. Beautiful, sparkling, evocative and crystal clear web copy that will connect with my clients' right people and help search engines find their site. I get to do this, full-time, because I figured out that I could close my boutique to do the something else that I knew I was being called to do. Called, as in, on a DNA-level. And this "figuring out" is due in large part to Danielle.

Do you know what you're called to do on a DNA-level? {The Fire Starter Sessions Digital Experience helps you with that.}

And I'm also working on content for AbbyKerrInk.com, my new site that's set to launch very, very soon. It's almost paining me to type that because I want to launch right now! But there's still more goodness to be created before I want to reveal it. I get to launch a new site for a new business because Danielle helped me figure out--in a very short, compressed, powerful, almost poetic space of time--exactly how to shape my skills, talents, and desires into a new business that could be entirely online, if I wanted it to be. So that I could work from home.

What would you like to be doing today that seems sort of impossibly confounding as to how you A} could really do it, and do it your way, and B} could make a good living at it? {The Fire Starter Sessions Digital Experience can help you get really, really clear about what that Thing could look like. And then how to materialize it.}

So today's a busy one. I'm working from home, listening to my perfect Pandora station {Feist, CocoRosie, Tungg} as I write, and burning an intoxicating candle on the table here with me. I'm drinking coffee out of my favorite mug. It's wisp blue and says Chez Germain on it.

And this is exactly what three months ago, I wished I could be doing on a rainy Wednesday morning like this one. And here I am.

Where will you be with your entrepreneurial dream in three months' time? Ready to find out?

Enough From Me. Let's Hear From Danielle Herself.

{This is the provocative promo copy she let me use.}

"How's your cashflow and your mojo?
Does your vision match your reality?
Does your brand match your soul?

THE FIRE STARTER SESSIONS is: an e-book meets video transmission of acumen and love. You: are likely sitting on an empire of content, product, services, and prosperity that needs a spark -- or blow torch -- to take you to the next level. You: want to rock your revenue streams and do meaningful things in the world.

Worksheets that help you draw conclusions, quick videos with motivational punch, connections to current thinkers, practical smarts, and frank wisdom -- THE FIRE STARTER SESSIONS is packed with inspiration that you will put to use.

Danielle has worked with 462+ entrepreneurs in her 1-on-1 Fire Starter consults (which are $500 and booked six weeks in advance.) For CEOs, coaches, artists, retailers, bestselling authors -- from site design to big dreams -- Danielle’s strategies combine passion with pragmatism to get to fulfillment and cash.

Each chapter is it’s own “Fire Starter Session” that includes: e-book components, video inspiration or interviews, and worksheets.

Some of the sessions are: True Strengths & The Metrics of Ease; Branding: Clarifying the Diamond of You; Products & Services: Making Stuff That Feels Good to Make; Money: More is More, Enough is Plenty; Web Design & SEO: Your Virtual Real-Estate…and dozens of tips and motivating perspectives.

In addition to getting Danielle’s deep and detailed knowledge, THE FIRE STARTER SESSIONS brings you contributions from some A-league marketing strategists, pro-bloggers, branding experts, and creativity coaches.

Whether you’re in the early idea phase or a well-established rut, Danielle’s thorough, witty, and experience-based advice will most certainly light a fire under your…aspirations."

Buy It and See.

Here's my affiliate link. {The one with Danielle's face on it, above, is one, too. So is the one in the sidebar of this blog. So click any of 'em. They all work.}

And after you've purchased and devoured the experience, let me know what you think.

Better yet, let me know what you do. And what you stop doing. It's all in there. You know it's your time, right?

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Facebook Page for Abby Kerr Ink

Have you joined us yet on the new Facebook page for Abby Kerr Ink? If not, come on over!


All you have to do is click on the screen shot above or on the link in the paragraph above it, then click the Like button at the top of the page. {If you don't see the Like button, you've done this before and you're already part of the conversation!} Updates will begin appearing on your Wall.

We're talking about niche-y entpreneurship, the creative lifestyle, finding your right people, marketing for indie businesses, and more. This is where I share great resources that have inspired, fed, and supported my own entrepreneurial journey. Hopefully you'll find something there worth incorporating into the way you dream and do!

Looking to forward to connecting with you on Facebook!

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Abby Kerr Ink Sneak Peek

This is my new logo for Abby Kerr Ink!

Not too much longer now 'til the site launches, so I wanted to give you a sneak peek at the style, vibe, and color palette.

I also want to give you a feel for what I'll be talking about over on AbbyKerrInk.com. Below is a little preview of the site content. {I borrowed this from my About Me page-to-be.}

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• learning how to create and market a niche enterprise

• learning how to tell a compelling story about my small business--online, in print, and in person--in a way that drew my right people toward me

• learning the ins and outs of social media to woo and activate a tribe

• learning how to run a small business and maintain my sanity {that was a tough one}

• learning where it was important to spend money as a small enterprise, and where it wasn't

• learning how to make business decisions that put me further along the path to my desire lifestyle

• learning how to rescue myself early from patterns of work that are non-productive and get back to my natural, most productive flow
  

If you're working on any {or all} of the above, you might dig this site!

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Thanks for giving me the chance to share this with you. I'm really looking forward to connecting with you online and in other realms!

By the way, if what I shared above interests you, consider "liking" my new Abby Kerr Ink page on Facebook. The conversation continues over there!

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What If 'Entrepreneurship' Feels Too Big For Me?

I called a friend today and we were talking about why she should definitely start a blog {or create content on an ongoing basis for the web, or what's sometimes called a content-driven website}--or, more actually--why I think she should definitely start a blog {because she's one of the most interesting people I know, because she always has a smart and cool take on things, because she's interested in so many things that people like to hear and think and talk about, because she's a really good teacher, because I want one more way to interact with her as my friend} and she said something to me along these lines:

"I read your post on 10 Signs You Might Be Cut Out For Entrepreneurship. And for some of them, I was like, yeah, that's me. But for some of them, I was like, oh, I don't really think that's me."

I know her pretty well, and the thing is, she is so an entrepreneur. Right now, though, her view of what entrepreneurship is is maybe a bit too broad.

So that got me to thinking about entrepreneurship versus plain being a smart, creative, insightful, talented, savvy, and delightful person. And where the two might meet.

And that got me to thinking about all of the people reading out there who might be saying, "I'm a creative person and I like to do my own thing. But 'entrepreneurship' feels too big for me."

And to that I say, let's discuss...

[by the way, if my friend ever starts a blog, I'll let you know]

Entrepreneurship is a grandiose-sounding idea, but the daily practice of it can be as small and manageable as you make it. {Niche-y, if you will.}

After all, YOU are the creator--the sole creator--of your entrepreneurial life.

I have a friend who's a talented jewelry designer. And she likes the idea of trying to sell her handmade wares in a few boutiques. But she's not sure she likes the idea of scaling the business bigger, or really, of her designs taking off and her business scaling her creative production life out of control. She really wants to just make "one of a kinds and few of a kinds" {I love this phrase!} and sell them outright, one shot only, to whomever wants them with no promise that the design can or will be duplicated.

I say, why not?

One of the lovely things about entrepreneurship is that you, the biz creator, get to write your own rules and decide how you do things. How big your biz gets, or doesn't get. How and where you market yourself, and how and where you don't. Who your right people, your target or ideal customers, are. You get to decide.

It helps, of course, if you know what your right people are wanting.

If you're producing but no one is buying {like, ever}, then maybe you are an artist or a creator, but not an entrepreneur.

So you need to find a way to get close enough to your right people to discern what they're really wanting. How do they want to be reached out to? {And how do they HATE being reached out to?} Where do they hang out online and offline? Who do they admire and consider trustworthy? What's their dream for themselves?

Don't know? Start sleuthing.

Follow them on Twitter. {Hey, are you following me on Twitter @abbykerr?} Friend them on Facebook. Read their blogs and comment on them. Visit the people who comment on their blogs. Watch the TV shows and films they talk about and take a listen to the music they like. Read the books they recommend. Spend some time in their world.

And if your niche is pretty close to your heart, there's a decent chance that their world is your world, too. So this isn't so hard.

Entrepreneurship is about creating something/providing a solution in a way that hasn't been done before. And unless you're a non-profit {three cheers for you!}, it's about making a living, too. Or at least some latte money.

So this entrepreneurship thing? Not so big as you might've been thinking.

I really want to hear what you think about this. I hope I gave you enough to chew on. Let me know where and how I can give you more. :)

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