By Holly Bowyer, CEO/Partner, Media & Marketing Minds
Get Inspired.
Everyone gathers inspiration from different places. Some people enjoy nature, others exercise, some listen to music, read or meditate At M3, we do a combination of these things, but music is ONE thing that we rely on most for inspiration. I mean, c'mon, my business partner started her career as a singer/songwriter in a touring band! And each year we create our own M3 Playlist, adding our fav tunes to jam to on a regular basis.
Lyrics are impactful and inspirational. Recently, as I listened to our playlist, I heard a song that made me pause. I had heard this song many times, but as I listened in these crazy, uncertain times, the lyrics resonated in a new way for me. Here is a snippet of the refrain lyrics from “Something’s Got to Give” by Labrinth.
Something's got to give
Oh, when you're giving your all
Oh, when it's coming up short
Something's got to give
Gotta give a little more, woah, yes
When the going gets tough
Gotta give a little more, woah, yes
Woah, yes… those words resonated!
Something’s Gotta GIVE.
We are thankful each day for what we’ve done and continue to do at M3, but I can't help feeling like we always GOTTA GIVE A LITTLE MORE. We started 2020 with a strong plan with goals that were obtainable, but they were going to make us stretch by doing things differently, trying new things and challenging ourselves to take more risks.
Well, here we are, halfway through the year and talk about having to change course and do things differently! I’ve had some amazing mentors in my work life and the ones I admire most are the ones who encouraged me to put a plan on paper and accept the fact that plans can change due to a variety of circumstances, but the ability to modify and adapt is key. We are adapting each and every day, so I thought I would share a few things we are doing at the agency to keep going and growing in today’s crazy world.
Get out of your comfort zone: Try something new! Push yourself to figure out a new process or refine one that already exists. Develop a new product or service, write that first blog, send an email to clients on your list or start posting on social media. Shake it up—do something differently and get out of your comfort zone.
Keep developing relationships: Talking to people is how you grow your business. And, just because you can’t grab coffee in person (boy, do i miss that!), the technology is available for us to still have a chat together and catch up with others about what we have to offer. Take this time to pick up the phone, send an email, reach out to former colleagues, use social media and plant the seed that your business is available to help new clients in need.
Learn new things: Have you noticed how many companies are offering access to all sorts of information for free or a fraction of the normal price? Take advantage of the variety of resources that are out there by the experts. I recently downloaded a bundled set of 100 different classes focused on business and growth tips for entrepreneurs. There were a few that looked really good and I am going to take some time to learn some new things.
Stay motivated and inspired: I saw a sign the other day that said “NOW is a gift”. As I pondered that, I realized that NOW is a time where people are investing more time in their interests and passions, picking up a new hobby, getting things done around the house and doing things to figure out how to come out on the other side of COVID-19 in a stronger and better place both personally and professionally.
At the end of the Labrinth song the beat changes and gets stronger, faster, with more energy and you hear these words:
We made it!
I love it when a plan comes together
We made it
Said I love it when a plan comes together.
So,the moral of this story is: Don’t give up. Get inspired. Keep going. Yes, we’ll get through this—but something’s DEFINITELY got to give. And now is the time to find that something in you.