I have been in a process of refinement recently. Challenging what it is I hope to create, who it is I hope to become. A process that results in doing fewer things more effectively, in understanding not just what I do, but how it affects the world. The result of all of this will be some exciting new things, all centered on refining what We Grow Media is, and how I can provide even more value to those who inspire me: writers and publishers.
Some of this will be “surface” level stuff, I will be launching a new website soon, along with a new logo, and a new profile image for social media. I know, this sounds incredibly self-centered to even mention. But it matters. It matters to consider every aspect of how I communicate with others – ensuring it all aligns to a single purpose.
It’s crowded out there. The highways are crowded, the coffee shop is crowded, the media is crowded, your email inbox is crowded, and social media channels are crowded. As I grow my business and become further engaged with writers and publishers, chances are that I have microseconds by which to communicate with someone new. How I use those microseconds matters.
The ultimate goal is to establish the seeds of a trusting relationship. One that will share and help – one that creates meaning over time.
Beyond the “surface” refinement, I have been tearing down and rebuilding the services I offer. Ideally – you won’t even notice. Nothing about WHY I do what I do will be changing. I will still be offering courses, workshops and consulting. But the details matter, and I have been analyzing them, and getting LOADS of feedback from others.
Mostly, I have been looking deep into the past, and deep into the future. Of who I have always wanted to be, and what I hope to build with We Grow Media. This is not about following short-term trends, this is about measuring value in years, not months.
It’s a fascinating process, one where I have to really focus on what I believe in, rejecting roads that lead to easy revenue, but don’t build anything long-term.
For me, the goal is to focus more on helping to push others forward. On partnering with those who inspire me. On turning not just idea into reality, but dream into achievement. Those I work with – writers and publishers – are often those working against great odds. And it’s my goal to help stack the odds in their favor.
This process is not about becoming a faceless brand, but to scale what I do so that it has an effect greater than what one person can give. That there is a unique differentiator in what I do, one that is never about having “competition,” but rather, in having colleagues. Those who are as passionate and driven as I am about similar goals.
That in building a company, this is not about putting fake external things on top of who I am in order to seem “professional.” But rather, to do what feels right – to build a business via relationships and a positive impact on the world, not simply by following the smell of money. That the true results are measured in the legacies we leave.
I have had an amazing year by absolutely any measure. For this, I am unbelievably thankful. I appreciate your joining me in this journey, and hope that we are able to connect more fully next year.
Thanks!
-Dan