Calling all Cavemen and Cavewomen…

When’s the last time you left your house?

It’s 2020, so first off, I don’t blame ya if it’s been a minute, or a month. But let me tell you something a mentor told me once, “You can’t hunt from the cave.”

Now, let’s discuss the Gabi spin… you absolutely cannot create from the cave.

You need to get out of your turtle shell of a house to be shocked out of your comfort zone, inspired to create and reminded that other humans live on this planet and need/want to play with you and your work.

But, it’s scary!

I’m flying across the country right now and this morning I was so tempted to turtle up in my shell.

I almost bailed.

I almost stayed controlling my work in my comfort zone…

Can you relate?

When you think about traveling, leaving your house to go work from a park, or hell, going to the grocery store in person? What comes up for you?

What sensations appear in your body?
What stories do you share with your inner mean girl like gossip in the bathroom stall via 5th period break?

Now, I have an important question for you and the bully inside of you pushing you deep into your shell – is any of it true?

What do you risk by NOT moving forward, up and OUT?!

For me, it was a $12,000 reward for expanding past my fears today. When the voice in my head said, “Gab… just stay home, you’ll be safer, you can work more and hangout with Chris. He’ll be glad you stayed…” I weighed the odds, did a Brad Yates EFT Fear Tap video, and meditated into what I’d feel like out of my cave.

When I got to the airport (two hours past fear-ville), I checked my Voxer to realize I had been referred $12,000 worth of business.

The Universe rewards you expanding your comfort zones, turtles! You will be supported by leaving the cave to share your light.

It gets groovier, on the plane, I got a second book client and two women sat by me who wanted to be writers. God wanted me on these planes. Fear did not.

Who will win your heart today? Will you leap out scared?

Let me know…

Love,

You ever been writing like this?

Like it’s the last time you’ll ever get to say anything, ever?

Like it’s seriously the most important memoir of all time?

I use to write like that all the time.

I would choke up, write fast and feel like nothing could come out of my lips fast enough onto my keyboard.

Then I realized one very important fact: I would likely live 80+ more years.

That means even if 28 year old Gabi did not craft the next Harry Potter, 68-88-108 GG totally could.

And, when the pressure subsides off your crazy expectations, the creativity that’s been meant for you can actually flow.

You see, you are meant to channel different creative ventures at different stages of your life. And, as the intuitive you are, you likely hope to put out your memoir at 33, even though it’s totally planned for you at 58.

You don’t have to wait for the BIG Sha-bang to be worthwhile, though.

As with everyone, you know something right now that would literally change someone else’s life. And, without sharing it, due to your sweaty-ass weirdness, that human continues to suffer.

Sometimes the first novel we birth into the world is the absolute shit, and other times it’s actual shit. Because it’s teaching us that the process can be easy, it’s teaching us how the process works.

It’s showing us what it’s like to actually put our words into the universe so when it’s time to share that wonderful, crazy universally timed “the book” of yours, you’ll know exactly how to do it.

The book that’s hatching in your mind matters now.

The book that your whole life is living for, matters later. And now, as your experiences are leading you to become the woman to publish it.

There are no wasted creative movements.

Let’s shake it off.

Let’s dance into what the world needs from us now.

Let’s take the pressure off.

Let’s evolve slowly into the author we have seen in our dreams.

Let’s write, write now.

Love,

Of course you have!

These clients ignore you for weeks, days, even months.

These are GHOST clients. They’ve totally ghosted you and you, being the loyal business owner/freelancer/coach you are… feel guilty and weird because you just want to serve them!

Now, what do the GHOST clients always do next?

THEY POUNCE!

Hello, 300 e-mails and reply all CCing all your assistants and your mothers.

These clients usually say something like,

“Where are we with this?”

[INSERT SWEATY PALMS]

Ghost-Pounce clients always make you want to BOUNCE. Like, leave the country and quit your biz.

Here’s 3 scripts to save to deal with these crazy people:

1. “Hi ____! Welcome back. I’ve saved all your replies into one e-mail, I’ll be responding back to you by the end of the week so you can easily review where we are on this project. I am beyond grateful to have your input! Would you have 15 minutes Monday to review these responses live so we can navigate the next steps together? Thanks!”
2. “Oh WOW! I love all these ideas, and I love seeing your name in my inbox, it brings me so much joy to see you back online and ON this project. I’m going to voice memo you tomorrow and we’ll go through all-the-things. xoxo”
3. “Hi ___! Thanks for all your amazing e-mails, notes, and questions. We are working hard on your project this week and I’ve included my calendar link so you and I can catch up and dive back in.”

Notice, I never said I was busy or working with other clients. Stay in service because you are better than the PounceY TiGeR, who I believe is also doing the best he/she can.

Let me know if this was helpful in the comments!

Love,

PS: Check out one of these incredible resources to expedite your growth journey

I write for famous dudes.

I write for healers.

I write for skincare brands.

I write copy for websites.

But, at the end of the day, when it’s time to write in my voice… I often just go for the wine and pasta and push my own voice down.

Psychologically, you can imagine this sends a message that you are A) Not as important as your clients and B) Stifles your creativity… and C) derails your fitness goals as you increase your wine + pasta habit.

It’s so easy to push your dreams to the back of the list, but this September, I’m committed to writing in my voice, which, hey happens to be the best of the bunch – nah-what-I’m-sayin’?

So, here’s how I suggest you make the time to shine:

1. Begin to Dream with your Coffee

If you’ve read my blog, you know my #1 rule is no phones in the AM. So grab your coffee, grab your pen and make an outline. Your brain is fresh because no clients have asked you to do shit, if they can’t find you – they can’t ask you. Prioritize your magic first, and you’ll actually have more to share with the world as you’ve begun to stir the pot, or created the Scooby if you will.

2. Marinate on your outline

Go for a walk, get to work or go to yoga – start to dream on your outline. I’ve been known to literally leave yoga and get on my laptop, but I’m a gangster – so you do you, the notes app, a notebook – I’m not sure, quail pens?, but take your notes be they physical or mental.

3. Write in a notebook

Gel pens = Gold. Always write your first draft by hand. Always! Otherwise you’re going to e-mail people, text people and your work deserves more. Have some sparkling water and take yourself on a hot date and write… unplugged.

4. Google Doc It Up

I always sleep on my written work, because by the time I type into my google doc in the morning my brain has reorganized it’s thoughts and it’s like a free editor. Once you’ve finished your google doc type – you can then publish to your website, external site, or LinkedIn. Here’s how I do my content.

Most importantly, schedule this time and don’t skip yourself. Your voice needs to be heard as much as anyone else’s friend.

xoxo

PS: Check out one of these incredible resources to expedite your growth journey

I am Gabi Garrett, I started freelance writing five years ago. At first, I kept a couple of clients while I was working full-time, and then eventually, I drove into it full-time. So it means a lot to me and it’s helped me do so many cool things. I‘ve been on the journalistic side including newspapers and magazines. I’ve also been on the online media side with sites like Elite Daily, Tiny Buddha, Elephant Journal, and even the USA Today Networks. Now I focus mostly on corporations so now I work with about 15 clients as a writer/rent-a-marketing director. It’s a lot of fun! Because somebody might have a wonderful story but sometimes lacks the time or literary talent to get it out there. I’ve ghostwritten books even on financial ways to invest your money. So the possibilities are endless and we are going to cover some of those in this blog…

So let’s talk about you! So I can’t see you or get to know you but you are very important to this process. So as you develop your freelance writing career, whatever that might mean to you, remember that you are the most important asset. That means you don’t work yourself to the bones, stay up late because without you if you have sick days, there’s really no one to take your place. 

So, I want you to take a moment and write why you’re interested in learning how to become a writer. Maybe it’s a dream you’ve had for a long time, maybe it just sounds like fun, maybe you want to make some extra money, but maybe you have a deeper “why” behind it. Whatever it is, be sure to have a very clear “why” before you begin. 

Then we’re gonna go into your portfolio.

You might already have one of these. If you don’t, here are the different ways you can put that together.

First, categorize everything you’ve written so far. Don’t freak out if you’re a brand new writer and you’re written nothing.

What I want you to do is either put everything you’ve written into categories. So you might have pieces on time management, mindfulness, forestry, real estate, whatever your things are, put them into different categories. I

f you have never written before, I want you to take a moment and think of five different categories you might be interested in writing for. Later on, you’re going to file your pieces underneath these categories.

So you could do that in a Google Drive, you could do that by literally printing them out and putting them in folders. This is going to help you determine what type of area might be interested in the writing skills that you have. And then next, you upload them either to an online WordPress site which is free and easy to use or you can create a high-class PDF which means it would have maybe a picture of you, your title, and a PDF link to each thing you’ve written. You want to think of your portfolio as a showcase of your skills. So, as we go through how to reach out to editors and different newspapers, they’re gonna wanna see your work.

Then, you’re going to choose where you want to be a freelance writer.

You can work for someone’s newsletter, sometimes freelance writers also have graphic design skills set and if that’s you, you might be surprised how many local businesses are in need of a newsletter, you could work for a magazine, a newspaper, online media or corporate clients.

Basically, the key thing you want to remember is to categorize, find your specialty or what you want to write about, find the people who are talking about it, look at their submission guidelines and submit.

If you’re looking for corporate clients, LinkedIn is really going to be the place to do that so you want to have a tight LinkedIn profile and then you want to search for people hiring freelance writers.

There are many websites that will hire freelance writers, you can look into places that publish a lot of content such as Apartment Therapy, I’ve written for them and that was a lot of fun. So when you reach out to the person, no matter what you’re going after, unless they have a form that you do submission guidelines for, here’s the formula I’d like for you to follow.

NAME [Editor]

[Why you like their publication, and what they’ve written recently]

[Why you wrote the piece, or why you’re the right person to write for them]

[Quick elevator pitch]

[Piece (attached)]

[Contact Information]

Reach out with a name, do not say to whom it may concern, or USA Today, find out the editor’s name of the section or publication that you are writing to. Write about why you like their publication and why you like what they’ve written recently. Then write why you wrote this piece.

You want to find topics that really touch your “why” that we have written at the beginning. In the quick elevator pitch, your readers will like this if they go in this section type of thing. And then attach your piece. And then put your contact information, don’t make them look for it because these people are busy.

You’re going to submit these things and the submission guidelines will tell you, “Okay, we’ll be back to you in a week or two weeks.”

When that day hits, you probably want to tick that on your calendar so you can follow-up. When you get accepted, add it to your portfolio. So, go back to the beginning of this process and add it in there.

If you have some pieces out that you haven’t heard back form yet, you could always follow up with them too.

Then keep it up, set a goal for yourself.

So you’re going to submit one article a month, one article a quarter, what are you gonna do?

The sky’s the limit but hold yourself to something and find a way to track them. Either you put them in your calendar or keep a running list. 

What happens when they don’t accept it?

Just know it’s normal. Rejection is a very normal part of the writing process. So, if someone does not accept your piece, you have a couple of options.

You can submit it somewhere else, you can use it anywhere or you can put it on your blog and then share it with people. And then use the P.S. sales method. The P.S. Sales method is a great way for you to say PS, I also write for a living. If you’re interested in writing, click here. So yes, blogging is free but you can use the people who are interested in your writing and in your skills to funnel them into products that might help change their life.

And don’t forget, writers write so hold yourself to that schedule whatever it’s gonna be, write it down right now, you can change it later but commit to sticking to it for thirty days. 

Here are some tips on How to Guest Blog & Add Logos To Your Website

Wondering how you can level up in your business? In this blog, my new friend, Jennifer Spivak shares how she up levels her and her client’s businesses with an abundance mindset and Facebook Ads. After all, we all need a little bit of internal and external work to make our dreams come true, am I right?!

Jennifer owns an all-female Facebook and Instagram advertising agency, #TEAMSPIVAK, who works primarily with other women entrepreneurs who wish to turn their ad campaigns into money-making machines so they can live a life they love and change the world. By doing this, she gets her ideal client’s, ideal clients, in the door with fun and ease.

As we chatted, I asked Jen what her favorite project was recently. Though some of her clients invest multiple-five figures into ads, she recently worked with a client that was SO clear about her messaging, that by investing apx. $1,200 she saw a return of $9,000.

And how does that magic become possible? 

Despite the fact that her client is really amazing and lovely, the client already had the necessary foundational elements in place: great funnels, branding, and messaging. The client also had tracking systems set up where they can see exactly what people are buying, where people are dropping off, the breakdowns, knowing how to improve things, and the conversion rates.

These data elements are so important to functional campaigns. The return on investment is awesome but the fact that there is such a clear picture is what Jen says makes these projects fun as her team can perform at their highest level.

If you’re thinking about running Facebook ads, here’s what Jen suggests:

“The secret is the foundational stuff, knowing your audience inside and out, and especially knowing what front-facing messaging you need to pull them in,” she shares.

To do this:

1. Get clear on exactly who you work with
2. Get even clearer on what you offer
3. Validate your program with beta testers
4. Gather testimonials from beta testers and clients
5. Visualize the outcome and the exact number of ideal clients who you will bring in

As Jen says, “If you can really focus on the grounded foundational elements of your business, that is when you are in a position to start doing other things like Facebook ads because it really should just be fuel to the fire on top of your foundation, not something new.”

If you’re ready to add fire to your fly foundation – holler at Jennifer by clicking HERE.

We run our worlds online and most of our work BFFs we’ve never met, but always pretend we are going to meet at the next conference. When it does happen, it’s SO fun. Until we realize we are super introverted and want to run home as fast as possible.

There are a few things I’ve only seen in this world and I’d like to call you sense of humor up front as you scan my list, plz thanks:

Utilizing your Enneagram, Human Design or Astrology as a reason to or not to do something

I can’t work with her because she’s a projector. She’ll be so slow, and I’m an enneagram 7, so that couldn’t work; plus Mercury is about to go retrograde.

Hiring a Coach because you don’t know what to do without a boss, or because it seems necessary

I have a coach, I am a coach, I love coaches, but you know it’s true.

She’s going to get me to 7 figures and it only costs 7 figures to work with her!

Hiring another Coach to stay balanced

This is my mindfulness coach.

Stalking writers in magazines you’ve never even read because your competitor was just published

No, I don’t know what Forbes its about; but Gabi if you don’t get me in I swear to God.

Having a team bigger than Beyonces

I have a copywriter, a publicist, a financial person, an accountant, a yoga teacher, a health coach. Who am I? Who am I NOT?

Working non-stop but also bathing at 2pm

I can’t hear you, Bill, my bubbles are too loud!

Paying for insane food delivery instead of getting some human interaction

Postable, DoorDash, Vegan Food, we love them all! We are busy, dude.

Having literally all the platforms

Slack me, VOX me, What’s app me – I’m flexible. But don’t e-mail me.

Not knowing what to say at regular human parties….

So, do you guys like click funnels?

Utilizing your Brand as a reason to buy wine

Maybe this is just me. But, it’s part of my brand culture to be a little tipsy after 5pm.

Hehehe.

Which one was your fave? What’d I miss? Leave me a comment below!

Xoxo

PS: Check out one of these incredible resources to expedite your growth journey

Because you’re an empathetic human, you probably want to be watching Netflix, et cetera due to the overwhelming amount to fear and low-level emotions circulating… despite the giant to-do list in your brain! Plus, we don’t know how long this will last, so our brains have no DUE DATES. (EEK!)

And, despite your list, you likely get distracted or get lonely and you get on social media, where again, you feel the fear or the anxiousness.. it’s a cycle. (We’re all in it) Yet, also, the productivity party is also what’s going on in the online sphere.

The productivity party is an influx of ads, an influx of let’s F*cking get, it let’s hustle, We can do this.

I actually caught myself saying last week, “If I’m going to be anything like everyone else, like I need to stay home for at least another week.” And I work from home on the regular!

Let’s acknowledge the pressure to be overly producing right now and what you can do about it. So whether you’re a stay at home mom, an entrepreneur, an online persona, or just someone who feels like she should clean out her pantry, let’s be gentle.

I would make a brain dump list if everything that’s possible for you to accomplish while you’re home, however long we’re all home. And then I want you to divide it up into sections to like: mental health, relational health, work, health, home health, whatever makes sense to you. So you could just do like body, mind, spirit, anything that makes sense. Right? So then I want you to race each item on a scale of zero to fun. Okay? So like zero being like, I don’t want to clean out the garage and five being like YES PLZ I love this activity!

You could leave me here for six months and I wouldn’t clean out the garage, so that’s a zero for me.

Once you’ve made your list, reorder it by 0’s and 5’s (5’s up top!) and block an hour a day to work on this jazz.

When you’re on social media, I want you to stop looking at the person next to you because we’re all wired differently, if they’re on the couch and you feel jealous, sit down. If they’re putting out 17 courses and making $1 million supposedly, ask them to teach you if you’re into that.

In summation, just wanted you guys to know if you wake up and you want to clean your garage, launch your course, put your planner out and sell like 17 programs…. do it, but you don’t have to get online and tell everyone about it if you don’t want to. Whatever you’re doing, it’s okay. If you want to be productive today and then tomorrow you want to break into someone’s pool or create a margarita bar – so be it.

Xoxo

YOURS. not the PLANETS!!! (Who the hell put you in charge?) Instead of waking up and consuming scared texts, Facebook and mania… there are three questions you can ask yourself as you go through your day *in this order*:

1. What do I need to feel stable? (Meditation, Exercise, Journaling…?)

2. What can I do to help my family and friends? How are they coping? (Who can I check in with?)

Getting off the phone with your sisters like ^^^

3. ((Once you feel stable in your own little world)) Then, show up online and ask, What does the world need of me?

^^^ When you see that one lady on Facebook at the nail salon.

Watch this video for more details:

I’m here for you, so please hit leave me a comment and let me know how you are!

Xoxo