Text Emily!

Most of us know by now that "work-life balance" is a bit of a myth (ok, a lot of a myth).

But I don't think balance is something to stop working towards. I think we've just been sold the wrong version of it.

Balance isn't a glowy, sunrise-yoga, big-moment-you-arrive-at kind of thing.

It's teeny tiny, quiet, and unremarkable. Often found in a single settled moment, calm hour, or normal task Tuesday. Balance is boringly anticlimactic. And yet, feels SO good when you catch glimmers of it.

This episode is technically about consistency, but through the lens of loosening the vice grip of controlling every timeline and process.

In This Episode:

• How balance is a thing you keep finding, losing, and finding again
• The 3-3-3 rule for rescue dogs, and the lesson Finch taught me about my timeline vs. his
• How trust and balance get built one boring, consistent repetition at a time
• The personal project running parallel to Finch that's teaching me "it takes what it takes"
• Why zooming out to the big picture is important at every stage
• How this all correlates to your business and marketing

What if BORING is a sign it's actually working?

About me, Emily Aborn! Your Hostess with the Mostess

I'm a Small Business Copywriter, speaker, and your loyal and nerdy host of Small Business Casual. I bring 12+ years of entrepreneurial experience and have spent the last eight years writing copy across 124 industries. I help you step into becoming (and sharing) the real YOU. For fun and downtime, I love reading, writing, hiking with friends, and moments of uninterrupted silence.

Got a question for the show? Email me at emily@emilyaborn.com.

Website: Emilyaborn.com

Facebook: Facebook.com/Emily.CatherineGrace

LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/EmilyAborn

Substack: Smallbusinesscasual.substack.com

Text Emily!

As a copywriter, I was recently asked by a business advisor what MY "UVP" (Unique Value Proposition) is.

"Well, I don't have one!" I replied. Me. A copywriter! The person who helps clients find their UVP all the time.

If you don't have one either, don't know what it is, don't worry. We're not the problem. The problem is that everyone is out there telling you the SAME way to find what makes you different. They encourage you to use a dry, fill-in-the-blank formula that somehow makes everyone sound exactly the same.

In this episode, we're throwing that formula out the window, and I'm sharing two FUN ways to find what makes YOU one-of-a-kind.

In This Episode:

• How the standard UVP "formula" falls flat and keeps it surface level
• The 5 Whys Exercise (adapted to help YOU find your message)
• Two examples
• Using the rules you break to find your differentiator
• The 6 rules I happily ignore
• And more!

The 5 Whys, Step by Step:

1. Start with what you do. "I'm a ___."
2. Ask: why does that matter?
3. Take that answer and ask why again, "Great, now, why does that matter?"
4. Keep going, about five times total.
5. Around why three or four, the surface answers run dry and the real true-to-you thing shines through.
6. Weave your newfound truth into your homepage, your bio, a piece of content, and how you introduce yourself.

About me, Emily Aborn! Your Hostess with the Mostess

I'm a Small Business Copywriter, speaker, and your loyal and nerdy host of Small Business Casual. I bring 12+ years of entrepreneurial experience and have spent the last eight years writing copy across 124 industries. I help you step into becoming (and sharing) the real YOU. For fun and downtime, I love reading, writing, hiking with friends, and moments of uninterrupted silence.

Got a question for the show? Email me at emily@emilyaborn.com.

Website: Emilyaborn.com

Facebook: Facebook.com/Emily.CatherineGrace

LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/EmilyAborn

Substack: Smallbusinesscasual.substack.com

Text Emily!

"Stay in your lane" usually gets taught as a branding rule: don't confuse your audience about what you actually do.

While it's true, it's only half the story. The other side of the coin is that staying in your lane also protects YOU. Your energy, boundaries, time, margins, and creativity.

It's self-preservation.

In this episode, I talk about how your lane is a nice, cozy container that helps you do your very best work.

In This Episode

• Why "stay in your lane" is only half-taught
• The client project that ate my week (and how I was the one who brought it on!)
• The energy, boundary, and time cost of veering out of your lane
• How to stop and pause instead of taking on more
• The generous, community-building side of staying in your lane: making the referral
• What to do when you want to expand your lane and offer new things

Connect with Me, Emily Aborn:

I'm a Small Business Copywriter, Podcast Host of Small Business Casual, and Marketing Strategist with 12+ years as a business owner and 8 years writing copy across 125+ industries.

I help you step into becoming (and sharing) the real YOU. For fun, I love reading, writing, spending time with friends, getting 14,000 steps a day with my dog, Finch, and moments of uninterrupted silence.

Got a question for the show? Email me at emily@emilyaborn.com.

Website: Emilyaborn.com

Facebook: Facebook.com/Emily.CatherineGrace

LinkedIn: Linkedin.com/in/EmilyAborn

Substack: Smallbusinesscasual.substack.com