October:
Makeness takes a nap.
Here’s why: For several months, I was beginning to sense that my best work was hiding behind the work that was necessary. By that, I mean that I was doing work that my clients really needed, but I was getting burned out. Burn out is generally a sure sign that you haven’t quite hit the nail on the head of you most brilliant and useful work.
So, I took my site down and did some SERIOUS work on teasing out the details of what was working and what wasn’t.
What WAS working: Direct client work. I found that I was at my very best when I was helping clients make their business better.
What WASN’T working: The small-ish start-up-y stuff. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE me some newbies, and Makeness’ offerings were growing a pretty loyal following among the start-up crowd. But here’s the thing: As much as I loved the work, it was wearing me out. I felt off-center and I was beginning to see that my best work was still out there in the ether, waiting for me to find it.
Bottom line: I let fear kick my ass without even knowing it. Instead of digging in to my best stuff – the scary stuff – the stuff that was risky and brilliant and original and different – the stuff that was uniquely MINE… I hid behind the easy advice I give out like candy bars. The stuff I have done for so long I can’t not do it.
November:
First, I fell down the stairs and severely sprained both of my ankles – one of them even included some ruptured ligaments. Couldn’t even blame it on alcohol. Up one minute, down the next. Smooth, that’s me. Let’s just say that I looked at it as a message in humility and patience. When using the little girls room on your own feels like a luxury, your perspective on how people like to be cared for comes into crystal-clear focus.
Next, I was hired by a brilliant visionary entrepreneur to do some really light work on a smallish product launch. Nothing major… just some i-dotting and t-crossing to make sure everything came together the way it was supposed to. Details were not her thing, so I was just supposed to make sure nothing got missed.
Strange thing happened, though. There were A LOT more details than originally planned for (the plan happened before I came on-board… not something I recommend doing) and there were a LOT more moving parts than any of the team anticipated. That meant WAY more i’s and way more t’s – and that meant a much bigger job for me.
In this ever-growing project, I learned something extremely important. I learned that my best work is in helping successful visionaries get their best work off of the proverbial back-burner and out to the world where it belongs.
December:
So, what did I learn from a project that’s scope out-stripped the project’s plan? We should have had a better plan.
And plans are something I am WAY good at.
What we realized was that the very best client experience is born from the very best plan. Visionaries so often get caught up in the project itself, and the experience of the end-user gets muddled or even lost.
Now:
So what does all that mean?
1. It means a whole new business structure, vision, and mission – and a whole new conversation (and website) for Makeness. Pretty, huh?
2. It means that we are going to be talking about some totally different things than we have talked about before. The direction of the blog will be a laser-focused, multi-dimensional conversation about how to provide the very best experience to your followers and clients each and every time you connect with them.
3. It means that some of you may not feel as connected to Makeness as you once were. This is your formal invitation to come along with me as my vision for Makeness gets bigger, better, and more top-tier. I hope you decide to join us.
4. It means I will be blogging less and doing more. Right now, I am toying with some big ideas, and big ideas need time and attention. My pledge to you is to be fluff-free. If it’s taking up space in your inbox, it better be worth it, right?
5. It means more voices. If you have something to say about client experience or project design, I want to hear from you. Because calls like this stimulate a LOT of responses, please include at least one concept and relevant links to your online presence. Remember, we are thinking big people – we are not looking for re-hashed customer service topics.
Some areas I am particularly interested in right now:
- Tools that help you be a better service provider
- Innovative ways to make your clients feel special and valued
- Bringing brick-and-mortar service standards to the online world
- How to effectively use mind-mapping and/or project planning software
- Project case studies
But don’t let this list limit you. We are open to ideas right now, and would looooove to have you join in as we build something new. To submit a concept, email me directly at: illana [at] makeness.com
6. It means that Makeness has all kinds of fun stuff on the horizon. The first of which is a quiz to help you evaluate how your client experience stacks up. It’s free and takes just a few minutes to complete.
7. It means we are offering a whole new set of services. Wanna know more?
Right this second:
It means it’s great to be back in the saddle. I missed you.
Wow Illiana,
Your autumn was intense!
And the transformation is inspiring. I know a few other service providers who share your ‘elevated customer experience’ ethos. I will connect you!
You know I signed up for Vision Accomplish- techniques to honor my clients as if they were cozied up in a bookshop with me, hells YES.
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