One of my biggest goals for my business is to be able to connect and hype up others. One of my favorite parts of coaching is that I’m able to hype up others in their businesses and their creative endeavors. I want to connect people with the best resources to help them reach their goals.
And this week in a coaching call with Kamina James of Create & Get Paid, it was like a switch flipped for me. That I can be that encouragement source, that hype woman, as part of my overall way of showing up in life.
I already have a list of other professionals who have skills that can help my clients. I know I’m not the end-all, be-all, and I’ve never claimed to be. So building that collective of other professionals matters to me.
That’s where the hype comes in.
Not only for my clients, but in my social media spaces, I want to hype others up. Connect people with the right products and services for them. Not in an influencer way, but in a curator way.
I like genuinely encouraging and interacting with others. Sharing their creations with the world, flooding the world with more creative projects.
"What about me...?"
Many of us creatives struggle with sharing ourselves, but we also know we have to market our businesses. In doing so, we often wonder what happens if we share too much of our friends or others in our circles. Or we wonder what happens if we show too much of non-businessy things.
And, really, that's the beauty of social media.
Being able to share other things.
Things that aren't just shameless self-promotion the way our website or blog would be.
Social media should be the place we share the way we want, not the way we have to. Instead, many of us show up there with our businesses in mind thinking "what about me...?"
We wonder how to show up in a way that will make sales, not connections. And that's where many of us end up falling short. Because social media is, at its core, meant to be social.
Engagement & Encouragement for business
I recently saw someone put it this way: if you're showing up on social media, just be a freaking human (I'm paraphrasing).
The reality is we're all craving authentic, human connection. With so much uncertainty, AI drivel, and doom scrolling in the world around us, many people are flocking to in-person events and analogue hobbies.
We're seeking out human run social media spaces.
We're opting for creation and exploration.
We're trying to find ways to restore hope, joy, and peace.
This is where engagement & encouragement comes into play as part of our business growth.
Not in a manipulative way, but a connection point.
Look at how brands like Beyond Meat, PBS, Calm, or the Grand Canyon Conservancy show up on threads. There are many more like them, but they connect with their audience. They know how to connect with other millennials on the platform. They share more than just their business/services, and show up in humanness and chaos in the best way. The SMM of these brands show up in comments of others. Cheering them on. Sharing random GIFs. Offering support and solidarity.
We can learn to do that, too, in our own way. We can comment on content of our peers and ideal clients. We can share aspects of ourselves we don't even realize will connect with our audiences. We can shout out, tag, and be a bridge to other services/products.
Basically, show up as human.
Often times if we're running a small business, we spend a lot of time concerned about the algorithms. We wonder what is the best way to get through.
We try to do the viral trends.
We worry that sharing this or spreading awareness of that will somehow constrict us.
We hold back because others might not like it.
However, the best thing we can do is be genuine and authentic in how we show up. The best thing we can do is be social on social media, especially as a small indie, freelance, or self-employed creative woman. As my friend Kamina talked about in that coaching I mentioned earlier, one of the best things we can do for our business is practice "radical generosity," and this is especially true of how we show up on socials.
This radical generosity means not doing it expecting anything in return. Simply showing up for others with the sole intention of hyping others up. Connecting with them. Helping them grow.
And even though we are doing this without expectations, one of the natural results will be support and growth for ourselves.
Encouraged Creator - a New Monthly Hype Space
One of my recent dreams (the last few years, though I also wanted it as a teen) is to have my own magazine. So I'm making one. An e-zine edition of my newsletter.
Most of this e-zine has the purpose of hyping up others. I have a whole vision, already reached out to some businesses and creatives to spotlight and share their stories.
Why? Because hyping up others, and sharing word of them, is one of my favorite things to do. Sure, I can keep talking about my own creative works (like I'm doing here - a little meta moment, huh?) and I still want to share about others.
I want a space where I can show off cover artists, musicians, authors, crafters, etc. I want to be able to share local stores, creative coaches, podcast hosts, and connect them with potential customers, clients, and guests.
I have a vision of a space to share things like
- spotlights of women who do all of this and more,
- while also highlighting cozy, creative hobbies,
- sharing my current entertainment (books, movies, tv, etc),
- making money with creative endeavors,
- favorite [local] adventures,
- therapeutic creative answers to burnout, worry, and more,
- using art & creation to heal, connect, and grow
- highlight spoonie creatives
This is a space I can do all of this, using it to uplift and support others locally, nationally, and internationally. Our stories will connect and help others. This e-zine is a way to encourage, engage, and connect.
Sound like something you'd like to read? Join my Substack so you don't miss the preview soon and the first edition in February.
What does this look like for freelancers, indies, and self-employed creatives?
If you're here as a freelancer, an indie, or running a small business, you might wonder how this works for you. You may be used to all the advice to just talk about what you do often, with a little bit of other life stuff.
Instead, you can shift how you show up.
Share someone's reel in your story.
Comment on others' posts when they resonate with you.
Repost (with obvious credit).
Self-promote when you see a post asking for your kind of product/service.
Tag others when you see someone asking for products/services.
Do shout-outs.
Share your favorite creator friends.
Connect with people offline.
I'm sure you can come up with other creative ways to hype up and encourage others.
Again, this is without expectation. I know it may look like a lot of work, but it actually makes social media time a lot more pleasant (at least it does for me). This way of showing up helps you really connect, really make friends, and feel like it is actually a social hour instead of an obligation.
This way of showing up also allows you to more easily take a step back. To find other long-form ways to share your business that might contribute to growth without the hamster wheel.
So maybe going forward, you can consider adding encouragement and engagement into your business strategy.
And join us on Substack to go deeper into the freelance, indie, creative life in motherhood, chronic illness, and everything in between.
Are you a freelance, indie, or self-employed mom trying to have it all without the burnout, with balance, and in confidence, but feel like it's too much and you don't know how to get there? I have spots open in my coaching program where I help you have it all without losing your dang mind.
Motherhood and indie business can feel like a lot when you're the one doing it all yourself, so let me help you come back from the brink of burnout, create your ideal rhythm & balance, and find your confidence again in your creation, your business, and in motherhood.
Apply today to snag your spot.