PURPOSEFUL HUSTLE BLOG

It’s challenging enough to make your business stand out from a crowd of competitors, but what if you, as an entrepreneur, want to distinguish yourself from others? What if you want to drum up awareness or attention about YOU, the force behind your business (or future business)? How can you begin to garner attention from potential customers or investors? How can you stand apart from everyone else who is hustling to create a business? There are few shortcuts when it comes to creating a solid personal brand and reputation. You must build them little by little, interaction by interaction. Here are 6 impactful ways to get started on your journey to becoming a standout entrepreneur…

One of the biggest worries for those hoping to start a small business is financial security. There are bills to pay, groceries to buy, children to support, car repairs to make—the list goes on. The financial hurdle can be so terrifying that many would-be business owners never dare to make their move. I get it. I’ve been there. For me, it took a lot of planning and candid budget discussions with my husband before I was ready to take that leap. We prepared ourselves for some lean months, and I was ready to hit the ground running to create a viable, profitable business. Everyone’s financial situation is different, but no matter your bank account balance or credit score, there are numerous opportunities to drum up funding to start your own business, including several methods that don’t involve paying back the money you raise. Here are 4 ways…

If you’re reading this blog, I’m guessing you have many of the common traits of a Purposeful Hustler—ambition, motivation, and the drive to make a positive impact. These are admirable traits, but they can also get you into trouble if you let them run wild. There are times when Purposeful Hustlers (myself included!) make too many commitments and become stretched too thin. Or, a Purposeful Hustler might say “yes” to something when they are well aware that they should have said “no.” Saying yes is not always a bad thing. Agreeing to do things that stretch your skills or push you outside your comfort zone can help fuel your development, build resilience, and equip you with a new set of skills. There are times, however, when saying yes does more harm than good.

We’ve all been there. We’ve all experienced times when nothing seems to go right, the path forward is filled with roadblocks and potholes, and we’re desperate for a “win.” It’s far from enjoyable to confront failure, but the cold, hard truth is that you will experience setbacks and obstacles in life. The question is: will you dare to face them? Or will you succumb to your disappointment and throw in the towel? Let’s talk about how to face them.

I won’t lie to you. Centering your life around your purpose isn’t always easy. You might have to take multiple leaps of faith as you make major (and minor) changes to put your purpose first. I remember times when the fear of following my purpose was so huge and terrifying, I thought it would swallow me whole. I recall being afraid of what people might say, making the wrong choices, losing my place on the company ladder, and failing financially. These doubts would constantly nibble at me, but I decided to either ignore them or face them so I could fully step into my purpose. To do this, I had to stomp out my fear. I had to make sure I controlled it, instead of the other way around. This wasn’t always an easy task, and I had to go about my “fear stomping” with intentionality. After all, fear is a natural biological response to uncertainty, and it can affect you on a mental, physical, and emotion level. To start stomping out your fears, try these 3 simple steps...

I often have conversations with people who have a strong vision or sense of purpose. They’re driven by a particular passion or cause; they know what they want to achieve in life. Where these passionate individuals tend to run into trouble, however, is activating their vision. They have broad, grandiose ideas…but they need to give those ideas wings and coax them to fly. How can you transition from the idea phase to the action phase? Let’s discuss some of my tried-and-true methods for activating your purpose.

When you think about marketing your business, you might be overwhelmed by dollar signs. Social media ads, promotional videos, marketing professionals—these things all cost money. But there are several low-cost (or no cost!) ways to market your business. Here are my top 7 suggestions:

If you’re like me, you probably think you can do it all. You are independent, have a DIY attitude, and set a ridiculously high bar for yourself. Even when you know you should ask for help, you don’t. You keep pushing until you’re burned out, or until you realize you should have called upon a professional to build your website or run your marketing campaign. If this all sounds a little too familiar, I challenge you to shift your thinking. You cannot and should not do everything yourself. For one, you are not an expert in everything (nor should you be!), and sometimes it’s best to hire out work that isn’t in your wheelhouse. Secondly, you’re busy! You frankly don’t have time to do everything yourself, and hiring out/delegating certain tasks can free up your schedule so you can tackle the work you’re passionate about—work that’s at the core of your business. To help your business grow and flourish, consider engaging the services of the following six people...

Two words that many small business owners, freelancers, and solopreneurs dread are TAX TIME. The term conjures images of spreadsheets, folders brimming with crinkled receipts, and complicated forms. Even if you’re a “numbers person,” this time of year can still feel daunting. Many of us are already busy with the day-to-day demands of our businesses, so tossing tax obligations into the mix can feel downright overwhelming. What to do? Fortunately, it is getting easier to file your annual taxes. Technology is a big help (hello, e-filing!), and many resources are available to walk you through the process. You can also simplify your tax season by following these six steps:

Jessica Faust founded BookEnds, a literary agency, in 1999. Since then, the agency has represented over 300 authors and illustrators, some of which are New York Times and USA Today bestsellers. BookEnds is dedicated to inclusivity and strives to represent diverse voices across all genres. Today, BookEnds is a team of 16, comprised of literary agents and support staff. Jessica is the president of BookEnds and a literary agent.