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Three Hundred. . Consistently. . Building Your Business Online means being consistent. . This is my 300th post on Instagram. . I admit, I came into Instagram kicking and screaming - I’m still not convinced, I never check my stats, I’m hopeless at using new hashtags and I don’t keep up with the fashion or seasons - I think it messes with my head at times so often need to give myself a talking to and it’s a fine balance between being authentic, being real, being myself and wanting an aesthetically pleasing grid. . But, I’m here, I’m showing up - consistently. . For me, the words are just as important (I always read the words of others as well as look at the photo) as the photos and I’ve always tried to have some form of motivation, inspiration and encouragement in each and every one of my uploaded 300 photos. . If I stop and think about why I’m here on this platform it’s not because I want to showcase my photos, it’s not because I want to share what I’m doing, what I’m eating and who I’m with. . It’s because when I was 40 and at a cross roads in my life, when it was a now or never situation, when I had the idea of forming the @welshot Photography Academy and I wanted it so badly that the fear almost diminished that I wish I’d had an online tribe - people who were going through the same as me that I could gain hope, inspiration and motivation from. . I had NO idea how to build a business - I just went with what I thought was needed, made sure our product was the best it could be and give the best possible customer service we could give. . Giving value in return for someone’s hard earned money was high on the list of priorities and showing up consistently - both online and offline was important to us both. . Facebook will always be my favourite platform for interaction but Instagram has given me other benefits, I’ve got back into my own personal photography, I’m using my @olympusuk cameras more and more, I’ve made some new friends, I’ve interacted with those I’ve only admired from afar and I’ve been able to take advantage of learning from others. . And now I wish to do the same - I want to help others to build their dream

Motivation In A Quote. . If you knew you couldn’t fail, what would you do? Who would you be? . Seriously, if you could do anything, be anything and you knew you wouldn’t/couldn’t fail - what would you do? . What’s that ONE dream that you’ve got in the back of your head? . What’s that one burning ambition that you know if you don’t try now you never will. . Just start. . Just do what you have to do to make it happen. . Stop thinking about what others will say. . Stop wondering about the “What it’s and but’s” . Start doing - even if it’s just one teen weeny little itsi-bitsi step. . Remember - You can’t fail. . Your tribe is right there with you. . Your community have it covered. . Your support group has your back! . I’ve always got the words of @fbldebs of Achieve Change in my mind. . “If I knew I couldn’t fail - What would I do?”

What do they say? Surround yourself with positive and inspirational people and you will be energised, inspired and motivated. . Keep those who have ambition, fire, passion and drive deep in the pit of their stomachs close to you - for it is those that will help you to rise to any challenge you may have. . Last week @lynseyhackettl29 and I trekked from Anglesey to Manchester to the #conversationsofinspiration LIVE Podcast event with @hollytucker - Co-Founder of Not On The High Street and now @hollyandcoworkshop to listen to her talk with Mark Constantine OBE - Co-Founder of LUSH. . It was amazing, full of insights, advice, inspiration, top tips and passion. . Without a doubt you could feel the drive and ambition - in wanting to do what they love to do for as long as they can. . I left that event thinking and knowing that I'd travel to the ends of the earth if I had to, to make sure I only surround myself with the most positive of people. . My Saturday motivation top tip for you is this... . Surround yourself with positive people, people who will help you fly, people who will help not hinder and people who have drive, passion and ambition. . And just watch yourself fly!

Building Your Business. . Building your brand takes commitment and consistency - it doesn’t happen overnight and it takes hard work and a whole load of ingredients.. . Building your brand is about everything from your business name, logo, website design to the fonts, language and colours used . . But it’s WAY more than that! . It’s about your customer service and how you make them feel. . It’s about the experience you give them! . I myself, as a customer rate the experience and service higher than anything else, yes, even the cost - how does a business make me feel? Do they appreciate my business? Do they value me? Do they thank me? . I’d rather travel 80 odd miles to purchase something from a business I know I am likely to get a smile with the service - I’m rather inclined to pay more to shop via a small independent business knowing I’m helping the small business economy and I’m more likely to trust someone I know to outsource tasks that need doing for the @welshot Photographic Academy (such as our website) if I know I can just phone, email or ping a FB message to someone and get the help I need when I need it. . I’m the same with BIG brand names too - from my preferred camera manufacturer to the company that sells me my camera - if I feel comfortable, valued and know I will get the after care I’m a very, very loyal customer. . Don’t send me a Thank You note (phone call / email) for a £300 plus purchase for a special occasion event and you are not likely to see me or my money again. . My top “How to build your brand/business” tip today would be to think about how you feel and how you like to be treated - then go do that for your own customers. . Be consistent at it - it takes time and effort but it’s the one ingredient that will help make your cake rise, your biscuits crunch or your Buck’s Fizz to, well, to fizz with excitement. . One example of how I was made to feel valued was at a recent photo workshop I attended for some personal continued professional development- held at the @kentcookeryschool run by @olympusuk with ambassador @marcusclackson - They took the time to understand me and my needs and made sure I went home with images in the jar 😉

I'm home after a very productive, very full FOUR days working alone to get some specific projects off the ground - I got a lot of ideas off the whiteboard, finalised and into action. . I achieved such a lot just by focusing on what needed to be done and not having to worry about the daily "To Do" tasks. . The @crowne_plaza_chester made it so easy for me and I was well looked after. They really arena great hotel doe the business person. . It wasn't all work, of an evening I enjoyed numerous G&T's and lovely meals with two Members of the @welshot Photographic Academy who came to visit from Seattle, Washington, USA. . I may also have put more ideas in my notebook ready to go on the whiteboard. . And I may have had more than a few lightbulb moments too 🤪

Build Your Business. . Do that thing. . Do that thing you are thinking about doing. . Do that thing NOW! . This time next year your future self will thank you for just starting. . Don’t stress about the levels of progress. . Don’t worry if it’s not perfect. . Just start. . Just do it. . Today is the best time to get started in whatever it is you’ve always wanted to do. . I’d love to know, what is it that YOU would love to do that would be the start of an exciting journey?

You are up and running - things are going great and work is busy but now is not the time to rest on your laurels. . Now is the time to keep learning, keep growing, keep moving ahead. . Keeping up-to-date with all things personal and professional related in a stress free environment that can often be overwhelming in this busy world of business. . Do you count “Down Time” and “Time Alone” as part of your continued professional development? . I do. . Yesterday I had a Spa Day with @lynseyhackettl29 and @hannah.hughes.1840 and while I was relaxing, having treatments and steaming poolside I was also having one on one time with my support system - they keep me real. . Today, I’ve checked into the @crowne_plaza_chester for THREE whole days to create content, add events to the @welshot Photographic Academy website, write blog posts for @thekiwisocial and generally get some ideas out of my head, off the whiteboard and into a plan of action. . Just taking myself away from my daily life and routine, away from the office is good for me, my soul, those around me, my business and our Members. . It’s a WIN/WIN for everyone when you take time out. . Whatever you are doing this Weekend - Make sure you look after your body, soul and mind.

Motivation In A Quote. . Have you ever said to yourself... . I will do that when... . Be honest, I think we have all done it at some point or other in our personal and business lives. . I know have. . Sometimes it’s for practical reasons (like having to save up for something) but sometimes it’s just because we are not feeling very confident. . Here’s an example - in the ten years of building the @welshot Photographic Academy I’ve heard this such a lot... . “I’ve become a Member but I’m not going to come to the Academy Evenings or have my One to One until I’ve learnt how to use my camera.” . I so get it, I’ve been there, done that, got the tee shirt and often, once we’ve had a little chat, they can see that if they start now they will gain far much more than waiting for the perfect time - a time that may never happen. . The time will never be perfect, there will always be obstacles in the way - voices in your head saying, I will just do this before I do that.. . It comes down to one thing. . How badly do you want to do something? . It doesn’t matter how long something takes - if you are taking those little actionable steps on a daily basis you are always going to be moving forward. . Don’t wait another moment, another week, month or year - that perfect moment, the time is right, everything is in order now I can start... . If you are waiting for the perfect time to start then you are never going to start. . Forget the excuses - the having to have certain things in places, needing to have the right equipment - start now, where you are, with what you have and take that first little step on the journey of starting to build the life and business you love. . I promise you one thing. . It will feel fantastic.

Your Online Presence. . Stuff the double chin, I look happy. Hell, I was happy! I was wearing a pair of jeans that were far too uncomfortable and more than proved a point that too many pies had been consumed over winter - My boots that were falling apart but were far too comfortable to throw out - BUT, I was with friends and there had been a surprise of an unexpected guest waiting at the table for my arrival and I was determined, despite the wind, to get out in front of the camera. . I’m following some peeps on Instagram who talk about body image and I’ve realised, with horror, that I’m playing into the idea of everything has to be perfect before it can be posted - and that’s just not real life. . On a day to day basis as I go about my business people see my double chin, wobbly belly, six pack bum and thunder thighs every day, I don’t hide away in real life so why should I hide the real me from my online presence. . I’m doing those that choose to follow me (Thank You for doing that) a disservice by not showing up as the authentic Lee. . That goes for body AND personality - there’s absolutely NO point pretending to be anyone else other than who I am - cos they’d soon find out. . Over the last 10 years of building the @welshot Photographic Academy I am usually the one who greets and welcomes people who come through the door - I’ve long since lost my telephone voice and my business woman pose - I figured that sooner or later someone was bound to feel cheated. . That the Lee they were seeing wasn’t the real Lee - either they’d be disappointed that I didn’t speak, act, pose like that all the time or they’d feel cheated that they hadn’t had the normal, loud, sometimes unfiltered and mostly scruffy, more comfortable in jeans and trainers (although I’m into sparkly trainers now) Lee. . In my experience, I’ve built our business using Facebook as our chosen social media platform - You NEED to be the authentic, true to yourself, REAL you as possible. . Thank you to all those I follow for inspiring me to post my double chin. . For those of you just starting out on this journey - I want to meet and learn about the REAL you, I want to SEE the real YOU.

Build Your Business. . Be the solution to someone’s problem. . Yesterday we had a little problem on a petrol forecourt - I don’t need to go into details of what we did, you can guess! . It was late, we’d started early, done a full day of work and then a @welshot Photographic Academy Evening and we’d already been diverted once and we were only just over the border as it was. . My first thought was RAC or was it the AA the lease vehicle came with - and was it even still valid? . Then it was suggested that we ask if there was a preferred local company that dealt with these issues - surely we were not the only people to have done what we did. . Enter stage left - Neil, a local independent businessman, who had had the foresight to leave business cards at all the local service stations. . Phoning the landline, a bright and bubbly Neil answered the phone, I didn’t need to explain and he reassured me that it would all be ok, we’d realised before we had even completed filling up and he’d be there in 20 minutes to help us. He also told us the cost. . The cost - well, it was more than a good cup of coffee a week - it was about the cost of one of our full day events but I didn’t need to think twice - it had to be done and I had no choice - I certainly wasn’t in the mood for shopping around. . For the service he provided, with the smile, banter and willingness to put up with all my questions and reassure me we’d not done any damage whatsoever - he was worth every penny. . And he solved a problem. . By offering a service that’s needed or wanted that will help someone, whether it’s being a florist or a skincare consultant, from a graphic designer to someone who reads camera manuals for fun - if you’ve got a service or product that helps someone to solve a problem that they have - then you are of value. . Neil knew of this very common problem (we learnt last night JUST HOW common it is) so he gave petrol stations the opportunity to help their customers - as well as solving a problem for themselves and selling more fuel. . What can you do today that would solve a problem for someone - what value are you going to provide today that will make someone’s life so much easier?