152. Backslide

Backsliding is the concept of getting new systems all set up, only to revert back to your old ways... I've been guilty of it - have you? In this episode I'm sharing some of the areas I've backslid in, and if they ring true with you, too, let's make it a goal to pay more attention to these going forward! Some money-related backslides for me include signing up for subscriptions I hardly use, sometimes spending too much on convenience, setting myself up for bank fees and almost always eating the cost of rush shipping instead of passing [at least some of] it onto the customer who ordered last minute. And as we all know as entrepreneurs, we work hard for that money! So letting it slip through the cracks can really hurt. Another thing that can occasionally get away from me is my balloon inventory. My custom color chart has been a tremendous help in keeping things in check but every now and then some other colors creep in and then I'm left with no way to use them again. The color chart also helps me keep my shop clean because everything has its spot... so many other things in my shop don't! I need to take the time to make homes for all those odds and ends so that it doesn't go from clean to a disaster zone in one weekend. A couple of tech-related backslides I’ve had are with my 17hats CRM and email marketing. 17hats does amazing things for me, but it does need to evolve with your business. New policies, updated workflows, etc... I need to get better about taking the time to make some small updates that reflect the new ways I do business. Email marketing... I love it and I strongly believe in it, but sometimes I just let life get in the way. This disappoints me because I know the kind of return on investment it gives me. Lastly, I find myself backsliding on my goals. I get distracted and forget what my focus for the year was supposed to be. It's actually kind of crazy how easy it is to forget your goals if you don't keep them in front of you. And this week’s question from the UGlu Hotline related perfectly to backsliding. I think we all fantasize about having a great pre-installation checklist, but it can be really hard to know where to start. I’m going to aim to make notes the next time I do each type of installation, then use those notes to create the nice color-coded manual I dream of.  So if after listening you're starting to feel bad about the areas you may have backslid in, just know that it was meant to be an encouraging episode for us to re-center on, shake off the cobwebs and find some areas of opportunity. You’ve got this!   RESOURCES MENTIONED: 50% off your 1st year of 17hats  Balloon Suite  Havin' A Party Wholesale (save 5% with code BRIGHT)  UGlu by Pro Tapes (save 5% at Havin’ A Party with code BRIGHT)  Balloon Boss Summit & BalloonCoach.com   Call into the UGlu Hotline to ask a question or leave advice! (262) 221-8514‬ Custom Color Chart | Multi-Brand ____________________________ Join the book club  50 Ideas for Email Marketing | Join the Bright Balloon email list  courses | templates | planner  @thebrightballoon  The Bright Balloon on YouTube