✨ the SPARK 210 ~ The Ultimate Freedom Business

Cue Judy Garland & I Don't Care (stay with me here)

Nov 21, 2024

Most people in my “real life” know how much I love a good musical (Wicked is my favorite -and yes, I can’t wait to see the movie! I’ve seen it in the theater three times).

My favorite ‘old’ musical is “Meet Me in St. Louis.”

So I was a little giddy when my daughter shared this Judy Garland song representing letting go of things that no longer serve us.

And warning… it’s a fun, catchy tune, but it might be a bit of an earworm.

Cue Judy Garland and “I Don’t Care.”

I’m cracking up as I write this because it pretty much sums up my attitude about marketing these days.

And I don’t mean I don’t care about other people, their businesses, serving my audience or marketing my business.

Quite the contrary…

My priorities are:

doing work that I enjoy
spending time on platforms that don’t make me cringe
serving the people that I can help

Everything else?

Don’t care.

And THIS, my friends, is the Ultimate Freedom Business.

Not caring. 😉

Because of the conversations I've been having, I have no doubt this is par for the course for many women my age. There is something incredibly freeing about letting go of things we have been conditioned to believe mattered.

The same is true with your marketing (and applies to everyone).

We’ve been ~~conditioned~~, er, taught by marketers selling marketing how to market.

There's nothing wrong with that, but it's also good to step back from the marketing and pay attention to how your actions make you feel.

The data on marketing strategies and tactics exists because that’s all that’s been tracked/studied.

If another demographic had created and run Madison Avenue at the height of the “MadMen” days, the data would look very different.

Here’s a quick summary of that era:

The "Mad Men" era of advertising, spanning the 1950s to 1970s, marked the golden age of Madison Avenue. Fueled by post-war prosperity and the rise of television, this time saw agencies like Ogilvy & Mather and Doyle Dane Bernbach creating iconic, consumer-focused campaigns. However, the industry was deeply reflective of the era’s societal norms, with a workforce dominated by white men and limited opportunities for women and minorities.
Key Points:
Peak Creativity: Agencies revolutionized advertising with witty, emotionally driven campaigns.
Television Boom: TV became the dominant medium, shaping consumer culture.
Demographics: Predominantly white and male, with women often relegated to support roles.
Cultural Influence: Advertising mirrored and shaped post-war suburban life and consumerism.
Shifts in the 1970s: Social movements began pushing for more diversity and inclusion.

I would guess that TV is hardly the dominant medium.

Start testing and trying things.

At the speed of AI development, it’s never been easier to test and try things that align more with what resonates with you than with the ‘old rules’ of advertising and marketing.

I’m not saying to toss out solid principles and strategies, but you have to find a way to incorporate who you are into your business—or you’re setting yourself up for unnecessary struggle.

I used to love getting my daily digest from Medium, which included publications I subscribe to or suggested articles based on the categories I follow.

But lately, most of what I see are templated headlines (i.e., formulas) followed by trite, regurgitated, surface-level fluff (I swear I’m not as bitter or annoyed as I sound 🤣).

I know a big part of this is that I’m not the target audience anymore.

And that’s fine; I genuinely believe there’s room for everyone.

But unless you can tap into what makes YOU unique… good luck.

There is a fine line between truly not enjoying something and knowing you’re uncomfortable because it’s new.

Here are some more tangible examples:

I finally deleted my Twitter account (I still can’t call it X), and while I already had a Bluesky account, I don’t know how much I’ll use it. I prefer longer-form content, and if I do short-form written content, I’ll stick with notes on Substack or put some time into Threads. Threads because I’ll go back to paid traffic on Meta in Q1 of next year, and I may as well keep that beast happy.
I'm being more intentional with my feeds on every platform (the few) I’ll use. So many people on Substack write about writing on Substack…(yawn)… one or two is plenty for me. FOMO, be damned.
I’m taking my time with things. I can produce pretty quickly when inspired, so I’m better off focusing my energy on what lights me up instead of some productivity plan sold to me by a productivity guru (post x amount of times and engage every 3 hours BS). I don’t need to rush through creating. Leave me alone. HAHA… (I think I might officially be “get off my lawn” old now 😂).
More white space. I freaking LOVE the flow and schedule of my life right now. Next year starts a new chapter in my life (starting my Master’s program) that will put different demands on my time. I’m going to soak up and enjoy this time.

All of this can be summed up in one sentence.

I trust myself.

This is the ultimate freedom business.

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A Little Brainpower 🧠

This is a great perspective on the future of content and marketing. “Are We Walking Backward Into The Future Of Content and Marketing?”

I think we’ve all been here. “Chapter 1 of My Substack Story: The Quest to End Squirrel Chasing.”

I recently discovered Jade Beason & love her stuff. Watch “How SMART small businesses will market themselves in 2025.”

Tool Time 🛠

Podcasting: If you have a premium Adobe account, did you know you can use Adobe Podcast for free? Use the phone app and enhanced speech to record in the car and remove all external noise (or the desktop app). Check it out here.
SMS Marketing: I haven’t tried this, but it looks like a great platform for adding SMS marketing to the mix. Try SlickText free here.
Social Media: Another option for creating, scheduling, and posting to social media - all with the help of AI. Try Postiz for 7 days free here.
Screen Recording: Record your screen as a video with your voice & face, an annotated image, or a GIF. Try Zight free here.

I shared this last week but have had a few minutes to test it out, and WOW! Spotter Studio helps YouTubers brainstorm, research, and plan all in one place. They give you a 60-day free trial, too! (Smart if you make the most of it - you’re probably less likely to leave after investing 60 days into a tool!).

I’ll spend more time with this and give you an update in a couple of weeks, but so far, I’m super impressed.

Try Spotter Studio free here

HAHA… now I can’t ‘unsee’ this… 😂

I saw the movie “Red One” last weekend with my Dad & Sister (Santa gets kidnapped. Starring The Rock, Chris Evans, and JK Molina)—a fun Christmas movie with a twinge of darkness.

I didn’t have high expectations but was entertained, so no complaints.

I’ll send the newsletter next Wednesday instead of Thursday (so apologies in advance if you’re on the Women, Wisdom, & Wealth list; they’ll both go out next Wed) because of the Thanksgiving holiday here.

I’m still having a ball on Substack and am pleased with the growth. I’ll probably do a deep dive review in January, but for now, I’m still finding my groove.

I’m thrilled with my “Visual Guide to Substack” sales, considering I haven’t created a structured marketing campaign yet.

Thanks to everyone who’s left me a review; it’s much appreciated!

Have a wonderful day,
Kim