Chasing a Niche, or Not

Pick a niche. Settle down. Choose a specialty. Build your brand.

You’ve heard the advice and so have I.

The ‘experts’ claim that choosing a singular focus is the path to success and wealth, that it allows you to target your audience and build a brand. It’s less confusing if you only focus on one thing.

But, choosing only one thing to read about, talk about and live day in and day out is BORING.

Variety is the spice of life.

Variety in our preferences for entertainment, food, fun and friends is what makes life interesting and keeps us going.

Why should my business be any different?

The three main areas I am most fascinated with, that I am most passionate about are:

  1. self-discovery and personal growth
  2. creative self-expression
  3. self-employment and entrepreneurship

These are the areas I am going to write about most, talk about most and teach about most often.

Of course, I’m also interested in other things and I’ll write and talk about them here at The Dreaming Café because that’s what friends do…they talk about and share all the big and little things that catch their fancy and get them excited.

I have been working with several different coaches the past few weeks and they are helping me see that who I am and what my business is can’t be expressed in a single focused niche. That’s not me, and that’s not my business.

I am still working to pull it all into a single vision, but this is what it’s starting to look like…

collage for the dreaming cafe

27 Things Brick and Mortar Businesses Can Share With Fans and Followers

Using social media such as Facebook and Twitter is a great way to stay in touch with your customers especially of you own or manage a brick and mortar business such as a restaurant, coffee shop, bookstore, gift shop, or other retail establishment. With so many people traveling and working with their laptops and using ...

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Staying Organized

Staying organized in my personal life and in my work-at-home, self-employed life is vitally important in helping me manage my time, meet deadlines, achieve my goals and in getting things done. Some of these things I have done for years, some are relatively new additions to my time management/organization tool box. To-do Lists –

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How to run an ideas factory

An absolutely brilliant and inspiring interview with Dave Stewart by Ian Sanders. Who's says you can't have lots of ideas and act on them all? If you are a Scanner you'll love this interview. And, even if you don't consider yourself a Scanner who wouldn't love to have their own ideas factory?

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One More Reward of Self-Employment

(This post was originally published in The Dreaming Cafe Newsletter, issue 76, July 4, 2010.) I used to work an average 60+ hour week. I was usually up and out of the house by 6am or 7am and I didn't return home until about ...

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Vision Board Art Journaling

I've been working with my friend Jami Y. for the past several weeks to create vision boards for different areas of my life. She is guiding me through a variety of different techniques while encouraging me to experiment with my own creativity. Yesterday after setting some intentions while participating in Jamie Ridler's ...

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Wishcasting Wednesday

Wishcasting Wednesday: What Do You Wish to Focus On? Jamie Ridler's Wishcasting Wednesday... I often take a peek at Jamie's post on Wednesday, but have not had the courage to participate by answering and putting my wishes out there. Today is different. I'm tired of hiding in the shadows and not openly declaring what ...

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Six Ways to Journal

Some people have asked "How do I get started journaling?" Or, "what should I journal about?" There are as many ways to journal as there are people and just as many things to write about. I have been journaling in some form or another for as long as I can remember. I am also still ...

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Twitter Frequently Asked Questions

Below is an excerpt from my e-book "Growing Your Business with Social Media and other FREE (and Almost Free) Online Tools" that is being offered as a free bonus for participants of the upcoming Twitter Basics: Tweeting for Business and Pleasure Teleclass. This 41-page e-book is divided into Three Sections. Part One covers Social ...

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How to be a Sociable Introvert

I am an introvert, someone who gains their energy from being alone with their own thoughts, versus an extrovert, someone who gains their energy by being around others and thinking out loud. First, I have to tell you that just because I may be an introvert, this does NOT mean I am shy. I am far ...

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