Our biggest online business flops & failures - Guest episode on the Online Business Besties podcast
You know how they always say that “Good things come in three’s”?
Well I have to say that in today’s case, this is DEFINITELY TRUE!
I’m super excited to let you all know that I’m back for a third guest appearance on the Online Business Besties podcast, hosted by my own biz bestie Paige Brunton!
Whether we’re chatting online on our weekly mastermind Zoom calls or getting together in Toronto or Bali to record a podcast in person, we always have so much fun together and I’m thrilled that you can listen in while we talk shop and generally shoot the sh*t in the best way possible :)
In case you missed my previous guest appearances on Paige’s Online Business Besties podcast, here are the links to listen to those episodes:
Annnnnyways, we always have so much fun collaborating together and I was thrilled that Paige asked me back again on the podcast!
We recorded this episode in-person when we were both working remotely in Bali a few months ago. On the afternoon in question, we crammed ourselves into a tiny, teeny, minuscule little Skype room at a local co-working space and ended up having a really FUN yet open & honest conversation about our biggest online business flops and failures.
These are the kind of things that are a little awkward to talk about on your own so I’m super glad that we were able to tag team this topic, share our own experience, be vulnerable but also laugh about our mistakes (believe me, we’ve definitely made them)!
This conversation is packed full of practical information, as well as insights into our own work as Squarespace web designers/developers, and I know you’ll get a kick out of listening to the two of us shoot the sh*t while still delivering a value-packed conversation.
LISTEN NOW ↓
Resources & Links Mentioned
002 Working online & traveling Q+A for aspiring digital nomads
014 Why we chose Squarespace for our websites with Charlotte O'Hara
Creative Law Shop (use code PAIGE10 for 10% off)
About this podcast episode
Let’s be honest, running an online business is HARD and over the years, Paige and I have both made our fair share of mistakes. From little blunders to major mishaps, we’ve probably done it at some point :)
We’ve launched services and products that totally flopped, had zero people take us up on our offers, completely messed up our business strategies, brought in no money during a sale/promo, and basically made some pretty rookie mistakes at some points.
If you’ve ever thought that the people you see online have their shit together, trust us - they probably don’t! We’ve all made mistakes, it’s inevitable, but we hope that by sharing our own experiences you can see that we’re human too…. and hopefully we’ll save you some headaches!
Tune in to the full episode to hear where we went wrong and what we’d do differently including the time and money we wasted, and other hard lessons learned along the way!
A few highlights:
Launching to an empty room: hearing crickets for Paige’s first big birthday sale (3:20)
Charlotte’s online shop faux pas. Plus, how to avoid creating a paid digital product your audience isn’t asking for (6:45)
Jack of all trades, master of none: How Paige’s earliest attempts at marketing were a total flop (and what her marketing plan looks like now) (9:35)
Charlotte talks the biggest beginner blogger mistakes she made and how she has found success in niching down her topic. (11:34)
Why Paige’s first brand photo shoot was a total disaster (and why ignoring a gut feeling to avoid confrontation is never a good idea in business) (13:18)
Charlotte learns a hard truth when it comes to hiring your friends (15:40)
How doing a little more research could have saved Paige thousands of dollars. Plus, how she’s moving on and forgiving herself for money wasted (18:22)
Paying for something she could have easily DIY’d: The one software Charlotte could have done without. (21:14)
Paige’s very first hire: the costly mistakes she made and why the most qualified person may not be the right fit. Plus, the number one reason she only hires from my email list. (22:40)
How Charlotte’s first crack at consulting was a total flop (and the one change she made that has her services basically selling themselves) (25:12)
Paige’s ongoing legal nightmare. Plus, building a business in a country where you don’t speak the language (27:38)
Networking as an introvert: the importance of picking a client-finding strategy that works for you. (30:15)
The one non-negotiable business task that Charlotte has been putting off for years (and how she plans to change that in 2020) (33:00)
So there you have it! Some of our biggest head-scratchers to date. Check out the full episode on iTunes or Spotify to learn from our mistakes!
Ps. Feel like sharing your business flops? Slide into our DMs at @paigebrunton or @lottieohara or comment below and let us know we are not alone!
