Jeffrey Shaw - The Self-employed Life: Business and Personal Development Strategies That Create Sustainable Success

Copyright 2021 by Jeffrey Shaw

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ISBN 978-1-77458-004-2 (paperback)
ISBN 978-1-77458-065-3 (ebook)

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Edited by Amanda Lewis
Copyedited by Steph VanderMeulen
Proofread by Alison Strobel
Cover design by Peter Cocking
Interior design and illustrations by Nayeli Jimenez
Ebook by Bright Wing Media
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jeffreyshaw.com
theselfemployedlife.me

I ve asked countless self-employed business owners why they went into business for themselves and theyve all said the same thing: I wanted to control my destiny. My reply has always been: Howd that work out for you?

Ill bet you know how that worked out. The great paradoxor myth, lie, conflict, or whatever you want to call itabout self-employment is that we are going to gain control over our destiny, but we are entering into completely uncontrollable circumstances. Anything from a change in market demand to a crash of the economy, advancement in technology, or a global pandemic can derail our carefully thought-out plan. Or, if were fortunate enough to create a business that takes off and explodes into something bigger than we anticipated, the hours we thought we could control are suddenly out of our control as we struggle to keep up with demand.

The very likely scenario is that you are overwhelmed by the number of things to do for your business, trying to keep up with your personal life, perhaps taking care of other people, running in a million directions (or so it seems), and no matter how much your business is making, it all feels nothing like control. How do I know this? Because weve all been there. We have a lot on the line, and it often feels as if were clothes on a line being tossed and turned by every gust of wind or change of direction. How are we supposed to gain control of our lives when there are so many outside circumstances knocking us around?

Add to all this that we end up feeling like were the odd ones out in the business world. Many business practices dont seem right for us, or feel pushy and creepy. We wonder if we should trust our own instincts or do what has proven to work for others. We spend a lot of time getting better at what we do and improving our skill set, but we may not love the business side, even though we know we need to deal with it. On one hand, we feel we need more strategies: marketing, sales, SEO . On the other hand, we know that we are often in our own way and then seek to develop personally. Sometimes it can feel as if were working really hard but hardly getting ahead. Were running on a hamster wheel; were a hot mess; were all over the place. Pick your phrase. We think were alone, but of course were not, because countless other self-employed business owners feel the same way.

Then were toldand I love this oneIts not personal, its business. When youre self-employed, it is personal. Every single bit of it is personal. You pour your heart and soul into your business. How could it not be personal? As much as I love the book The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz and understand the intent, I have to admit that one of the four agreements, that you dont take anything personally, has always gotten under my skin because its very difficult to not take things personally when youre self-employed.

Its very possible you feel fragmented, almost as if being pulled in so many directions has broken you into pieces. No matter how hard we try to compartmentalize things, its all integrated when youre self-employed. What goes on at home affects work and what goes on at work affects home. We are challenged every day and, yes, we take it personally.

Thats why in this book Im introducing you to the Self-Employed Ecosystemits the holistic approach to business that you need, integrating personal development with business strategies, the inner work with the outer work, the receiving with the action.

In a healthy ecosystem, one that thrives and is successful, all parts of the ecosystem are working together. If one element is off, it can derail the effectiveness of the whole system.

The Self-Employed Ecosystem is about creating the most effective environment for your success. In life and business, the best you can do is set up the perfect circumstances for what you want, then let it all happen. Its a blend between controlling and allowing. Success is certainly not built entirely on manifestation and wishing upon a star, but neither is it built entirely on hard work and pushing.

As it turns out, creating the environment and setting up the circumstances for what you want to happen is one of the greatest lessons learned over my career. In my book LINGO , I taught how to create the environment to attract your ideal customers. In this book, youll learn how to create the environment through the Self-Employed Ecosystem to build the business and life you want.

Without even realizing it, I learned the power of setting up the circumstances early on, when I was starting out as a portrait photographer. I was driving past beautiful homes with perfectly manicured lawns and Belgian blocklined driveways, thinking about the long shot I was about to take. I had just entered the grounds of the Westchester Country Club, one of the most exclusive golf courses in the country, home of many PGA tournaments and esteemed past members such as business tycoon Howard Hughes and TV personality Johnny Carson. I walked up to the pillared facade of the massive clubhouse wearing a sport coat with the tags carefully tucked in so I could return it after what might turn out to be a rejection in all of two minutes. In I went anyway, with portrait photographs mounted on canvas rolled up inside a black tube, as well as some business cards, and sweaty palms. I was greeted immediately by a receptionist, and I asked if I could speak to the club manager. Without asking any questions, she summoned the manager to the front. Honestly, I had expected my visit to the club to end right there.

Out walked a pleasant-looking middle-aged gentleman, but still, being in my early twenties, I was intimidated. I introduced myself as an on-location portrait photographer serving a clientele similar to his own, and asked if I could simply show him some of my photographs. I pulled the rolled canvas portraits from the tube and made it clear I was just introducing myself, without any expectations or ask. It was clear he was just being polite and was not happy with me taking up his valuable time.

At the end of my presentation, I reiterated that I just wanted him to know I existed should any of his members ask about the services of a portrait photographer. With a forced smile, he shook my hand and said, I doubt that will be the case, but thank you.

Two days later my phone rang, and it was the manager from the golf club! He said, In the fifteen years Ive been here as a manager, no one has ever asked me about a photographer. One of our members just stopped into my office to ask if by chance I knew a family photographer for a reunion they were hosting at the club. Whatever youre up to, young man, youre onto something. I did the family portrait session at that reunion, as well as countless other portraits at the club and for the members of this exclusive community.