Are You Running a Business or a Blog?

by: Carol Bryant

Is your blog for sheer fun and pleasure or did you ever consider your blog to be a business? Perhaps you'd like your blog to be a business but have no idea how to go about doing so.

BlogPaws has an outstanding list of experts and professionals who are speaking at our conference in order to help YOU become a stellar blogger, a smart blogger, a blogger with a positive return both in the networking blogs can bring and in the cash they can generate. And their focus is on understanding the pet blogger community, not just the "blogger" community. These ladies and gentleman represent years of expertise, talent, and knowledge and will be sharing it with all attendees.

We're kicking off our BlogPaws 2013 Speaker Series with Mary Anne Shew, a business coach and consultant who has helped dozens of small businesses improve their marketing, operations, and sales. Here's the scoop on what Mary Anne plans to share at BlogPaws (and some insider info, too)!

Mary Anne Shew helps people get clear on their goals.Her clients achieve their dreams of being successful business owners. Her national practice includes a wide variety of businesses and nonprofits. She is a popular speaker for business and professional groups and an entertaining business expert who presents high value seminars and workshops. Shew's session is for anyone who wants to turn their blog into a business.

BlogPaws: BlogPaws is 60 days away and we're excited to have you kick off our 2013 Speaker Series, Mary Anne. What can folks expect to take away from your session:

Mary Anne Shew:

• Several relevant completed examples of the form to work from for designing their own blog-based business.
• They will start work on their own form focused on their business.
• Renewed enthusiasm and excitement about their business.

BlogPaws: Excellent! Actionable, hands-on advice that BlogPaws attendees can apply when they return home sounds spot on. What exactly do you mean by "Build a Business, Not a Blog?"

Mary Anne: When a person decides he or she would like to make an income from a passion such as a blog, he or she immediately runs into one or more of these obstacles:

1. There is more to running a business than running a blog, but how to get organized about it is often a challenge.
2. Her product or service isn’t clearly defined.
3. She has to find people who are willing to buy the product or service, and it’s not necessarily easy.

BlogPaws: You will be giving us so much info and knowledge; what are you most looking forward to at this conference?

Mary Anne: I’m especially looking forward to being around fellow pet lovers. In the past I have helped a close friend show her Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and attended those events with her. It was marvelous being around all that love.

I’m also looking forward to all the presentations on professional blogging. It is only this year that I am getting my own blog off the ground – it will be active by Blogpaws—so I am always looking for good advice. I can see from the conference agenda that Yvonne and her team have brought in many experts on the subject.

BlogPaws: Other than BlogPaws.com, what is one website you visit daily?

Mary Anne: As a business owner myself, I subscribe to resources that help me build and grown my business. One such resource is a community for small business owners at www.5000BC.com run by Sean D’Souza at www.psychotactics.com. I visit and participate in that community every day, always learning and giving back where I can.

In terms of blogging, Yvonne and her Lipsticking blog have been a favorite since she first started it. I also follow business-related blogs at Harvard Business Review plus quilting blogs such as Ami Simms at http://amisimms.wordpress.com/.

BlogPaws: Give us the scoop: What pets do you call family?

Mary Anne: My husband and I are staff to our Tribe of three beautiful cats, Emma ( the momma kitty), Cody (Emma’s son, a big grey boy), and Sophie (her daughter, a petite almost-twin of Emma). Emma will be two on April 1 and her babies will be one on April 16. We adopted them in August 2013 after we suffered the loss in July of our previous 2 beloved cats, Casey and Samantha, who were 16. Emma and Sophie are true tabbies, and Cody is Russian blue, just like his dad (as we were told). They were quite shy and timid with us the first few months, but they have since come out of their shells and are pure joy.

BlogPaws: FInally, where can folks learn more about you?

Mary Anne: My business web site is www.BizVitality.com, and my current blogs are www.habitofthought.com and www.shewview.com. All are being redesigned as I write this.

Ready to take your blog to the next level or learn how to get started? BlogPaws 2013 Registration is in full swing. Join us May 16-18 in Tyson's Corner, Virginia. BlogPaws is a pet-friendly 3-day life changing conference! Register for BlogPaws 2013 here.

P.S. You will have access to a variety of “tracks,” including 101 for Beginners, 201 for Intermediate level, and even a Pro Level for seasoned bloggers who want to take their blogging and goals to the next level. An exclusive 4^th track will cover a variety of topics from Law to Lifestyle to Be the Change for Animals

 

Comments

[Kimberly, The Fur Mom]

Love this article and looking forward to meeting Mary Anne. She's so right about our services not being clearly defined. It took me a year to identify what I wanted to offer - freelance writing, social media consulting, or sponsorship opportunities. I settled on the third option, because it's something that keeps me focused on my blog while also helping others.

I recently turned down an opportunity to be a social media consultant for a new company offering a product for cats. I couldn't take their money and promise to do the best job that I could, because it would take me away from my business. I did partner with another brand offering a product for dogs that we use and love - it was a no brainer and easy to incorporate them as a client.

Thanks for this great post. I hope to be able to attend Mary Anne's session.

[Glogirly and Katie]

I'm really looking forward to this presentation and topic. I think it's something that so many bloggers, ME included, struggle with.
: )

[Carol Bryant]

Love what you said, Kimberly: " I couldn't take their money and promise to do the best job that I could, because it would take me away from my business" - that's what I love about BlogPaws conferences every year and why I have been to all four and would never miss. I learned things that helped me grow my career, my blog, and my business sense. I am definitely signing up for this session.

[Lisa Taron (Pet Blog Lady)]

So glad to see this topic being covered as many bloggers are seeking advice on how to treat their blog as a business. I know I do. I have a Countdown to Blogpaws on my blog and just had a look. 58 days!!

[Theresa]

Terrific topic, I'll be sure to be at Mary Anne's session.

[Mary Anne Shew]

Thanks for the comments, everyone! If you have specific questions, post them here and I'll do all I can to answer them in my session.