Inspiration from the side hustle

I know many businesses who have more than one focus and income stream.

I do too, but I've not thought the 2 intersected. I rarely tell my Love Communications clients I also sew homewares out of lunatic teatowels and in my LoveAndWest life (advanced teatowelism), it rarely comes up that I'm also a web developer. My life is all nerds and needles, but I keep them distinct and separate entities.

Today, in my LoveAndWest sewing class, I realised why having numerous interests feeds my soul and why it feeds into business more generally: I not only got to spend the day teaching lovely people the most efficient skill to apply when threading a needle is to stick out your tongue, i get to take people through a process, which is such an important part of Love Communications, LoveAndWest and any business. It underpins efficiency: I have processes for reaching out to clients and customers; product delivery; onboarding; follow up; for briefs for site build, marketing, design, video, content; for whatever way I deliver my services - digital or physical.

In both lives, I am expert and I have to convince people, generally strangers, of this. I have to gain their trust and take them on a journey with me - through my processes, which I've honed to be my most efficient. I have to shepherd back to the path when they want to jump ahead or navigate a u-turn when mistakes or redesigns happen.

I haven't arrived at this easily - I think I've held onto both businesses not only because I can't seem to surrender either, but because my confidence hasn't allowed me to think that I can expert through either landscape (thanks again catholic upbringing!). But I soldier through this by interacting with people and improving this muscle, in a way that works for my clients and customers and, as a result, for me, and all of the aspects of me.