​

Hey YOU!

Last week I did something I've never done before! I recorded a video for YouTube WITHOUT a script.

If you've been a subscriber for awhile, you might remember my short attempt at creating video content back when I basically just read my newsletters on camera.

Reading them off like a script helped me feel less pressure to spontaneously summarize what I wanted to share, but it also may have come across as a little too "perfect" (even for this perfectionist) and maybe a little inauthentic (even though the words were anything but)!

I had been following a business coach's advice and leaning hard into their way of doing things. Classic rookie mistake. One I'll probably make again at some point, to be honest.

Sometimes you have to make a few wrong turns to figure out which path is actually yours!

My husband very lovingly pointed out that reading my scripted emails on video didn't seem fully ME and that he always liked hearing me speak in podcast interviews, because that version of me felt real (sometimes he's annoyingly right).

I kept the old videos up (you're welcome!) because it's always good to look back at cringeworthy moments as you grow in your business, but also as a reminder that I was brave enough to try it.

Putting yourself out there...being visible...it takes guts.

And being pushed outside of your comfort zone is sometimes NEEDED.

Though the business coach I was working with, wasn't the perfect fit for me...they helped me try some stuff. Experimenting is ALWAYS a good thing when you're an entrepreneur!

Ironically, it was a new business strategist that I recently met with who brought me back to my YouTube experiment.

She gave me one tiny suggestion that changed everything.

Instead of writing a full script (and performing it like a nervous robot), she told me to jot down some short bullet points and just...riff.

At first I told her I couldn't do it. I would forget what I had to say when I clicked record.

But then I reminded myself I could quickly look down if I needed to and that I could edit out any long pauses (there were lots of them) and any "ummms" and "ah shits" (there were also lots of those).

I honestly had never considered doing this before.

To be honest, I kind of wrote off the idea altogether until a few days later when I felt an inner nudge to try it.

It was scary to leave my comfort zone.

There were blank stares into the distance, fumbled words, and statements I would have said differently if they were on paper.

The first recording attempt had no audio because my microphone wasn't properly connected, and the second attempt I ran out of time and had to switch to a different platform.

But the third time was the charm good enough...a completed video that actually sounds like ME!

Want to know the funny thing?

I ALMOST didn't book a strategy session with this strategist (even though my gut was saying "Do it. do it!").

I was so stuck on the darn US conversion rate.

I absolutely love working with American business owners, but it's so hard when I have to pay an extra 30% more in Canadian to work with them!

I'm fairly risk tolerant and have no problem making bold moves when it comes to my business (I think I can thank the ADHD part of me for that)...but that doesn't mean it's always easy to invest in myself.

I typically just try figure it out myself first. I spend my nights googling solutions and try DIYing it before admitting I need help.

My overachiever brain and hyper independence is such a fun combo.

But it's not always the money that holds me back (okay, sometimes it's the money)...it's more that asking for help doesn't come naturally to me.

Accepting that I don't have to do everything alone is the hardest thing for me to do and yet I continue to challenge myself to get outside help when I need it. But it's really, really hard!

This whole experience reminded me that even the most lone-wolf, figure-it-all-out-on-your-own type of people, need the right people in their corner.

I have a VA who is an absolute rockstar and it's very clear that working with this new strategist helped me get out of my head, facing my fears, and back into a place of sustainable growth.

I'm not planning on becoming a YouTuber anytime soon (to my kids' disappointment) but I am excited to continue experimenting with YouTube videos as part of my SEO strategy!

If a brand strategy session sounds like something you could use, let's talk (I charge in Canadian!).

Need some help with something else? Maybe I know someone! Send me an email back so I can point you towards something useful!

👉 I’m now booking brand design projects for May! Payments plans available! Just email me back or book a discovery call here.

Thank you so much for giving me space in your inbox! Missed a previous email? Catch up here!​ xo Emily Lauren 💋 Free Brand Vibe Quiz Every brand has a vibe...once you nail yours, the right people can't help but notice you. Take the quiz and get a free mini brand clarity workbook and mood board template. ​→ What's my brand vibe?​ ⚡️ Brand Intensive You don't need a full rebrand to find out what's holding your brand back. Get a full review of your online presence, a 1:1 call, and lifetime support...so you can start showing up like you mean it. ​→ Book your intensive​ 🔥 Custom Branding Strip off everything you're hiding behind to build something that makes your dream clients feel like they found exactly who they've been looking for. Your quirks. Your voice. Your hot takes. Beige called. We didn't answer. Let's build something bold, strategic, and so YOU! ​→ Unbutton my brand​ ​