If you’ve been here for a while, you’ll have heard me speak about my marketing journey before. I’ve written about leaving social media, about making choices and about how surprised I am that marketing finally feels good and organic to my business now.
But what I haven’t really shared is how much of a failure I felt like at first—and how hard it was not to get completely disheartened, even to the point of wanting to quit.
If that’s you too, this peptalk is for you.
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It’s not your fault if someone else’s template doesn’t work for you
In the early years of my small business, I tried out a lot of marketing templates and content calendars. I listened to all the podcasts. I researched hashtags and tried to be everywhere all the time.
And I could never keep up.
It took me pretty long to figure out that I didn’t need to feel guilty about that. That I wasn’t necessarily failing—I was just trying to squeeze my business into someone else’s marketing system. I was working 4 days a week in higher education and tried to build my business in 1. My mental health fluctuated wildly. I got easily overwhelmed by social media.
If this sounds familiar, I promise you: you are not a failure. You just haven’t yet found a way of gentle marketing that truly fits you, your business, and your life.
There is a slower, gentler and more profitable way of running your business.
Discover your way of doing your business with my 1:1 mentoring support.
No hacks, no hustle.
Instead: marketing and launching that is slow, gentle and gets results. Clear boundaries and priorities that encourage you to live a life next to your business. Accountability and support to help you create the live and business you crave.
You are not a failure. You just haven’t yet found a way of gentle marketing that truly fits you, your business, and your life.
Marketing is deeply personal–needs to be flexible
If you’ve spent any time reading marketing blog posts or listening to small business podcasts you may get the idea that there are right ways and wrong ways to market your small business. But marketing isn’t like driving a car, or playing an instrument.
In my work with clients and participants of my gentle marketing programme Grow, I’ve seen again and again how personal marketing is.
No two business owners approach it in the same way — and both can see results.
What you need isn’t a 10-step plan or template that you need to follow to the letter.
What you need is the sweet spot between structure and flexibility.
In Grow, we do just that.
I’ve learned so much in Grow. Just learning how marketing can work and that marketing can work without social media and being everywhere. I don’t like the whole posting and “I’m here and in your face!” way of marketing and being out there. I feel really uncomfortable with that. Grow wasn’t overwhelming. I got a clear idea and a clear roadmap about marketing and how I want to market. — Hannah Plews, book coach and private tutor
Marketing is a long game
Sustainable marketing starts with solid foundations — flexible, human, and uniquely you.
But marketing is also a long game, which is why we spend 4 months together in Grow—and why you keep lifetime access to all the materials.
If you ever feel unsure or disheartened about your marketing, you’ll have my support through recorded office hours, bi-weekly pep talks, and monthly live planning calls.
Get a taster of the magic of Grow by taking the marketing hurdles quiz, and get your free e-book with my favourite easeful marketing strategies, tailored to your business.
You’ll also be signed up for the waitlist, and get some lovely bonuses plus a 10% discount when the doors to Grow open in 2026.
I’d love to know what resonates with you from this post.
Please feel free to share this post it with business friends, in your newsletter or elsewhere. 💛
I’d love to support you in all phases of your business. Providing clarity, focus and next steps is something that my clients tell me I’m really good at. If you’re curious about how we can work together through 1:1 mentoring, check out what I offer or send me an email–no strings attached. I have payment plans available, and flexible options for mentoring calls.
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Sign up with your email address to receive strategies, experiments and tips to create a slow, gentle and profitable business–no hustle, no hacks.