Immovable Objects

We spent 6 weeks on a new website design.

Multiple versions … revisions … meetings … brainstorming sessions. Hours hunting down broken links and galleries. Mapping redirects so the site didn’t lose organic optimization.

Everyone was pumped for the fresh new content and design.

All I needed was final approval to take it live.

And this is the email I received instead:

“We’re kind of stuck right now. We’ve gone back and forth internally and feel like something still isn’t quite right with the new font. I think we’re just going to stick with what we have and revisit everything down the road.”

😳

[ Yeah … in 20 years of business, I’ve never had a project stall out because of a font. First time for everything! ]

***

Here’s the thing. 

Change is really frickin hard.

And some clients, despite hiring us to bring something “new, exciting and different” to the table … can’t handle the discomfort that “newness” brings with it.

… “What if our clients don’t like it?”

… “What if we lose customers from it?”

… “What if people don’t understand what we’re doing?”

All somewhat valid points. And all entirely possible.

HOWEVER …

The real question they should be asking is, “What is the cost of NOT moving forward; of NOT taking a chance on a different (yet totally educated and thoughtful) approach?”

Frankly, it takes guts to be that introspective.

To sit with the discomfort and (despite the squirming) know that moving forward is the only path to success.

***

Staying comfortable is a choice.

Not trusting your partners is a choice.

Being an immovable object is a choice.

But business growth doesn’t happen on a treadmill. And the result of that thought process is running yourself ragged, only to end up in the exact same place.

So, friends, I encourage you to seek a path that feels a little scary … a little uncomfortable and unfamiliar.

Trust the process. Trust your team.

And choose a version of you (and your business) that isn’t afraid to evolve.

Even if it means changing the font. 😉

Beehiiv vs. Kit

The Battle of Creator Platforms

Contestant #1 — Beehiiv

Beehiiv is the newsletter-first platform built by ex- Morning Brew folks, designed to make writing, growing, and monetizing a breeze. It’s sleek, stupid-simple to use, and lets you build a full-on media brand without needing a tech degree.

Free forever plan: Yup. With core features and up to 2,500 subscribers.

Upgraded plans: Starts at $49/month

Best for: Creators, writers, and small media teams who want clean design, built-in growth tools, and monetization baked in.

Why it works: It’s laser-focused on newsletters — and really good at it. Plus, their referral and ad tools are wildly easy to implement. Bonus Points: its SEO capabilities make it a powerful blog platform, so you’re basically publishing a blog and a newsletter at the same time!

Contestant #2 — Kit

Kit is the email marketing platform for creators who want to sell. Courses, ebooks, coaching — if it’s digital, Kit helps you build funnels, forms, and automations to make it all sing.

Free forever plan: Up to 1,000 subscribers with limited features

Upgraded plans: From $15/month with automation and sales tools

Best for: Online creators, educators, and digital entrepreneurs with products to sell and a strategy to scale.

Why it works: Their automations are powerful without being overwhelming. And if you’ve got offers, Kit helps you convert.

AND THE WINNER IS …

🎉 BEEHIIV 🎉

It’s what I use (and love ❤️) for its dead-simple interface and built-in monetization features. From one dashboard, I can write, grow, and get paid. Easy choice.

Expansion Pack

Extra Fuel for Curious Brains

These hand-picked gems dig deeper, spark ideas, and help you stay in motion — minus the overwhelm.

The Diderot Effect: Why We Want Things We Don’t Need
By: James Clear
A smart read on why small changes can spiral into big indecision. Yes, even a font tweak. 😉

The Difference Between a Plan and a Strategy
A deeper dive on thinking long-term, even when short-term fear wants to take the wheel. (harvard business review)

The End of Generalist Marketing
Friends, I was on a podcast! 🤩 Massive thanks to Diane Helbig for having me as a guest. Listen as we chat about the end of generalist marketing. (accelerate your business growth podcast)

Perfectionism is Destroying Your Business
Denise G. Lee explores the detrimental effects of compulsive perfectionism on business and offers practical strategies to break free from its grip. (deniseglee.com)

Victory Points

By: Mike Shary
( my board-game-loving, copywriter extraordinaire and mentor, Dad ❤️ )

If you’re like many business owners, it’s easy to get caught in the trap of striving for perfection: the flawless pitch, the pristine product, ideal timing.

But perfection has a cost — and in this week’s game, that cost is shattered tile dreams.

Azul is a visually stunning game about tiling a Portuguese palace. But behind the pretty patterns and sensory satisfaction is a super fun and clever puzzle that can turn overthinking and the search for perfection into broken tiles and regret.

Each round, you and up to 3 friends will take turns drafting a random group of tiles from a shared marketplace, trying to assemble a mosaic of particular patterns.

The catch: you must play every tile from the group you draft … and there may be tiles you simply cannot use.

You want that perfect row of red? Go ahead, wait for it.

But if you wait too long for the ideal move, someone else may snag it — or worse, dump junk tiles your way.

You can easily end up with nothing but frustration, a cracked floor, and a growing sense that maybe good enough was actually great.

Azul teaches you what every smart entrepreneur eventually learns: aiming for perfect can wreck your momentum. Progress comes from adaptability, not ideal conditions. Sometimes you grab the suboptimal tiles, patch them into your wall, and move on — because “done” is better than perfect.

And when you finally complete a row you didn’t plan, or make a clever pivot that scores more than your original idea ever could? That’s not just satisfying — it’s strategy. 

Azul is a fun way to remind yourself that success emerges from bold action, not waiting for perfection.

If you’re ready, here’s a few ways we can work together:

1. Free Brainstorming Session: Stop overthinking and start executing. In this bite-sized strategy session, we'll identify your biggest growth opportunities and ways to implement them immediately.

2. One-on-One Deep Dive: Ready for real transformation? Let's spend 60 minutes mapping out your business evolution. We'll tackle your biggest marketing challenges and create a customized, actionable roadmap for growth. Ideal for entrepreneurs who are done waiting on "perfect."

3. 60-Day Web Accelerator: Join other business coaches, speakers and consultants who've learned to launch fast — and iterate later. This intensive program will build, transform and optimize your entire online system in just 60 days. No more endless tweaking. Just real results.