Jay Clouse (he/him)
Community Experience Director at SPI | Creator of Freelancing School
Building community and helping creatives become thriving business owners. I host the Creative Elements podcast, created Freelancing School, and founded Unreal Collective (acquired by SPI in 2020).
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Gooood morning my friends!
It's a beautiful, sunny day here in Ohio...and two weeks post-vaccination for me! Am I invincible now?!
It also happens to be FRIDAY, which means it's time to share some wins. But I want to throw in a bit of a tweest today...
Along with sharing your wins, feel free to share losses too.
I want to normalize things that AREN'T going to plan, or may be causing us anxiety. It's arguably even more important for a community to help you through the lows than to celebrate the highs!
It's a beautiful, sunny day here in Ohio...and two weeks post-vaccination for me! Am I invincible now?!
It also happens to be FRIDAY, which means it's time to share some wins. But I want to throw in a bit of a tweest today...
Along with sharing your wins, feel free to share losses too.
I want to normalize things that AREN'T going to plan, or may be causing us anxiety. It's arguably even more important for a community to help you through the lows than to celebrate the highs!
Wins ⬆️
- I created a badass referral program within ConvertKit
- My Community Building Crash Course workshop has 140+ attendees today
- I shut down my LinkedIn Newsletter and moved a couple hundred subscribers to my own email list
- My podcast is being featured by Castbox right now
Losses ⬇️
- I worked until 11pm last night on my presentation
- I will need to work this weekend too
- One of my podcast sponsors reached out and hasn't seen the conversion they'd like to. (So if you want to try Grammarly, give it a shot and save 20% here 😅)
I'm feeling pretty unbalanced in the work/life realm.
OK enough from me, what wins (or losses!) do you have to share? 👇
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I just shared this on Twitter, but I'm shutting down my LinkedIn Newsletter.
It was a tough decision, because it had grown to 33,000 subscribers...but the analytics were so lacking that I have no idea who is reading, how often, what links are being clicked, etc.
So, I'm shutting it down in favor of being able to spend more time elsewhere (like here!)
Have you ever shut down one of your projects? How did you know it was time to quit?
It was a tough decision, because it had grown to 33,000 subscribers...but the analytics were so lacking that I have no idea who is reading, how often, what links are being clicked, etc.
So, I'm shutting it down in favor of being able to spend more time elsewhere (like here!)
Have you ever shut down one of your projects? How did you know it was time to quit?
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Hello my friends!
We have made it – we got through April Fools and I was not made a fool even a single time.
How was your week? How was your FIRST QUARTER of the year??
This is actually a good time to look back and reflect on the first quarter, as much as the past week. What's going well, and where can you shift your focus and behavior for the next 3 months?
A few wins for me:
We have made it – we got through April Fools and I was not made a fool even a single time.
How was your week? How was your FIRST QUARTER of the year??
This is actually a good time to look back and reflect on the first quarter, as much as the past week. What's going well, and where can you shift your focus and behavior for the next 3 months?
A few wins for me:
- I am hosting a podcasting workshop today with Teachable
- I interviewed one of my own favorite podcast hosts yesterday!
- On top of that, I hosted three other interviews this week, with one more coming today 😪
- And this week's episode of the podcast was one of my favorites!
And a couple things to share:
- Here is my sales challenge to you today
- Feeling like you need more structure for Q2? Check out my Goal Smashing workshop.
Where did you win this week? 👇
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Hey hey everyone!
You know, the best method I've found for stirring up new projects comes from stirring up conversation with your advocates.
So, simple challenge for you today – send at least 5 emails to folks in your network who have been an advocate for you in the past. Whether it was paying work or something else positive for your business, reach out to ask them how they're doing and if they'd like to catch up for 20 minutes in the next few weeks.
Bonus points if you send 10!
It all starts with real conversations with real people. And your advocates are the best place to start.
Comment below and let me know when you've sent your five!
You know, the best method I've found for stirring up new projects comes from stirring up conversation with your advocates.
So, simple challenge for you today – send at least 5 emails to folks in your network who have been an advocate for you in the past. Whether it was paying work or something else positive for your business, reach out to ask them how they're doing and if they'd like to catch up for 20 minutes in the next few weeks.
Bonus points if you send 10!
It all starts with real conversations with real people. And your advocates are the best place to start.
Comment below and let me know when you've sent your five!
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Hello my friends!
It's Friday again, and I would LOVE to hear where you won this week! No wins are too small, and I think it's a great thing to celebrate even the smallest wins...so what can you look back on this week as a win, big or small?
For me:
It's Friday again, and I would LOVE to hear where you won this week! No wins are too small, and I think it's a great thing to celebrate even the smallest wins...so what can you look back on this week as a win, big or small?
For me:
- I'm getting vaccinated today!
- I had a few great interviews this week
- I've been given some awesome recent feedback on the courses
- I've scheduled some workshops coming soon!
I also wanted to note:
- Are y'all ready for a new community challenge soon?!
- I'm looking to hire a freelance writer!
Ok, it's your turn! Where did you win this week? 👇
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Hey everyone!
I took a step back in March to catch my breath, but I'm ready to lead another community challenge soon!
My ask of you...
I took a step back in March to catch my breath, but I'm ready to lead another community challenge soon!
My ask of you...
- Do you have any ideas to share?
- If not, what are you struggling with right now?
I'll craft a challenge that can help as many of us as possible!
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Hey everyone!
It's a priority for me this year to produce more content on the Freelancing School blog. Last year, I taught myself a little bit about SEO in terms of keyword research, outlining, and writing something that ranks really well, and I'd like to pour on the gas this year...
My plan is to hire writers who can help me with creating the first drafts of the post. I'll have keywords in mind, we will collaborate on the outline, but I'lll leave most of the draft up to you.
Before I go to Upwork or elsewhere to find someone to help me with this writing, I wanted to start here with you all!
If you're interested, email jay@freelancing.school with:
It's a priority for me this year to produce more content on the Freelancing School blog. Last year, I taught myself a little bit about SEO in terms of keyword research, outlining, and writing something that ranks really well, and I'd like to pour on the gas this year...
My plan is to hire writers who can help me with creating the first drafts of the post. I'll have keywords in mind, we will collaborate on the outline, but I'lll leave most of the draft up to you.
Before I go to Upwork or elsewhere to find someone to help me with this writing, I wanted to start here with you all!
If you're interested, email jay@freelancing.school with:
- A link(s) to previous writing you've done (specifically for SEO if possible)
- Your existing process for planning an article to rank for search (if you have it)
- Your typical freelance writing rate
Would love to collaborate with folks here!
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Hey hey everyone!
Happy Friday, friends. First off, I hope you're planning to join me for this morning's community meetup at 11am ET (8am PT)! I can't wait to catch up with some of you and hear what you've been working on.
Happy Friday, friends. First off, I hope you're planning to join me for this morning's community meetup at 11am ET (8am PT)! I can't wait to catch up with some of you and hear what you've been working on.
More info here / Register here
I truly cannot believe another week has passed since writing my last Friday wins post. Things are going way, way too fast.
How did this week go for you?
A few wins for me:
I truly cannot believe another week has passed since writing my last Friday wins post. Things are going way, way too fast.
How did this week go for you?
A few wins for me:
- Had a date night with Mallory last night
- Made some wicked progress with my team at SPI
- Signed another podcast sponsor
- Kicking off an awesome project with Blinkist today
- Almost have all my address changes finished 😂
Let me know how this week went for you! 👇
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Good morning my friends!
Another week in the books...how did it treat you?
I've started a couple threads to call your attention to:
Another week in the books...how did it treat you?
I've started a couple threads to call your attention to:
- How is the year going for you in terms of projects?
- We have a community meetup next Friday at 11a ET (8a PT)!
I think things are starting to slow down a bit for me. We're done with our initial wave of home renovation, and began sleeping here this week! We even got the cat settled in.
We still have another couple full days worth of moving, but we have enough over here to get by. Just in time for Spring!
Other wins:
- My parents came down to check out the new place
- Some major new podcasting sponsors
- Paid back my SBA EIDL Loan
How did your week go?! 👇
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Good morning everyone!
We're overdue for a no agenda, Friday morning community meetup. So, I scheduled one for next week!
DETAILS
Friday, March 19
11am ET (10am CT, 8am PT)
Register here
This meetup will be about checking in with each of you, sharing some of our challenges, questions for the group, and more. I always leave these meetups with a big smile on my face and ready to take on the day.
Hope to see you there!
We're overdue for a no agenda, Friday morning community meetup. So, I scheduled one for next week!
DETAILS
Friday, March 19
11am ET (10am CT, 8am PT)
Register here
This meetup will be about checking in with each of you, sharing some of our challenges, questions for the group, and more. I always leave these meetups with a big smile on my face and ready to take on the day.
Hope to see you there!
