You Must Ask Yourself This Question Before Starting a Blog-Based Business

Dear Puttylike reader, this is a classic Puttylike post. Meaning, it’s from the early days–from before I really found my voice or knew what I was doing. I’ve chosen to keep this post online for the benefit of Puttylike readers who have worked their way backward through the archives. And also to highlight the fact that everybody starts somewhere! xo, Emilie

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Last week I asked you guys to share your biggest challenge about being a multipotentialite. I received an incredible response, and your feedback was really helpful! Thanks so much to everyone who participated.

I noticed some interesting patterns in a lot of your comments. Yes, most scanners struggle with prioritizing projects, balancing long term goals with new interests and overcoming fear and societal pressure to specialize.

The biggest concern, however, seemed to be less internal and more logistical: how does one combine many interests in a way that makes sense thematically and turn that into a sustainable business model?

Launching your business

Enough talk about ideal lifestyles and dream-pursuit for now. It’s time to get into the nitty gritty. Here’s a question that will help you focus in on what your business will actually look like:

What do you stand for?

What is your mission statement, theme, or overarching philosophy? Your business needs to resonate with and inspire people.

This is the most vital step for any business. Know what you stand for and the rest is easy, but launch a product or service without a clear mission statement and you’re just another widget in the marketplace.

The brilliant author and marketing consultant Simon Sinek developed a model to explain what makes most inspiring people and organizations successful and influential, and what makes other companies flop (or simply appeal to us less; take Apple v. PC, for example)…

Sinek’s model is called The Golden Circle, and here it is:

Your “Why” is what’s most important. Once you determine it, all of the products and services you create will flow out of that mission statement. The lame companies do the opposite. They start with a product (the What), and then try to make it look appealing. (Lame.)

An added challenge for multipotentialites?

As scanners, the idea of settling on one mission statement might sound impossible. After all, we don’t stand for one thing, do we? We hate the singular!

But in truth, this is actually good news for us. Hear me out.

The golden circle means that all of our disparate interests can co-exist in one business as long as we have an inspiring mission statement.

Your mission statement doesn’t have to be specific either. It can be incredibly general such as:

• Challenge the status quo
• Live life on your own terms
• Create better relationships with the people you love

Or even:

• Embrace your multipotentiality and pursue your dreams!

You could fit a ton of interests under any one of those themes.

Do find a mission statement, but don’t get hung up on it

Alright yes, brainstorm a bit and come up with a broad unifying theme for your blog-based business. But do not stress yourself by trying to get this perfect right out of the gate.

You have plenty of time to refine your message. It took me about 3 months of blogging before I knew exactly what Puttylike was all about. I would never have figured that out had I not just started. I needed the experience of actually blogging and getting feedback before I could arrive at my exact mission statement.

Do not use your inability to find the perfect mission statement as an excuse not to launch. That’s just fear talking. Craft a philosophy that is good enough, and then get started. Refine as you go.

Your Turn

What’s your blog-based business all about? Share your URL and your blog’s mission statement in the comments!

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If you’d like to learn more about turning all of your interests into one business, check out our digital guide, Renaissance Business.