Returning to this space

Hello. (That’s a good way to start after such a long absence, isn’t it?)

I know the advice—don’t make a big deal about having been gone.

But…my having been gone is a big deal. So I’m going to talk about it.

The last year of my life has been incredibly hard. My marriage ended. It’s not something I want to talk about publicly for many reasons, but the fact that it happened is a big part of my story, so I’m sharing that with you.

As I’m sure you know, all incredibly hard things come with a huge amount of work, including the practical (moving, etc.) as well as the emotional (growth and healing and so on).

All of these things take time, energy, and attention. So do toddlers. And client work. So I focused in on those things, and gave myself full permission to pull back from sharing here.

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During that time, I did a lot of thinking about my work here with you. Life looks different now than I thought it would, which means some of the things I was working toward or focusing on have shifted.

So I want to update you on what I do, and how you can hire me. Not every email from me will be about how to hire me, but it felt odd to jump in without sharing where I am right now. So here we go!

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I’ve done some deep thinking about why I do what I do. There are lots of answers. One big one?

I want to help us use our knowledge and ideas.

Let me break that down a little.

When I say knowledge and ideas, I’m talking about two different kinds.

First, the knowledge and ideas we have that can help others. This is what our businesses are built on. And these things don’t do anyone (including us) any good if they’re stuck in our heads.

And second, knowledge and ideas we take in. Things we read, listen to, learn. These also don’t do any good if they’re stuck in our heads.

So to get a little more specific:

I want to help us get knowledge and ideas out of our heads and into our lives and work, where they can make a real difference.

Ok, that sounds good. But how do we do those things?

Well, I plan to talk lots more about this, so stay tuned if you’re interested!

But I also offer two ways to work with me one-on-one if you need help getting your knowledge and ideas out there through your work.


Core Message Coaching

There are patterns and connections inherent among your ideas that can be difficult for you to identify on your own.

Why? Because you’re too close to them.

Many times, finding the clarity you crave requires outside perspective. And that’s what Core Message Coaching is all about.

The idea is simple: You share all the thoughts and ideas that are on your mind when it comes to things like:

  • Why you do the work you do

  • Who you do it for

  • What you want to share

  • How you help people

  • The impact you want to make

  • How you want to show up

  • Really, whatever is on your mind!

I listen, I ask clarifying questions, and then I organize all that you’ve shared with me into a meaningful, custom document you can come to again and again as you move forward with incredible newfound clarity about the work you do in the world—or about a specific project!

(And very soon, I’ll be introducing some ways we can work together after CMC is over, on an ongoing basis, to make sure that beautiful feeling of clarity and possibility stays with you.)

The ideas are already inside of you. Let’s bring them into the light.

Interested?
You can read even more about Core Message Coaching.
And you can sign up to have a 45-minute, no-pressure discovery call with me.


Content Collaboration

Putting your knowledge and ideas into the world can take many forms—emails, social media, books, classes, podcasts, workshops, speaking engagements, videos, websites, and more.

And as is true for almost anything in this world, some parts of putting your knowledge and ideas out there feel easy…and some parts don’t.

Content Collaboration allows you to do the parts that feel fun, as well as the ones that feel important for you to do, while we find ways that I can help you with the rest.

Here are some examples:

  • Maybe you’re great at brainstorming and coming up with big ideas, and you love writing. But the part in the middle—coming up with a concrete plan and outline that will guide you as you write—feels really hard.

  • Maybe you want to share a really big idea, and you’ve taken scores of notes, but you can’t quite see a way in—your thoughts and ideas keep getting jumbled, and you fear this thing will never make its way out of your head.

  • Maybe you’ve written something, or are working on writing something, and you feel stuck. Is it long enough? Too long? Are you getting the point across? (And how exactly does one use a semicolon anyway?)

  • Maybe you’re looking back over the years of content you’ve shared on your blog and in your newsletter and you know there’s a book or class in there. But…where is it? How do you make those connections and bring it all together?

Whether one of those is true or you’re facing something else altogether, I hear you. And I can help.

More specifically, I can help with brainstorming, planning, outlining, pulling together existing materials, writing, editing…and more.

We’ll each bring our talents to the table to get your big ideas out there!

Interested?
You can find a detailed list of the kinds of things I can help with, along with the types of projects I’ve worked on in the past (to get your wheels turning), right here.
And you can sign up to have a 45-minute, no-pressure discovery call with me to discuss your project (and semicolons if you wish).

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That’s all for today, but I’ll be back soon.

And now I would dearly love to hear from you. What have you been up to? What would you like to hear about from me? How can I support you? You can reach out here any time.

Until next time,
With love as always,
Erica

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Erica Midkiff