“We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.”

If there was one quote that best summarizes how Powerhouse Planning CEO Jessica Bertsch approaches both her personal and professional life, it would be this one by Winston S. Churchill.

When Jessica founded Powerhouse, she promised herself that she would always “Share the Goodness” by giving back. Not once she was established as a new business. Not when annual revenue reached a certain point. Not just during the holidays or on nationally recognized days of giving like Giving Tuesday. She committed to giving back 10% of all profits in a POWERful way.

In the early years of Powerhouse Planning, that promise was kept by helping people and organizations in need and by giving in special ways in the communities in which she has lived. As a military spouse who has relocated several times, Jessica left an impact in every community she called home.

As Powerhouse grew, so did the reach of the Share the Goodness program. Jessica carefully curated a highly skilled, predominantly military-connected team who shared her commitment to good works and deeds. And the program’s reach broadened to support the causes the Powerhouse team was passionate about.

The goal remains to dedicate no less than 10% of annual revenue to making a difference in our communities and around the world. Every year, the percentage of income dedicated to the Share the Goodness program has increased. And with these increases and the company’s growth, the impact we’ve been able to make has grown as well.

Together we are…

Ending childhood hunger.
In Brevard County, The Children’s Hunger Project (TCHP) partners with local elementary schools to fight childhood hunger and malnutrition. With more than half of the school children eligible for free or reduced-price meal programs, school lunches are available, but weekend meals are less of a certainty. TCHP helps elementary schools to provide food for the weekend to as many kids as possible each week.

Tackling the causes of poverty and injustice.
Around the world, World Vision is transforming communities, providing emergency relief, and bringing hope to 3.5 million vulnerable children in nearly 100 countries. Children like Ambiya—a seven-year-old who has stolen our hearts (and shares her birth year with Powerhouse Planning). We’ve been thrilled to be a part of Ambiya’s life as a sponsor for over four years and love getting progress reports on how she’s growing and thriving.

Bringing hope and love to Uganda.
We learned that Danielle Jackson was planning to combine two passions—photography and a heart for service to take a mission trip to Uganda with Show Mercy International. Empowering professionals and being of service both really speak to the heart of our company, and we were happy to be able to help her meet her fundraising goal to make the trip possible. You can learn more about her adventure here.

We’re also helping cure Alzheimer’s, providing holiday baskets to families in need, giving scholarships to incoming college students, putting together goodies for communities impacted by disaster, sending some love in care packages to service members overseas, and more.

In addition to our Share the Goodness program,

● We regularly highlight nonprofits doing great work to increase visibility of their efforts. (Make sure you’re signed up for our newsletter to read all about them here.)

● We create and share free resources for individuals and small business owners because we want you to live your best personal and professional lives. (Find free career resources, life resources, and military kid resources here!)

● We provide flexible employment opportunities to military-connected professionals (100+ military spouses to date).

At Powerhouse Planning, we make a living providing high-quality services. And we make a life Sharing the Goodness and making a difference.

Yes, that is indeed what Powerhouse Planning President and Founder Jessica Bertsch dubbed our 2019 year: the best one yet! We continued to show strong growth with a dynamic team and clients we truly enjoy. We paid about 31% more to our freelance team members in 2019, meaning we created even more jobs. Even though growth doesn’t always come easy, we took the opportunity to learn how to manage that small business growth as well as celebrate it. After all, there’s no point in having an experience if you don’t take time to reflect on and learn from it, which is exactly why we’re thrilled to be where we are. As Jessica says, “’Coming’ to work truly feels good!”

While we are grateful for our new and continuing clients and our amazing freelance team members, we’re most proud of how we’ve grown our Share the Goodness campaign. As many fans of Powerhouse know, Jessica is committed to enriching the world with 10% of Powerhouse’s annual revenue. 2019 allowed us to reach even more deserving people and organizations. So, thank you to all who have helped us “Share the Goodness.” We know 2020 will be even better.

Speaking of 2020, we are thrilled to be embarking on a new year of challenges and opportunities. We’re continuing to grow our grant-writing services and retainer-based contract clients. Stay tuned as we have some exciting announcements in the works, like really neat strategic partners and new FREE resources. Our year will be jam-packed with resources that will help you grow both individually and professional. Because it is 2020, expect to see a whole lot of monthly tips (let’s say, oh, 20 per month) on everything from how to take care of yourself and your small business to resources you never knew you needed.

As one of our valuable team members said, “With strong leadership and steadfast commitment to continually grow, improve, and provide for our clients,” 2020 is shaping up to take the Best Year Ever crown. So if you haven’t checked out our website lately, take a few moments to do so now. We’re constantly adding new resources and expanding our offerings. We’d love to show you what we’ve been up to and help you with your business needs.

Rossmery is a web and graphic designer based out of wherever the military takes her—and where there is an internet connection. As a military spouse for almost five years, she has experienced firsthand the challenges that come with being a military family. After a few years of finding it difficult to develop a professional career in cultures where being a military spouse was seen as unfavorable, she took a leap of faith and began freelancing instead. In that first year of business, Rossmery found support, passion, and love for her new career. Today, Rossmery is incredibly grateful for this path of life and is more than determined to continue growing and serving clients. Now she is thrilled to be a part of the Powerhouse team and is excited for the opportunities ahead!

Outside of the office, you can find Rossmery working on a puzzle, hanging out with her hubby and lab (Lily), or reading a good personal development book.

Lindsey Stone is excited to join the Powerhouse Planning team as a freelance writer.

In seven years as an Army spouse, Lindsey has spearheaded four moves, one of which was an over 6,000-mile, multi-stop move from the East Coast to Oahu, Hawaii. She currently lives on the Hawaiian island of Oahu with her husband, Brandyn, her two daughters, Korra (4 years old) and Gwyneth (10 months old). Together they share their home with four beloved pets—all rescue animals who have moved with them countless times over the years.

In her professional life, Lindsey is an innovative, experienced leader with an endless curiosity to question, create, and understand how things work. She is especially passionate about developing programs internally to improve processes through capacity analysis and employee development programs.! She is an operations manager with 5+ years experience in marketing campaigns and business development. Her human resources and project management experience goes back 10+ years!

Lindsey is a graduate of Southern New Hampshire University with a M.S. degree in Communication with a focus in Marketing. She is currently a PhD candidate at North Central University where she received the “Dream it, Do It!” full tuition scholarship to complete her doctoral degree in Organizational Leadership. She is also studying for her PMP Certification through Onward to Opportunity (O2O).

In her free time Lindsey loves hiking, island hopping, and spending evenings at the beach watching the sun set.

The Hebrew word for “to give” is natan. In two languages, Hebrew and English, it’s a palindrome—the same word backward and forward. To give is to receive and to receive is to give. The act of giving then becomes a reciprocal transaction, an unspoken agreement between a giver and a receiver rather than something that one with more does to/for one with less.

No matter how one chooses to give—whether it’s serving our country, donating food to the hungry, or volunteering time for an organization whose mission we’re passionate about—there is always value for all concerned. That fact doesn’t make the gift of one’s time, skills, or resources any less precious or special. It simply means that the act of giving back is good for the giver, too.

Helping others have their needs met. In its simplest form, giving to others ensures they can have their basic needs met. Everyone has (or should have) the right to food, clothing, shelter, security, and love. The absence of these things prevents those with less from being fully actualized as human beings. It is incredibly difficult to give one’s gifts to the world if it is a battle merely to survive. When you give so that others have enough, you reap the benefit of them bringing their best selves to the world.

Developing gratitude (and putting things into perspective). It is easy to get stuck in our own stories about all that is wrong with our lives. We’re not where we want to be. Someone has treated us poorly. We haven’t gotten what we wanted to get. Being able to help someone with less than we have has a funny way of putting things into perspective. Yes, I work a crazy number of hours, but I have a job. Yes, the kids clogged the toilet and I had an unexpected plumber bill, but I have running water. Yes, my life isn’t exactly what I want, but I have all that I need. Knowing that—that our own needs are met and that we’re in a position to help others meet theirs—that’s cause for gratitude.

Living a longer, healthier life. Google the health benefits of giving to others and you’ll find a whole host of science to back up the claim that giving is both literally and figuratively good for you. Giving to others has been shown to decrease stress, increase emotional well-being, improve cognitive function and more. You can’t argue with science.

Developing your own skills. Depending upon how you choose to give back to others, there are any number of skills you can develop yourself. For instance, if you volunteer for a local community organization, you may learn how to work with diverse teams, communicate with others who may be different from you, manage resources, etc.

In fact, if you’ve ever had the experience of a gap in employment, you’ve likely been advised to find a place to volunteer. That advice is so often given because it’s understood that prospective employers acknowledge the strengths and skills that volunteer service can help to develop. (It’s a happy bonus that if you’re feeling down about being unemployed—serving others is a great way to redirect your attention, feel a sense of purpose, and provide value to others who are grateful for your time and effort.)

Building community (and expanding your world). Giving to local causes you care about strengthens your community. It unites people who might not otherwise connect and creates relationships you might not otherwise experience. And who doesn’t want to live in (or raise children in) a community that values and takes care of each other?

Sharing your values. How you help—if you help—says a lot about you as a person. It demonstrates what you believe in and what’s important to you. That’s not to say that you should give so others perceive you in a certain way. But it is to say that your actions (or inactions) can be contagious to others. Your children, friends, co-workers, they see what you do and may even model your behavior. Giving spreads in the best viral way possible.

For all these reasons—beyond all these reasons—life is a cycle. Sometimes we have; sometimes we have not. Sometimes we give; sometimes we take. When we can both give and take with grace and generosity of spirit, the world is better for it.

Most of us have probably heard that old saying, “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.” There’s a lot of truth in that, even if we don’t always want to admit it. Planning—whether you’re planning for a new business, planning for an existing one, or just trying to manage life goals on the horizon—is crucial to success, as exciting as it is. Let’s face it: We all love the dream stage. Thinking about how things will be once the initial work is over is fun. The nitty gritty details of planning how to get from the dream stage to the realities of success? Not so much. Yet there are very real, very important reasons why planning can make or break any dream.

1. Planning provides specific goals/objectives.
Brian Tracy invented the six P formula for personal and business success: “Proper Prior Planning Prevents Poor Performance.” Not surprisingly, his very first suggestion for ensuring success is to organize your thinking. J.D. Meier, bestselling author of Getting Results the Agile Way, states, “…planning helps organize your thinking, shape your future actions, and prepare for the good, the bad, and the downright ugly.” It’s true. Planning results in specific goals or objectives that everyone in your company can look to as guiding principles for both the big and the little decisions that must be made daily.

2. Planning allows for more control.
The more control you have over a situation, the easier it is to handle. By carefully planning the actions you will take, you remove a lot of the guess work from a situation. You can identify potential flaws in your plan or your execution and correct before they become impossible to manage. Kamran Akbarzadeh, founder of Dream Achievers Academy, notes, “Without proper planning we would not be ready to respond to challenges.” He goes on to say, “Planning ahead helps you and your organization become assertive in taking risks and saying no to either conservative or aggressive approaches.” If we are in control of our path, we have a greater chance to succeed.

3. Planning streamlines/makes us more efficient.
This seems like a no-brainer. Having a plan eliminates waste. Of time, of money, of resources, you name it—planning is the efficiency tool of choice. A little time spent planning how teams will be built, what resources you should focus on building this year, or even how you will spend your time can lead to massive payoff in the end. Take the time now to plan how best to utilize what you have so you’re not scrambling in the future.

4. Planning helps identify potential challenges.
There’s nothing like planning for every eventuality. The best asset of planning is time. Proper planning means having the time to think about every possible outcome and to identify what steps can be taken to combat and overcome each challenge. The absolute best factor to take into account when planning is that your plans will change. By taking some time now to identify how your plans might change and what strategies you can implement when life throws you that curve ball, you can save yourself some serious headaches later.

5. Planning strengthens teamwork.
Truly, the bedrock of any organization is the people who work there. Planning fosters an innate ability to build the best teams and to provide them with the framework in which to succeed. If every member of a team is fully aware of the plan and its implementation, they can more efficiently and effectively carry out their duties. In addition, when everyone knows the plan, it’s much easier to figure out how to make individual contributions fit the planned whole. In 2013, Johns Hopkins Medicine (JHM) implemented its first ever five-year strategic plan. Reflecting on its success in 2018, Dean/CEO Paul Rothman said, “A strategic plan is only as good as the people who execute the strategies, and faculty and members across JHM embraced the plan and did their part to make the vision a reality.” The team members at JHM knew the plan and were able to keep it in mind when working their individual parts. The plan was such a success that JHM launched a second five-year plan called Innovation 2023.

Planning can make or break a business. It’s important to plan, to plan early, and to reassess the effectiveness of the plan often. Remember, no plan is perfect and there will be eventualities you just can’t imagine. However, knowing your objectives, having confidence you have the right team and the right time, and feeling in control of every situation are exactly how early planning allows us to overcome and succeed.

For more information on planning early and why it’s a good thing, check out the following articles:
Dream Achievers Academy | “Six Reasons Why Planning Ahead Matters”
Johns Hopkins Medicine | “The Benefits of Good Planning”
Sources of Insight | “7 Advantages of Proper Prior Planning”
Cliffs Notes on Planning
Management Study Guide

By: Jessica Bertsch

As I approach 15 years of “dating” a Coastie and 13 years of being married to a Coastie, I tend to hear on a routine bases, “I’d love to pray for you.” Or, “How can I pray for you?” In true Jess fashion, I tend to brush over the sentiments and say, “Oh…I’ve got this. God gave me a platter instead of a plate…no worries at all.” Then I chuckle, move on, and end up in fetal position on the couch gnawing on a giant size Godiva chocolate bar realizing my husband is out to sea, I’m solo parenting three children (age seven and under), and I’ve got to keep myself together so I can successfully run a business.

So, considering all of that, I figured maybe it was time to focus on how I could ask for prayer based on the basic needs of those who serve.

I’ve created a calendar that breaks down a different focus for each week. It’s super easy to use, and some tips below might help you as you spend some quiet time covering families that serve in prayer.

Week One: Prayers for the Service Member

Day 1 – Pray for him/her to have strength as a leader.

Day 2 – Pray for the service member to find confidence and clarity in his/her job as he/she is given tasks to accomplish.

Day 3 – Pray for the service member to be safe as he/she fulfills his/her duties.

Day 4 – Pray for the service member to have peace of mind as he/she is away from his/her family.

Day 5 – Pray for the service member to have stability in his/her marriage and to find ways to connect with his/her partner when he/she is working missions that call him/her away from his/her spouse for extended periods of time.

Day 6 – Pray the service member finds encouraging words to use with his/her crew and that he/she steps into being a positive force at his/her job and that negativity is washed away.

Day 7 – Pray for professional growth. Pray that the service member finds peers who pour into him/her and challenge him/her to grow personally.

Week Two: Prayers for Children

Day 8 – Pray that our children easily adjust to their new school/norm.

Day 9 – Pray that our children find genuine friendships and children who are willing to befriend them easily.

Day 10 – Pray our children have peace of mind and that they spend little time worrying about mom/dad who are away. Pray they can be focused on the awesomeness of the here-and-now moments they can experience.

Day 11 – Pray our children find joy on a daily basis.

Day 12 – Pray our children find strength in their family.

Day 13 – Pray our children have peace and understanding as their parent serves. Pray that they attain a sense of appreciation of the sacrifices being made.

Day 14 – Pray our children grow stronger in character and empathy so they can be leaders in their spheres and models of kindness for others.

Week Three: Prayers for a Service Member Spouse

Day 15 – Pray we find strength as we solo parent.

Day 16 – Pray we find genuine friendships and a circle of friends who openly and quickly embrace us.

Day 17 – Pray we have peace of mind in general (e.g., regarding our spouse, finances, children).

Day 18 – Pray we have clarity and wisdom when big decisions need to be made as we’re flying solo.

Day 19 – Pray our professional worth is noticed and appreciated as we move.

Day 20 – Pray we find stability in our marriage.

Day 21 – Pray we find community where we live. Pray that we find people who genuinely want to do life with us even though our stay in that community may be short.

Week Four: Prayers for a Family that Serves

Day 22 – Pray we find creative ways to stay connected as a family.

Day 23 – Pray we find joy and laughter together daily.

Day 24 – Pray we find and make traditions that bond us.

Day 25 – Pray we have financial comfort.

Day 26 – Pray we have good health.

Day 27 – Pray we have safety.

Day 28 – Pray we give grace to one another (and to ourselves).

Week Five: Prayers for the Community that Serves

Day 29 – Pray for our men and women who serve and their safety.

Day 30 – Pray that our men and women who serve have peace of mind as they work tirelessly serving our country.

You’ve made it! Thank you for devoting 30 days to prayer!

While I’m at it…

Thank you for welcoming us into your communities from day one.

Thank you for talking to your kids about how to befriend new kids who show up in their classes.

Thank you for asking us in a genuine way, “How are you really doing?”

Thank you for sending us “out of the blue” thinking-of-you gifts.

Thank you for cheering us on and tearing up as watch welcome home videos.

Thank you for showing up when a hurricane is coming to help me put up my shutters (for the second time).

Thank you for bringing us a hot meal because you know we need a break.

Thank you for inviting our family to your holiday celebrations when you know we’re missing our loved ones.

Thank you for instilling a sense of American pride in your family.

Thank you for taking 30 days to give us focused prayer time. Often times, as a family that serves, we hear, “Thank you for serving.” Well, to that I say, Thank you for praying. Thank you for setting aside focused time to think of the families that serve. Your prayers and continual acts of kindness are greatly appreciated and felt, and for that, we thank you.

Experts say years five to eight have the highest risk rate in marriage (a.k.a. highest divorce period). Some of that risk is associated to getting the seven-year itch. It made me almost chuckle looking at Powerhouse as we approach our seven-year anniversary. Being an entrepreneur is tough. I’ve seen many of my milspouse CEO peers close up shop because it got too tough to hang with their dreams. And trust me—I, too, have battled with the thought of what an 8-5 job would look like to have again.

Here are some pieces of the tough:
• I have been cussed out by a client who was having a bad day. (No worries, the individual later apologized profusely.)
• I have had to buy myself out of contracts because I no longer felt the partnership was healthy.
• I have chosen not to recontract freelancers because they weren’t an ideal fit to the morale of our team.
• I’m the CEO, CFO, and COO.
• At one point, I went over a year without a paycheck.
• I extreme couponed for two years when I started my company to help the overall finances for our family.
• I started a dog boarding business to fund the startup costs of my company.
• I have to deal routinely with thousands of dollars of payments still outstanding. (Note: My team always gets paid and rarely knows that clients haven’t paid.)
• I have to keep my team motivated 24/7.
• I’ve had to clean up messes on my team that I played no part in other than hiring the wrong person.
• I have dealt with jealousy from other milspouses who couldn’t find joy in my company successes.
• I’ve solo-parented for half of my time while building Powerhouse over the past seven years (due to my husband’s sea time)
• On average, I give clients 15-25% more of my time than their contracts pay me.
• I’ve had a company take the basics of our business model (after I disclosed in a meeting how we’re structured) and make their company larger in numbers and revenue than we have.

Those are some of the key, tough moments. Those were battles that made me question entrepreneurship.

BUT…on the flip side, here are the “whys” that my entrepreneur roots are planted and that I’m committed to many years ahead:
• Powerhouse has remained true to giving back 10% each month to people and organizations in need.
• We’ve grown 100% by word of mouth and doubled our revenue most years.
• Powerhouse has not wavered from what I believe are the moral and ethical standards a company should have.
• We’ve provided over 100 people with careers that have supplied stable paychecks.
• Powerhouse has provided over half a million dollars’ worth of jobs over the past five years.
• Our team members have been able to be present with their children, and I’ve remained committed to my children personally as well.
• We have a corporate environment that supports (and encourages) work/life balance.
• Powerhouse aims to foster a team that has the opportunity to be a legit team, just virtually.
• We truly do only create dynamic deliverables…like dreamy goodness that’s hard to find these days.

Moments have been hard, but the victories make the tough parts fade and the good experiences shine.
I am an entrepreneur, and I’m proud of the Powerhouse we’ve become!

As a society, we know about the importance of mentors for children. We want to surround kids with adults who can

provide guidance, serve as role models, and support their growth. We care about their teachers, coaches, tutors, and other adults who spend time with them. We build great teams of knowledgeable, skillful, and caring adults to support our kids.

For some reason, once that transition from childhood to adulthood takes place, we’re expected to have it all figured out. And we’re supposed to successfully navigate that figuring-it-out part solo. What we don’t do, but should, is be just as committed to involving mentors in adult lives—both personally and professionally.

Why You Need a Mentor: A good mentor has experience doing what you want to do and all that comes with it—the hiccups, the roadblocks, the dumpster fires, the accolades, and the achievements. That experience brings with it true empathy rather than platitudes about how it’s all going to be just fine, even if it may not.

She can fill the gap between education and experience, like reminding you that it’s fantastic to promote yourself but even better to make sure you spend a few minutes proofreading before sending that letter out about all the awards you won at your pubic high school (true story). She can “educate” you on what you don’t yet know that you don’t know yet.

A good mentor can open doors for you that otherwise wouldn’t only be locked, but also may be hidden behind a faux set of bookshelves (figuratively speaking, of course, unless fake shelving is your thing and then maybe literally too).

Perhaps most important, a good mentor will tell it like it is. Unlike someone who loves you or is too personally invested in your story, that mentor will give you the professional equivalent of “Yes, Karen. Those pants DO in fact make your butt look big.” And it may hurt. But it will be the kindest thing she could do for you—be real and honest and direct—all with your success in mind.

How to Find a Mentor: So how do you find this mythical creature who will want to help you succeed and invest her time and connect you to others and give the gift of truth? Well, even the most magical of mentors cannot (and should not) be the chief advisor to all the things in your life that perhaps might benefit from mentorship. You don’t have your electrician help with your meal planning, do you? (If you FIND that electrician, please share that phone number this instant.) The person who’s “right” to mentor you as you start a new company probably isn’t going to be the same person you’d seek out to take your business global. Your first priority, then, in finding a mentor is to have clarity about what specifically you’re hoping to do and then start your search with that in mind.

Do your homework. Who is out there who has successfully done that thing you want to do—lose weight, launch a successful business venture, start a nonprofit, adopt a child from a foreign country, (fill in whatever your goal is here)?

Start with your current village; you may be pleasantly surprised to see the experience and expertise that’s already right within your reach. Then expand further out. See who’s on the news or LinkedIn or at whatever industry events are in your field. Be as specific as possible. (For instance, I’d love help getting a book published but have zero intention of writing the next vampire love story. I’d search for successful writers/publishers in the comedic self-help space, if such a genre even exists.)

Once you’ve identified a list of movers and shakers whom you’d love to emulate, dig deeper still. Who on that list volunteers their time? What causes do they care about? What are their interests? What can you glean of their personality and work style? Remember that it’s not just about what they’ve gotten done—it’s about how they’ve done it too. One person’s successful journey isn’t necessarily the secret to your own, and the path they took to their destination matters too. It needs to align with how you operate in this world.

Put yourself out there. Be willing to be vulnerable. Unless you’re looking for help becoming a psychic, chances are pretty good that those potential mentors on your list aren’t tracking your need for a mentor. Open your mouth (or LinkedIn/email) and make the ask. Come up with some version of “You’re successfully doing what I’d love to be able to do and I’d be so grateful for your mentorship” that is authentic for you. Make sure your ask makes it clear that you’ve done that homework referenced above. And that you can share some value a mentoring relationship might bring to them (especially if you’re a meal-planning electrician). Make it clear that you know it will be work and that you’ve got the commitment and drive to put in the effort—in other words, time spent working with you will be a good investment.

Repeat this process again and again. You should always be on the lookout for relationships with others that help you grow. As you gain skills in one area, there will always be other places where you’d benefit from someone else’s expertise. And as you acquire your own expertise, you then have another responsibility that is also a gift. You get to be the mentor. You’ll know the personal satisfaction that can come from contributing to someone else’s growth and achievement. At the end of the day, if we’re doing this “life” thing well, we’re always both mentor and student at the same time. Because there’s always something to learn. And there’s always something to contribute.

We joke that there’s nothing new under the sun. The same younger folks who mock the old-timers among us wear clothing lines recycled from times past and sing lyrics to songs we knew when we ourselves were children. So too, unless you’re an inventor, it is unlikely that your business provides a product or service that someone else, somewhere else, is not also marketing. The key, then, is in how you package or deliver whatever the product, service, or content is that you’re selling. And the great differentiator is creativity.

Paint a picture. Okay, maybe not literally (although a mural would be AWESOME). But use imagery to promote your work. People are visual by nature, and your images will get their attention far more easily than the best-worded content. Be sure you’re adding well-worded content for them to see once you’ve piqued their interest. Capture video of your team (or your team of one—just keeping it real in small business land) at work behind the scenes. Create an infographic of what you do, the pain point you solve, or the progress you’ve made. (We’re super proud of that growth in charitable giving).

Provide value. Sure, all business inherently should be about providing value to customers. But if you want to stand out, go the extra mile. Not everything you offer has to be about making a profit. Share your expertise. Be a resource for the people who trust you with their dollars and business. Like these great (free!) MILLIE Toolkits that can help guide you through a PCS from start to finish. Incidentally, giving away something that you’ve invested time and love in is good for business.

Be generous with your gratitude. You could simply put whatever you sell in a box and send it out in the mail. But everybody’s doing that. Be creative about how you show your love for the people who keep your business lights on (literally and figuratively). Send a handwritten thank-you note. Toss in a free product or coupon code. Showcase their work if you’re providing services to them. Give them a shout-out for their business (unless you’re selling something that requires some discretion, and then maybe don’t advertise how glad you are they’ve bought your incontinence products, for example.)

Create your own league of super fans. Super fans are people who are delighted with the products or services you offer. They’re your purpose as a business owner. They’re also your best marketing tool. Get their quotes and endorsements. Ask for those positive reviews that you can promote on your website and social media. Capture photos of people wearing/using your products in the most interesting/far-away/unusual places via a photo or video contest. Hold a “best caption” challenge. Make it “cool” (or at least remotely entertaining) to be someone who purchases what you’re selling.

Brag on yourself. Well, not in an unbecoming way, but if you can’t speak well of whatever you’re selling, making, or providing, then how do you expect other people to be excited about it? Want to see a great example of this? Check out Cape Henry Associates. They don’t just tell you what they do—they show you with engaging video. Put yourself out there to the extent that you’re comfortable and then a little bit more (because growth comes in the uncomfortable places). Allow yourself to be interviewed about what you do or sell. Provide content to sources beyond your website and social media properties.

Pick and choose from any or all of the above. Better yet, figure out how to add your own special spin to your efforts. And across it all, be authentically you. The most creative thing you can do is be yourself.