My Favorite Hacks as A Small Business Owner

⌛ By Kaylin R. Staten ⌛

My small company runs on caffeine and life hacks. Last week, I alluded to some of my favorite freebies that help to keep Hourglass Media up and running. 

Check out last week’s episode of “The Hourglass Chronicles” below!

As a small business owner, I am constantly looking for ways to save time and money. So, bring on the freebies and insider tips of the communications business trade!

So, here are five small business hacks that I use on a regular basis. 

Schedule your social media posts.

It’s almost 2020, guys. If you aren’t scheduling your social media posts, you better hurry because you are about to miss that sailed boat. I sit down and schedule posts on behalf of clients, campaigns and my internal business communications. Platforms like Hootsuite and Later literally save my life on a regular basis. You’re able to sit down with a cup of coffee and schedule posts for Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, etc. (And using IFTTT will also help you cross-promote content.)

Block out time for specific projects -- and mental health breaks. 

I am a planner, so that means that just going with the flow doesn’t always work. Often, my brain is at war with the master planner and the creative free spirit who likes to write when she feels like it -- and not when she has to (ahem, like now). Use a physical planner, Google Calendar or calendar of choice and plan out your day. It will fluctuate because life happens, but have a general idea of when you’re working on client work, when you have time for creativity and when you need to take a mental health break. Please. Schedule some time to recharge, even if it has to live on your calendar like an appointment. 

Listen to podcasts.

I listen to podcasts nearly every day: as I drive, while I do mundane work tasks, when I play video games, when I’m in the shower. Seriously, I have loved podcasts for a long time. It’s the media and learning geek in me. 

Here is a rundown of my favorite business/lifestyle/coaching podcasts (not an ad, I promise!):

  • THE BRENDON SHOW

  • Girlboss Radio

  • Goal Digger with Jenna Kutcher

  • Grammar Girl

  • Meditation Minis with Chel Hamilton

  • RISE Podcast with Rachel Hollis

  • Wabi Sabi with Candice Kumai

  • You’re Welcome with Hilary Rushford

Pay attention to the ads that are being served to you.

I hate to admit it, but marketers use my own tactics on me in order to get me to click on their own freebies on Instagram, Facebook and other platforms. So, when I see anything related to PR, marketing, communications, introversion, sales funnels, writing a book or anything that pertains to Hourglass Media land, I click on link to the landing page. Honestly, these ads have given me some the of the best insight and a stepping stone into cultivating relationships with other professionals (educators and communities alike). My business has grown because of free and paid content, but you have to be willing to click on ads. My general idea is that good karma will come back to me, and people will click on my ads, too. :) 

COFFEE.

No, I really mean this one. Everyone needs a vice, right? Choice your caffeinated beverage of choice to serve as inspiration as a pick-me-up in the morning and/or afternoon. What am I loving these days? Dunkin’s TurboBoost Blend with extra espresso. 

Check out five more resources on this week’s episode of “The Hourglass Chronicles.” New episodes every Friday at 1 p.m.!

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Kaylin R. Staten, APR, is an award-winning public relations practitioner and writer based in Huntington, WV with nearly 16 years of professional communications experience. As CEO and founder of Hourglass Media, she uses her compassionate spirit and expertise to delve into the heart of clients’ stories. She is a recovering perfectionist, mental health advocate, wife, cat mom and Leia Organa aficionado. Connect with Kaylin on LinkedIn.