I spent the day at a big electronics company HQ last week. You know, the kind of place where you need a badge that scans you in. (I signed something and I’m not sure what all the fine print said, so just to be safe, I’m not naming the company).

At lunchtime, we took the elevator to the cafeteria on the top floor of the building. There’s something about corporate subsidized lunch— a grill with $5 burgers, a sushi bar (fancy), and a build your own salad station with 6 different dressings, 4 different greens mixes, and grilled chicken strips.

As I held my tray with a to-go box full of arugula, pasta salad, and zucchini noodles, I had this wistful feeling of being back in school. I saw coworkers sitting at lunch tables and I felt nostalgia for that kind of camaraderie. What would it be like to meet my work bestie for lunch in the cafeteria?

I’ve had these thoughts before, usually under less fun circumstances.

Entrepreneurship is a daily commitment. And I'll be so honest. I still have moments where I consider the alternatives. There are so many moments: emails with no responses, challenging conversations I never imagined I would have. It can feel a lot more comfortable to take the more predictable path (that includes health insurance, a predictable paycheck and a salad bar on the top floor).

And then I have moments where I'm hanging out with a friend at 11 AM on a Thursday, or I'm in a room full of women business owners. And I remember that this is the path that gets me closer to the version of me that I want to be.

I learned something recently from Sandra Yancey, the CEO and founder of a multimillion dollar networking group. She said: “Success isn’t about being in every room, it's about being in the right room.

To me, that means being intentional about who I’m showing up as, and what I’m showing up for. Going back to the 9-to-5 would mean abandoning the person I'm becoming. I'm still growing, I'm still learning, and there's something really exciting about knowing that I'm building towards something bigger than me every single day.

I have to give a shoutout to my husband who continues to have faith in me, even in the moments when I don't. Anytime I share a pivot I'm making, or a moment of doubt, he keeps saying: it's just another shot on goal.

This concept is a little different than just throwing something at the wall. Shots on goal means there's a clear vision, and every action I take is an attempt toward that vision, whether it's investing in my own growth, saying no (challenging for the people pleaser in me), or following a plan even when it feels like nothing is happening.

What keeps me going is trust in the path. I've already shed the version of me that was okay with a calendar full of Zoom calls, okay with growing within the confines of someone else's structure.

And the truth is, as enticing as stability sounds in the challenging moments, I simply cannot go back. Because that would mean becoming a person I have already unlearned.

Every step toward the person I want to become is going to feel unknown. Because I'm not her… yet.

Good news is, you don’t have to do it alone. If you've ever spent money on ads or posted on Instagram and genuinely had no idea whether it was working, this is for you.

I'm starting a small cohort on June 3 for business owners who want to run their own ad campaigns with real confidence, not just hope. Join the interest list and I'll send you everything you need to know.

There’s a difference between throwing something at the wall and taking a shot on goal.

I hear it all the time from business owners: “I should be posting more on Instagram” or “I just need more customers.” And I get it, it feels like doing something is better than doing nothing.

Rather than just hoping something sticks, your marketing activity needs to be aimed at something specific. It’s not just copying and pasting what your peer or competitor is doing.

Most of the time, successful marketing is not predicted by how much you’re putting out. It’s driven by actions pointed in the right direction.

This section exists to shine a light on people in the Steady Parade community who are building a business, side project or a dream.

I would love for that person to be you. Hit reply and let me know what you’re working on!

This one reminded me that the pull toward stability is real, and it doesn't mean something is wrong with you, it means you're human.

And if you’re a human looking for support with marketing that brings you business, maybe my June 3 cohort is right for you.

What matters most is putting yourself in the rooms that remind you why you said yes to the harder path in the first place. Keep taking shots on goal.

Stay Steady,
Molly

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