A Note From Colleen

Hi, friend.

The truth is there is no such thing as a new idea. If it were true, there’d only be one cereal in the cereal aisle and one kind of car available to buy.

There are a million ways to do your thing. The easiest way to differentiate your idea from others, of course, is by doing it your way.   In this week’s edition I’ll help you uncover your secret sauce.

On a separate note,  I’ve come to realize I don’t really know what I love to do. This is making it difficult to begin formulating the “What’s the plan?” notion for my next chapter. 

I’ve come up with a super simplified activity to help me get started.  I think my micro-plan might be helpful for you, too. Check it out in the Life Reimagined section.

Thanks for being here.

Cheers,

Colleen Kochannek, Publisher

*This publication may include affiliate links and links to products I sell. If you click and buy, I may earn revenue and/or commission. 

BUSINESS BASICS

Is Your Business Idea Worth The Effort? You Bet!

You spot your business idea everywhere—on Facebook, on YouTube, on Instagram. You're thinking, "Everyone's already doing what I want to do. Should I even bother?" 

Absolutely, and here's why:

Even if your idea seems ‘already done’, remember, no one can pull it off quite like you. 

Your Mission: Uncover Your Secret Sauce

Sure, your idea will not be ‘the one and only’, but your take on it will. 

In marketing, we toss around terms like Unique Value Proposition (UVP) or Unique Selling Proposition (USP), but let’s keep it friendly—we’re talking about your “Secret Sauce.”

What’s Your Secret Sauce?

Think of your secret sauce as your personal spin on the thing you want to do (but others got there first). 

Keep in mind, your take doesn’t need to be ground-breaking, but needs to be unique. 

1. It might be that you see gaps in how others are doing your idea

2. It might be that you would approach your topic from a different angle

3. It might be you have a distinct way of doing your thing that you’ve not seen others do

During my recent Pilot to Profit Startup School, we dived into this with a group of fantastic first-time entrepreneurs. Here’s an exercise we did to help them discover their secret sauce:

Pause and Reflect: When you see others presenting your idea, what makes you pause? What does your inner voice shout out?

• Inner Voice Example: "Hold on, I wouldn’t show that tech tutorial so fast. Doesn’t she remember we didn’t grow up with tech?"

• Your Secret Sauce: Maybe your tutorials are super detailed, perfect for those who need a little more hand-holding.

Fill in the Blanks: "I love [this part], but I wish they included [that part]."

• Example: "I adore the skirt we’re sewing, but why didn’t she show us how she pinned the pattern to the fabric? It feels like missing a basic piece of the puzzle. 

• Your Secret Sauce: You take the time to teach the essentials thoroughly, making sure no one's left behind.

Spot the Unique: Is there something you’d do that others aren’t? 

• Example: "Every online cooking class starts with prepped ingredients, but what if someone showed how to shop for and pick the right ingredients? 

Attract Your People

By nailing your unique approach, you’ll attract folks who resonate your take. It’s not about reinventing the wheel—it’s about find your unique perspective to stand out in a crowded market. 

What’s your secret sauce? Or, what do you want your secret sauce to be? Hit REPLY and let’s chat about it.

LIFE REIMAGINED

Confession: I don’t really know what I love to do, beyond that I love to try new things and my attention span can be short. This makes planning my next chapter difficult.

Rather than beating myself up because I don’t have some deep seated passion I’ve decided to come up with a simple list: My List Of Things I Want To Do And Try

While this list may not be innovative or earth-shattering, it feels like a simple way to move forward.

I’m not putting any criteria around the list. I’m just capturing ‘want to’s’ as they come up. So far, I have really big and really little things like:

1. Learn how to draw digitally (on the iPad)

2. Go horseback riding

3. Finish my extra large “Map of Paris’  needlepoint canvas (among dozens of other unfinished canvases)

4. Make my own signature cocktail

5. Own property in France

6. Paint an antique secretary desk glossy, hot pink.

What about you? What are the first things on your list?  Hit REPLY and let’s chat about it.

QUICK WINS

(Not business related, but…) This may sound boring, but when I come up with something I like to eat, I’ll eat it over and over for weeks. 

Now, I cook for one (so keep that in mind), but the simplicity of knowing what I’ll make takes the pressure off.

Lately, I have been making chicken tenders and french fries in the Air Fryer. Add a little honey-mustard dipping sauce and,

Do you have a simple go-to meal that gets the job done in a pinch? Hit REPLY and let’s chat about it.

COMING NEXT WEEK

When you start an online business your primary activity will be marketing .   Let’s talk about how you can actually enjoy marketing even if just the word makes you cringe a little

The SUGGESTION BOX

Questions and suggestions for admin or the Ask-Me-Anything section. Simple Hit REPLY to this email or email us at: [email protected]