You know, the beautiful thing about permaculture is that it can apply to any ecosystem. In one of our most recent certificate classes here on the farm, the students were talking about edges vs. boundaries.
When you’re speaking about land, this is very easy to recognize. Edges you can stretch, manipulate, tend, and shape. Think meandering pathways through gardens. Edges. Boundaries however are strict. They’re lines that can’t be crossed – or at the very least, problematic/bureaucratic if they are. Think neighbouring properties, cliffsides, or the road.
But how does “edges vs. boundaries” play out in your business?
Boundaries aren’t bad. In fact, they’re very very good. A boundary in your business may look like:
• Not working with a particular industry
• Niching your audience
• Contract clauses
• Your work schedule
Unlike your neighbour’s property or your road, many entrepreneurs I know struggle with ensuring their boundaries stay in place. But talking about leaky boundaries is for another day.
Today I want to ask you about your edges.
Edges are softer, more malleable, and they often show up the most in places where we feel uncomfortable. Specifically growth edges.
One of the most common edges I see my clients struggling with is marketing. As anti-capitalist (or at least capitalism-skeptical) entrepreneurs, it can be really hard to reconcile asking people to buy your stuff.
This marketing edge can manifest itself in a number of ways:
• Not posting on social media
• Rarely writing to your newsletter (despite the fact that these people literally asked you to write to them)
• Not trying a new posting style (like Reels or video) or shying away from a new platform
• Making the launch/post/blog/video/worksheet perfect before talking about it
• Fumbling over pricing
• Not asking for the sale during sales conversations
• Spending time on invisible behind the scenes activities instead of reaching out to prospects
(If I didn’t list your go-to edge activity, let me know. I’m legit curious)
I get it. It isn’t easy to put yourself out there when there are so many folks nudging their way to the top using shady, exploitative tactics. In the last Motorcycle Club call we were talking about the low hanging fruit of marketing. Aka: the closest to cash.
The sticky widget in this tactic is that regardless you still have to make the ask. Whether it’s a Voxer to your closest people, an email to your previous clients, or a social post asking for bookings, you have to make the ask. You have to push the edge.
So here are my questions for you today: What’s your edge? And what are you doing about it? Where can you Make The Ask?
If you need support, strategy, and tactics to help you nudge that edge, book a Clarity Session with me. We’ll get you sorted before the year is up.