Episode 165 // After the Episode
If you’re inspired by Michelle’s story from Episode 165 and want to dive even deeper into how to apply some of these strategies to your own business, this new bonus episode is for you! In After the Episode, I’ll be breaking down the key takeaways from today’s interview and sharing actionable steps you can use to level up your own hustle. From setting goals to building a brand that feels truly you, it’s packed with practical tips and insights!
Michelle Myers of Dirt Road Candle Co.
Michelle’s journey from a side hustle to a full-fledged business is inspiring. Her story is a testament to the power of hard work, community, and protecting your creative vision.
key lessons from Michelle:
1. taking the leap
Leaving Full-Time Job: She set a goal for herself: to replace her annual corporate salary. What's so amazing is she was able to do this in under two years! She also mentions working really hard, including sacrificing friendships, to make it work.
Sticking with It During COVID: Despite the challenges of the pandemic, Michelle remained committed to her vision and continued building her business and she worked it to her advantage. If you remember, people wanted comfort during covid, and candles bring comfort!
2. building the shop and farm experience
Dream of Hosting Events: Michelle shares how she built her candle business on her farm, bringing her dream of hosting open houses to life, including farm-to-table dinners.
Want to host your own farm-to-table dinner? Our Farm Dinner Event Kit is for you!
Community Connection: She emphasizes how her rural roots have shaped the business, with her products and team drawing inspiration from small-town values.
3. the power of small business community
Value of Small Business Friends: Michelle discusses how having a network of other small business owners has been crucial to her success, providing support and camaraderie.
4. evolution of her style
Evolving Aesthetic: Over time, Michelle’s business style and brand have evolved. She talks about how personal growth and business growth have shaped the direction of her products and marketing. She hasn't been afraid of change! I think this is so important. We have to be willing to make changes to stay relevant. Even if it's hard (especially for us creatives).
5. keys to building her brand
Branding Insight: Michelle shares key strategies that have helped her build a strong brand. One example: her brand focuses on the experience and emotions that scents can evoke—transporting people to meaningful places in their lives. When we think of a digital brand, we don't necessarily think of experiences. We default to, our experiences have to be live and in person. But she creates an experience online, not just through her website and the experience there, but also through her social media. If you don't follow Dirt Road Candle Co, you need to because it's a lot of fun and sure to be a bright spot in your day, I promise!
Email List: Michelle shared with me after the podcast the importance that her email list has played in her business growth, with a big percentage of her sales coming from email marketing. This is something I really want to emphasize this year for all small business owners — the #1 thing you can do for your business this year is grow your email list!
Grow relationships with your customers and followers
Establish the know, like, and trust factor
If you’re ready to grow your email list, check out our Email Marketing Mastery Course!
6. protecting creativity
Creative Freedom: Michelle talks about the importance of protecting her creativity, and how hiring additional staff (such as for shipping) has freed up time and mental space for her to focus on the creative side of the business.
Hiring Staff: As business owners we wait so long to hire staff because we either can't let go of things, it's too hard to let go of control, or we don't think we can afford it. But when you really run the numbers and do the math, is that really true? It took me a long time to hire some help, but it turns out it has been such a great decision for me, and I'm like why didn't I do this years earlier? Sometimes we need to realize we can't afford NOT to have staff.
7. big lessons learned
Growth and Community: Some of the biggest lessons Michelle has learned include the importance of hiring the right people and building a strong community around your business.
Thinking Bigger: She reflects on how crucial it is to think bigger than just the immediate tasks and challenges in front of you, and to always envision the bigger picture. What seems like a big dream now might look like a small dream later.
resources mentioned in this episode:
Let us help you build a brand you love!
+ Premium website templates
+ Custom website packages
+ Logos and brand kits
+ Marketing assets and design
