Hey Reader,
Six months ago to the day, I launched The Productivity Illusion, a full campaign with video, messaging, blog, social, emails, the works. All in less than three weeks.
If you know me, you know that’s not how I usually do things.
Most ideas sit in my notes app until they’ve been marinating for 5-7 business months. I’m thoughtful. Strategic. A bit of a perfectionist. And honestly? That usually works for me.
But this time, I just went for it.
On paper, the campaign didn’t “work”. It didn’t hit the signup target I set (we got two new members, not 20 — that was a tad ambitious, tbh). And if I was only measuring success in conversions, I’d probably call it a failure.
But it wasn’t.
A) Because we did in fact hit our social media reach goal (woo!); and,
B) Because what I got from that campaign was so much more than metrics, it was the most incredible momentum.
It reminded me that:
- I can make big, fast, creative decisions
- Marketing isn’t just about growth, it’s about alignment (with your values, your audience and yourself)
- I actually know what I’m doing, and that confidence is worth everything
Let me tell you, if I ran the campaign again today, I’d do it wayyyyy differently and so much better. But that’s the benefit of hindsight. If I didn’t do the thing in the first place, I wouldn’t know what I do now.
It was the end of the beginning of me seeing myself differently as a business owner (if that makes any sense at all). I first felt a shift about 12 months ago, and this was how it really came to life.
That campaign helped me clarify the kind of work I want to do, the energy I want to bring to it and what I no longer want to carry on my own.
It changed everything, and solidified my decision to sell the business.
Cool Wow has been the experience in my business life that has grown and stretched me the most. It was exactly what I needed. But I also know that, no matter how much I love being part of this community, it’s just not the business for me.
That’s a big call to make. But it didn’t come out of nowhere. It came from finally showing up for my own business, not just as a service provider or community leader, but as a founder with vision and options.
Since the campaign, marketing has felt less like a task and more like part of how I think.
I’ve been building braver ideas, stronger content and a clearer direction for what comes next for both Cool Wow and Assembld.
I’ve been showing up differently both in public and behind the scenes. Not just more consistently, but more strategically. More aligned. More curious. Less fearful of the blank page or the imperfect post.
Big moves are scary. But sometimes they’re the thing that gets you out of your own way.
And the business sale? It’s still in progress and things are happening behind the scenes. Soon there’ll be more to share.
Rach
P.S. Happy accident, but the reason I ran this campaign was because of the support from Mia Fileman in her Marketing Circle membership. She’s running her own campaign right now if you want a peek. It’s one of the best containers I know for testing ideas, pushing past the perfectionism freeze and doing the thing you’ve been sitting on for months. Highly recommend if you want support to take your own big swing.
