Why You Need a Keep-Me-On-Track Buddy

{Photograph by Teri H Hoover}

Want a successful creative business? Take action every day to make it happen.

Want to set yourself up for success? Pair up with somebody who knows the ins and outs of running a creative business and can give you a swift kick in the pants when you need it.

I don’t know about you, but if I know there’s someone counting on me, I’m more likely to follow through. I wake up every morning extra early to go to the gym with my husband before he leaves for work. I probably wouldn’t get up and work out regularly if he wasn’t there. We do it together which makes it more fun and it holds us both accountable.

That’s why you need a partner in crime.

Don’t just pick someone willy-nilly. Consider these things first:

1. Is the person as motivated as you?

If you pick an accountability partner who doesn’t take her creative business seriously, it won’t work. And, you’ll probably end up frustrated. Instead, look for someone who’s in the same place as you and has similar goals.

2. Does the person sell in the same way?

Does the person also sell on Etsy? Does the person also sell on her own website? These are two different animals with two different sets of pros and cons. You want the person that you pick to understand what you do. Basically, if you sell on Etsy, you want to find someone who also sells on Etsy, because she’ll understand your struggles and be able to provide constructive feedback.

3. Do your personalities mesh?

If things go well, you might end up creating a long-term friendship with this person. Get to the know the person before you ask if she wants to be your accountability buddy. Interact with her on social media, read and comment on her blog, exchange a couple emails.

It’s kinda like dating. You wouldn’t just ask somebody to marry you without spending time together first.

Now, that you’ve got your person in mind, take a risk and ask.

Once you’ve found someone on the same path that you mesh well with, ask her if she’d like to exchange emails and talk on Skype {it’s free!} to give each other feedback, bounce ideas off of each other, and discuss goals.

Make a plan.

Once you get a yes and do your happy dance, make a plan or else it probably won’t happen. You could talk once a month on Skype to discuss your goals and give each other 10 minute critiques, and then follow up each week via email. Figure out what works for you, and schedule it immediately.

Each time you get constructive feedback, make some improvements.

I recommend getting an accountability buddy as extra credit in my latest course, How to Write Product Descriptions that Sell. This is a class that I put together for ARTrepreneur, but if you’re not a member, you can get access here.