Photo credit: Tom Atkin
I hate to bang on about swimming again, but when something has such a measurable impact on me, I can’t help but tell every single human walking on planet Earth about it (definitely something I’ve picked up from my mother!). Maybe this is why I’m good at my job. When I’m into something, I’m obsessed with it, and I make it very clear to every person I know that they need to try this thing and that this thing will change their life. We can definitely draw some parallels between creating and building a brand. One must be so passionate and obsessed with their idea because this is how you get people on board, build an audience and make people care… anyway, back to swimming :)
Sydney asked me if swimming helps with work, and I seriously spoke at her for a good few minutes about how swimming has specifically impacted my business. There must be a scientific study somewhere in the world that speaks to water alchemizing ideas in our brain because if I think about pivotal moments in my business journey, I do think about water. Here are a few examples:
Creating a new product: Getting Visible was an 8-week program I created last year to help people find the confidence to show up online and market their product or service. It was a program where I coached people through brand marketing and content, and we did writing exercises, theory classes, created decks, learned how to brief creatives, danced, AND did tarot readings. This idea landed as I was swimming at the reservoir with a bird next to me one morning alone.
Ending a client relationship: I was struggling with a client and the lack of direction and communication in our relationship. Things started off really well but as the months went on, communication got worse and the scope of work started moving away from what we’d initially discussed. I knew I had to have a difficult conversation with the founder but it was a stressful and delicate time in the business and I wanted to come to the table from a very grounded and calm place. On the day of the meeting, I went swimming in the morning and spoke out loud what I wanted to say about the founder, the business, the work I was doing and what I proposed as next steps. I repeated affirmations as I looked up at the sky and did my breaststroke. I truly credit the success of this conversation to that morning swim. The rest of the project went well and we ended things on a really positive note!
Free calls and my first big project: When I first started my consultancy, I was so scared of showing up as myself online. I was scared of being judged and putting myself out there. My referrals had dried up, and I was struggling to find clients and work (at this time, I was too proud to ask for help, so I was in a torture chamber—aka my brain). After a swim in the lido one day, I said, "fuck it, I just want to help people and use my brain. I don’t even care about being paid; I just want to help." That afternoon, I posted an Instagram story asking if anyone needed help with brand, marketing, content or community building. I offered a free 1-hour call. I didn’t expect it but friends started to repost the story and I ended up talking to 21 business owners from around the world. From one of these calls, one founder ended up becoming my first big client and was the catalyst for the work that then followed and has ultimately brought me to where I am today.
So there you have it. Swimming means a lot to me, not just for health and fitness but literally for my business.
Now… get in the water!
Big love,
Tish xxxxxx
PS. Shout out to my girl Sydney for suggesting I share this here. No one does this business thing alone, and I am deeply grateful for the people around me who help 💘
Loved this! I'm such a fan of swimming as well and in awe of the myriad of ways it's positively impacted my life!