Does your outside image match the inside picture you have of yourself?

So here I am; precisely four years this October, I started to create Girls Talk Business, a platform for women in business. And as I reflect on my journey so far, I feel like Girls Talk Business was my canvas, a piece of work that took four years to develop. I can only imagine what a real artist feels like while they strive to achieve their perfect masterpiece.

My project was much the same. This was my masterpiece, so once I started, I couldn't stop until I had

achieved everything I had set out to do.

There've been many lessons learnt since I began this project. One of the biggest has been understanding my "why". Through my time creating Girl Talk Business, I realised something important was missing, and because of this, I felt a bit of a fraud. You've heard of the imposter syndrome. Well, that's how I felt. I realised that Girl Talk Business was more about who I am and how I wanted to show up online. I couldn't fluke my way through this I needed to fully embrace this experience. It would be the most important work I would ever do. Even when things felt so dam hard and some days I wanted to give up, I knew it wasn't an option because this would mean I was giving up on myself.

I was a bit of a talker at the beginning of this journey. What gave that away, I wonder, hint, hint? The talking probably had a lot to do with the 33% result on my English school certificate exam. I often envied people who journaled. It seemed so easy for them, as easy as I found talking. If I was to find the missing pieces, I had a sneaky suspicion that writing would help me achieve my goal. So that's what I did. I wrote. I've lost track of the many pages of thoughts and ideas I shared on pieces of paper and my computer. I have streams of unfinished work. I would write sentences and then rearrange them. I would put my work aside only to pick it up months later and think, "wow", "this stuff is pretty good. Why did I doubt myself?" As I continued to write, there were things I discovered about myself, things I had forgotten. Whenever I felt I wasn't going fast enough, I would remind myself that it will be okay.

A year ago, I heard Dr Jordan Peterson talk about the importance of writing your thoughts down. He said, "The clinical psychologist says that becoming a better writer is a means for becoming a better thinker and being able to arrange your thoughts in a coherent fashion puts your thought process in order so you can better analyze it."

In my first version of Grils Talk Business, I remember feeling so excited; I was one step closer to my goal. The second and third versions meant I was nearly there, with the fourth and fifth following soon after. I felt more confident, and energised words started pouring out of me. I kept going. Day and night, I had Girls Talk on my mind. It felt important not to rush this process, I knew I was building a solid foundation to achieve the next step in my business.

Now I can see the big picture, and I am absolutely in love with what I have created with Girls Talk Business. I am proud of how far I have come and am excited about the future and all the possibilities. I have learnt many skills over the past four years. I fully and completely understand my "why". But my biggest lesson learnt is patience for myself and others around me.

I intentionally set out to learn about who I am, and the results have been phenomenal, personally and professionally. Now I feel more grounded.

Building a solid foundation for your business means understanding your "why". It is the greatest gift you can give yourself. Everything else after that will be a breeze.

If my story resonates with you and you find you are struggling to express yourself authentically online. I can help; I am passionate about creating online profiles that will make you shine. It starts with you, and the two big questions you need to answer are, "who are you, and why do you do what you do?" You might already know this about yourself, and that's great! I am here to help you match your outside image with the inside picture of yourself.

How do I do this? I look at your entire online presence, from your website to all your social media platforms, and I find out what your clients say about you and your business. I will walk you through your online presence to find out if your message is clear, then put all of this together in some informative slides so you can see what everyone else sees. Then I will add my recommendations and suggestions on where to improve your message and where you need clarity. Then I can connect you with other leaders who can help in areas where I might not have the skill to do this so that you can move forward confidently. It's powerful, insightful and will set you up for a solid online foundation.

Are you ready? Let me help you create a clear online presence.

If you need help with building or creating an online profile, reach out and have a chat with me. I can personalise a package that is right for you and your business.

You can connect with me at info@girlstalkbusiness.com.

Ines x