Consider the Wildflowers
Consider the Wildflowers
089. Shanna Tells All! Running a Business Without Social Media - Season Three Kickoff (Part II)
Consider the Wildflowers the podcast is officially back for season three! Keeping tradition with our season kickoff episodes, we’re turning the tables a bit—Rhiannon Bosse is here to interview me about something that has profoundly shaped my personal and professional life: running a business without social media.
If you haven't listened to part one of this conversation (episode #88) make sure to catch up before pressing play on this one!
If you've ever dreamed of escaping the endless scroll and reclaiming your time, this conversation is for you.
WILDFLOWER SHOWNOTES : https://shannaskidmore.com/season-three-kickoff-part-two/
📌 RESOURCES MENTIONED:
My 2017 Instagram Departure Video
Blog Posts About My Social Media Free Experiment
Shanna (00:00):
For anybody who's thinking about it for business and is really struggling. I do want to encourage anyone that my story can be anyone's story of getting off in your business. Thriving. In fact, I believe, yeah, maybe I'm not found in the same way, or maybe I've missed out on some speaking events, but so much more has been gained for the business. That and just my mental health. It's been really good. You're listening to Consider the Wildflowers the podcast episode 89. Welcome back to part two of our season three kickoff show. Sh tells All Style. My friend Ree is back on the mic today to continue our conversation about my journey running my business without social media since 2017. If you haven't yet listened to part one, I would pause here, jump back one, episode two, number 88, and give that episode a listen. First, let me read you a quick excerpt from Aaron Lochner new book, the Optout Family.
(00:56):
In addition to traditional metrics, people you follow, where you live, what your hobbies are, TikTok relies on biometrics to inform its algorithm translation. While you're watching TikTok, it's watching you through the camera on your phone. TikTok can detect changes in your face as you react to each and every video you watch. What makes you smile? What makes you laugh? What raises your eyebrow? Another powerful quote from Erin, online communication lives by the golden rule. Whoever shouts loudest is heard. I spent years believing there were things I had to do for my business to succeed. Now I know there are actually very few things you have to do. Well for a business to succeed, know your audience. Be clear on what you sell. Price it, right? Get good at spreading the word and watch your spending. Everything else is optional and best done in a way that aligns with who you are, your values, your season of life, your business and financial goals.
(01:46):
While the Enneagram nine in me tends to shy away from black and white statements, this is something I'm willing to tiptoe past my safety zone and claim boldly. No business should look the same because no two business owners are the same. And if you want to learn more on how I've built a business on my own terms, I'm pretty passionate about teaching that to all my students inside my business. Course, the blueprint model. Too many business owners tell me they want to quit social media, but feel like that isn't an option for them. And friend, I'm here to tell you it is. In fact, I believe it is one of the best decisions I've made for my business, my family, and my own wellbeing. Okay, Shanna tells all social media part two. Let's dive in. Hey, it's Shanna, and this is Consider the Wildflowers, the podcast.
(02:27):
For the past 15 plus years, I've had the honor to hear thousands of stories from entrepreneurs around the world. As a former Fortune 100 financial advisor turned business consultant, I have a unique opportunity to see the reel. Behind the highlight reel. I'm talking profit and loss statements, unpaid taxes, moments of burnout, and those of utter victory. Or as my husband says, the content everyone is wondering but not many are talking about. And now I'm bringing these private conversations to you. Hear the untold stories of how industry leaders, founders, and up and coming entrepreneurs got their start, the experiences that shaped them and the journey to building the brands they have today. Stories that will inspire and reignite encourage to redefine success and build a life and business on your own terms. Welcome, wildflower. I'm so glad you're here.
Rhiannon (03:11):
So what do you think the future, Shanna, we'll do with social media? Will we expect a return back? How will you handle this with your children in the future? Where do you think social media will go? And I know I just kind of threw three huge separate could be their own conversations in your way, but give me some future forecasting in that regard.
Shanna (03:35):
I would say for the first three months I missed Instagram. It was hard. I struggled. It felt like this piece was gone. It feels so dumb to say it was struggled, and then I just forgot about it. Honestly, it just feels like I didn't even know what a reel was for a long time and I didn't care. I could not imagine. I can't imagine how much time everyone spends creating content for social media now, and I just want to be like, oh, wow, let's create it. Let's put it somewhere else. So no, I personally never, ever, ever see myself returning to social media. Will our brand have somewhat of a presence? Probably because we do utilize advertising to a small degree. And when I say a small degree, as I mentioned, I think it was 2019, we ran our first ad. We spent about $5,000 on ads, whereas there's a lot of brands spending tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands on ads.
(04:42):
So 5,000 is very small. We still spend very mentally advertising. But again, and I teach this to my students now, we have a whole section in the blueprint model on marketing, but on social media, free marketing because I'm so passionate about it and I say, I think it can be the cherry on top. And if you're building, it's like the sundae. We want the ice cream and we want the whipped cream and the toppings, and we want all of that first. And the cherry is the thing on the top if you have time. That's why it's interesting you say now, if the podcast is being put on our stories, it's probably not doing a ton for us because we're not playing to the algorithm. But it took five seconds and it's there and it's gone. So the brandand will probably have a presence. I have not talked to my husband about this, but he just gave away a phone that was given to us as even just a play phone for our three-year-old daughter.
(05:39):
So I'm pretty sure we're on the same page about technology. We'll be very limited. I mean, I remember getting a cell phone, I think I was 17. It was a flip phone before you drive. I'm not sure. I mean, I don't know. I'm not there yet. So all parents have their own reasons, but we will limit, I doubt we'll have social media for our kids. And there's just honestly Ree, I cannot imagine going back. And I think in some ways I've forgotten even the emotional toll, the mental toll. I'm like, is that still a thing, Ree? Is it still a issue? Is this still a
Rhiannon (06:12):
Problem? I mean, I wonder how much of social media strife is felt by everybody versus if we could categorize people into women versus men, business owners versus the nine to fivers creatives who are visually driven to people who can't tell teal from turquoise Enneagram nines versus Enneagram threes, millennials versus baby boomers, right? There has to be some nuance here of how people like everything are experiencing the highs and the lows of social media or anything. For the purpose of this conversation, social media, because I feel a lot of the things that you feel, and I know I'm not alone, but I also know there's some people who update their Instagram once a month. They have 10 followers. They're a private account, they have terrible lighting in their images. There's no thoughtful composition, there's no witty caption with relevant hashtags, and they're really happy and they're paying their bills and maybe they go on a nice vacation once a year and they're healthy and they have a beautiful cozy home.
(07:28):
And again, to me, they're playing the long game of living a sustainable well loved life. And that sounds really lovely to me because I get caught up in it, but I also, I'm a very emotional person. I'm a feeler. I'm very accolades, accomplishment driven. And Instagram, when it goes well, rewards that side to me. And when it doesn't, you do get this sense of, am I being forgotten? Is my work now? I feel a lot. I always picture Britney Spears with the umbrella, like the shaved head night where for a visual, my husband will always say, are we going to shave our head today? Is it going to be an umbrella day? And it's almost like she was on top of the world. She was the go-to entertainer the IT girl pumping out all these great albums. She had the abs, she had the dance move, she had the voice, she had the boyfriend.
(08:27):
And then it all just came to a head and all these other artists came out and sort of replaced her. And whether or not this comparison is fair because a celebrity with the whole world's eyes on her and the things that she went through it, it's not a shock that she had that episode. But sometimes I feel like that I've worn out my wow factor. Right now I'm kind of old news, and that sounds really silly saying that out loud because my work is a small fraction of the things in my life that I love and that I nurture.
Shanna (09:01):
But it's an important piece.
Rhiannon (09:02):
It's an important piece. And I just to think that a little app on my phone can either fuel or subdue, that is just really wild to think about.
Shanna (09:14):
I just want so much for you to quit social media.
Rhiannon (09:17):
Oh my gosh,
Shanna (09:19):
I just want to encourage. I felt so many of the same. I truly felt forgotten. And Ree, we've talked about this some, I remember the month after I went off of social media, I think we had maybe 250 people visit our website. I mean, it was not a lot. I mean, it's two 50 people, thank goodness I love those 250 people, but that's not enough to sustain our business. And I truly was like, it's done. And I felt my identity. I have my identity so wrapped up in my work that I felt lost and I felt sad. And now I feel like the joy of, and in 2020 I took a year off, which we talked about because just a lot of this had been building, just a lot had been going on, and I found a lot of my identity in my work and when hard things happen or whatever, and I now getting to take that time off coming back, I just truly love what I do and I get to show up and serve.
(10:22):
And we get to think about marketing in such a strategic way. How can we get our work in front of people who need it? It just gave me so much confidence honestly, that I'm not for everyone and that's okay. But I also know no one can be me and my message and who I am. And I'm grateful that other, it changed so much. And even if I think particularly, I think you've made a great point. This is for business owners, people who feel that their business is going to decrease, should they leave social media. And there are a lot of things to think about. Like you said, sharing about other vendors, sharing your work for your clients. You have to think about those things. But I always, and I tell my students this all the time, we want to think about what is the goal?
(11:12):
What is the outcome that you were looking for? And then you can chart a path to get there. And so if the outcome is, for instance, sharing an event on social media, what is the outcome you want? You want your vendors to feel celebrated. You want your clients to feel celebrated. You want your work to be seen. Okay, so if social media isn't the best platform, how can we replace those outcomes in a different way? That's kind of the story I want to share. What is the outcome? And that's what I did. That's the approach I took. I want traffic to our website. If this is a marketing tool, I want people coming to our website that could use our products or services. And so how could I do that in the best way? And for other people though, thinking about life and just using social media as a social platform, I heard a sermon, this was, goodness, this was probably 10 years ago.
(12:06):
That's how relevant this still is. And it was Beth Moore and she was talking about her daughter using Pinterest. And she said, this is probably maybe even more than 10 years ago. But I remember way back then she said, I looked at my daughter. She was having one of those days where she was just feeling a lot of comparison. And she says, whose life and whose stuff are you comparing your life and your stuff too, and thinking that yours is less than? And that her daughter decided to get off Pinterest. That was on Pinterest. And I was like, I think it's so true. You see this perfectly curated kitchen and you want all, the thing about all the influencers. Influencers wasn't a thing when I went off social media. How much more money do you spend because you're on these platforms? That's me on Pinterest. I mean, goodness. I can pin a seasonal decor pillow like nobody else.
Rhiannon (12:57):
Well, and which is why I think keeping the two facets of personal and business separate is really important to this conversation because as someone who doesn't share very much, if anything personal on social media anymore, but came from a season of oversharing, it's a lot easier business aside to be content and happy and thrilled, if you will, with my home, my marriage, my relationship to my children, my body, my wardrobe, the way I look, the way my looks change as I age, the way I feel, the vacations I take, the places I visit, my day to day. Those things keep me content now that I don't feel like I have to use those things as content and as a way to get people to follow along and then somehow allow the business to thrive. And that I think has been the most life giving. So it kind of leaves this other bucket of business. How do we find that? Same thing with business. I'm not trying to market my life. I'm trying to market my business. And making that distinction, I think has been really helpful. And I feel like for you, you made that distinction a little bit earlier than I did, but the whole influencer sphere is just a fascination case study on sustainability. And there's a lot to unpack there too. But that's for another day. I know
Shanna (14:24):
That is for another day, and I just want to, so yeah, I'm going to wrap up my thoughts here and say please, again, for anybody who's thinking about it for business and is really struggling, I do want to encourage anyone that my story can be anyone's story of getting off in your business. Thriving. In fact, I believe, yeah, maybe I'm not found in the same way, or maybe I've missed out on some speaking events, but so much more has been gained for the business. That and just my mental health. It's been really good. The wider conversation just about technology use in general. Influencers. I think it goes back to, no, everybody's going to be like, of course you would say this, Shannon, but setting I love, I was targeted yesterday or the day before for a, it's called the short years. I was targeted for an ad, and it's for a little box where you put your memories for your kids.
(15:25):
I was like, I'm like this. It's not, I love that. And I hope with advertising on Facebook, we can find people who can use our services and it improves their lives. There's good there too. And I think with anything, we have to have a spending plan and don't be influenced to overspend. And just there is a lot more to unpack, which we could have a whole nother conversation with and technology in general and that, but I do just want to say, social media is created to be addictive. And if you're like me or maybe like you, where you fight yourself and you shame yourself, why can't I do this better? Why do I struggle with it? Why am I Britney Spears today with her blonde bald head? It's real. Don't shame. And it's not just us, it's everyone around us. I mean, Kyle can distinctly remember before and after his dad got TikTok.
Rhiannon (16:25):
Oh my gosh. Like a pivotal turning moment. Yeah. Yes.
Shanna (16:28):
Wow. It's a big conversation. It's a game changer. And I love that we've gotten to have a little bit of it, and I just want to encourage everyone. It's not easy. It's hard. There's still hard days. There's still days. I'm tempted to get back on social media, but I think we're all asking good questions.
Rhiannon (16:48):
Well, and I think the conversations are the most important thing. The curiosities of what would this look like? How would I approach this? How would I walk through this process? How could I individualize this to my life, my business, my goals, my long-term picture, whatever that looks like, right? Because we are all different in the way you've done it, Shanna, the way I might go about it, the way a nine to five employee with no children or a homesteading mom with 10, I mean, we're all so different. We're all chasing different things and we're all in different circumstances. And I think just even having these conversations with the people you're closest with, the people you spend your days with, learning from other people who have walked the walk ahead of you, is just so valuable for making the most of your time. Because we don't get that back. This toggle system or the app that you mentioned, I love a good time track. And I think there's so much power in knowing where you're spending your time just like where your money's going, and just getting about those things and looking at data and saying, okay, this is not working, or this is working. Here's how we can improve it. Here's how we can pivot. There's so much power in that, right?
Shanna (17:59):
Yeah.
(18:00):
And I love, I'm so glad we had this talk, and I just, again, for anyone who's listening and curious or thinks my business will fail, if I go off, I just want to be the poster child that says, no, it won't. It won't. And also if you're like, I want to have more conversations, there's two podcast episodes. I'm going to put 'em in the resources please. But I want to highlight, I'm just on consider the wildflowers. There's so many probably out there. But by the time this episode comes out, there will be an episode with my good friend Aaron Lochner, who wrote a book, I was telling re about it when we jumped on, called the Optout Family. So it's on technology, bigger picture technology used in families. And then there's another episode with Heath Wilson. Heath is the co-founder of the RO box. Ree. Have you heard of this?
Rhiannon (18:50):
I haven't. I'll have to go listen. Yeah. Okay.
Shanna (18:52):
So the RO box, their goal again is not to vilify technology, but to acknowledge it's addictive qualities. And so they created this, he has a tech background and finance background too, but he and the co-founder created this box where you can gamify time off of your phone. Oh, cool. And so you put it in this C, you put it this box, and it tracks time away from your phone. So if you're like, Hey, I just want help being a little more, having more boundaries, that might be a good resource. And it's a great episode with Heath Wilson. So I'll link both of those. Okay, awesome. And the resources, if anybody wants to listen to more, just kind of on tech in general. Those are
Rhiannon (19:34):
Great tips.
Shanna (19:36):
I know.
Rhiannon (19:37):
Yeah. We could do multiple episodes on this topic. I think I would love to do your five and five.
Shanna (19:45):
Okay.
Rhiannon (19:45):
Just your quickfire questions that you ask all of your podcast friends, if you will. So we're going to kind of put the Mick back on you. Okay. And we'll have your quick answers. So one thing you'd be embarrassed if people knew new.
Shanna (20:00):
Well, I tell people this all the time. I think I don't really get embarrassed too much, which is great. And I think it stems back to this moment in my life. So I'll tell you about it. I played volleyball in high school and I dislocated my shoulder playing volleyball. So I had a sling for a long time. My mom got me a rolling backpack so it would roll. So when I could wear my backpack again, I just wore that rolling backpack and people in the hallways would pull up the handle. So I would just walk around
Rhiannon (20:33):
And you didn't know. I didn't know they pulling
Shanna (20:35):
That it was up, and I think I should have been and probably was so embarrassed. But I think I conditioned myself to just be like, well, it's what That should be embarrassing. So that's probably one of my most embarrassing moments. Also, the same backpack when the handle was pulled up. It was so heavy one time that I got off balance and I just toppled over sideways. So basically high school conditioned me to never be embarrassed.
Rhiannon (21:04):
Oh my gosh. Well, I think that's probably true for a lot of people,
Shanna (21:07):
Unfortunately. Yeah, exactly.
Rhiannon (21:09):
Okay. I'm going to flip this question a little bit. It's any regrets or wish you could do over moments? Let's pick a moment that you like your top moment, like the one hands down that you would relive over and over again if you could.
Shanna (21:22):
I think that finding my identity so deeply in my business, I wish I could do over, and I think that's something you have to walk through. But I think that's something I wish I had not held so tightly, and maybe I had to go through that now because I have so many years ago. Because now I have a lot of people in my life who come to me and they struggle with feeling like somebody can replace you or that you're forgotten or this and this got copied, or whatever. I just have such a different approach now. So that's something I wish I could do over. It's held it all a little looser and not hold such a tight grip. But going through some of the experiences I went through and just learning, you are not your business. It is a piece of who you are, and honestly, nobody can ever be you. And that you can just show up and do your work. And I hope everyone listening knows that know of course, if there's moments you need to take action on something that may be crossed a line. But I just think for the most part, I don't know if that just gets in our way. Yeah.
Rhiannon (22:35):
Yeah. I love that. Okay. Biggest win or pinch me moments,
Shanna (22:42):
This is going to sound so cliche, but it truly is my biggest win. So now being a mom of two, anytime a student or a client, it is an honor to get to do what I do, to come in and hear such vulnerability about money and finance. But most of the time I work with a lot of women and I work with a lot of moms. And to know that I've helped someone to get back to their kids, to be able to create the life that they wanted because they got their money in order or they walked away from social media, whatever it is, that truly is my biggest win. I have a folder in my email inbox from my sunshine folder where I keep these testimonials. I mean, I can think of one right now of one of my students, Kathy, who she made 135,000 her first year in business, the six figures. She was super burnt out. She took the blueprint model and she learned how to revamp her services. And when she emailed me, she said, I'm 11 weeks pregnant, and you've given me the ability to be the mom I want to be. I tear up thinking about that. So those are my big wins.
Rhiannon (23:53):
Yeah, that's huge. I love that. Put that in the show notes, A sunshine folder. I love that. Yeah. Yeah. I have one on my desktop and I put screenshots in it. Yeah, you need it. You do. On hard days. It's a mood booster for sure to go see what people have shared with you. Okay. Best advice ever received.
Shanna (24:13):
Oh my goodness. Okay. I'm going to have to give my dolly quote. This is basically the life business motto. So this is advice from Dolly Parton direct to me. No, I'm just kidding. This is Dolly Parton quote, and it says, never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life. And I just love that. I truly think about that all the time.
Rhiannon (24:36):
Okay. And tell us, what are you working on now or what is one resource that you would love to share?
Shanna (24:44):
Okay. One resource that I would love to share, we have a free class if you haven't taken it, I just rewrote it. This is we're recording this month in advance, and it's so good. And it's shana skidmore.com/training. And we'll put it in the show notes and it will share with you about the blueprint model. That's the end of it or ways you can work with me. But it is such just my heart in business, and I think it's a really powerful training. So anybody who wants to go learn more about Shanna and how I do business and how I teach and just my heart in business, I think that is where I wish everyone would start. Maybe I'll put that on my Instagram link. Just
Rhiannon (25:29):
Kidding. Yeah. I mean, if that's a great
Shanna (25:31):
Starting, that's where I want everybody to go.
Rhiannon (25:33):
I love that.
Shanna (25:34):
That's the resource I would love to share.
Rhiannon (25:35):
Okay, awesome. I feel like this episode, you have just given so much encouragement and so much just helpful, heartfelt advice for people to radically think about how they can not just run their business but live their life differently. And I appreciate you allowing me to come into your space and ask you all these questions and sort of turn the tables here on you and allow you to be the person to get vulnerable and real. And you've just shared so much and inspired me in a lot of ways and encouraged me in a lot of ways. And I can only imagine you're going to do that with thousands of other people. So thank you for this opportunity, Shannon, and for your honesty and all the great things that you had to share.
Shanna (26:19):
Thank you truly for making this happen, because if I could tell anyone going social media free felt hard, and it still feels hard in the running of a business side, but it truly changed my life for the better. And if I can encourage or help anyone do that, and if you have more questions, reach out because I would love to continue these questions and to make it practical. So thanks, Ree, for your time. Yeah, thanks Shanna. Hey, wildflower, you just finished our two-part season three kickoff show. Head over to consider the wildflowers podcast.com for show notes, resource links, and additional resources if you too are considering your own social media detox. To end today's conversation on social media, I wanted to read a Bible verse found in Matthew 1624, for what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? I hope this conversation has encouraged you to examine all the things in your business you don't actually like, and to ask yourself, do I have to do that? As always, thank you for listening. I'll see you next time.
