Welcome! At last, the new PeterShallard.com site is alive and kicking.
For those of you who have been waiting patiently for an email update, thank you for your continued interest. For people checking out this site for the first time, it’s great to have you here!
Building this site has been the most fun I’ve had in a while. Half the fun is stretching myself to do something new and different, and the other half is that in order to focus, I took a blogging sabbatical and moved to the snowy mountains of New Zealand.
I got to write, ski, geek out. It’s been an intensive and rewarding process. Getting serious about blogging is new to me and outside the realm of the offline face-to-face consulting that makes up the core of my business.
As with anything new and exciting, there was a lot to learn. Here’s a quick summary of the best lessons I figured out – if you’re about to do something new yourself, grab these insights to fast-track your progress:
Find someone who’s done it before
I consider myself an expert in entrepreneurial psychology, but when I began my online project, I knew the tables were turned. My knowledge and experience wouldn’t stop me from making mistakes, and I had to become a humble student again.
A student without a teacher does nothing but smoke behind the bike sheds. Since that wasn’t an option, I made sure to enlist my very own Master Yoda.
When I hired Men with Pens for the web design (doesn’t it look awesome?), I also kicked off one of the most rewarding professional relationships of my life. James Chartrand taught me to levitate X-wings.
Having a rockstar expert on hand is a surefire, proven method to get a head start on any business venture. A mentor or role model acts like a compass during times of challenge, change and uncertainty. They keep you pointed in the right direction. When you’re faced with decisions to make, a quick pointer from someone who’s already been there saves you time, money and stress.
You’ll never be lost. Working with James was no exception.
If you want to make something people love, expect (some) people to hate it
I’ve heard this concept several times before, but nothing quite brought it home more than building this blog.
A blog is a representation of your personal brand – what you’re about and what you stand for. That means that criticism of your blog can cut kinda deep.
You’ll notice that the design of this site is different to most other websites. It’s certainly different from the old design I had. Men with Pens made me feel like a kid in Santa’s workshop when they asked me to explain my vision. What you see now is an uncompromised representation. Plus, the genius designers somehow took that vision and turned it up to eleven!
Within days of my maintenance page going up, I got an email from a close family member. It actually asked me if the page was “a joke”… The person went on to say that the whole thing was “gauche” and should be immediately reworked. All this from a maintenance page!
But you know what? That person was right.
Well, about one thing. The site is gauche. It’s full on. I have no doubt that it’ll make some people’s eyes bleed.
Here’s the thing: I love this site. The person who criticized it is so far outside of my target market that it isn’t even funny. Some people will hate this site, and other people will love it. But no matter what, NO one will be bored by it… and that’s what counts.
Shake up your life as much as possible
I’ve nurtured an ambition to get online for a year or so before making this happen. It never happened, though, because it simply wasn’t a priority.
I’ve been self-employed for five years and market myself entirely through old-school, offline word-of-mouth. I spend my days running around the city schmoozing entrepreneurial and corporate clients. I attend industry events and network to win consulting contracts that let me do the work I love.
It’s a great business and I love what I do, but an online presence always seemed a better way to meet new clients. I just never had the time/energy/peace-of-mind to do it properly.
Until I changed everything.
Over the past few months, I’ve written more than 50,000 words of ebook and blog content, I’ve moved a major corporate client to an online staff development solution, and I’ve had the a huge amount of fun.
However, none of this would have happened had I not physically removed myself from my old, fast-paced environment. I moved many clients to email consulting and introduced others to a concept called “Peter Scarcity”. I even ditched a few (non-cool) clients.
I packed up my skis, moved deep into the Southern Alps (pictured here) and radically changed my life. Since then, I’ve only had to fly back twice for short trips. Without this environmental change, I would never have written the two ebooks you can grab today, or the series of kickass blog posts you’ll receive if you subscribe.
The point is, if you want to achieve a radically different goal from what you’re used to, then consider radically changing your environment. Change begets change, so if you do the same as you’ve always done, you’ll get the same results you’ve always gotten.
The journey ahead
What I’ve achieved thus far is inconsequential compared to the road ahead. Having a killer blog design and two breakthrough ebooks is just the beginning.
My goal is to be the best possible resource for entrepreneurs who realize their thinking is all that stands between them and freedom, wealth and making an extraordinary impact.
If that sounds like you, then I recommend you subscribe to the blog, download the free ebook, buy Demystify your Fear, hang with me on Twitter and complete the Next-Step Challenge.
Yes, there’s a ton of things to see and do here.
Above all else, if you know someone who might enjoy this site, go ahead and take two minutes out of your day to introduce your entrepreneurial friend to this resource. I’d appreciate it and I know they will too.
Thanks again for stopping by, and see you soon.
I for one think the site looks amazing and has a great feel. James is one of my favorite people of all time and I’m not surprised that you feel like having a conversation with James is like checking your compass, I certainly feel the same way!
I never knew about your site before the relaunch but I’ll be sure to check back regularly. Great job Peter, and Men with Pens.
Hey Joel,
Thanks for stopping by – I don’t think many people knew about the site prior to the relaunch… but that’s all about to change!
Stay tuned 🙂
Truly excellent job, Peter and James! Love the statement – “Shake up your life as much as possible”. So true!
Kudos to you both.
Hi Barbara – thanks for stopping by!
That environment “shake-up” was a serious, big-time ingredient. I’m now the world’s biggest advocate of blogging sabbaticals.
Looks smashing, Peter, congratulations. I certainly know what you mean about potentially dividing opinion with a redesign, but like me and my illustrated monsters, you’ve just got to with it. Also, I finally got round to subscribing. Hooray!
Thanks for stopping by Iain and I’m glad you like the design. I think your monsters are great too, for the record.
Welcome back! It’s really cool to see all the work you’ve been doing is finally visible to us mere mortals!
You’ve helped Clare and I so much with our own venture, I hope that this website helps you spread the love and the radius of lovin’.
Hey pal, thanks for your comment.
You guys are doing some cool stuff with your project. I’ll work as hard as I can to expand that radius of lovin’ 😉
Nothing shrinking here, Peter. 😉 It’s all expanding in a very exciting way. You deserve to succeed richly. Well done! Keep having fun.
Best, Robin 🙂
See, I really like the “Old World / New Ideas” thing you have going on in this website design. It’s kind of like dropping into a favorite professor’s office so that he can stir up my mind with new thoughts and ideas! Very cool.
Just did a quick scan on “Seek and Destroy” and already see how I’ve been trying to jump over roadblocks rather than rid myself of them. I was never much for hurdles, they tripped me.
I’m excited that you’re back online and moving forward with your vision for the entrepreneurial world in a public arena. And I’m thrilled that you’ve been able to make personal changes which will bring a lot of fun and joy to you while doing this. Can’t wait to see what you have to say next!
Hey Diane,
Thanks for the feedback – I’m glad that people *get* the old world new ideas thing.
Hi Peter,
I love the new design!
I enjoyed reading about your journey from going “offline” to “online” with your business and what a wonderful statement “If you want to make something people love, expect (some) people to hate it”.
Take care,
Stephanie
Hey Stephanie, thanks for stopping by! The journey is just getting started 🙂
Jumping over from Men With Pens. The design is phenomenal here, they really outdid themselves.
Thanks Justin – I’m still in awe and I saw the mockups MONTHS ago.
Some will like it some will hate is, completely true.
Some love my site, others think the logo is too big, they I don’t like the images, the tag line, the bla bla bla
What really matters is if you like it, and what your analytics tell you ( bounce rate and time on site mostly)
I came to your site from Twitter via a link posted by Chris Guillebeau. I love the design & predict you’ll have great success with it. You are living the work lifestyle that many dream about but few achieve.
Well, that’s enough chit-chat. I’m off to scroll back up top and click on some of the enticing links I saw on my first read-through. (Looks like the design & content are working for you, yes??)
My best to you,
EJ Ellis
on Twitter as @EllisTweet
Thanks EJ!
It must be working if you’re clicking. So far, the stats show it to be a raging success too.
My philosophy on lifestyle is to work hard and play hard. Until theres a bit more snowfall here, I’m stuck working though!
Hi Peter,
I think your site design is fabulous! I don’t have the old site for comparison, but given that I’ve been jumping around to many many blogs today, your site totally seems to jive with what I think your vision represents.
It was interesting that you mentioned the haters- I was just setting up to write a blog post about that very topic. 🙂 Good luck!
Congratulations on the launch, Peter, and I wish you much success with your site.
It’s been a great deal of fun working with you, notably because you stretched my brains several times during the process of taking you from a completely offline business to one that balances online and offline nicely – freedom, here we come, eh?
Also, thanks very much on the kind words – that’s high praise indeed. I have to say the feeling is mutual. Working with you has certainly brought some very positive changes in my business, thanks to some insight and wisdom shared.
Thanks for the support. Stretching is easy when you’ve got so much brains to work with in the first place 😉