November Reflections: New Platform, Deeper Business Strategy, and a Stamp of Authority

I haven’t always been a journaling girl. I used to think it was an exercise to feel good, not to bring clarity. Boy, was I wrong. 

It wasn’t until I sat down to do this reflection that I realized November was a pretty insanely successful month! And if you’ve read my new book, Discovering Something Greater, you know that I don’t define success in purely dollars and cents. There was far more success wrapped into these 30 days. 

If you find yourself caught in the daily grind and unable to see the forest for the trees, these monthly reflections can shine a light on just how far you’ve come. I’m sharing mine here with you in hopes that you’ll have the same warm and fuzzies as you look back on all that’s happened in just a few weeks. 

And if you’re not feeling inspired by it, that’s okay, too. Take that insight as a data point for how you can shift December to be more productive, less exhausting, and more successful (truly, successful).

Before jumping into the lessons learned, I like to reflect on what I *actually* got done this month. Have you ever found yourself wondering where the time went at the end of a day (or month, in this case)? This exercise shows you, and it’s often surprising just how much you did.  

1. Became a Best Selling Author — No Daunting Media Tour Required 

Discovering Something Greater, the book I co-authored with three other outstanding women, hit bestseller status on November 21 where we ranked #1 in Women and Business, #2 in Personal Success in Business, and #4 in Self-Esteem Self-Help.

What an absolute dream come true to know that the messages we each poured our hearts and souls into are now being read by people around the world (yes WORLD).

And selfishly (it’s okay to be selfish now and then), it’s an absolute dream come true to finally call myself an author and now a bestselling author. It’s like I’ve walked the graduation stage on another big goal I’ve set for myself. And if this is my Bachelor’s degree, I’m already starting to pursue my Master’s and Doctorate with two other books — a devotional for entrepreneurs and a memoir (because you wouldn’t believe some of the things I’ve been through, including getting kicked out of the EU).

For now, if you’re looking for a book to help you uplevel, or for someone on your list who is ready for something more meaningful in their life, Discovering Something Greater should be on your and their shelf!

2. Closer Aligned the Stuff (Ugh) With the Why (YESSS) at Cruisin’ + Campfires and Roadpreneur

My good friend Katie Hunt of Proof to Product often says to watch for where you get information. She recently shared this reel, and the takeaway is SO huge! 

Creating products for the sake of building a catalog or gaming algorithms is a road to burnout.

Launching for the sake of sticking to a launch schedule is a road to exhaustion.

Building a thing (product line, course, membership, group program, you name it) because that’s what you think you’re “supposed to” be doing is a recipe for disaster for you and your clients.

This month, I went through an exercise while sitting in my son’s jiujitsu class. Between watching him get some takedowns, I put pen to paper (huge fan of analog mode) to reconnect with my why. I’d never “lost” it and launched with it, so this was more of a practice to reconnect my brain through visceral motions with why this business exists. It’s something I like to do every time I go to create a new product. There’s power and meaning behind it rather than robotic flow and “have to do this” vibes.

I then did the same thing with the Roadpreneur shop too. After having put it off for way too long, I went through this exercise, reconnected with my vision for the brand, and a merch store was born.

More on that in the lessons learned below (keep reading), but for now, remember this... 

We don’t create our offers for the sake of adding stuff to the market. We create to live out the core purpose of having started our business in the first place. Build through that lens and you’ll win every time.

3. Took Thanksgiving Off

Yes, time off deserves a spot on a list of what happened because the reality is most product-based businesses don’t take Thanksgiving weekend off. We work right through the holiday, sacrificing family time and memory-making. That’s a mistake if you ask me. And it’s a unique push/pull that many entrepreneurs feel this time of year. 

Part of the Roadpreneur life is allowing yourself time away. It’s gifting yourself a business that equips you to step back and live NOW rather than in retirement alone. 

When I knew we would be in Texas for Thanksgiving, I immediately started thinking about pitching bookstores to do some book signings or reaching out to outdoorsy and home decor stores for Cruisin’ + Campfires. But even before I wrote a single outreach, I stopped. Did I really want to spend Thanksgiving weekend working while my family was together? No.

There will be plenty of time for outreach and book signings. I chose to take the weekend off, knowing I’d sacrifice a few sales and really lean into time with the family.

An accomplishment isn’t *truly* an accomplishment if you don’t take a lesson from the win. After patting myself on the back for what’s been done, I like to reflect on what’s been learned through the process. 

1. Connection Points Come in Many Forms

Too many people put off doing the thing because it feels too hard:

I did this for a while with the Roadpreneur swag (the shop I just mentioned above that I launched this month). I knew how to start my print-on-demand shop, but just kept dragging my feet on it. Despite several people having asked for it in the past, I wasn’t getting it done. When I looked at why I was taking the slow road in getting this offer out there, I realized that it was because I hadn’t connected the possibilities with the products yet. Once I did that mental exercise, everything flowed easily and now, the Roadpreneur merchandise storefront is live. 

Wearing the Roadpreneur title with pride isn’t just a way to support a brand you align with. It’s a way to spark conversation at the campground around what a Roadpreneur is and why you’re the one wearing the logo. It’s an open door to share about your business organically. 

This month, I rolled up my proverbial sleeves to put the sleeves on other people’s arms with Roadpreneur merchandise. I’m glad I did, too. While creating the first round of designs, I got excited for the inevitable stories to come of conversations sparked around the campfire or the possibility of spotting a Roadpreneur out in the wild and being able to hug them and hear their story. 

Lesson: It’s not enough to know HOW to do something. This is why so many courses fail and students don’t get the takeaways they need. It’s about understanding the why behind it, connecting bone-level deep with the purpose behind the brand, that gets things done. Without that, you’ll know how to do something but won’t take that action.

Put in the effort where you can see tangible results on the other side. Prioritize building a brand that brings people together in some capacity. When you can see the result of your efforts play out in your mind, showing up for them is so much easier and more impactful.

3. Complicated is, well, Complicated

This might seem obvious, but here’s the truth about me — I overcomplicate everything first before carving it into something simpler. 

When I first get an idea, I add all the details. The sales. The glitz. The glamour. The extras. The bonuses. The.... everything. That’s a mistake I made this month with my Cruisin’ + Campfires Black Friday sale.

I wanted this sale to be different than a blanket store discount. That felt too…boring. Too expected. Too, meh. Instead, I chose to do some special bundles, special BOGO deals, and a discount on a product line that’s getting retired soon. 

While having a bunch of specials was fun, it was way too complicated. I know that confused buyers don’t buy, but here I was, confusing everyone about what was on sale and what wasn’t. Based on the abandoned cart rate, I know that I missed out on potential this month. 

Another place I overcomplicated things was by setting up a separate Roadpreneur IG and trying to consistently post there, my personal account, the Discovering Something Greater account, and the Cruisin’ + Campfires account. That’s a lot to juggle as a one-woman show, so this month, I consolidated. Both Discovering Something Greater and Roadpreneur now have what’s called a static 9-grid. Here’s what it looks like on Roadpreneur’s Instagram now:

And here’s what it looks like over on Discovering Something Greater’s Instagram:

I’m only posting on Cruisin’ + Campfires and my personal page. More detail on this strategy and why in another post, but for now, come say hi to me here if you haven’t already.

Lesson Learned: Boring is okay now and then (just not in copy, which is where my storytelling marketing course comes in). Keeping it simple will save your sanity and your sales. 

3. You Never Know Who You’re Meeting When You Walk Into a Room

This month, I spent a few hours speed networking with the Prosper Network run by my friends Angela Greaser and Melissa Camilleri. The process has been outstanding and such a good reminder that you never know who you’re about to meet when you walk into a room (even a Zoom room). 

Business has nothing to do with the stuff we sell. It has to do with the people who receive it and the difference our offers make in their lives. Keep an open heart to everyone you meet. Hear their stories. Get to know their ideas. Listen to their thoughts. Dive into their story. Be empathetic. That approach to the Roadpreneurial life will get you so much further than walking into a room with a me-first mindset. 

And who knows, you just might laugh, cry, and get business all in the same Zoom room like I have this month. 

Lesson: Relationships continue to be everything in this business world. Separating personal and professional isn’t just not possible; it’s not something I want to do. I love seeing the people behind the brands I’m buying from and the people behind the purchasers coming my way. After all, if we’re not showing up to better other people’s lives, why are we showing up?

P.S. Want to join me inside the Prosper Network to walk into Zoom rooms with some incredible people? Join here.

Every month in the Roadpreneur School, I asked my students to reflect on what they were stopping, starting, and continuing for the month ahead. You’re invited to do the same and post it below. Here’s mine.

Start

On December 1, I kickstarted a new strategy on Pinterest, and there’s no stopping me now. It’s one that I’ve wanted to start for a while. I’ve started this month, and I will see it through. Commit to 100, right? Here’s to 100 pins. 

Stop

I mentioned this above, but I just transitioned to a 9-grid strategy on Instagram for two of the accounts I managed. I will be able to stop posting over there, lean more into building a personal brand, and focus more on connecting with other people, which is crazy exciting. 

Continue

I’ll continue creating the products and designs that align with my why for both Roadpreneur and Cruisin’ + Campfires because let me tell you — creating out of a sense of purpose is far better than creating for the sake of adding a SKU or product line. It’s impactful. It adds meaning to your work and life. And it’s the most joyful way to show up in this world.

~ Kimberly