The Blog
How to Make Writing Your Business {Without Needing a Plan B}
Do you consider writing your business? If you run a company like we do, the answer’s a pretty obvious and resounding ‘yes’. But it’s not always such a simple answer. Writers {and other creatives} aren’t always taken seriously, and that can impact how you perceive your...
EPISODE 22: Creating Consistent Messaging for Your Business
Learn why creating consistent messaging for your business can help you as a content creator. In this episode we will cover: How we became known for consistency How messaging consistency helps you as a content creator How to clarify your message The loudest voice...
EPISODE 21: Knowing Your Worth as a Content Creator
Learn how to know your own worth as a content creator. In this episode we will cover: How we got started as writers The culture of undervaluing creatives How to know your own worth as a content creator Questions to ask yourself to make sure you’re valuing your...
Get to Know North Star: Editorial + Development Manager Maggie Grimason
It’s time to get to know North Star! Each month, we’ll introduce you to one of our awesome team members. Today, you’ll meet Maggie Grimason, our Editorial + Development Manager. Maggie came to North Star in December 2018, joining the team as a writer before being...
EPISODE 20: Upholding Boundaries as a Content Creator
Learn how to uphold boundaries as a content creator. In this episode we will cover: Why setting boundaries is important Types of boundaries content creators can set How to establish and reinforce boundaries Compromise and boundaries Content creators often worry laying...
Get to Know North Star: COO Brigid Ward
It’s time to get to know North Star! Each month, we’ll introduce you to one of our amazing team members. Today you’ll meet Brigid Ward, our incredible Chief Operating Officer (COO). Brigid joined North Star in January 2017 as the company’s online business manager,...
EPISODE 19: Building a Referral Network as a Content Creator
Learn how to build a referral network as a content creator. In this episode we will cover: What a referral network is Why a referral network is valuable to content creators How to establish a referral network How to maintain referral relationships Networking: it’s not...
EPISODE 18: Establishing Relationships to Build Your Client List
In this episode we will cover: Understanding how niching works with relationship building Speaking to your audience and growing your network Asking questions to grow as a professional Mastering the follow-up Businesses need to establish solid relationships to grow....
Get to Know North Star: CEOs Jessi Honard + Marie Parks
It’s time to get to know North Star! Each month, we’ll introduce you to some of our amazing team members. We’re kicking things off with our intrepid CEOs, Jessi Honard + Marie Parks. Jessi and Marie, two friends who’d bonded over a love of Animorphs and the...
Belief, Leadership, and Messaging: Your Responsibilities As A Business Owner
As a business owner, you have a lot of important responsibilities to your clients and customers, to your employees, and to yourself. But as a leader, you also have a responsibility to the world. That may sound a little dramatic, but it’s true. In order to create...
3 Examples of Evergreen Content to Create + Update
When it comes to content creation, the rule less is more applies. Even if you love writing up new blogs, emails, or social media posts, you don't want to put yourself in a situation where everything screeches to a halt when inspiration dries up (or when you're too...
Content Marketing During a Crisis
When a crisis hits, how do you respond? The world is experiencing the unprecedented impact of a global pandemic. Businesses are closing, people are being told to stay home, and everyone is reeling. Emotions are high. Uncertainty is status quo. So how do you, the...
The Origin Story: What it Is {+ When to Use It}
Superbowl Sunday just wrapped up. Amidst the feelings about the game itself and the MANY opinions about the half-time show {Mine? Rock it, ladies.}, there’s a familiar debate taking place online. It’s the Great Commercial Debate. Which Superbowl commercial was the...
[1 min. Video] When Your CMS Feels Like a #Fail
Does your content marketing strategy feel like a big fail? Have you spent hours on creating a content plan, but the only person visiting your website is your mom? So NOW what? Don't despair! Check out this quick video for tips on hanging in there {and what to do in...
{What to Do} When Your Content Marketing Plan Falls Flat
Organic traffic remains one of the most powerful methods for driving traffic, and it’s full of bright, shiny promises. Pageviews in the hundreds of thousands {millions, even!}, social media followings that worship your brand, and email lists so long they resemble a...
5 Brand Stories to Improve Your Content Marketing Strategy
In the fiction writing world {and high school English} there’s a common phrase: “Show, don’t tell”. This refers to the fact that it’s WAY more compelling to write something like, “the icy cold metal of the doorknob bit into her fingertips as she twisted the handle,”...
Why You Need a Content Marketing Strategist {Stat!}
Business owners wear a lot of hats, some of them more glamorous than others. From being Content Marketing Strategist to Chief Sweeper Upper, when you’re the CEO, you often do it all. If you’re a 6, 7, or 8-figure income CEO, we’re guessing you’re pretty dang talented....
Leverage Your Impact {in your Digital Content Marketing}
So we’re pretty sure you’re hiding something, and we’re here to tell you that we know ALL about it. Okay, well, we don’t know all about it yet, but we will! {If you take our advice, that is…} How do we know? Because we’ve worked with people like you before. We know...
Using the Art of Storytelling to Scale + Impact
Before we jump into how you can leverage the art of storytelling in your branding, let’s start with a little “Once Upon a Time.” {See? We take our own advice!} A long time ago in a far away land {also known as Texas}, we decided to take a huge risk and go into...
Pushing Pause for Greater Profit {+ customer retention}
For most of you who are CEOs of established businesses, running hard is never a problem. It’s never a question of whether or not you are going to go after everything you can with EVERYTHING in you. In fact, one of the reasons you have been so successful is due to...
The Value in Values: Building Client Loyalty
We talk a lot in this business about “the why behind your what.” In building client loyalty, it’s so important to communicate to your audience the stories behind the business you’re running, because it’s those stories that endear you to your audience as you share...