Meet The Winners Of Our Selfmade Pitch Day Competition

In this segment, Paige Wiese, founder & CEO of Tree Ring Digital in Denver, CO, walks us through some of the ways she encourages clients to double down on marketing when business is slow. Paige built her business as a solopreneur graphic designer to a team of 15, helping clients with SEO, online ads, and social media management. Here’s her Take 5, plus more tips for surviving the business lulls below!

What's a recent small win for you and your business?

Paige: A recent small win has been just seeing business pick up again. I am seeing businesses start to engage with their marketing efforts and really trying to get to the root of why their website might be underperforming. We look at what they can be doing to see their money actually go to a place that it should be going.

What's a big piece of advice that you give to your clients?

Paige: A lot of them want to back off anytime there's a little bit of scarcity. I really think that's the time to double down, whether it be your digital presence, your website, or just adjusting how you're spending your money. But instead of just saying, ‘Hey, we're going to stop [investing in marketing],’ ask ‘How do we double down in the correct way and make sure we're seeing measurable results out of it?’ I do it myself anytime business is a little slow. I think we have to either change or we need to be doubling down. A lot of clients come to us when the pipeline is already dry and money is tight and they’re hoping for a quick fix. Marketing, unfortunately, isn't a quick fix.

See more tips for surviving business lulls below!

What's an unexpected business challenge you’ve faced and how did you overcome it?

Paige: I think one of the bigger challenges that we've run into has been more on the employee side, some of the retention or the hiccups that come along the way and then just learning from them. So how can we be a better, stronger company coming out of this and how do we use it as a growing opportunity?

How has the Verizon Small Business program helped propel your business forward?

Paige: I learned about the Verizon Small Business Digital Ready program through the National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC). It's a free resource that’s self-paced and very digestible. The variety of topics it covers is a large gamut for any size business. The Selling with Storytelling course, especially, was really valuable to me, just really getting your messaging out there. I laugh that I sometimes enjoy the marketing ones a little bit more just because it is a refresher or another take on how we do this.

Thanks Paige!

Here Are More B+C Tips For Surviving The Small Business Lulls

1. Refine Your Strategy
   • Review your business plan and goals. Are you on track? What can be improved?
   • Analyze customer feedback and sales data to spot trends and areas where you can grow.
2. Boost Your Marketing Efforts
   • Refresh your website or social media profiles. Verizon Small Business Digital Ready’s free Put Your Website to Work course will help you get started with best practices for building your business website.
   • Create engaging content through blogs, videos, and newsletters. Verizon’s free Creating Compelling Content course can help you create consistent, quality content for your target customers.
   • Offer promotions or limited-time discounts to attract new customers.
3. Invest in Learning
   • Take an online course related to your industry, like Verizon’s free Planning for the Unexpected course for building resiliency in your business.
   • Stay updated on industry trends and innovations.
   • Engage with customers too. Send personalized emails to loyal customers or clients. Ask for reviews!
4. Improve Your Processes
   • Streamline operations or explore new tools to increase your efficiency.
   • Organize your workspace and declutter your digital files.
5. Self-Care and Rest
   • Take advantage of the slower pace to recharge. A refreshed mindset is exactly what you need to bring forth fresh ideas!

Whether or not we admit it, there's definitely still a stigma around singleness. "Despite the fact that these days we may not need a partner to fulfill our hopes, being single remains so stigmatized, with shows depicting the need to compete to win love and headlines depicting women who are single as in an unfortunate situation," Dr. Taitz says. "It’s key to be mindful of these unhelpful messages to [keep them] from impacting how we view ourselves."

I've been on a few dates as an adult, but I often feel like I've missed out on a lot of the foundational experiences that come with being a young woman. Not to mention that it's easier than I'd like to admit to feel like there's something wrong with me if I'm the common thread through every dead-end romantic situation.

Even if comments from your friends like "They're just not good enough for you" or "You're so independent" have good intentions, not feeling desired is hard. Sometimes you just need to process those emotions in whatever way works best for your wellbeing because singleness is incredibly complex — one day I'm enjoying eating at a restaurant alone, the next a rom-com makes me cry — and as easy as it is to swing between the extremes of total happiness to bitterness, the reality is that I'm usually somewhere in between.

"Days like Valentine’s Day can be incredible opportunities to practice self-validation and self-compassion," Taitz says. "Being single on a day that can pull you to compare or feel less than is a good time to be especially kind to yourself [and act] in ways that remind you that you are enough and don’t need a plus one to feel whole."

Activities that engage your soul will help you feel good *and* romanticize self-care at the same time. I love creating a vision board in my bullet journal to see my dreams on paper, or reminding myself of where my true worth lies. If you're really struggling with feeling lonely, Taitz recommends listing out the areas of your life that matter to you, then writing down the value you want to add to each and mapping out how and why those values matter.

"There’s no way a relationship can be your full sense of worth — that’s not fair to you or the relationship and that’s not accurate in terms of what we know about happiness," she says. "Happiness hinges on being present and engaging in positive actions and having fulfilling relationships — and coupling isn’t the only source of connection (assuming it is almost like limiting your diet to strawberries — it’s not going to fill you and will deplete you)."

There is so much more to my worth than whether I have a romantic partner: I love movies and books, I love talking to my little sister on the phone, and I can spend hours happily in the kitchen listening to music and making a nourishing dinner. There's much more to your worth, too.

My mother constantly reminds me to wait for the Right person, not the Right Now person. There are pros and cons to every phase of life, and I'm very content with the pros right now. Eventually, however, I'm hoping my Valentine's Day charcuterie board for one will become a board for two.

Valentine's Day Ideas For Single People

Make A Romantic Dinner For One

Who says you have to save the steak dinner or Spicy Pesto Pasta Alla Vodka for a date night? Make yourself a giant bowl of delicious food, light some candles, and spend an entire evening enjoying the fruits of your labor. Finish the meal with one of our 50+ Best Chocolate Recipes for good measure.

Wear Your Favorite Outfit

Get all glammed up for your workday, whether you prefer Emily in Paris-level fashion or casual work outfits. Don't forget some Valentine's Day nails to add the perfect finishing touch.

Spend A Whole Day On Yourself

On your next day off, put on your aforementioned cute outfit to explore a local bookstore, go shopping, or make a killer martini. You can buy yourself flowers, call your mom or your best friend, and just have a wonderful day celebrating love in all its forms. Being single on Valentine's Day means you don't have to compromise on what your ideal day looks like, so layer in all of our favorite things to make it extra special.

Have A Rom-Com Night

You don't have to swear off romantic movies in honor of being single — it can be just as fun to watch them with your galentines or on your own! Some of my go-to's are Set It Up, Crazy Rich Asians, and The Proposal. Check out The 30 Best Rom-Coms Of All Timefor more ideas.

Go Crazy With The Pink

Valentine's Day is a big day for people who love pink. Make a pink cocktail, whip up a batch of some celebrity crush cookies, or make your own conversation heart care packagefilled with pink treats. I will be dressed in head-to-toe pink, with a rosy makeup look to boot.

All dressed up but not sure where to go? Here are some ideas for your V-Day.

Is It Weird To Go To A Bar Alone?

Going to a bar on your own is definitely not weird. Just sit back and enjoy your favorite drink while you people watch. Plus, you never know who you might meet ;).

Is It Weird To Go To A Restaurant Alone?

It's definitely not weird to go to a restaurant alone. I look at it like taking myself on a date. Well, myself and my favorite book!

Is It Weird To Go To A Concert Alone?

Concerts might feel like one place you could never go by yourself, but you can actually make some really great friends with the people around you! I've made some awesome relationships waiting in line by myself, and I had a blast at Taylor Swift's Eras Tour by myself.

Is It Weird To Go To The Movies Alone?

If you love seeing a movie on the big screen, then you should definitely consider going to the theater on your own. You can enjoy the movie without worrying about anyone else, plus you don't have to share the popcorn. Here are The 42 Most-Anticipated Winter Movies and The 30 Most-Anticipated Spring Movies so you can start planning your next solo movie day :).

What is On Swift Horses about?

On Swift Horses Plot

Muriel begins a new life with her husband Lee when he returns to California from the Korean War. But the life they're building together — and their future — changes forever when Lee's brother Julius, a headstrong gambler, arrives. Julius is attractive, charismatic, and hiding plenty of secrets.

According to the official synopsis, "when Julius takes off in search of the young card cheat he’s fallen for, Muriel’s longing for something more propels her into a secret life of her own, gambling on racehorses and exploring a love she never dreamed possible."

The story explores LGBTQ+ identity and desire in the 1950s, but does so with a hopeful tone rather than a devastating one. “The first scenes that we filmed were the scenes we had together, so we got all of that done with—when we were apart, we had put the groundwork in,” Daisy tells Vanity Fair of working with Jacob, who adds, "I believe Taylor Swift calls it an invisible string.”

"I loved the connection between gambling and risk-taking, and pushing the boundaries of her desire and what she’s looking for,” Daisy adds. “Muriel’s rebellion throughout the film is quite quiet, in the small ways in which she takes back her power by concealing things. A lot of what’s happening is behind closed doors.”

Who's in the cast of On Swift Horses?

On Swift Horses Cast

On Swift Horses stars Daisy Edgar-Jones, Jacob Elordi, Will Poulter, Sasha Calle, and Diego Calva.

"It's not hard to make chemistry with Jacob because he's just so charismatic," Daisy said during a Q&A, via People, adding that the script "felt almost like reading poetry and so much of what happens is in the subtext."

"This movie is just about love,” Calle added. “It’s important to just feel that — whoever that might be, where that takes you. It’s important to feel that and to feel safe in it.”

Has On Swift Horses been released?

On Swift Horses Release Date

On Swift Horses premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, and is currently looking for a distributor. Check back here for news on its release date!

Watch The Teaser Trailer For 'On Swift Horses'

As charming as Julius appears in the teaser trailer, his brother Lee tells Muriel they live differently than he does. "He's just not like us," he says before a scene cuts to Muriel exploring her own "passions." Based on this, On Swift Horses appears to blur the lines of love, lust, secrets, and recognizing one's identity.