Hey, ,

Last week, I shared with you that I'm taking some time away.

This week, I'll be discussing how I did — and how you can — prepare for time away (even if you work with customers, clients, or a team).

Typically, I like to write each edition during the week it comes out.

However, to prepare myself for my own time away this week, I wrote this edition last week. I hope that's okay with you. 😀

Let's dive in…

How to pause work with your current customers (even with a subscription service).

One of my goals during this time away was to take a break from work as well.

This included pausing current projects in both:

1. my 6-phased, 6-week process for a fully-guided, intentionally designed brand + website with 🖥️ Wix in Six,
2. and my unlimited website design, development, and support service with 🎉 Wix Joy

To help me meet my goal of not working during my time away, I messaged the current people with which I work — in Basecamp (our project communication and collaboration hub) — in advance.

This meant reaching out to clients who've purchased 🖥️ Wix in Six and letting them know of our time away. Plus, I wanted to provide some support options while we were away. Also, Basecamp, offers a very nice visual identifier when someone is away by placing an "OUT" graphic on their profile. This will be helpful whenever someone wants to: write us a message, tag us for feedback, or assign us a task.

🎉 Wix Joy, however, is a very unique service. It's a membership where online business owners can request unlimited support.

Members can request that I build almost anything for them, including:

• designing a landing page for a new offer,
• creating online courses,
• customizing email templates,
• building integrations and automations to simplify their day-to-day,
• and so much more!

🎉 Wix Joy clients have ongoing subscriptions like a gym membership does. So, how does it work exactly when a business like mine takes time away?

In most examples I've seen, usually the consumer / customer / client loses in this relationship. For example: the customer usually pays extra to pause their membership, they lose out on the time they don't get to use, etc.

I also realized — that with how unique a service 🎉 Wix Joy is — that I needed to do more than just let them know I was taking time off from fulfilling their requests.

I believe in leading with my values. So, I let each person know that I would be pausing their memberships during my time away, plus extending their membership to credit them for that same time away automatically:

How to communicate your time away (even for the people who don't know you yet).

Next up, was to ensure I had communication set up in advance for people who wanted to start new work with me.

I wrote an announcement on my website and booking pages, informing new-to-me people that I was taking time away. By doing this, I am setting the right expectations for a several week delay in scheduling a call with me or replying to their emails. I already use two different ways to "meet" with people and learn about their projects. Here are those two ways:

1. Synchronous — with the ability to schedule a live time and date with me to talk over the phone or via video conferencing. I sync my calendar with my appointment booking software to show my actual availability. My current app of choice is Book Like a Boss*. Though Wix Bookings got a major update in the past few months, and so I'll likely be making the switch back.
2. Asynchronous — with the ability to chat anytime, literally. People can send me a video message, voice message, or even text, and I can reply whenever it's most convenient for me. WarmWelcome* is the app I use for this asynchronous form of communication. Each individual conversation is one thread with mixed media — video, audio, or text — so nothing gets lost. Plus, there's no need to hunt for an email thread. Personally, I use it on my website, in 90% of my emails, and for my own coaching and training programs (which it is a wonderful tool for). I prefer this method of communication to email or live calls, because it's so simple to use and it's a great way to create human connection.

*Affiliate links for the apps that work well for me.

How to take your time away (even as a community owner).

I also recently invited some people to join my new community,💡 Wix Unlocked.

💡 Wix Unlocked is a Wix-focused online community to get online business training & website support when you need it. Members get unlimited asynchronous support from me, connect with other values-driven entrepreneurs, and learn with access to my collection of courses and training — as a Top 20 Designer for Wix & certified Educator.

Similar to members of 🎉 Wix Joy, I wanted to do something special for those inside my new community 💡 Wix Unlocked.

We're a small group, and I aim to keep it that way. Grow organically. Support people with empathy. Learn and grow with intention. And connect with like-minded individuals who aim to do the same.

Also like Wix Joy, 💡 Wix Unlocked is a very unique community membership model. I'm in and around the community building space, and I've never seen anything like it.

One of the unique qualities of Wix Unlocked, is that I offer a CEU (Continued Education Unit) for my members, similar to nursing professionals and educators. My CEUs are in the form of credits equal to 100% of the membership. That means, each member earns back 100% of their membership fee. And, they can use it on my:

• digital products (i.e. courses, workshops, classes),
• services (i.e. Wix in Six, Wix Joy),
• or gift their earned CEUs in the form of a scholarship (i.e. invite a friend or someone in need).

The purpose of offering a CEU is to reward you for learning with me. For example: you can redeem your CEU on a course when it makes sense to do so for you or the stage of your business. Plus, you can ask as many questions as you want to get the direct custom support online courses don't provide. And, you can connect with others to learn & grow too.

Since, we are a very small group right now, I realize that the draw is working closely with me.

So, in addition to providing communication about my time away, I also provided extra CEUs to account for the time that I'm not active in the community.

In the coming months, I'm planning to do an official launch for the community. However, you're welcome to join us early if it makes sense for you.

Because we are a small group, it's likely you'll receive more 1:1 support from me. Currently, for the first round of founding members, I am providing a lifetime discount of 50%. As a founding member, you get all the benefits already mentioned, plus you help shape the community and its offerings through your feedback.

Learn more and join 💡 Wix Unlocked >

Oh, and remember, I'm taking my time away, so you can join today and choose July 18th as your start date or earn extra CEUs while I'm away:

What I'm learning by taking time away.

I'm learning how to build my own business with intention. Like I do for others, I need to practice this more often for myself.

I'm learning that even a business without a team can take time away and survive. I need to communicate with others and trust in myself more often.

I'm learning that by modeling the life I want to live — and designing my business around that life — I start to attract more of people that value what I value too. I need to become more confident in living into my values. This is a big part of what I plan to build with Wix Unlocked.

I am also learning that I haven't lost anything by taking time away. I used to think I would lose clients, money, focus, time, and more.

Instead, I feel like I've gained so much. I'm feeling more connected to my partner & family. I'm finding great people to work with. My energy and mental capacity feels more full. I'm finding the time I spend is time I enjoy more. And, I have a new outlook on what's coming next.

It's the first time both my partner and I are taking time away, together, in a long while. After writing this edition, I know we'll be doing this more.

Last year, I wrote about how taking a break is good for you. Check it out.

How Teams can create space for time away

My partner and I are a team of two.

So, I'm going to call in for some support here and share a resource I found incredibly helpful for how to take time away with a team. It was also motivating to gain this guidance before I took my own time away. Listen below.

🎙️ Making a marketing strategy from scratch - with Joana Galvao

This podcast with Joana Galvao, founder of GiF Design Studios, provides key insights on: 

• Efficiency: Learn to create and automate a successful marketing funnel.
• Work-Life Balance: Discover how to structure your business for balance - Joana took four months maternity leave without checking email once.
• Actionable Steps: A free workbook helps listeners implement the strategies discussed. 

This podcast from Chris Do @ The Futur can provide you with a roadmap toward achieving success and maintaining a work-life balance.

While the idea of taking time away is similar to taking a break, vacation, holiday, etc. — each type should have a similar goal:

Time away is meant to be restorative.

I hope you, too, can find time for your own version of time away.

👋🏼 Let me know how I can help. I'll reply when I get back from my own time away.

Enjoy,

Matt

Whenever you're ready, here are 3 ways I can help you:

1. 🖥️ Wix in Six — Get a personalized, professionally-designed website for your organization in 6 weeks using my proven 6-phase process. Collaborate with me to clarify your vision, map out a solid strategy, add your personal touch, and launch your website with confidence.
2. 🎉 Wix Joy — Start a monthly subscription service providing hassle-free and top-notch quality Wix website development, offering lightning-fast delivery and a joyful experience for Wix website owners to run your business with confidence, avoiding unreliable freelancers and expensive agencies.
3. 💡 Wix Unlocked — Join my Wix-focused online community to get online business training & website support when you need it. Get unlimited asynchronous support from me, connect with other values-driven entrepreneurs, and learn with access to my collection of courses and training. Receive a dollar for dollar credit every month you're a member (redeemable on my courses, workshops, and services mentioned above).