5 Business Hacks That Feel Like Cheating (But Totally Aren't)
Host: Dr. Tasia Eraseren
Podcast: Let's Get Unsexy
Episode Overview
Well hello, classmates! Class is in session, and we're talking about business hacks that feel like cheating but totally aren't. This is entrepreneurship 101, y'all - no gurus here, just sisters in Christ trying to figure it out together.
By the end of this episode, you'll have five hacks you can put into practice right away. No burnout required - that's my whole motto over here.
What We're Covering in Class Today
- Why keeping it simple is actually one of the smartest money-saving moves you'll ever make
- How keywords act like your business GPS to help customers actually find you (because there's nothing worse than creating all these fabulous products and it's just crickets)
- The difference between product photos and lifestyle photos that are Pinterest and Instagram-worthy
- The truth about pricing and why courage pays off
- The biggest hack of all: trusting yourself as a Christian entrepreneur in this noisy, competitive market
The 5 Business Hacks
Hack #1: Keep It Simple
Listen, classmates - people are honestly kind of boring, and that's not a bad thing!
The Story: Last summer my cousins were working in my business and one of them said, "Your customers order the same thing over and over." And she was right. People want white acrylic, then black, and really there's no "and then."
The Lesson: I used to order all these different colors - pink glitter, mauve, terracotta, burgundy, hot pink. $300 later, I had all this acrylic and guess what? Same old colors people wanted.
The Hack: Focus on what people actually gravitate towards. Boring often pays the bills. Now I just order white, clear, black, and keep it simple. This saves you money and reduces business expenses as you grow.
Hack #2: Keywords as Your Compass
Pinterest and YouTube are search engines, y'all. That means people search for the same topics over and over, year after year.
The Power: I have pins from five years ago that people are still finding, still clicking on, still going to my website from. It's like having a salesperson working for you 24/7.
How to Use It: If you sell handmade items, you might not make gift baskets, but if "Christian gift basket" is a popular keyword, you can show your sign being used IN a gift basket. Keywords inform you what people are looking for and how you can position your products.
Action Step: Check out last week's episode for the step-by-step on using keywords, and grab my free Pinterest strategy download on my website.
Hack #3: Photos That Tell a Story
I learned this one the hard way, classmates. You need two types of photos:
Website Photos: Clean, direct shots of just the product with a white background Social Media Photos: Lifestyle shots that tell a story and create context
My Setup: I literally have a board in my house painted white with command strips and a shelf, staged like a nursery. When I make something, I can snap a picture before shipping it out to the customer.
The Difference: Website photos show what they're getting. Lifestyle photos show how to use it, create emotion, and outperform basic product shots on Pinterest and Instagram.
DIY Tip: Get poster board from Dollar Tree if you need a clean background. People won't know the difference.
Hack #4: Pricing with Courage
Y'all, this is where you got to have courage because sometimes you get nervous or timid about what to charge.
Real Talk: I raised one product from $42 to $62 randomly (well, Jesus was leading me). Orders are down for me because of the economy, but revenue-wise I'm only a little lower than last year because I raised my prices.
The Test: I also stopped offering free shipping and started charging for it separately. I thought it would tank my sales, but it hasn't affected orders at all.
The Question: What would happen if you added a $5 or $20 price increase? Would you lose sales or would you gain confidence and a healthier profit margin?
Sometimes we charge too low because of our lack of confidence. You got to test it out.
Hack #5: Trust (The Most Important One)
This is the biggest one, classmates. You're not just trusting in your God-given ability to run this business - you're trusting in the one who created entrepreneurship.
The Reality: Entrepreneurship is scary. I was failing left and right. But during that time, my discernment was built up. I learned that taking a pause isn't failure - it's gaining more strength and confidence.
The Truth: Jesus be smooth, y'all. He knows how to maneuver us. Some things we think we're doing, it's actually him. He knows that failure is going to teach us way more than just winning consistently.
The Question: Where are you in your business, and what have you been second-guessing? What would shift if you trusted in your God-given ability to run your business?
Quick Recap
- Keep it simple - Boring often pays the bills
- Use keywords like your business GPS to guide your decisions
- Take pictures that tell a story, not just show a product
- Price with confidence - you've got to have courage when it comes to pricing
- Trust in your God-led ability to be an entrepreneur
These hacks might feel small, but they create ripple effects in your business when you actually use them and believe in them.
Resources Mentioned
- Last week's episode on keywords (detailed step-by-step)
- Free Pinterest Strategy Ebook (available on website)
- Upcoming Q&A episode - get on the email list to submit questions
Connect with Dr. Tasia
Remember, classmates - when we come here, we come as we are. We're all vulnerable, learning and growing from one another. No perfection here. When I say "let's get unsexy," we really are.
If this episode blessed you, please leave a review and reach out!
Be blessed and take care. Until next week, goodbye!
This is the Let's Get Unsexy podcast - entrepreneurship 101 for sisters in Christ who are just trying to figure it out together.