You’re looking at a girl who has shown up for seven years and never taken a break from posting on social media. I have a lot of stuff archived so it may not seem so by the numbers…but for example, I took my Instagram recently from 6900 images to almost 1900. WOW. 6900 images, that’s a LOT of posting.

First things first…I JUST pressed the issue of needing to show up if you are trying to start a business. I absolutely believe in this. If you are trying to launch a brand, build a brand new business, share a new product, change up your service or demographic…you gotta show up A LOT. And consistently, for a while! If you keep showing up, people know you’re there… and that’s the beauty of organic, social media marketing. And I didn’t just do that in the beginning…I, Amanda Hedgepeth, have literally never stopped doing that for seven years. 

If you’ve been trying to get your business off the ground or to another level and you’re constantly saying whoops…I never post! Or, yeah I post once a month or every couple of months but you’re trying to grow your business, that’s not good. The potential easy fix could be to make a plan to show up over and over and over. You can create content in batches and schedule it out nicely spreading it out through the weeks and months. And I don’t mean 10 posts a day, just spread out GOOD content that is offering your service consistently. Once a day? Twice? Three times a week? As long as you keep going…you’re doing GOOD.

So the idea of taking an intentional social media hiatus for me is a really beautiful AND BRAVE (because doing something outside of your comfort zone is brave) thing. As a boss to myself…I’m pretty strict (lol) and I have high standards for myself which is the exact reason I’ve never stopped sharing and posting for seven years. I’ve blogged over 900 times. I’ve posted over 10,000 times on social media. And I just hired a team (virtual email assistant and social media manager) this year – so the majority of that was completely on my own.

So why is this little mama who runs a BUSY business taking a break? And for how long? And will I be reachable at all? ALL THINGS ANSWERED BELOW!

1. Why I am taking a break: Simply put: I NEVER HAVE. Posting life and business is so second nature to me that sometimes I think of doing things in term of posts and it’s just become too second nature. I know that’s because the business woman in me loves to keep up that organic marketing strategy, but I need to know what life is like without that.

2. What good I hope to come from this: First, a heart and soul (my 2018 word of the year) full of inspiration that feels lighter and refreshed. Secondly, a BIG helpful blog post for our readers to be able to connect with and learn from. I KNOW I am far from the only person who feels this way when it comes to needing a little (or…big?) social media break.

3. When I’m coming back… I don’t know! Really, I don’t. I didn’t want to put an end date on it. I love that my friend Christina Boyce didn’t specify during her break either, but popped in a few weeks later to say hi, I’m okay! And then left again…haha!

4. What I’m NOT doing: Posting on or checking Facebook or Instagram. **HOWEVER** I have a social media manager I adore who will be corresponding with people in her voice and redirecting any inquiries to my email.

5. What I AM still doing: Newsletters, blogging & emailing! IF YOU NEED ME…PLEASE EMAIL ME! amanda@amandahedgepeth.com (but definitely do that even when I’m not on a social media break because DM’s are not the best contact method!)

I am so thankful that I have a team to help me out, but it will be SO interesting to take a break for a girl who just…hasn’t. Ever. What a way to start out 2018! I am so goal oriented and this has been on my radar too long not to go for it 🙂

2018 for me is about meaningful content. So many of the posts I archived were materialistic (probably not to others but to me) and what I’m all about is the simple life, cheerfulness and joy in the small things, our clients who have beautiful souls and our family. Any posts coming to you in 2018 are deeply from my heart.

A rested heart.

Here’s a little video about this hiatus:

THANK YOU GUYS! Again, our email is amanda@amandahedgepeth or mike@amandahedgepeth.com. Love you all! More ways to keep connected and in touch below!:

Five Waves Newsletter (for Outer Banks and beach lovers): Sign up HERE 
Salt Air Entrepreneur (balancing work and life and finding joy in a simpler life): Sign up HERE
This blog you’re on right now!: amandahedgepethblog.com

And a little (big) haircut happened between recording the video and posting this blog 🙂 Happy New Year!!!

xoxo,

Want to keep up with an Outer Banks mama of three sweet (and oh so wild!) little girls shooting weddings & small business photography while making time for the things that matter most? Click on the links below and let’s connect!
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