Owning our mistakes (and letting people own theirs)

March 23, 2022

We shouldn’t be afraid to own our mistakes in business – or admit we’ve changed our opinion about something. It’s actually really healthy.

In this episode of the Courageous Content Podcast, I talk about why I believe recognising our mistakes – and owning them – is not only ok (it’s both normal and healthy).

You can listen to the podcast or read the blog version below.

I recently published a podcast episode that ruffled a few feathers.

The episode was about why I don’t do affiliate launches. Some critics pointed to a podcast episode I’d made a few years earlier entitled: how to make money from affiliate marketing.

I’ve never said I don’t agree with affiliate marketing – my podcast episode was about why I don’t do affiliate launches. And my views on both matters haven’t changed (I state clearly in the ‘old’ podcast that I don’t get involved in affiliate launches).

But even if I had changed my mind that’s ok, right?

We shouldn’t be afraid to own our mistakes in business – or admit we’ve changed our opinion about something. It’s actually really healthy.

I’ve recorded a number of podcast episodes recently about some unhealthy practices in the online business space, including.

Is it time to shake up the online coaching industry?
Do you care whether I’m a 6 or 7 figure business owner
Why I don’t do affiliate launches

Which hasn’t come out of the blue. If you’ve been following me on social media for a while – you may remember a video I made of me working ‘from the beach’ in the town where I live in north Kent – on a particularly industrial stretch of the River Thames. I’m sitting on a beach towel on a pebbly beach, wearing my coat and hat with industrial chimneys in the backdrop (from the local cement works).

What has changed is my understanding of the issues. In the podcast episode, I made two years ago on how to make money from affiliate marketing I do talk about how much you can get paid for promoting big affiliate programmes. I also clearly state that I would take part in one.

And as I share honestly in my recent episode on whether it’s time to shake up the coaching industry – I knew I didn’t feel comfortable doing big affiliate launches. I just don’t think I understood enough about the industry to say why.

A few years down the line, my understanding of the industry has developed. I’ve also done more research.

To that end, I’d like to share some resources I’ve found helpful to develop my understanding of the issues.

Duped podcast with Michelle Mazur and Maggie Patterson

The Online Business Show with Tyler McCall

Anne Haeusler blog: dear online marketing: it can’t go on like this

Coffeezilla – interview with Jordan Harbinger on Fake Guru Scams

Tarzan Kay – interview on the Get Paid Podcast (I feel a lot of conflict about things I did)

I’d be the first to say I’m still learning about the issues – and understanding the mistakes I’ve made. I’m still unravelling my part but I think I’ve:

Relied too heavily on income marketing claims and got sucked into the 6 and 7 business owner rhetoric – because I felt that that was the only thing people wanted to listen to.
Not considered my own privilege and how that has made it easier for me build my online business For example in my episode on whether you should invest in my 90 Day Launch Sprint, I talked about being a professional writer by trade – and a qualified teacher- and how that has impacted on my success.
Although I’ve never really got into the mindset stuff, I know I’ve been guilty of judging clients unfairly (privately not publicly) about not taking action in their business i.e. ‘If I can do this with a family and other caring responsibilities, why can’t you?’. Part of this may be down to my own neurodiversity (which is an explanation not an excuse) but greater awareness of this has helped me see things differently

I’m still learning and getting things wrong

And it’s not easy doing your learning ‘in a public space. I feel it will take time for me to fully understand the issues and implement change. PLUS I want to make sure I am making changes from an honest and ‘true’ place – not because the people I am learning from are doing it – and I feel it’s what I ‘should’ do.

But here are some changes I’ve made:

Talking more openly about client results (and not just using income claims or fancy numbers)
Reintroducing payment plans at no added costs and talking more about the subsidised places I offer on my programmes
Starting conversations with the communities on my Facebook page – and on Instagram.

I definitely don’t have all the answers, but I’d love to invite you to a conversation with me about it.