Rethinking How We Do Online Business: Centering an Ethos of Love

May 27

Have you ever returned to work after time away and just thought, God, I am BORING? No? Just me? Well, friends, if you’ve been around a while - whether you’re reading this on LinkedIn, my website, or on my Instagram account as a carousel - you know that I’ve always struggled with the sense that you have to sacrifice the wholeness of yourself to be in business online.

I’ve tried over and over again to fit myself into this tiny little business box, making the box all different shapes, sizes, and colors so that I could better stomach the way I eclipsed myself at work.

And we can play devil’s advocate for a minute, sure - let’s get it out of our systems. If you’re more than your brand, you confuse the buyer. People might not know what you do if you have too many offerings. It’s easier to sell to a buyer persona. Pain points, targeted marketing, sales funnel, bam.

I say fuck that. Truly, fuck all of that.

It just doesn’t work for me. The problem, dear reader, is that I like myself too much. I’m cool. I have an exciting life. I want you to know that you aren’t just working with some SEO or copywriter when you work with me.

Oh, no.

You’re working with:

A writer. (Don’t say duh; I mean a writer like a novel writer; one day I shall write a novel)
A world traveler
An adult child in recovery
A wife and a dog mom
A yoga teacher
A former EMT
An aerial artist
A lover of Impressionist artworks
Someone slightly obsessed with the six ways the universe will(may) end. It can only be one of the six.
A book addict
And ultimately, a flawed human being who is limitless, doing her best, and isn’t afraid to show that off anymore.

Isn’t there something alluring about someone who knows who they are?

I want to be clear: I’m not saying we should dismiss obvious expertise or actionable tips entirely. I’m just over the two-dimensionality of social media.

More than that, I’m truly over people in my industry selling their lives as the life you could have. I have no interest in marketing my lifestyle to you. I’d rather be brutally honest and vulnerable in sharing pieces like this and showing up in a way that feels authentic rather than sanitized.

Actionable Tips Still Matter

I can give you some answers. We can talk about your business all day, from brand and messaging strategy to how to adapt to Google’s 500th SEO update, why long-form content on your website is still important, and why your website needs to be updated. I’ve got you. I do. Part of what I do on my social media channels is give answers and actionable tips as much as possible.

I love helping my clients, potential clients, and colleagues, and I operate in the healthcare industry to help. I’ve been there and want to help you help others.

Accurate patient education is more vital than ever when moral outrage is at an all-time high and we don’t have the skills to sit in discomfort with one another.

Strong marketing materials are essential for healthcare businesses that want to stay in business. We can’t escape these facts, and I’m not interested in trying.

... But I Do Too

However, I believe that showing up as my whole self is also a way of helping. When we show up as ourselves - unapologetically - we give others permission to do the same. Beyond simply feeling good to do, I believe that vulnerability is necessary to navigate the years ahead joyfully and successfully.

As I said, I went on vacation to Paris. It was not my first jaunt in the City of Lights, a place near and dear to my heart. I had a lot of time to read a book by Brene Brown on her research about shame in women and listen to podcast interviews she conducted with researchers about handling things beyond the scope of what humanity was built to handle - like social media and AI.

So Here's How I'm Looking to the Future

One was with Amy Webb, a long-term strategist who gives a talk at South by Southwest every year, giving tech insights for the coming year. She discussed with Brown the technology “supercycle” we’re in—when three technologies evolve at the same time, rapidly, and build on one another. The three are artificial intelligence, wearable devices, and biotechnology.

She shared that she’s seen companies her firm, the Future Today Institute works with making horrible short-term decisions in the past year because of the incredible uncertainty we’re currently living in. No one’s willing to sit in the uncertainty long enough to think long-term or wait to see how these technologies evolve.

That, she said, is not a good sign.

Webb said, “Business leaders are asking what the answer is to AI. Is it Python? What tech do I need to get through this? And I say no. It’s vulnerability. It’s meaningful connection.”

Listening to this podcast and having just finished a book that proposed empathy as the antidote for shame, I thought we’d need more empathy, vulnerability, and willingness not to know all the answers in the coming years. We’ll need to be willing to consider the question, “What if everyone I meet is doing the best they can with the tools they have?”

As I flew home, I couldn’t fathom returning to social media and promoting my business in such a two-dimensional way. I want to have conversations about where technology is heading and how we’re scared about it.

I want to talk about how so much marketing, especially on social media, where everything is a highlight reel, preys on fear and shame. Shame around how we look. How we live. Where we’re at or not at. How much money we make. How we parent. Our relationships.

I want to talk about how we are not alone.

I want to discuss how, with a different blueprint, we can sell our services and products and thrive in the years ahead. I want to forge a new path together.

Can we show up as our whole selves? Can we connect with clients who want to work with someone who cares as much about expertise as they do about having an ethos of compassion and connection in their business? Can we conduct our business with more than just the bottom line in mind?

I think so. I think we have to.

I’m not naive enough to believe I can change the world. I believe I can have some impact in my small corner of it. I hope you see that for yourself, too.

Now You Can Work with a Service Provider Who Shares Your Vision

When you work with Camille Prairie Creative Co., you'll get the chance to work with professionals who are just as excited to make an impact in our tiny corner of the world as you are.

Through our copy, our SEO services, and digital marketing support, we'll help you help others.

Let's build a better future together.