Five Reasons to Join The Creative Empire

I did something a few weeks ago a little out of character for me:  I joined The Creative Empire, an online forum for, well, creative types.

Mind you, I'm not opposed to forums at all ... I just don't usually go out of my way to join them and honestly don't have a lot of time to spend in them.

But this one ... this is different.  I like what the founders, Tara Gentile and Meg Aumen, are out to accomplish.  I like their business sense and direction.  And I like (and need) the like-minded community of creative professionals out to change the world.

So here are five reasons, my reasons, to join The Creative Empire:

1.  Three really great blogs:  Scoutie Girl, Big Thinking for Small Businesses, and Crafting an MBA.  Megan and Tara, the founders of The Creative Empire are the owners, minds and voices behind these must read blogs.

2.  A safe place.  You must log in to be able to read or respond to the forum - you have a safe place to talk about your business questions, ideas, concerns.  There are many, many business-related topics I wouldn't discuss on a public forum, searchable via Google, but no worries here!

3.  Really, really great resources.  From Tara.  From Megan.  From your peers.  Member-only resources (yay!).  These are very smart, driven, successful business people, all with little itty businesses but with BIG ideas.  I've appreciated learning from all of them.

4.  The other members.  I was a little skeptical at first, I'll admit (not being a forum kind of gal), but was instantly reassured when I saw who some of the members are.  Peers and colleagues whom I absolutely trust, who are smart, driven, and run their businesses at a completely different level.

5.  You've been wanting, longing, to bring your own business to a new level, but feel a bit lost.  Let me tell you, I firmly believe the only thing standing between you and absolute success is ... you.  (Just as my biggest obstacle is ... me.)  This is a great resource for you to start "trying on" new ideas, mind sets, techniques, processes, strategies.  I've been teaching myself about online marketing and business strategy for the last year or more.  It doesn't come naturally to me at all, but have slowly been trying, implementing, tweaking, with huge differences in my own business.  This is a GREAT forum for this alone:  new ideas, perhaps even brand spanking new ideas to you, for you to try out.  I can't recommend that highly enough.

6.  A bonus reason!  If you belong to a forum on your particular online marketplace ... really, how often do you participate?  They're not very pleasant, with poor business advice, public fighting and bashing, and complaining with very little action.  This is NOT that type of forum (yay!).

The links in this post are affiliate links, meaning if you decide to sign up, I receive a small percentage of your subscription price.  I think it's important that you know this, not only because the FTC requires affiliate disclosure, but also because I don't post every affiliate link I come across.  Only the ones that I've experienced first hand and really, really believe in.  Also, if you're uncomfortable joining through an affiliate link for whatever the reason, just join without, using this link, 100% affiliate free.  (Of course, I am eternally appreciative to those joining through my affiliate link for The Creative Empire.)