There’s a very clear path when you start writing online.

At some point, you’re supposed to take what you’re doing and turn it into something teachable. Structure it. Name it. Build it into a course or program others can follow.

I understand that path. I’ve spent years in business doing exactly that. It’s familiar. It works.

And I’ve felt myself pulled in that direction more than once while writing my novels.

Each time, something doesn’t sit right.

I notice it before I can explain it. A kind of resistance that shows up in my body. Then my mind catches up and starts making the case anyway. I can do this.

That’s usually how it works.

I started writing fiction because I couldn’t stop thinking about the women I wrote about in my last container gardening book. They stayed with me. After I published it, I missed their stories.

So I brought them to Substack and started writing chapters in public. One each week. Just to keep going.

Somewhere along the way, I began noticing how I work inside a story. What I follow. What I ignore. What I trust without fully knowing why.

And I started to see the conflict.

The more I tried to shape this into something structured, something teachable, the more it pulled me out of the work itself. It stopped feeling like writing and started feeling like managing.

I’ve done that before.

I’m in the middle of writing my second novel now. That’s where my attention is.

So I’m not building a course. I’m writing the book. And staying with it.

It Only Takes One

There are days when I know exactly what I’m going to do.

The next step is clear. I don’t have to think about it. I just have to sit down and begin.

And then something comes in.

An email. An idea. Something I wasn’t looking for catches my attention.

Just like that, I can see it. How it would work. Who it would help. Where it could go.

That familiar feeling starts to build.

This is it.

It feels real in that moment. Almost more real than what I had already planned to do. More interesting. More alive.

I’ve followed that feeling more times than I can count. Built things from it. Let it take the lead because it felt right in the moment.

Sometimes it was.

And if I follow it, even a little, the day shifts.

Not all at once. Just enough to move me away from what I had already decided mattered.

That’s been my pattern for years. Like a kid in a candy shop.

Message to self:

It took over a year to figure this out.

Now I discard it immediately. Don’t look. Don’t peek. Don’t save it for later.

And get back to writing my novel.

Have you ever been completely clear on what you want to do… and still felt pulled away from it by new ideas?

I’m writing the book. And staying with it.

To see it unfold, you’re in the right place.

Stay with the story

Three years ago, I built a scene in Canva for a book I was writing called Riley’s Garden Oasis. This isn’t a normal gardening book. I decided to make it a story with characters. Creative nonfiction. Every chapter of the book has an image I created in Canva. I approached each one to represent where Riley lived and what her world looked like.

I pulled in photos of pots I had used with clients over the years, one at a time. Pots, overflowing annuals. Color combinations I knew worked because I’d grown thousands millions in the desert.

I think there were about forty-five elements in the image below, by the time I was done.

Nothing matched at first. I moved and resized them, trying to make them sit in the same space. I didn’t expect perfection. It just needed to be enough for me to believe it.

That image became part of Riley’s book and has always been my favorite. It’s Ben’s house and Riley lives next door. Novels don’t typically have images and I don’t plan to have any in my Women of the Canyon series.

But recently, someone questioned my use of AI images in my posts.

I decided to do an experiment.

I gave ChatGPT (aka, Niros) the image above and said, “Replicate it.” It came back exactly like mine. That makes sense. Niros just copied it. But it made suggestions to improve it and I said ok.

Here’s one.

This got me thinking. What else could Niros do with the image?

So I asked, “Zoom back from the house and make room for a fire pit and rustic comfortable chairs around it. The fire is lit with gentle smoke coming up and there is an open gate.”

In Echo Canyon, at both Riley’s and Ben’s houses, there is a fire pit. I explained to Niros that this is Ben’s house and he has an old rocking chair there. I asked to replace one chair with the rocker.

I liked this image a lot, but realized that it needed the people. We had created the main characters of my Echo Canyon world, just so I had the likenesses if I ever wanted them. I gave them to Niros.

And here is the final result.

I could have never done this on my own. Even in Canva.

Niros (AI) created this for me in less than 15 minutes. We created one scene in my world of Echo Canyon - just for fun. Yes, doing it my way, I will use it in posts, as it builds interest and is engaging.

Why not?

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Not the story itself, but the feeling people wrote back about.

That sense of not wanting to leave.

(If you missed it, you can read it here.)

It made me realize I’ve been building something here without fully naming it.

Who I’m Here For

This is a place for women who have been the supporting character long enough.

I write fiction about women in their sixties and seventies who are navigating change, choice, and what comes next. This work matters because Baby Boomer women are not often given center stage. We are still curious, still evolving, still willing to change our minds and our lives. That doesn’t disappear with age. If anything, it becomes clearer.

I’m 73, and I’ve planned a five-book series called Women of the Canyon.

The Ongoing Track, Entry No. 1

In my 30s, someone told me I had too many interests. If I would just focus on one thing, they said, I’d be wildly successful. In my 40s, the language softened. I was “multi-passionate.” It sounded better, but it still carried the same message underneath, that something about the way I moved through the world needed to be managed or narrowed.

In my 50s, I found myself teaching others to focus. I even used a metaphor about train tracks. Stay on the rails. Don’t divert. Pick a direction and go. It worked for many people. But it never quite fit me, and if I’m honest, I wasn’t living it myself.

I have always had more than one thing going. At first it was about survival. Then it became curiosity. Over time, it became something closer to joy. I learned that what mattered was not choosing one track, but making sure the tracks ran close enough that I could still see the connection between them.

Now, in my 70s, I’m doing it again. Two tracks. Fiction, and something else that I didn’t set out to build but recognize now as equally alive.

I’m not trying to simplify that. I’m deepening it.

The Truth I Didn’t Expect

When I began sharing this work, I thought I was offering a story. That seemed straightforward enough.

But the responses I received weren’t about plot or structure or what would happen next. They were about the experience of being with these women. Readers told me they wanted to stay longer, to sit with them, to remain inside that space a little while more.

That’s when I understood something I hadn’t set out to discover.

I’m not simply offering a story. I’m creating a place people don’t want to leave.

Once I saw that, everything shifted. What I share, what I hold back, how I write, and how I continue all began to organize themselves around that understanding.

Track Two: What I’m Noticing As I Build This

Alongside the fiction, something else has been unfolding. It also wasn’t planned, and I didn’t recognize it at first. It showed up as short reflections, Notes, pieces of thought that felt complete enough to share but didn’t belong to the fiction itself.

They weren’t instruction and they weren’t meant to be. They were simply observations, written in the moment, as things became clear to me.

Women began responding to those Notes in a way I didn’t expect. They weren’t asking how to write a novel or how to structure a story. They were recognizing something in themselves. They wrote about remembering, about beginning again, about seeing a version of themselves they hadn’t given permission to exist in a long time.

“You’re doing what I didn’t know I was allowed to want.”

“I’m watching. I’m remembering what I still have in me.”

“I didn’t think it was possible to begin again. Until now.”

That’s when we all begin to pay closer attention. Or we need to be. I’ve been keeping notes for myself as I go, noticing what draws people in, what creates a sense of connection, and what allows something to continue rather than end.

I don’t think of this as a separate track anymore. It comes from the same place as the fiction. It simply reveals a different angle of it.

Two Tracks. One Truth.

I’m not choosing between these two tracks. I’m not streamlining or narrowing what this is. Both the fiction and what I’m noticing alongside it are part of the same movement.

One lives inside the story. The other lives just outside it, close enough to see what’s happening as it unfolds.

Together, they create something that feels complete.

For the woman reading this right now, whispering, “Me too.”

If You’re Here

If you’re here for the fiction, stay close. The next chapter is already on its way.

If something in the Notes has stirred something in you, you’re not imagining it. That thread is worth following.

And if you feel both at once, if you recognize yourself in the story and in the reflections around it, then you’re exactly who this was meant for.

This is the ongoing track. Not an ending, and not a pivot. Just the next mile, taken with a little more awareness than before.

Let’s go 🚀

Don’t miss your weekly Dose of fiction below!

Hello friends,

This week in Daily Dose of Fiction we are exploring what it means to begin again later in life. Not in spite of our age, but because of it. 

Daily Dose of Fiction – Dare to Begin Again (Day 1)

Invisible. Until it was time to pay.

Skylar only wanted a compressor.

The clerk decided she needed a husband.

That was his mistake.

The hardware store air smelled faintly of rubber hoses and sawdust. Skylar leaned on the cart, pointing toward a row of compressors. “That one should work for the garden irrigation.”

They waited. Clerks passed by, eyes sliding past them like they weren’t there. Finally, one stopped, a young man with a polite smile. “You might want to wait for your husband to help choose,” he said.

Skylar’s jaw tightened. “He’ll be waiting at home. We’ll take that one.”

Val let out a sharp laugh, pushing the cart forward. “And while we’re at it, let’s shop appliances.” She rattled off model numbers, filling a clipboard until the clerk’s eyebrows climbed. By the time they wheeled everything to customer service, the women were half-giddy with defiance.

At lunch, they named what had happened: underestimated, dismissed, invisible.

As they climbed into Skylar’s SUV, Val shook her head. “Funny how we’re invisible until it’s time to swipe a credit card.”

“Why does it still sting? One trip to the hardware store and suddenly we are invisible again.”

The car went quiet. Everyone had felt it too.

Raven’s face lit up their dashboard screen, bright as sunlight. “I’m glad I caught you. Sorry I missed the fun. How about lunch at the ranch on Wednesday?”

Her smile held a secret.

Daily Dose of Fiction – Dare to Begin Again (Day 2)

Too much change can be just that…

Too much. Especially when something is missing. 

Riley leaned against the drafting table, watching two of her interns sketch out a new housing prototype. Their pencils moved with the certainty of people who believed the world was waiting for them.

She tried to summon that spark, the pulse of creation that once kept her awake past midnight, chasing lines across paper until they sang. Now her role was to guide, correct, nod at innovations she was not even sure she liked.

The interns laughed, swapping ideas with the kind of bravado Riley remembered well. She smiled, but a question pressed in: Had she already done her best work?

That evening she called Quinn, who was in Japan. The hologram flickered before resolving into her friend’s face. “How are the projects?” Quinn asked.

“They’re fine,” Riley said, too quickly. Then she added, softer, “But I’m not. I want more than this. Maybe not work exactly, but something. A reason to wake up excited.”

Quinn studied her, silent for a moment. “Then maybe it’s time you stopped coasting.”

The words landed like a stone in Riley’s chest. She exhaled slowly. “Can you join the others on a call this week? Raven wants us at the ranch.”

Quinn’s eyes warmed. “I’ll be there.”

But Riley still felt the ache. She could name what was missing, but not yet what would fill it.

Daily Dose of Fiction – Dare to Begin Again (Day 3)

The table on Raven’s porch groaned under platters of grilled vegetables, cornbread, and peach cobbler. “So,” Raven said, leaning back in her chair, “how was shopping?”

Skylar raised an eyebrow. “Let’s just say compressors and refrigerators aren’t for women our age. At least not according to the staff.”

“They didn’t see us,” Val added. “Not really. Just three old women pushing carts.”

Quinn’s hologram hovered at the head of the table, her image shimmering in the afternoon light. “Same everywhere,” she said. “I swear, some days I feel like I disappeared the day I retired.”

The conversation turned quiet, forks scraping plates. They spoke of legacy, of wanting more than the roles handed to them.

Raven pushed back her chair. “Come on. I want to show you something.”

They followed her into the barn, the scent of hay and warm animals wrapping around them. A mare nickered softly, nudging a newborn foal closer. The foal’s legs trembled as it struggled, then found its balance.

“Age doesn’t set the start button,” Raven said gently, stroking the mare’s flank. “See? She began again today. No number stamped on her side, just the will to rise.”

The women stood in silence, watching the foal wobble forward.

Val’s eyes stung. “If only it were that easy for us.”

Raven glanced back. “Who says it isn’t? That foal wasn’t ready. But it stood. That’s the secret. You don’t wait. You begin.”

The canyon seemed to hold its breath, waiting…

Daily Dose of Fiction – Dare to Begin Again (Day 4)

Skylar set her notebook on the kitchen table, staring at the stack of marked-up drafts beside it. Three novels sat on her bookshelf with her name on the spine, proof of a career that had taken her from dusty dig sites to university lecture halls.

Jim walked in with two mugs of tea, sliding one toward her. “You’ve done more than most,” he said, as if reading her thoughts.

She smiled faintly, picking up her phone. With a swipe, the photo appeared: Raven’s foal, legs splayed, eyes wide with newness. She turned the screen so Jim could see.

“He stood up within minutes,” she whispered. “No one told him he was too young, too weak. He just began.”

Jim studied the picture, then her face. “And you think you’re too old?”

The words sank deep. Enough felt like surrender. She thought of all the civilizations she had studied, people who had built, created, written until the very end.

Skylar closed her notebook, fingers brushing the worn leather. Was her purpose complete, or simply waiting for a new form?

She stepped out into the backyard, scooping up a handful of soil from the flower bed. The grains slipped between her fingers, gritty and insistent.

Not finished. Not yet.

She looked back at Jim through the open door. “What if there’s still another story?”

I hope you’re enjoying these stories. I’ll send out the rest of this week’s stories after I post them.

Did you vote on the poll? Your thoughts matter. Of course you can always reply to this email. Thank you!

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Less Than 1 Year Ago

When I first began writing on Substack, I was excited to write fiction and share chapters weekly with subscribers. It was a newfound passion. Posting to Substack gave me a place and self-imposed accountability.

Wanting to grow my list, I followed the advice of many marketing experts and turned to creating a nonfiction connection to my fiction. I’ve spent several months moving in this direction.

And it worked… to a point.

My time has been split between stories and nonfiction (Life’s Threads), and I’m not having as much fun as I was when focused solely on fiction.

Just the other night, I thought, “Why not write the nonfiction Threads through the eyes and conversations of my characters?” And I quickly rewrote this week's Life’s Threads piece as a dialogue among the five women of Women of the Canyon.

Read the new edition now.

A Full ⭕️

Once again, I’ve come full circle: I will no longer write nonfiction about life’s lessons as they relate to my stories.

I can’t wait to concentrate 💯% on writing fiction. In fact, as of today, I’ve started

I now write Life’s Threads through the eyes and wisdom of my fictional characters. They will be the ones sitting at the table, asking the questions, offering the insights, and holding the mirrors up to our lives. Their conversations become a bridge: fiction that reveals truth, stories that spark reflection. My job is to invite you into the circle.

Life’s Threads isn’t about lessons handed down. It’s about moments shared. Fiction that feels true enough to spark your own reflection. At the end of each Life’s Thread story, you’ll find a few prompts to carry with you, threads to tug on in your journal or conversations.

Three types of fiction - All Free on Substack

Same characters throughout - women, in later life seeking their purpose, friendships and perhaps, a legacy

📕 Chapters from the Women of the Canyon series - weekly when I’m actively writing the books. I won’t be writing new chapters when I’m editing a book for publication.

🗓️ Daily Dose of Fiction - short daily stories centered on a weekly theme of friendship, connections and purpose. Featuring the characters from my novels.

💫 Life’s Threads - Another short story taken from the weekly Daily Dose theme, along with a few journal prompts to help you explore the stories more deeply. And link them to your own.

I appreciate you. Come along for the ride - Subscribe today. It’s all free.

Get all of the stories

Ps. If you’re wondering how I make any money, I’ll be asking you to buy my books when they come out. The first one, Whispers of Echo Canyon with all of these characters, will be out this fall.

Welcome to my 3rd section on Substack. Three, you say?!

Yup!

There are things I want to write about that don’t fit in with my gardening or fiction publications.

And here it is!

Exciting for me, at least.

Here’s the deal. I’m going to keep it all simple. I’ll tell you stories about my business experience, past jobs, growing up in rural New York State.

But mostly, it will be about lessons I learned in my work and as an entrepreneur.

Probably it comes down to, what I wish I knew in my 30’s.

My posts will be:

• Minimalistic

• Uncensored

• Unedited

• Unscheduled

So don’t be looking for a set delivery day. 😱

What’s in it for you? Are you in business for yourself or have a side hustle?

This is a place for reinvention, reflection, and inspiration for women exploring what’s next in your later life.

Whether you’re building a business, pursuing a passion, or crafting a more contented life, this can be your community .

Escape mundane scrolling of posts by reading, not only my point of view, but that of my fictional characters who share their perspectives and insights.

Let me ask you: Has your story evolved over the last 3-7 years? Has it improved? Why are so many women struggling to make it in their life after 50?

I’ll tell you why: Because something’s missing.

(Duh, right?!)

So you’re asking, “What’s the magic answer, Marylee?”

Honestly, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. I’m not here to offer any silver-platter solution. But I can help you stop spending thousands searching for the silver platter. Some programs out there are great!

But none will stick if you haven’t done these four things:

Here’s the List:

1. Ask yourself: What do I want? What’s the one thing I want that can genuinely make me happy?

2. Give yourself permission: Ask What If?

3. Find Your Why: Be honest with yourself. What will get you up in the morning, moving toward your goals?

4. Commit and Focus: Stick to this path for a year. Avoid the temptation to chase shiny objects or swipe your credit card for the next big idea. Every time you pivot away, you move further from your goals.

You can do it. Start today!

Who am I?

I’m Marylee Pangman—entrepreneur, teacher, and author. Over the past 40 years, I’ve helped thousands of career seekers, entrepreneurs, and gardeners define and achieve their goals. I built and sold a niche business when everyone said it wasn’t possible, published two books on gardening, and pivoted four times in my career to shape a life I love. Now, I’m enjoying this chapter by sharing what I’ve learned.

You never know where an idea might lead. You start with a spark—an idea for a new business or product—and think, “This is it!”

You begin the journey, following a path you’ve mapped out. Then, something unexpected comes along, capturing your attention and fueling your passion.

When I started my company, The Contained Gardener, I never imagined it would grow into a business that it would lead me into bidding on high-end projects for malls and hotels or one I’d eventually sell.

At first, it was just a means to an end. I needed a job, and I’d always wanted to start my own business.

Follow along as I share my personal journey of turning a simple idea into a thriving niche service business with annual sales topping $500K. Along the way, you’ll learn the lessons, challenges, and systems that made it scalable and ultimately sellable.

Start with the End in Mind

Before we begin, and because I’m “Doin’ It My Way,”, I’d like to share the next phase of my journey.

When I self-published my second nonfiction book on desert container gardening, the creative nonfiction story Riley’s Garden Oasis, my intention was to leave a legacy of specific techniques for struggling desert gardeners.

But Riley’s book inspired a new passion in my life: writing fiction. And I fell in love with my characters. It’s also given me an inroad to storytelling which I enjoy weaving into my business writing.

Let’s get into it!

How I Built & Sold A $500k Service Biz 💸

I knew I wanted a niche, but it wasn’t until I successfully grew pots of flowers through a long, hot desert summer that an idea finally came to me.

People loved my pots and kept asking: How did you keep them alive? That’s when you know you’ve got a good idea.

But I’ll let you in on a little secret. My passion is not gardening. Yes, I love the results of a well-groomed garden with high color.

My passion is BUSINESS!

➡️ What talent or passion do you have that people need? What do you wish you could do today?

Everyone’s path to purpose looks different. It’s okay if it’s messy. What matters is finding something meaningful to build, one small step at a time.

When you choose your business, ensure it’s something you can do for years.

⏩️ Ask yourself: Can I imagine doing this every day, every week, for the long haul?

Here I am, 30 years after starting this desert gardening business, still writing posts and newsletters, teaching classes, and selling books. When your work aligns with your passion, it becomes second nature—it gets into your blood.

Start Small and Nurture Growth

The first two years of running The Contained Gardener as a solo entrepreneur gave me time to start putting systems in place. I did it all: generate sales, create estimates, shop for pots, plants, and soil, and deliver everything to clients’ homes.

I used to joke, “I design pretty gardens, go shopping (with their money), and play in the dirt.”

After a little unofficial market research, I started small. I didn’t need many supplies to offer custom gardens at people’s homes. Their 50% deposit paid for the materials.

Thankfully, I had a consulting job to pay the bills. During those early years, it felt like I was making five cents an hour after factoring in all the non-revenue-producing work.

But the effort paid off. My client numbers grew from “walking the talk.” And I got better at selling the entire package,

• Design

• Installation

• Ongoing Maintenance

In addition to designing and installing the garden, I offered maintenance as a way to generate recurring income and potentially offer the client more pots and plants.

A big break came when I landed my first restaurant job, which required 40 flats of flowers. That’s when I realized I needed help. I hired some people, found suppliers who delivered and began significantly growing my business.

➡️ Pro Tip: From the moment you conceive your business idea, talk to people. Get them interested and start building your email list. You will hear me say this time after time.

From that day, my business grew. I loved having staff and bidding on larger jobs. Fortunately, my only competition was landscapers, and they really did not want to be bothered with flowers—which are too fussy!

Let’s break my business growth into stages

Start-Up Years 1 - 2

My first client was a cousin, which was a great way to test my services and still get paid!

I placed a small ad in a local monthly newspaper, and the day after my ad came out, I got a client whose job paid for six months of advertising.

When the paper hit people’s homes every month, my phone would ring. I received no calls in the fourth month of my contract. I was frustrated and got a copy of the paper, where my ad was missing. I called the editor and explained my frustration as all of my sales so far came from those ads. They gave me two months free, but the lesson learned is not to put all of your marketing in one source.

▶️ Since my services were one of a kind, a good number of people were sold before they called me. An excellent place to be. Consider this in claiming your niche.

The Best Marketing Tool for all Businesses

A friend was a Constant Contacts advisor, and she told me I needed to start a newsletter. I had no idea what I was doing, but I trusted Pam and did as she advised.

Everywhere I went, I encouraged people to sign up for my newsletter. I offered a door prize at class events, usually a plant or small potted garden, and people signed up. My list grew to 2,000 during this phase.

Improving Efficiency

I developed a method to complete the estimate at the client’s home. This caught them at their highest excitement and anticipation of what would come. At first, I created a paper form and used a calculator, but soon, I purchased one of the first mini-computers available that would fit in my bag.

Less efficient, but still working alone, I shopped for each client individually, using their deposit. I asked for 50% down and the remainder after completion. This deposit meant I had no out-of-pocket expenses from day one of starting the business.

I used my SUV to pick up and deliver materials. Sometimes, this meant two trips and figuring out how to place heavy pots on my own.

My first efficiency strategy, which developed out of necessity, was buying pots from places that delivered and tipping the staff generously to set them in place!

➡️ Pro Tip: Consider your sales process and your prospect’s experience. Their interest level is the greatest when they first contact you. Be prepared to present them with a plan and the “ask” as quickly as possible. Don’t be afraid. No one ever died when someone said no to their offer. 😁

Growth Phase Years 3-8

Sales grew, and with that, I added staff. I was very fortunate that my first employees were part-time and had other jobs, so they were not solely dependent on their work with me. We had ebbs and flows and low-season work, so it was nice that they took what I gave them. I always had someone waiting in the wings to cover when someone called out. And I needed to be prepared to go out in the field myself.

My first full-time employee was an operations manager. She took most of the administrative tasks off my shoulders so I could concentrate on design, sales, and marketing. She had worked in an accounting office and a nursery. A Godsend!

Marketing Strategies

I partnered with a marketing agency (for trade!) to elevate my image. My goal was to become the name people thought of when considering desert flower gardening, and we:

• Rebranded my image with a new logo, colors and advertising collateral.

• Advertised in local magazines, direct mail, and event programs.

• Built strategic partnerships with nurseries, realtors, and landscapers.

• Grew the email list to 4,000 through events, classes, and referrals. This continued through my classes and talks. Everywhere I went, I had business cards to hand out. Another great source of interested gardeners is at nurseries. I asserted myself when I saw people looking confused.

• Created a keep-in-touch strategy for current and past clients.

Residential sales grew, but a major growth spurt during these five years was adding commercial clients to our portfolio. Although the profit margins were not as high as residential, this elevated our credibility and visibility tremendously.

Not far from home, there was a family restaurant (Mimi’s Cafe) with lovely flower beds and window planters. We ate there once, and I admired the flowers. I asked the host who did the gardening, and she said that a woman was doing it.

Over the next few months, I noticed the flowers weren’t looking as good. We purposely went to dinner there, and I asked to speak with the manager. I mentioned the flowers, and seeing his frustration over how they looked, I casually explained my business. He said it was perfect timing because the regional manager was coming for a visit the next month, and his gardens could not look the way they did.

I was elated!! I always considered myself a good wheedler, and here I am again! I guess we’d now refer to this as good positioning.

Soon after, restaurants became our number one new commercial target, followed by professional offices and hotels/resorts. Our commercial portfolio included new builds of an open-air mall, restaurants, a golf clubhouse, model homes and a hotel, the last three with the Ritz Carlton.

Nothing like a bit of name-dropping. 😊

My local restaurants agreed to spend money on their look, even when times were tough. I reduced their contract by a couple hundred dollars a month and took that in gift cards. I gave these to my A clients, knowing they would go there to eat and spend additional money, making it a win-win for all. And, of course, my partner and I had some great dining experiences.

Systems

I developed systems to increase efficiency and reduce costs during this growth period.

I offered clients annual contracts that included twice-monthly maintenance, two seasonal repottings each year and all regularly scheduled plants and material costs. They paid monthly, stabilizing the monthly revenue.

I no longer designed and shopped for each existing client individually for the seasonal changeouts scheduled over four to six weeks in the spring and fall.

I created a series of designs and assigned specific designs to each client.

We started ordering most plants from wholesalers who delivered flats to our yard. We planted over 100,000 plants each season.

Fortunately, a good friend was a master of databases and spreadsheets. We created a multifaceted series of sheets that automated the order list for each week and then created pickup lists for each client. This system was the number one process that led to the business’s eventual sale.

The automated process began with the client’s initial design and installation information and continued through their seasonal plantings. We only had to update their records when we increased their pot numbers and sizes.

⏩️ Pro Tip: To create systems in your business, notice tasks you do repeatedly. Then, think about how each task can be simplified or delegated.

• Experts suggest writing out the process, primarily when you will hand that off to someone else.

• Don’t overcomplicate the process. Keep asking yourself, is there an easier way to accomplish this?

I also developed a marketing tracking sheet that guided my advertising strategies and saved me money.

My operations manager recorded every call, email or contact from a potential client on a spreadsheet and assigned to a “how heard” number. That was the first question we asked.

Then, if the job was sold, the sale amount was added to the tracking sheet.

A second worksheet automatically calculated the number of calls per marketing source, its total sales, and monthly and annual average sales. This showed me that my yellow book advertising (are you too young to know about phone book yellow pages?) was no longer necessary as more people were using the internet.

➡️ Pro Tip: These days, this would be called Return on Investment or ROI. The Yellow Pages only brought in $500 a year for $200 cost. Our average job was $1,500—obviously a waste of money.

Stabilization Phase

There comes a point in a mature business where things level out, and you need to decide if and how much to scale. It helps if you learn how to pivot by choices and circumstances.

The first significant pivot we experienced turned into an opportunity. In 2007, there was an unprecedented freeze in the southwest desert. Plants were dying everywhere, some hanging on for a month or two, finally succumbing to the stress.

We did not guarantee any of our plantings, and clients wanted their gardens restored. It was one thing to replace low-cost flowers, but succulents were dying everywhere—and they were expensive. But they knew what they wanted!!

I started visiting clients to assess their situation and make a plan, and I called in all of the staff.

That year, we hit a half million dollars in gross sales. (That sounds more impressive than $500,00!)

And then,

The Global Financial Crisis of 2008

Everyone was suffering especially the middle class. New sales plummeted, but we only lost 5% of our clients, and luckily, mostly D clients. Those are the clients you either need to motivate to buy more or end your relationship with. The loss of these people did not affect our bottom line very much.

However, new sales were very slow to come in. And yes, I was incredibly anxious. The business had kept me awake at night for years. Now, I was apprehensive about money, my workload, and my clients - a few of whom were rather difficult. I had a love-hate relationship with my staff. There were times with a lot of drama.

With the downturn, we had to trim expenses to maintain profits. Unfortunately, I had to discontinue health benefits and bonuses. My key staff stuck with me, and that meant a lot.

We used this time to continue to streamline our processes.

• Reduced unproductive networking costs

• Reduced paid advertising

• Increased client contact

• Increased frequency of the email newsletter - the list was now over 5,000.

• Price-shopped materials to reduce costs

• Reduced part-time staff members to fully utilize full-time staff.

One of my most remarkable stories from this period demonstrates the power of the email list.

There was a time I didn’t know if I could meet payroll. I contacted a couple of long-term clients and was honest with them. I asked if they would pay an early deposit on their next seasonal job. I also emailed my list, saying I had a few spots for adding new pots to their yard and would give them a break on materials.

We got enough work through these contacts to meet payroll for the following four pay periods!

Time for Another Pivot

Unfortunately, the financial crisis slammed into my plan to end my role with the company. The responsibilities of were beginning to wear on me.

However, in 2008, I created a ten-year plan to rebuild the company, preparing to sell it.

Soon after I made this decision, I had lunch with a very good friend, a business coach. In a casual conversation, she asked, “What is your next plan for your work?”

I explained my 10-year plan, and her immediate response was, “Are you going to do this for another ten years? You’ve told me you were tired of running a business with staff issues.” She also knew I would be over 60 in 10 years, and this business was very physically demanding.

I replied, “What else would I do?”

Her reply came quickly. “You would make a great business coach. You’ve grown a tiny business into something remarkable, and others would want to know how to do it.”

If you know me, it won’t be surprising that this sparked a quick game plan. It felt like my life had come full circle, as my original career goal was to transition from running a business into consulting—something very similar to business coaching.

I dove into books and online research, learning everything about preparing a business for sale. Being a fast action-taker, I quickly worked to improve the processes already in place following the economic downturn. I focused on boosting sales and profits while ensuring the systems were streamlined and replicable for a future owner.

I spoke to my business banker and accountant, and the accountant sent me to a business attorney who specialized in business sales.

I also wrote down what I wanted from a sale.

• Sale price

• Materials price

• A six-month contract to work with the company (which would give me time to focus on building a coaching practice.)

• A commission for future referrals

• All rights to publishing and classes.

I went to a December meeting of the local Association of Professional Landscape Designers, of which I had been a member for years. The presenter was the president of the association, and he talked about his family-owned company and where they saw themselves in the next five years. I was very impressed, and I knew I wanted to sell to them.

I called him the next day to thank him for his presentation and to express my appreciation for it. I casually asked if he would like to meet for coffee “just to talk business.”

Since the holidays were upon us, we set a date for January. I suggested he come over to my office to see our operations.

The fateful day arrived. He had no idea I was looking to sell my business. After we talked for a while, I casually mentioned I was thinking of selling sometime in the future.

Surprised, we talked a little more, and before he left, he said he might be interested in pursuing the idea more.

The very next day, he called me and said he’d returned to his office and talked to his team (i.e., his family), and they were interested in buying!

Fast forward a few months. We agreed in April to close in August, and they met every one of my requests!

My staff were mad at me for selling. However, they each had an opportunity to interview with the buyers and those who did were offered full-time positions, which two accepted. They are still working there today. And I’m proud to say many of my clients are still being served by my buyers!

When advising and coaching business owners, I always tell them,

“Build your business as if you want to sell it.”

Not every type of business can be expected to sell, but adopting this mindset changes how you look at things.

Almost how you would clean your house differently if your mother-in-law were coming for an extended visit.

➡️ As I reflect on these lessons, I’m finding creative ways to share them—through the stories of my fictional characters. Riley, for instance, faces her own challenges in pivoting from her work as an architect to finding something new, and her journey mirrors the early days of my own.

Stay tuned as weekly stories bring these lessons to life and applications to business in a way that’s both entertaining and practical.

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When Your Entrepreneurial nature derails your day.

You know what needs to be done today, right? And POW💥, you read an email about the next new idea, aka shiny object and you say, that would be great in my practice. I could apply that to this type of client. And it would be so cool!!

Which one is it?

• a new therapy,

• program for your clients,

• a perfect-sounding online program that promises you a 6 or 7 figure income

• an added technology that promises to save you time or money

It seems in that one moment, so real!! Exciting! OMG, This is IT!!

It only takes one to totally derail your day - if you let it.

That’s the #1 challenge in my business. It's back to that kid in the candy shop again.

Message to Self

Ok - settle down now. I have my path for semiretirement. It took me over a year to figure this out. Soon after, I signed a new client that added enough work that I met my income goal for the year.

⏩⏩ Did I really need to add yet one more idea?

Let's break it down into decision-making mode.

1. Resolve not to make an impulsive decision.

2. Instead of flying through the description of the offer/idea, read through it carefully. If it's your own idea, list the basic bullet points.

3. Write down how this will impact your practice.

4. Review your Mission, your Why and your Really Big Goal (link)

5. Stew on it for a day

6. Outline the resources needed to implement this new idea. Consider time, money, people, and stakeholders.

7. Decide

The thought of a membership site flew into my radar that day. I thought maybe I could serve my followers better by creating one. However, when I went through the steps listed above, I quickly knew now was not the time.

#6 ⬆️ is usually the reason for me. Typically time is the deciding factor. Especially when I signed a new major client which would take considerable time over the next 4 months. In my time/money correlation, it would not be prudent to take on something new.

Don't feel like you have to discard the idea, however. You can put it in the "Maybe Someday" file, which you should review often.

Thanks for reading. Please consider leaving a ❤️ and subscribing to Doin’ It My Way for more unedited reflections and lessons from my business life.

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Sandy’s hand trembled as she dialled. Her heart raced—her entire business hung on this call. Would she stumble? Would the client hear her inexperience?

The phone rang twice.

“Hello?”

Her throat tightened. “Hi, this is Sandy. Jen referred me about organizing your office space.”

“Oh! I’ve been waiting for your call. Jen spoke highly of you. When can you start?”

Sandy blinked. “Wait, you… already decided?”

“Absolutely! I trust Jen, and I liked your proposal.”

Sandy exhaled, a smile breaking across her face. She’d faced the fear—and it melted faster than she’d imagined.

Facing our fears can be the hardest part of any new challenge. Sometimes, the obstacles we imagine are far bigger than reality. When you stand tall and take the first step, even unnerving situations can lead to surprising opportunities.

Have you ever hesitated to take a leap in your business, only to realize that the fear was much bigger than the challenge itself? How did you overcome it?

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I sold my container gardening business and created The Potted Desert as an educational forum and community for desert dwellers who garden in containers. It was now a hobby because I had started coaching owners on how to build their businesses for a future sale.

I realized some of my 3,900+ gardening followers might likely have their own businesses. So, I created a survey to discover their gardening needs and quietly invited them to join me in the business side of my life.

I was right. About 15% of the respondents requested to receive my lead magnet, ”10 Tips for Business I Learned from My Garden.” Since 65% of the respondents checked that they are retired, the 15% was a good return.

Then, I got a major wake-up call.

60% of my garden followers said they want everything I created—books, classes, emails—and I was clear with them that my offers would cost money.

Why was I not capitalizing on this market? That’s what the experts say about raving fans, right?

I shifted gears somewhat, increasing my attention to The Potted Desert and working smarter in my coaching practice.

I’m not advocating for you to run two businesses, ever. And especially not when you’re looking to work fewer hours or semiretired.

The lesson here is to talk to your clients and followers.

• Be sure that what you think they need is what they want.

• Look for other ideas that capitalize on your experience and expertise to meet their needs.

• Learn from how you treat a lucrative hobby and apply it to your business

The potential silver lining may expand your income and service without working harder.

Talk, ask, survey and most of all, Listen.

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PS. I closed my coaching practice in December 2023 to move to my “almost retired” status. I continue to educate gardeners while I explore my newfound love of writing fiction.

Check out the first chapters of “Whispers of Echo Canyon” in Walking Your Garden Path.