Hi I'm Sandy, the Small Business & Marketing Coach

I live in the hills above Perth in Western Australia, on a semi-rural property with my husband, two children, two horses and one very small, very beige dog called Pete. I'm a sensitive soul who feels deeply, cries easily and laughs often.

I'm practical and I get shit done. Think of a bizarre combination of Julie Andrews and Josh Lyman. And if you don't know who Josh is, I'm not sure whether we can be friends.

It's never too late

I believe that it's never too late to reach for a dream or to change lanes. 

I've moved countries, changed careers, swapped lifestyles, always one small step at a time, learning what I needed to know as I went along. If you're somewhere in life that you don't want to be anymore, you have the power to change that too.

A quiet revolution

I believe that all beings are equally important. 

I believe that the age of jobs for life, big business and meekly accepting your fate are over. I'm quietly optimistic that entrepreneurship is the solution to many of the world's problems. Not wanky, entitled, make-your-first-million entrepreneurship, I mean humble, but powerful entrepreneurship that gives people options, lifts families up and creates better communities.

I know that big problems are solved in tiny increments, one logical step at a time. Whether you're weeding a garden or improving literacy for girls around the world, small choices made by determined people every day to do what's necessary rather than what's easy, are what will change lives and make the world a better place.

I value intelligence over confidence, kindness over success. 

We need to listen more and talk less, in particular to the smartest people we've got, not the ones who shout the loudest (that's you, politicians).

There are academics and scientists who've found solutions to some pretty big problems, waiting for entrepreneurial do-ers to pick them up and implement them. There are capable entrepreneurs looking around for ways to make a difference, but they don't know any scientists or academics.

The digital world has the power to change a lot of that by connecting people who would otherwise never have met.

It doesn't have to be too hard

I know that growing a business-of-one is hard. Selling as many as you can for as much as you can isn't the way to get there. Spending time getting to know yourself and your clients well enough to understand what they really want from you and how you can really help them - beyond the obvious - is the key to finding opportunities, discovering your passion and making it all worthwhile.

What people say about me

The comments people make about me most often, are that I'm someone who "can see the big picture" and someone who’s patient. 

I've had more than my fair share of ups and downs in life and I've probably had to adopt a philosophical approach to help me make sense of it all.

What I'm doing when I'm not here with you

I'm a full time web designer, SEO copywriter and marketing strategist at sandytaylor.com.au.

I work with smart one-person business owners around Australia and overseas, who have big dreams but not a lot of digital experience. They want to grow their businesses but don't know how to make that happen in a digital sense. They're older - I've got clients in their 70's, 60's, 50's, 40's and 30's - and they know a lot about a lot of things but need to have digital marketing concepts explained to them in simple terms.

They're copywriters, financial planners, saddle fitters, timber fencing manufacturers, childcare centres, online retailers, equine body workers, hairdressers, town planners, image consultants, animal communicators, horse riding coaches, bookkeepers, rodeo organisers, holiday accommodation owners, agricultural associations, restaurants, insurance brokers, veterinary practices, horse dentists and more.

Focus on the message

I don't just build websites or write the words for little brands and walk away, I help their owners imagine a digital persona that reflects the experience of working with them by helping them work out why their clients come to them rather than any of the other options they could choose.

In other words, before we get bogged down with technical hoo haa, we focus on the message. Why people are likely to choose them over their competitors and how we can explain what they do and who they do it for, simply and obviously.

Clarity will make it all easier

Once that's been understood, they're able to make better decisions for their business and stop looking over their shoulder at everyone else in their industry.

I've walked clients through this process so often, that I realised it was possible to help more people by documenting the steps and turning them into self-paced programs. Everything you'll read or hear about in here has been tried and tested over and over. 

I know how lonely a one-person business can be

I've been lucky enough to have a business buddy, a peer I met with regularly for years, who helped me make sense of the big emotions that came with being out of my comfort zone (and growing a business is definitely way out). I know what a difference that made, so if you don't have a friend like that to talk to about your business yet, I'm happy to be that friend for you.

If you're still reading, thank you. I look forward to getting to know you and finding out more about your business journey.

What I'm interested in

I'm interested in behavioural economics, behavioural psychology and helping horses live a happy life.

My favourite podcasts are:

• Freakanomics Radio
• Hidden Brain
• On Brand
• People I mostly admire

I read or listen to anything I come across from these people:

• Dan Ariely
• Rory Sutherland
• Stephen Dubner
• Steven Levitt
• Richard Thaler
• Daniel Kahneman
• Angela Duckworth

What are you interested in? 

I'd love to know, so if you'd like to, why not join The Small Business Marketing Group or if you're happy just taking a look around, start with some of the free options in my learning area.