The Struggle to Self-Motivate
Whew! Who knew self-motivation would require additional self-motivation to self-motivate. I knew this wouldn’t be easy, but I didn’t expect nerves to be the thing holding me back. It’s not the “what if it doesn’t work” that’s making me apprehensive, it’s the “what if it does work.”
I’ve started approaching venues to introduce them to GatherWhere and my goodness, it’s scary. When you create something no one else knows about, it almost doesn’t matter what happens with it. No one knows. No one cares. But once it’s out in the world, it’s no longer your best-kept secret. It becomes something real – something people can judge, reject, or (hopefully) join.
So, this soft launch is a whisper. I’m not quite ready to shout just yet. I’m scared this could actually work and then the pressure will come. Mostly from myself. To not disappoint, to be perfect, to go bigger. I really believe in this idea, and I just want people to see its potential. But for that to happen, I have to show them everything GatherWhere has to offer; so, I guess that’s what I’ll do.
Emails Were Ignored – So I Hit the Streets
My venue outreach plans have been in the works for a while and I knew at some point I’d have to go out and actually talk to venue owners about this – emails alone wouldn’t cut it. And since GatherWhere is about community, it just made sense to start within the community. I did actually send an email or two, which, as you’ve probably guessed, got ignored (and continues to be ignored) but I’ve actually had better success talking to people in person anyway.
Since I’m launching in Reading and host most of my meetups in Reading, I’ve made the rounds to some local chain venues and smaller independents. GatherWhere flyers have also been printed so I can leave them something to look back on. My original strategy of going for large chains didn’t quite pan out. Most of them are part of bigger organisations and would need head office approval (something I’ll tackle another day). So, I’ve pivoted to approaching smaller, independently owned venues – and that’s where things have changed.
The conversations have felt real, personal and full of potential. It’s been far more fulfilling than I expected.
I Should Be Vlogging This (But I’m Not)
What I really need to be doing, though, is vlogging these experiences for social media. There’s so much insight to be shared from these venue owners – their spaces, their stories, their enthusiasm. I will eventually make a start on social media, but for now, here’s my little entry into the making of GatherWhere.
And, while the platform isn’t “live” yet, it is quietly taking shape – through the conversations, the flyer handouts and all these tiny moments of connection. I just hope it grows into something people will come to rely on.
Join Me on This Journey
Want to follow along? I’ll be sharing more updates as I go – venue visits, behind-the-scenes, and hopefully some wins too. Stick around, and let’s see where this goes.
Doja