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It's a holiday weekend here in the UK, and as I type, jolly tourists plod past my little seaside flat in North Wales, many scoffing fish and chips and ice creams. It feels like a tightly-coiled spring has been released just in time for summer.

I love seeing where I live through tourist's eyes, not least because it reminds me to take a step back from the day-to-day. Although I try to find joy in the unextraordinary, let's face it, spreadsheets, workflows, tasks, lists, and all the other bits involved in running a small business will never be the stuff of dreams. Understandably, we sometimes forget to look out towards the horizon; we forget the big vision and the longing for something that drove us to create our businesses in the first place. What is the purpose of it all?

Elaine at Studio 1850 mentored me recently. She helped me remember that I want to develop a juicy, grabbable business (my words. I made some interesting gestures while explaining that feeling!!). To use my beloved gardening metaphors, I want to nurture a business that feels like a fun, abundant, slightly unruly tropical garden, rather than something predictable, clipped, austere, or modelled on someone else's idea of success. To do that, I have to remind myself to go at my own pace. That's a good start.

If you feel you want to hit the pause button, ditch the day-to-day tasks for a moment and reconnect with the bigger vision for your business, try these suggestions:

• Remind yourself of your mission for the business. There is power in being specific and clear about this, so take time to dig deep. If it helps you to call this your 'why,' then go with that. If you write this down, don't feel you need to write a tome. It can be a few sentences long.
• Remind yourself what the wrong kind of business looks like and how it would feel to have that kind of business. Again, be specific. Why would this kind of business not align with your mission?
• Remind yourself that your vision does not have to be time-bound. It might help you to have a 12-week plan, a 5-year plan, a retirement plan, but if that feels overwhelming (perhaps because of ill-health, financial constraints, other personal responsibilities), then chuck the calendar out of the picture. A strong vision will withstand the inevitable, unpredictable ebbs and flows of our lives. It will feel like the rich, fertile soil we need for those verdant businesses we want.

What do you think about these ideas? Let me know your thoughts and if I can expand on anything for you. You are not alone!

• Angus and Lily are the creatives behind Our Isles, which explores and celebrates the artistry of rural life in the British Isles. I've enjoyed their recent guides on Instagram to coastal flowers and spring plants to forage.
• You bring the Pimms, and I'll make this.
• I've been trying to fake commute to work, and I love it.
• If only all brand and influencer collaborations were as meaningful as this.
• Young people and entrepreneurship - what are your thoughts?
• A restaurant where your order will be wrong.

It's a privilege to work with creatives and independent shops, and I love to shout about them from the rooftops! Here are some of the latest goings-on from Firain clients.

We are halfway through the year, which is a great time to take stock and plan. I'd love to support you in your creative work; reply to this email to arrange a discovery call, or pop to Firain.com and send me a message via the contact form. If you're ready to book a 1-hour Sow call, click here. 

I want my services to be accessible; I never charge you more to pay in installments, and returning clients get 10% off future bookings.

In this new section, I'll share the most useful, practical tools we can use to run successful online businesses - and I'll share them in a jargon-free way. Hoorah! Think of this as a communal shed on an allotment. If you'd like me to feature a particular tool, let me know!

This week's subject: cameras for product photography. (Scroll down for a freebie!)

A Firain client, Jan, asked for advice about buying an easy-to-use digital camera to use alongside her phone camera to take product photographs. I went to the experts: 

• Many of you will know product photographer Yeshen. His article, ‘The Digital Camera Myth’, explains that the critical investments are the lens you use and that you take time to learn how to use the equipment. 
• A Picture Is Worth a Thousand Sales: A DIY Guide to Beautiful Product Photography from Shopify. Top tip? Use natural light. Dodgy photos are just not going to sell products.
• Jemma Watts is an extraordinary photographer and shares five tips on product photography for small business in 91 Magazine. (while you're there, read about my old shop on the 91 Magazine blog, too!)
• Best Camera for Product Photography 2021 (10 Top Picks) - consider where we want to use our images. Photos for websites differ from photos for Instagram. What do you need at this time in your business?
• Eleanor Jones owns Quarters Home, has a background in photography, and shares her top tips for taking, editing and uploading product photography in this Simple Selling IGTV. Top tip: take the photo with editing in mind, i.e., don't rush the setup only to spend ages cropping and faffing with editing tools.

Freebie: because I want to demystify product photography, I've made a mini guide for you: 7 Beginner Tips for Better Product Photography. Don't let your lack of tech put you off from creating! Remember that creativity lies not in the done, but in the doing and developing your own style is part of the fun.

Welcome to new subscribers Caren, Melody, Danielle, Ruth, Sioned, Kim, Adam, Laura, Ren and Liz. If you know anyone who might enjoy this email, please do forward it to them.

Get in touch if you fancy a natter. I'd love to know your thoughts, comments, feedback, and suggestions as I develop Firain. Thank you for your continued support and for allowing me to greet you in your inbox.

Firain photos by Tom Wright

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