[quote style=”boxed”]By taking quick action. Let an idea linger in your mind for too long, the excitement tapers off and then its hard to bring it to life. At least that’s how it goes with me. So as soon as I have an idea that I am pumped about, if I am unable to start working on it right then, I *at least* put it on my to-do list and talk to someone about it. You know, just put it out there even if it is in a small way. That way it’s much easier to keep the excitement alive and make it happen.[/quote]
Reeta Krishna is a web designer, developer with a WordPress fetish! An Economics graduate from Texas A&M (Howdy!), in a previous incarnation she worked as an Economist.
Reeta likes to write about web design, optimization and all things WordPress. Not because she is an expert, far from it. But because writing helps her fathom the inner workings and intricacies of the tools that she uses.
So, whenever she can take some time off from being totally gobsmacked at the wonders and mysteries of technology..she writes.
Where did the idea for Utterlyweb blog & book come from?
For the longest time the “what do I want to do” question was a huge conundrum for me. Till I stumbled upon web development that is. And then writing. Now, I can’t figure out which of the two gives me greater joy. Rather than pick one over the other, I thought why not combine the two? This very thought culminated into my first book, “WordPress For Beginners“. And I hope to write many more!
What does your typical day look like?
Even though I am a freelancer, I make it a point to have a set routine every week day. Else I tend to slack off and then soon find myself neck deep in backlog. It’s no fun that way! So, on weekdays I make it a point to wake up at 6:30, do a few chores followed by yoga and then I am at my desk pretty much till evening.
How do you bring ideas to life?
By taking quick action. Let an idea linger in your mind for too long, the excitement tapers off and then its hard to bring it to life. At least that’s how it goes with me. So as soon as I have an idea that I am pumped about, if I am unable to start working on it right then, I *at least* put it on my to-do list and talk to someone about it. You know, just put it out there even if it is in a small way. That way it’s much easier to keep the excitement alive and make it happen.
What’s one trend that really excites you?
The indie movement. Look around you, it’s happening in all spheres! Take publishing as an example. Ten years, or even 5 years ago it wouldn’t have been possible for me to write a book. But now, anyone can write a book. Which is great, but the downside is that, you know, anyone can write a book. As a result, the market is inundated books that are, well, less than stellar. But I think that readers are a savvy bunch. A poorly written book will not survive. Period.
What is the one habit of yours that makes you more productive as an entrepreneur?
Making lists. I know it sounds tedious and boring, but making a daily list of all that needs to be done and keeping it in front of you works like a charm. Try it!
What was the worst job you ever had and what did you learn from it?
I took up a summer job where I had to go from store to store trying to sell what was essentially gimmicky nonsense. I am not sure if I drew any lesson from it, but I did learn that I am a terrible sales person.
If you were to start again, what would you do differently?
I always knew that I wanted to get into technology and yet I ended up with a double masters in Economics. Go figure! So yes, if I were to start again I would most definitely not do two masters in Economics. Just one in software engineering.
As an entrepreneur, what is the one thing you do over and over and recommend everyone else do?
No matter what happens, no matter how bleak a situation may seem- try to find the silver lining. If you look hard enough, you will find it and then focus on it. It’s easier said than done, I know. But keeping a positive mindset in the face of difficult times has worked miracles for me.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business? Please explain how.
Advertising and marketing myself and my work.
You have to do some talking about your work before your work can start to do the talking for you, you know.
For the longest time, I didn’t want to “waste” time and money on advertising. I’d even feel inhibited talking about my work with friends and acquaintances. But if you are entrepreneur, you can’t afford to shy away from marketing/advertising your business.
What is one failure you had as an entrepreneur, and how did you overcome it?
When I started out, I spent money on all the wrong things and tried to save money on all the wrong things. As I said before, I didn’t even consider advertising as an option. Other than that, instead of focusing on what was really important, I wanted to do every single bit myself and ended up spreading myself too thin.
But I still do think that there is merit in doing everything yourself in the initial phases (depending upon your business, of course) to really understand the nitty gritty. But I do wish I had approached it all with the right mindset.
What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers?
Sell software! It’s a very lucrative business. And just about anyone can come up with a great idea for a software (the next time you catch yourself wishing that there was an app for that, well, there’s your idea). You don’t need to know how to code, you can hire a programmer to do it for you. Price it right, market it well and you just might have winner.
Tell us something about you that very few people know?
I have an irrational fear of fungus. Just typing that out made me queasy.
What software and web services do you use? What do you love about them?
Needless to say, I am a WordPress fan. I am also an avid GIMP user, which is a great free alternative to Photoshop.
I love that they are packed with so much goodness and yet are completely free.
Don’t get me wrong, I am not a cheapskate freebie seeker (okay, sometimes I am). But the whole concept of open source technology where the product and its source code are made available to one and all.. for free, is just amazing to me.
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay. I am intrigued with the whole “thought are things” school of thought and Louise Hay’s book is the one that introduced me to the concept. I have started to experience the power of positive thinking, gratitude and affirmations in my own life and so would wholeheartedly recommend Louise’s book.
What people have influenced your thinking and might be of interest to others?
Renegade Health- I just love their down to earth, no BS approach to healthy eating. This was a while ago, but I remember that just by watching their videos (that you will find on their website) and reading their blog put me in the frame of mind to want to start eating healthy and exercising as well. And that helped me lose about 20 pounds!
Six Minutes To Success – This is a paid membership website by Bob Proctor. His message really strikes a chord with me and I have these little post-it notes stuck to my desk with messages such as “harvest the good” and “take action”. Yes, I am kookie like that.
Marie Forleo ): I found out about this site recently and am hooked. Marie’s site is chock-full of amazing tips to take your business to the next level!
Connect:
Reeta on Google+:
Mario Schulzke is the Founder of ideamensch, which he started a decade ago to learn from entrepreneurs and give them a platform for their ideas.