Pivot Playground

How I Run Beta Tests & Why They’re SO Valuable

In this episode, I’m diving into beta testing and why it’s such a game-changer for launching anything new. I’ll walk you through how I’ve used it for years—like for my Be Unmistakable course and the Layout Library—to get real feedback, tweak things before going big, and score solid testimonials. We’ll chat about how I run my beta tests, including how much I charge, how I keep the group small, and what questions I ask to make sure the feedback is actually helpful. If you’re gearing up to launch something, this episode will give you the lowdown on how to test it out first and make sure you’re onto a winner. ———— THE LINKS — 👏 Kirsty Fanton Podcast episode [https://open.spotify.com/episode/75fTplcWPyP1tuU3t5R6VX?si=79afcc5abf8e48d4] on Beta Testing. 🎨 Grab my ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE DESIGN GUIDE, Playground, over here.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://sianrichardson.co/playground] ⛰️ Check out my new Solo Travel & Photography BLOG, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Solitude Sessions.⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://sianrichardson.co/solitude-sessions] ———— OTHER STUFF — My Website — ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sianrichardson.co⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://sianrichardson.co/] Instagram — ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@sianricho [https://www.instagram.com/sianricho/]

Things I Don’t Have in my Business

In this episode, I’m stripping it back and talking about what I don’t have in my business—no big team, no fancy office, no elaborate workflows. Just me, my laptop, and a setup that feels right for how I want to work. I dive into why a lean approach can actually be more freeing and how you don’t need all the extras to thrive. I also share some behind-the-scenes insights on what tools and strategies I actually use to keep things running smoothly, from managing client work with just email and Notion to setting solid boundaries that keep me sane. If you're curious about what it really takes to run a business on your own terms, this episode’s for you. ———— THE LINKS — 🙏 Hillary Weiss & ⁠the Instagram post⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/p/CxbSq2bJePS/?img_index=1] that inspired this ep ✅ Our ⁠Notion Client Portal Template⁠ [https://sianrichardson.co/notion-client-portal-template] that I use for client projects 🎨 Grab my ⁠⁠⁠⁠FREE DESIGN GUIDE, Playground, over here.⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://sianrichardson.co/playground] ⛰️ Check out my new Solo Travel & Photography BLOG, ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Solitude Sessions.⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://sianrichardson.co/solitude-sessions] 👩‍💻 Come LEARN DESIGN with me in the ⁠⁠⁠⁠Summer Design Club.⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://sianrichardson.co/summerdesignclub] ———— OTHER STUFF — My Website — ⁠⁠⁠⁠sianrichardson.co⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://sianrichardson.co/] Instagram — ⁠⁠⁠⁠@sianricho [https://www.instagram.com/sianricho/]

Is it the industry or is it you??

In this episode, I'm digging into whether the challenges in business are about the industry or about you. Sure, the economy and tools like Canva play a role, but let's get real—sometimes it's about looking inward and figuring out where your energy and passions lie. We'll also chat about the importance of educating your clients on your process and the value of your work instead of just blaming them when things go south. The industry is always changing, and we've got to keep up and evolve with it. ———— THE LINKS — 🎨 Grab my ⁠⁠FREE DESIGN GUIDE, Playground, over here.⁠⁠ [https://sianrichardson.co/playground] ⛰️ Check out my new Solo Travel & Photography BLOG, ⁠⁠The Solitude Sessions.⁠⁠ [https://sianrichardson.co/solitude-sessions] 👩‍💻 Come LEARN DESIGN with me in the ⁠⁠Summer Design Club.⁠⁠ [https://sianrichardson.co/summerdesignclub] ———— OTHER STUFF — My Website — ⁠⁠sianrichardson.co⁠⁠ [https://sianrichardson.co/] Instagram — ⁠⁠@sianricho [https://www.instagram.com/sianricho/]

A few things I’ve learned from my most successful product launches

In this episode, I chat about my journey in launching digital products and the lessons I've learned along the way. This is an arena where there's loads of 'experts' and 'formulas', but I wanted to throw some real world stories into the mix, without a follow up pitch for anything I'm selling. From my early days as a graphic designer to creating successful products like The Stash, I share the importance of trusting your gut and listening to your audience. We talk about the value of solving real problems, standing out from the crowd, and using surveys to get feedback (with a couple super key tips that I picked up along the way). Plus, we'll chat about the importance of patience, staying flexible, and having fun with the whole damn process. ———— THE LINKS — 🎨 Grab my ⁠⁠FREE DESIGN GUIDE, Playground, over here.⁠⁠ [https://sianrichardson.co/playground] ⛰️ Check out my new Solo Travel & Photography BLOG, ⁠⁠The Solitude Sessions.⁠⁠ [https://sianrichardson.co/solitude-sessions] 👩‍💻 Come LEARN DESIGN with me in the ⁠⁠Summer Design Club.⁠⁠ [https://sianrichardson.co/summerdesignclub] ———— OTHER STUFF — My Website — ⁠⁠sianrichardson.co⁠⁠ [https://sianrichardson.co/] Instagram — ⁠⁠@sianricho [https://www.instagram.com/sianricho/]

What if you cared less what the rest of your industry is doing?

Today I wanted to share a story time about something that was one of those very pivotal moments for me that actually changed the whole way I look at design and creativity. And it ended up being something that was like a real core foundational value of my entire business. What if you cared less what the rest of your industry is doing? What if you could make the choice to be naive? Would that better serve the work? Let's talk about it. ———— THE LINKS — 👏 The Design Studio that inspired it all, Design by Toko. [https://designbytoko.com/] 🎨 Grab my ⁠FREE DESIGN GUIDE, Playground, over here.⁠ [https://sianrichardson.co/playground] ⛰️ Check out my new Solo Travel & Photography BLOG, ⁠The Solitude Sessions.⁠ [https://sianrichardson.co/solitude-sessions] 👩‍💻 Come LEARN DESIGN with me in the ⁠Summer Design Club.⁠ [https://sianrichardson.co/summerdesignclub] ———— OTHER STUFF — My Website — ⁠sianrichardson.co⁠ [https://sianrichardson.co/] Instagram — ⁠@sianricho [https://www.instagram.com/sianricho/]