This post is a little scary to write because it's very different than the how-to-grow content that I usually publish. I'm taking Grow Hot Peppers in a new direction. As I was brainstorming an updated mission statement for this website, I thought:
Why not write a blog post about this experience and start working in public?
(I hope this is of interest to you. Otherwise, no hard feelings... simply click the menu items up top to get back to the regularly scheduled programming.) 🙂
I was actually introduced to the concept of "working in public" by ConvertKit (an email marketing service). The idea is that you share what's going on behind the scenes, so to speak, to allow people to get to know you and/or your business better.
I also thought it would be good to write about this process because:
- You may be going through something similar, and it can be helpful to read about what others are doing.
- It helps me get clearer on the updated purpose of this site, which helps me serve you all in the best way possible.
(And, just a side note... I'm working on an in-depth tutorial that describes my experience switching to ConvertKit. It will be published under the "Goals" menu when it's ready... again, just working in public.) 😉
So Why Not Just Stick To Peppers?
That's a fair question given the name of this site! The simple fact is that I want to be more helpful to others by sharing what I'm doing. I've learned some new skills, and I know they will be valuable to you too.
(I have a habit of documenting new tasks anyway. I'll do this especially if I find something particularly challenging, and I can't find any information to help me get through my first attempt.)
If you read my origin story here, you'll see I created Grow Hot Peppers when I had problems growing my first chile plants.
Since then, I've made significant improvements to my health. Growing my own foods had a lot to do with that. Therefore, I want to expand the offerings on this site to match this new knowledge.
Don't worry. I'll still include plenty of chile content. It just won't be the sole focus anymore. 🙂
(Peppers, I still love you!)
Figuring Out the Updated Website Mission Statement
Here's how I'm thinking about this...
Who Is My Audience?
One of my entrepreneur heroes, Pat Flynn at Smart Passive Income, recommends knowing who your audience is so you know what they like and what they need.
I gave it some thought and started with this:
My audience is people who have made the connection that eating nutritious foods gives them better mind and body performance. They want to grow their own foods to be self sufficient in this goal.
(Maybe you can relate and you're growing peppers for the health benefits?)
So What Are the Struggles?
Well, a lot of us are BUSY! If you're going to school, running a company, working all day, etc., you might not have the time to dig up your yard, build a raised bed or perform other traditional methods of growing food.
You might be a BEGINNER too and in the first stages of understanding how to grow something. Again, it takes time to learn a new skill and go through the ups and downs of figuring it all out.
Other Obstacles
You may choose to grow your own food because you like being self sufficient and your homegrown produce is as local as it gets.
BUT...
What if you need to grow your own food because you're determined to eat healthy and don't really have another choice? You may be gardening by necessity.
For example:
- Maybe you live in an area that doesn't have easy access to fresh foods (without chemicals), CSA programs and whatnot. (I'm in that position now, and that's one of the many reasons I started looking for solutions.)
- Maybe you do have better access, but you want something specific that isn't available to you just yet.
- Maybe organic produce is just too expensive, and the quality of the food you can get doesn't match the high price.
How Am I Going To Solve These Problems?
I'll do this by describing the ways that are working well for me...
By teaching alternative methods for growing nutritionally-dense foods in the quickest, easiest ways possible.
(This type of self sufficiency will allow you to bypass the various growing struggles we identified.)
For example, new topics will include how to:
- Determine what to grow to produce food quickly and easily to get the biggest nutritional bang for your buck
- Perform alternative growing methods, such as sprouting seeds in a jar and growing microgreens, to produce extremely nutritious food
- Use growing systems (both indoor and outdoor) that offer automated technology in which variables, such as water, nutrients and pH, are already taken care of. (Basically, "set it and forget it" systems.)
The EarthBox is one of my favorite outdoor growing systems
I also want to share the tools and resources that are helping me reach my wellness goals. For instance:
- The automated growing setups that I mentioned
- Kitchen gear that helps you make your own highly-nutritious foods, such as bone broth, without all the work. (You'll save money too because these foods are expensive!)
- Online retailers and services that support healthy living
- Information, such as websites and books, that are teaching me a lot about enhancing mind/body performance
Ultimately, I want to give you information and tools that can support your personal wellness goals too!
Putting It All Together
With all of that in mind, here's what I have now:
My audience is people who have made the connection that eating nutritious foods gives them better mind and body performance. They want to grow their own foods to be self sufficient in this goal, but their busy lives make it difficult to learn this new skill and implement traditional gardening methods. To solve this problem, I’m going to describe alternative methods of growing nutrient-dense foods, and identify tools and resources that help achieve personal wellness goals.
In One Sentence:
Beginner gardening for busy people.
So that's where we're at. The wording may change slightly as I do more work, but the overall theme is going to be the same.
Next Steps for This Site
Here's what I'll be working on in the coming weeks:
- Writing and publishing new content.
- Updating the messaging and elements on this site to reflect this new mission statement.
- Working through some online courses that will help me improve Grow Hot Peppers.
In Conclusion
I'm really excited to take things in a new direction. I love that I can address the "gardening" or "grow your own food" niche in a way that I believe will really help people.
And, I just want to mention that I'm not an expert in gardening or health... I've just experienced a lot of positive changes in my life and I like to share what I learn. (Actually, I love to share!) 🙂
I hope you find the information useful.
Thanks for sticking with me as I worked on the purpose of this website. Please feel free to leave your thoughts down below!
Resources Mentioned In This Post
- ConvertKit (email marketing service)
Disclosure: I am an affiliate of ConvertKit, which means I earn a commission if you make a purchase using my link. My decision to recommend this company is based on my own positive experience and not due to any commission I make. - Smart Passive Income (learn how to build an online business)
Wellness Websites
So many of us have goals we're working towards, and a well-functioning body and mind is essential in that pursuit. If you're interested improving mind/body performance like me, here are some informative websites that have really helped me on my journey:
- The Bulletproof Blog
- Ben Greenfield Fitness
- JJ Virgin Blog
- Fat-Burning Man
- The Blog of Author Tim Ferriss (bestselling author of The 4-Hour Workweek)
- Mark's Daily Apple Blog