Trying sh*t out energy
What I'm experimenting with in my business and choir rehearsals.
You might know that in my non-entrepreneur life, I’m a Youth Choir conductor. Every Tuesday evening, I wave my arms in front of 35 (wonderful) teenagers who love music.
Last week, I asked the choir to try something different: sing one of their Christmas concert pieces from memory. We’ve been rehearsing this song for weeks, but always with sheet music to guide them—feeding them every word, note, and rhythm.
When I told them to close their binders, I got the usual mix of eye rolls and panicked looks.
As a singer myself, I get it. Singing from memory can be scary. Your mind spirals: I don’t know this well enough yet, or What if I’m the only one who messes up?
As they stumbled through, a few kids not-so-subtly cracked their binders open to sneak a peek.
I paused and said, “I know it’s hard to try something new before you feel ready. But if you don’t commit to singing from memory, we won’t really know where we stand. So give it your best, make mistakes, and let’s see what happens.”
They gave it a go. It wasn’t perfect—but as a group, they gained confidence, realizing they knew more than they thought. And I, as their leader, could pinpoint exactly where we needed to focus our rehearsal energy before our December 14th performance.
Win-win.
As business owners, we often lean on our own versions of “sheet music” that keep us from taking bold action:
Rewriting your sales page over and over
Taking yet another course before feeling “ready”
Posting about the same safe topics
Keeping your prices low
Offering services that don’t light you up anymore
Relying on what’s familiar can be helpful—but growth happens when we step out of our comfort zones and take action, even if it’s imperfect.
In the spirit of leading by example, here are two experiments I’ve been trying in my business (and what I’m learning):
1. This Newsletter!
Weekly storytelling that blends personal and business insights.
What I’m noticing:
Storytelling feels like me. I actually look forward to drafting this newsletter instead of procrastinating on it.
Open rates are consistently 55–65%(compared to the industry average of 25–40%).
Conversions have exceeded my expectations—even though this newsletter is intentionally non-salesy. A simple footer with “how we can work together” has been enough to grow my waitlist for the January cohort of TEC.
2. Longer-Form Reels
Face-to-camera videos with value-packed stories or problem + solution frameworks.
What I’m noticing:
These take more time to create, but speaking directly to the camera feels more engaging than relying on captions over B-roll.
Saves are higher, which tells me the content resonates.
Conversions haven’t shifted yet—but it’s early, and I’m excited to keep experimenting.
The takeaway? Whether you’re running a choir or running a business, the magic happens when you leave your “sheet music” behind and trust yourself to grow through action.
What’s something you’re experimenting with right now? Or, what do you want to try (even if you don’t feel ready yet)? Leave a comment below.
Have a wonderful week,
Samara
Ways to work together:
Private Mentorship – apply to grow your business together for a December or January kickoff.
Get on The Expansion Collective Waitlist for the January 2025 cohort. Waitlisters get access to discounts + bonuses + limited spaces. DM me with any questions.
My business bestie and I are launching a new creative studio in a couple of months! Need a new and improved website? We’ve got you covered.