I am extremely vocal and outspoken about many things: politics, feminism, body positivity, and of course, the Instapot.
This high-pressure cooking gadget has transformed my life and that is no exaggeration. Just ask my family. They see me in the kitchen nowadays and they’re like, “What alien invader has entered mom’s body? What are you doing? Is…that…a carrot? Are… are you…cooking?!” Yes, mom is cooking. No, it’s not a reality show prank. Thanks to the Instapot, now I make homemade meals on the regular. A miracle of Biblical proportions!
Seriously Instapot ought to hire me as their brand ambassador because I’ve probably recommended their products one thousand times in the last year. Dear Instapot: you’re welcome for all the advertising I’ve given to you. (Feel free to mail me a check anytime. Haaaa.)
The other day, during a mastermind zoom class, a client told me the funniest thing. “Susan, I am tired of Instapot energy,” she sighed wearily. “This year, I am all about Crockpot energy,” someone else chimed in. We all cracked up over this. It got me thinking about these two devices—the Instapot and the Crockpot—and how they relate to running a business.
Instapot Energy
High temperature. High pressure. High intensity. Fast action. Cook things in a very short span of time.
In terms of your business, this feels like:
* A busy launch period where you’re doing daily Facebook Live videos, blasting out daily emails, and fielding tons of questions from potential clients. Short time frame. Big progress. High voltage! Go, go, go!
* A content creation day where you clear your schedule completely and focus on thing—like, writing newsletters or podcast scripts—all day long. High intensity! Focus! Sprint!
* A big power move—like emailing the CEO of a company to introduce yourself and pitch your services. It only takes a few minutes to send off that email, but the rewards could be huge.
* Attitude: “This is scary, this is brave, this might even be a little crazy, but f*ck it, let’s do this! It’s go time!”
Crockpot Energy
Lower temperature. Lower pressure. Slow simmer. Cook things over the course of several hours, or even all day long.
This feels like:
* Patiently strengthening relationships with your fans, subscribers, customers, and clients in an old-school way. Handwritten “thank you” cards. Gifts in the mail. A voicemail or email with no sales pitch, just to check in and say “hi.”
* Building your reputation slowly and steadily over time. No frenzy. No rush. Do excellent work and impress your clients—consistently, month after month—and trust that people will talk about you. Over time, word of mouth buzz will build.
* Working on a big project that requires a great deal of research, reflection, thoughtfulness, and plenty of time—like writing a 70,000-word book manuscript.
* Attitude: “This is a marathon, not a sprint. Slow and steady. Quality over quantity. I don’t have to accomplish everything today. What’s the rush?”
Which is better?
Instapot energy or Crockpot energy?
I believe we need both types of energies at different moments—to reach different types of goals. And of course, as with most things in life, it’s all about striking a balance.
Many entrepreneurs swing too far to one extreme or the other. I’ve seen people operate in Instapot mode 24/7, 365 days a year, and then they collapse due to adrenal fatigue and emotional burn out. Conversely, I’ve seen Crockpot people who plod along at a snail’s pace and struggle to reach their revenue goals, even after being in business for five years.
When it comes to your business, what are your biggest goals right now? Do you need to tap into some fast-acting Instapot energy? Or slow things down to a simmer and embrace the Crockpot vibes?
This concludes my kitchen appliance Ted Talk and thank you for listening.
PS. I’ve been in major Instapot mode lately because it’s BOOK LAUNCH SEASON! Hair, makeup, media appearances, nonstop flights, book parties and signings…it’s all systems go! Come say “hi” at a book launch event and bring a friend along with you. See you on the road!
