How Small Businesses Can Plan and Achieve Sustainable Growth

BY CHRISTOPHER HAYMON
of ADULTING DIGEST
GUEST WRITER

For small business owners trying to grow, especially creative founders running author services, retreats, or small publishing projects, expansion can start to feel messy fast. 

The core tension is simple: the business needs more capacity and visibility, but hiring new employees, funding growth, choosing marketing strategies, and tightening customer acquisition all compete for the same limited time and cash. 

That mix can leave founders working harder while feeling less certain, even when demand is real. The most helpful first step is naming the one constraint creating the most friction right now.

Quick Growth Planning Takeaways

• Focus on strategic expansion decisions that match your current capacity and long-term goals.

• Plan recruiting so that new employees strengthen operations instead of adding strain.

• Choose financing options that support the next phase without creating unsustainable pressure.

• Prepare new product introductions with clear priorities so you know what to tackle first.

Understanding Sustainable Growth Basics

Sustainable growth means expanding without draining your cash, your team, or your reputation. It starts with four basics: building systems that can scale, checking the market before you commit, forecasting money so surprises do not run the show, and knowing what makes you the clear choice. One simple definition of sustainable business growth is expanding without depleting resources.

This matters for authors because publishing decisions are business decisions in disguise. A retreat, an editor, or a promo push can help, but only if it fits real demand and real numbers. Even a great launch can wobble when around 80% of small businesses struggle with cash flow issues at some point.

Think of planning a book launch like scaling a workshop. You test interest with a small email campaign, price it, and estimate costs before booking a bigger venue. Your edge might be your niche voice, your community, or a repeatable event format.

A Simple Growth Rhythm You Can Repeat

This rhythm turns big ideas into small, trackable moves, so growth does not depend on one heroic launch. For authors, it keeps retreats, publishing timelines, and promotion tied to capacity and real signals, not urgency. It also creates a paper trail you can revisit when a plan needs tightening.

Stage	Action	Goal
Clarify	Write one growth target and one constraint	Decisions stay focused and realistic
Validate	Test demand with a small offer and feedback	Evidence before major spending
Resource	Map time, cash, and help needed	Fewer bottlenecks and surprises
Risk-check	List top risks and simple controls	Prevent avoidable setbacks
Execute	Run a short sprint with weekly checkpoints	Progress you can measure
Review	Compare results to target; adjust plan	Better accuracy next cycle

Treat each stage like a loop: clarity sets direction, validation reduces guesswork, and resourcing protects your calendar and cash. Many teams are increasing investments in better monitoring because visibility makes risk easier to manage. Pick one goal today, and run the loop once.

Common Growth Questions, Calmer Answers

Q: How can I effectively manage stress and avoid feeling overwhelmed during the process of expanding my small business?

A: Shrink the work to a two-week experiment and decide what “good enough” looks like before you start. Pick one metric to watch and one boundary to protect, like your writing hours or retreat capacity. The goal is sustainable growth, not a frantic sprint that burns out your creativity.

Q: What strategies can help simplify the complexities involved in finding new customers and entering new markets?
A: Start with one clear audience and one channel, then repeat what works before adding anything new. Create a simple inbound engine: useful posts, a lead magnet, and one email sequence, since inbound marketing methods cost 62% less per lead than outbound. Keep your “new market” test small, like one workshop date or one bookstore partnership.

Q: How do I maintain clarity and confidence when adding new products or services without getting stuck in uncertainty?
A: Define the smallest version of the offer that proves demand, such as a pilot retreat or a limited editing package. Use a short pre-sale or waitlist to confirm interest, then only expand after delivery feels smooth. Confidence comes from evidence, not endless planning.

Q: In what ways can forming partnerships reduce the burden and improve support as my business grows?
A: Partnerships let you share reach and workload, like co-hosting a retreat with a venue or pairing with a designer for a book launch kit. Set expectations in writing: roles, timelines, revenue split, and how you will resolve problems. A good partner adds steadiness when your calendar and cash flow feel tight.

Q: What resources are available for someone feeling stuck and wanting to gain new skills to confidently handle technology and security aspects while growing their business?
A: Begin with a quick digital risk check: password manager, multi-factor authentication, backups, and access levels for contractors. This matters because 17% of small businesses reported digital security incidents in one survey. If security keeps slowing launches, look for a structured online cyber security education path that teaches basics first, then practical controls.

Pick One Scaling Move to Build Sustainable Business Growth

Growth can feel like a tug-of-war between wanting to expand and fearing you’ll break what’s already working, especially when marketing, partnerships, and digital risk start piling up. 

A growth mindset helps, but the real shift comes from a calm, repeatable approach: define what “success” means right now, strengthen the basics, and let your decisions build entrepreneurial confidence instead of draining it. When that happens, business scaling motivation stops being pressure and becomes a plan you can trust. 

Sustainable growth is the result of small choices made consistently. Choose one next step for expansion this week, tighten one control, clarify one goal, or start one conversation, and put it on the calendar. That steady pace is what creates resilience, stability, and room to keep writing your next chapter.

Welcome to the Price Reduction of MANA's Motivational Weekend Writers' Retreat!

Courtesy of ©The Flint Courier News—L. Land

Good news, writers—the price just dropped on MANA's Motivational Weekend Writers' Retreat! 

Join us July 10–12 at Weber's Boutique Hotel, 3050 Jackson Ave., Ann Arbor, MI, for a weekend dedicated entirely to writers.

If you're feeling a financial crunch but want to become published, MANA is making it easier than ever to invest in your writing journey.

Here's the updated pricing:

• $850—Retreat only (hotel accommodations not included)

• $1,312—Retreat plus hotel accommodations

The $350 non-refundable registration fee will be applied to the retreat cost. Remaining payments can be done in increments. Incremental payments will start in April 2026.

Scholarships are also available. Contact MANA at info@marketingnewauthors.com to see whether you are eligible to receive a scholarship.

There are several advantages for writers who register for the retreat. Among them are:

Getting questions answered about the publishing process

• Interaction with published authors

• One-on-One assistance with your manuscript

• A chance to receive supportive input from fellow writers

• Guidance for promoting your book

Writers' Retreat Highlights

The retreat will include a group for writers with a manuscript who need professional guidance to develop it into a book.There will also be a group for writers who don't have a manuscript but have an idea and need assistance in developing it into a full manuscript.

Sessions will be held each day of the retreat. The sessions will cover topics such as:

• How to Become Published

• Be Aware of A-I

• How Do You Promote Your Book?

• Do You Need and How Do You Obtain A Literary Agent

• How Much Money Will I Really Receive?

Retreat Features Published Authors and Professional Writers

Attendees will be able to connect with professionals who understand the unique challenges of writing, such as how to get started, silencing the inner critic, and battling rewriting struggles.

Guest speakers and group guides include:

1. Cherisa Allen—Speaker, Trainer, Transformational Life Coach, and author of Revelation, Resignation, Restoration: A Woman’s Story of Triumph For All Women (self-published with MANA).

2. Dr. Nora Martin—Professor Emeritus and Education Consultant at Eastern Michigan University, and author of A Widow’s Sharing and Guide: Forever With Me, and Effective Team-Building Activities For The Pumpkin And/Or Sweet Potato Pie Lovers (both self-published with MANA).

3. Linda M. Otterbridge—Founder of Hook a Sista Up (HASU), an online membership-based community for women entrepreneurs; Business Relations Representative with the Better Business Bureau, business owner, and podcast host.

4. Dr. Fairy Hayes-Scott—Owner of MarketingNewAuthors.com and Robbie Dean Press, author, and retired professor of English at Mott Community College.

5. Dr. Gregory Shafer—Professor of English at Mott Community College, and author of several books published by Robbie Dean Press, including Nick Christopher: Time Traveler, Propaganda—American Style: A Textbook For Critical Thinkers, and Process And Voice In The Writing Workshop.

6. Holly Taylor—Professor of English at Jackson College, teaches fiction and writing courses, as well as poetry, drama, and other classes.

Once MANA receives the registration fee for the retreat, you will receive:

1) $700 discount for $2,000 publishing plan and a $1,000 discount for any publishing plan higher, including consultation, color cover by professional designer, ISBN number and bar code, editing, proofreading, and digital marketing;

2) $200 reduction of retreat fee for a paid referral; from $875 to $675 (no accommodations) or $1312 to $1112 (accommodations included)

You will also be entered into a raffle for:

1) A $500 rebate of the retreat fee

2) Consultation ($500 value) to aid you with your publication with any other publisher;

3) A free MANA publishing plan ($2,000 value) for free;

4) Portions of your retreat fee will go to H.A.S.U., Forgotten Harvest, and Capuchin Soup Kitchen

Eligibility for all of the above and application for scholarships, once you register!

Whether you need motivation to finish your manuscript or have been dreaming about seeing your name on a book cover, this retreat was made for you. You'll walk away inspired, motivated, and with real momentum on your writing goals.

Don't let another year pass wondering "what if." This is your sign.

Register today and save your spot! Click HERE to sign up on MANA's website. Let's get you published!

Congratulations to Lisa Sarno, Winner of MANA's Black History Month Writers' Contest!

MANA is pleased to announce that Lisa Sarno, a Flint, Michigan, resident, is the winner of MANA’s Black History Month Writers’ Contest. Sarno won for her poem, “Juba’s Spirit.”

The theme for the 2026 contest was “Dealing with Changes in Black Culture.” MANA asked writers of all ethnicities to submit their work, as diverse perspectives foster better dialogue and deepen understanding.

We learned to move through the thickest of times is a line from Sarno's poem, "Juba Spirit," which describes different dances across time periods that black people enjoyed. 

In an interview with The Flint Courier, Sarno said she saw that dances such as the Cha Cha Slide and those from the Harlem Renaissance era all originated from ancestral dances. She also noted that not much has changed about these dances. 

"That need to gather, that need to be together, the need for that kind of communication and unity and togetherness in the community has always been with us, even through the worst of times," Sarno told The Flint Courier. "In fact, it may get us through some of the worst of times. That may be what got us through."

Sarno describes poetry as her "solo expression." She said she is very familiar with the works and legacy of poet June Jordan. "I engage in the community as a Poetry Workshop facilitator and use the Revolutionary Blueprint-June Jordan Poetry for the People as a guiding light," Sarno said.

Lisa published her first poetry collection, Grasping at Stars, in 2024. This work was a 2025 Goldie finalist, presented by the Golden Crown Literary Society. Sarno is a member of Voices of the Revolution, a women’s poetry collective based in Lansing, Michigan. The collective published Lisa’s Poems from the Resisterhood in April 2025.

Besides being a poet, Lisa is also a musician and a member of Sometimes Y, an all-women’s rock-and-roll band in Lansing.

Go here for Lisa Sarno's entire interview with The Flint Courier.

Now, enjoy “Juba’s Spirit,” the winning submission of MANA’s Black History Month Writers’ Contest below.

Juba's Spirit by Lisa Sarno

Before the bombastic beat boomed

from a click in the machine

rattling the windows along the street,

it was Black skin on dirt.

The slap of a palm on a thigh

the stomp of a foot,

the body strained and contorted

Juba! Juba!

Juba across the dirt-floored Juke Joints,

Juba loud from the belly of housing projects,

Juba busting the Chain Gang into song,

Juba sliding over the slick floors in the Clubs,

Juba alive in Step Shows,

1 Hop this time!

2 Hops this time!

Saggy pants and a fire for running away

to what Momma fears most.

Through the years, the body remembers

where ankles twist, the shaking of shackles

Shoulders roll, letting off the weight of 400 years

we learned to move through the thickest of times

Right foot 2 Stomps!

Left foot 2 Stomps!

Cha Cha, y’all!

Pidgins and creoles fly into existence

across the ship’s galley

language created “off the dome” and

shouted to each other over the sounds

of misery

“Brag-a-licious!” Juba Spirit says

“I See You In this Strange Land”

“What up, Doh?”

The spit and the strut and the resistance of

it all

Slide to the left!

Slide to the right!

The fictive nature of our blood clan

as we remember being locked and yoked

40 wide and 2 deep.

Teeth bared, lips stretched, nostrils flared

Same hunger in the shuffle

Same fire in the flex

Just a different name for Freedom

We dance and the walls sweat with rebellion

How Writers’ Retreats Transform Isolation Into Creative Growth and Success

BY CHRISTOPHER HAYMON
of ADULTING DIGEST
GUEST WRITER

For location-independent writers, digital nomads, military spouses, van-lifers, and indie authors working from spare rooms, freedom often comes with a quiet cost. Remote writing isolation can turn a steady practice into stop-and-start sessions, where writer motivation challenges pile up, and doubts get louder than the work. 

Without regular feedback and real deadlines, building writing craft remotely can feel slow, and progress becomes hard to measure. Even when online groups exist, writer community engagement can stay thin and transactional. 

The result is simple: talent grows faster in good company.

What a Writers’ Retreat Really Is

A writers’ retreat is a planned block of time and a shared setting where you show up to work on your project with intention. The simplest definition of a writing retreat is a designated period and space to focus, often alongside other writers. That focus is only the first win. 

Retreats strengthen your craft through concentrated practice, add a layer of community support through real conversations and feedback, and help your career by creating momentum you can measure when you return to normal life.

Think of it like moving your writing from “whenever I can” to “this is the shift I clock in for.” Your draft gets pages, your ideas get stress-tested, and your goals start looking like a workable publishing plan.

6 Retreat Payoffs You Can Feel in Your Drafts and Career

A good retreat isn’t just “time away.” It’s a small, temporary system that makes writing easier to do and easier to improve because the schedule, the people, and the environment work together.

1. Treat the schedule like a writing appointment: Before you arrive, choose one measurable goal: “draft 8 new scenes” or “revise chapters 1–3,” not “work on my book.” Then block two daily sessions (for example, 90 minutes each) and protect them like you would a paid gig. Many retreats are built around intensive writing time for a creative project, and your job is to show up with a clear target so that time converts into pages.

2. Use skill-building workshops to fix one craft problem fast: Pick one workshop topic that matches your current sticking point, dialogue that feels stiff, plot that drifts, or point of view that wobbles. During the session, write down three “rules of thumb” you can test immediately, then revise one page the same day while the lesson is fresh. This turns a workshop from “interesting information” into visible improvement in your draft.

3. Get targeted peer feedback, not general opinions: Go into peer feedback sessions with a specific question: “Where did you feel bored?” “Which sentence confused you?” “Does this opening make you want to read on?” If the retreat offers first page critiques, bring two versions of your first page and ask readers to choose which one pulls them in faster. You’ll leave with concrete edits instead of a pile of vague encouragement.

4. Build a tiny networking plan for writers (without being salesy): Set a simple goal like “have three real conversations.” Ask what others are working on, what they’re submitting to, and what’s helped them stay consistent. Exchange contact info only after you’ve had an actual connection, then follow up within 72 hours with one specific note (a resource you mentioned, a line you liked, or a quick check-in). That’s how networking becomes community instead of awkward pitching.

5. Turn inspiration sources into a reusable idea bank: Retreats give you new inputs, walks, readings, prompts, overheard phrases at meals. Capture them on purpose: write 10 sensory details a day, plus one “what if” question. When you hit a slump later, you’ll have a drawer full of story sparks that came from lived moments, not forced brainstorming.

6. Leave with a career-advancement “one-page plan”: On the final day, write a single page that includes your next deliverable, your deadline, and your accountability loop. Example: “Revise chapter 1 by Friday, send to critique partner Sunday, query list by the 15th.” Retreat momentum fades fast if it isn’t tied to dates, so pair your plan with a realistic budget and calendar you can maintain back home.

Writers’ Retreat Questions, Answered

Q: How can participating in a writers' retreat help location-independent writers overcome feelings of isolation and build a supportive community?

A: A retreat replaces solo scrolling with shared meals, quiet writing time, and low-pressure conversation, which makes connection feel natural. Choose one “community outcome,” like swapping accountability check-ins with two writers, and schedule a 10-minute follow-up call before you leave. When you return to your usual routine, that small circle keeps isolation from creeping back in.

Q: In what ways do writers' retreats provide structure and motivation to help writers break through creative blocks or feelings of being stuck?
A: Retreats work because the container is clear: you show up, you write, you rest, you repeat, which reduces decision fatigue. The writing retreat definition captures it well: you temporarily set aside everyday responsibilities to focus on writing. For motivation, set a realistic deliverable like “1,500 new words” or “revise 10 pages,” then reward completion with a walk or an early night.

Q: How do writers' retreats contribute to improving writing skills and advancing one's craft in a focused environment?
A: You get faster feedback loops: learn a technique, apply it immediately, and refine it while your attention is sharp. Bring one craft question you truly care about, like pacing, voice, or openings, and ask for specific notes on one scene. Leave with a short checklist you can reuse during revisions at home.

Q: What are the unique benefits of attending a writers' retreat for those who work remotely and struggle to separate work from personal life?
A: A retreat gives you clean boundaries, because your “office” becomes one defined block, not a laptop that follows you everywhere. Logistics help: tell clients you are unavailable, remove work apps from your phone, and pick lodging with a dedicated desk or common workspace. Budget-wise, it can be easier to commit when you know what is included, and one example shows a retreat cost of $1,245 with meals and accommodations covered.

Q: If I'm feeling uncertain about my writing direction and want to explore new skills beyond writing, what options can I consider to gain clarity and practical knowledge?

A: Use the retreat to test directions through small experiments: draft in a new genre for one session, outline a short nonfiction piece in another, and note what energizes you. For practical knowledge, attend sessions on pitching, submitting, and building a repeatable process, then choose one next step you can do in 30 minutes weekly. If you want broader upskilling too, consider a structured online degree or certificate path that complements writing with editing, marketing, or communications, and consider this option for a look at one structured program format.

Reset Your Routine With MANA’s July 2026 Retreat

Tools like retreats matter because motivation fades when you have to self-manage every decision. A well-designed program also turns “I should publish someday” into practical steps, like clearer revision priorities and a short plan for submissions.

One option to look at is MANA’s Motivational Weekend Writers’ Retreat in July 10-12, 2026, built for writers who want an immersive writing experience without disappearing for weeks. The schedule and shared space support the same shift retreats are known for, with measurable increases in publication outputs reported across multiple studies.

Picture arriving on Friday, drafting in focused blocks, then workshopping one sticky scene and swapping contacts with two writers you can check in with afterward. If you want a weekend that converts isolation into momentum, this is a clean next step before the wrap-up.

Turn Retreat Time Into Consistent Writing Momentum

Writing remotely can feel like working in a quiet bubble, productive one day, stalled and second-guessing the next. The retreat approach laid out here is simple: step into a focused space with structure, supportive feedback, and community building for writers, so the work stops living only in your head. That’s where the writers' retreat benefits summary lands, clearer goals, steadier output, and creative growth encouragement that carries home with you. 

A writers’ retreat turns isolation into focus, feedback, and forward motion. If you want practical steps to join retreats, choose one date on your calendar (or plan a two-day mini retreat) and commit to showing up. That small commitment builds resilience, connection, and a writing life that can last.

MANA is holding a  Motivational Weekend Writers' Retreat from July 10-12, 2026, go HERE to MANA's website. 

Game-Changing Author Marketing Interview with MANA Author Dr. Fairy Hayes-Scott

MANA’s owner, Dr. Fairy Hayes-Scott, was recently featured on HASU’s “If These Books Could Talk” program. Based in Grand Rapids, Hook A Sista Up (HASU) is a networking group for women entrepreneurs and small business owners that focuses on collaboration and helping women succeed in their businesses and careers.

In her interview with HASU’s founder, Linda Otterbridge, Dr. Fairy discussed her new book, Are There Black Angels In Heaven: Sharing A For-Real Black Love Story, and encouraged listeners to participate in MANA’s Writing Contest for Black History Month. The interview also invited listeners to attend MANA’s Motivational Weekend Writers’ Retreat in July.

Enjoy the interview!

 

Visit MANA’s website to learn more about MANA’s Motivational Weekend Writers’ Retreat.

Go HERE for further information on Dr. Fairy’s book, Are There Black Angels In Heaven: Sharing A For-Real Black Love Story.

Learn more about MANA's Writing Contest for Black History Month HERE.

A Love Story After Valentine's Day

"Good things happen to those who wait." "Experiencing a true love experience takes time." The beautiful love story, Are There Black Angels in Heaven?: Sharing A For-Real Black Love Story by Fairy C. Hayes-Scott, illustrates these sayings. This is a non=fiction love story told through the author's diary entries. Also, she adds some reflective comments. It is a book for the individual wanting to curl up with a for-real love story.

The author recalls going to her manicurist on a day close to Valentine's Day. The facility was busier than usual. The author wondered why. Her manicurist must have been reading her mind, she remarked that Valentine's Day was coming very soon. Thus, young ladies were getting their nails done as well as their feet "prettied" for the special day. The author recalled that she smiled and said, "Well, now my husband has passed, so he and I won't be celebrating that day. However, we never did. Yes, we would exchange cards. We did no more than that. We just tried to make every day of our marriage a celebration of Valentine's Day."

It took time to meet her for-real love. This book takes you through the journey in an entertaining way.  

Yes, this was a for-real Black love story for any person to appreciate.

Go HERE to visit our bookstore for Are There Black Angels in Heaven?: Sharing A For-Real Black Love Story.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"What Phillis Wheatley Told Me" By Anna J. Small Roseboro

In celebration of Black History Month, MANA is pleased to present a poem by Anna J. Small Roseboro, a wife, mother, author, educator, and writing coach based in Grand Rapids, MI.

Rosoboro’s poem, "What Phillis Wheatley Told Me," honors Phillis Wheatley (c. 1753-1784), the first African American author of a book of poetry.

Roseboro asked, “What would Phillis Wheatley tell you?” Her poem in the video below is what she imagined Phillis Wheatley would say.

Enjoy!

HAPPY MLK Day!

  

 

I will never forget the awe and quiet inspiration I felt when I first saw the statue of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I was humbled to know that I was privileged to march down Woodward Avenue in Detroit, MI in June of 1963. And my Mother and I were able to get into Huntington Place, then, called Cobo Hall, to hear the first rendition of his famous "I Have A Dream" speech. As a youngster I did not realize then as I do now that I was a part of history. I am so very happy that I had the opportunity to be a part of that glorious day. And to live to see such an iconic artistic work in honor of Dr. King truly has been a key highlight of my life.

Fairy C. Hayes-Scott, Ph.D.

Owner/Publisher

MarketingNewAuthors.com 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

How to Get Started as a First-Time Author (and Keep Going)

Whether you dream of being traditionally published or plan to self-publish, every author begins in the same place: with a blank page and a decision to start. Writing a book can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. The key is to begin wisely, stay realistic, and keep moving forward even when the process gets hard. Here are practical tips to help you get started—and stay committed—on your journey as a first-time author.

1. Start Small and Write What’s Manageable

One of the biggest mistakes new authors make is aiming too big too soon. Writing a 500-page book may sound impressive, but it often leads to burnout before the manuscript is finished. Readers are also less likely to buy a massive book from an unknown author.

Don't attempt to write a 500-page work and expect the book to sell out overnight. Readers will not buy a tome (a large, lengthy book) from an unknown author. You will save yourself time and lots of money on printing if you keep it small, typically no more than 200 pages for a printed book, and even fewer for an e-book. Actually, it only takes fewer than 50 pages to launch your career as an author.

Instead, start with a smaller, focused project. A printed book of 150–200 pages is more than enough to introduce yourself as an author. In fact, an e-book or a short book of fewer than 50 well-written pages can launch your writing career. A brief, clear book that solves one problem or shares one strong message builds confidence, experience, and momentum.