Tag Archives: TEland

What If We’ve Been Teaching It Backwards All Along?

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There are nights when a simple conversation turns into something bigger.

You start out just talking…
And before you know it, an hour has gone by and your brain is spinning — not from confusion, but from clarity.

That happened to me tonight.

For a long time, I’ve been saying the same thing:

“Promote more… don’t just surf.”

And I meant it.

But something hit me during that conversation…
What if it’s not that people don’t want to promote?
What if they were never really shown how in a way that feels natural to them?

What I’m Starting to See:

Members come in and do what they’re shown.

Click. Earn. Repeat.

And if that’s all they see… that’s all they do.

But when someone starts to:

  • show up consistently
  • share what they’re doing
  • talk about why something works

Something changes.

Not overnight…
But it changes.

The Missing Piece:

It’s not just about telling people what to do.

It’s about:

  • showing
  • inviting
  • encouraging
  • creating space for them to think

Because when people feel like they’re part of something…
They don’t just click.
They participate.

I’ll be honest…
Sometimes it does feel like I’m banging my head against the wall.
But then something happens:

  • a comment on a blog post
  • someone trying something new
  • someone showing up differently

And I realize…
it is working
just not all at once

Where I’m At Right Now:

I’m not trying to change everything overnight.

I’m just:

  • building tools
  • sharing what I see
  • creating spaces where people can grow

And trusting that the right people will feel it.

Because maybe…

it’s not about pushing harder

it’s about opening the door wider

And seeing who walks in.

Curious what I mean? Take a peek at what I’ve been working on:
This might change how you look at things


How I Personally Decide If a Site Is Worth Promoting

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I get asked this a lot…

How do you know if a site is worth your time?

And honestly?

I don’t overthink it.
I just look for signs that an owner is present and cares.

Here’s what I personally watch for:

* Is the owner visible?
Do they have their name on the site… or are they hiding?

* Are they promoting their own site?
If the owner isn’t out there sharing it… why should I?

* What’s happening in chat?
Do I see messages like “can you approve my site?” sitting there unanswered?

That tells me a lot.

* Are the offers outdated?
If I see Christmas promos when it’s Easter…

That’s a red flag.

* Are they connected to other sites?
Promos, partnerships, community activity — it shows they’re engaged.

* Are events being maintained?
Are claim pages updated on time… or forgotten?

* Does the site feel “alive”?
Or does it look like default settings that were never touched?

* Are seasonal touches updated?
Little things matter more than people think.

* Is the owner active on their own site?
Posting, interacting, showing up?

My Simple Rule

I don’t look for perfection.

I look for presence.

Because when an owner is present…

* Things get fixed
* Members feel seen
* The site grows

And that’s the kind of place I’m happy to promote.

Final Thought

You can tell a lot about a site…

just by watching how it’s being taken care of

One more thought…

With everything available today — especially AI tools to help with content, ideas, and updates —

there really aren’t many excuses anymore.

You don’t have to do everything perfectly.

But showing up… keeping things current… being present…

that’s easier now than it’s ever been.

Did I miss anything? What do YOU look for?