by Kristin Swartzlander | Apr 10, 2015 | Mindset, Thoughts and Rants
In the past few weeks, we’ve talked a lot about hitting the ground running and practical ways to get ahead of your off-the-track work before the season heats up. For many of you, the season has already started. For some, it’s still weeks away. Either way, there’s not much time left to prepare. Now, it’s time to produce. This is what we live for. It’s what gets us through the winter and keeps us working towards our goals. It’s racing season. And in all of the excitement and anticipation, one of the things we often forget is the challenges that we’ll face. On and off the track. Racers will bust shocks on a rough cushion. The concession stand freezer will break and the beer will get warm. The trackside truck will get a flat tire on the way. The server will go down just as your pay per view goes live. It’s inevitable. And it’s not easy – the days when everything goes wrong. All the work you’ve done seems wasted. And there’s nothing you can do about it now. As scary as it seems, the work is all we can control. The results will reflect our hard work and preparedness some days, and they won’t on others. The others, though, are where character is built. Those days are part of our story, too. Sometimes a big part of our story. And that matters. So show up. Do your best, and let go of the rest. Smile through it, if you can. You might just make some new fans and friends. You never know when someone else is letting...
by Kristin Swartzlander | Feb 20, 2015 | Thoughts and Rants
Earlier this week, I was able to attend the 42nd annual RPM Promoter’s Workshops in Daytona Beach both as an observer and as an exhibitor. It was a great experience – two days of programming designed to help race track and series promoters be more successful – and I got to connect and reconnect with a number of great people. In fact, I was lucky enough to meet some of you at my booth, at Volusia Speedway, and for private consulting sessions on Saturday and Sunday! Since it was my first time attending RPM, and putting together a tradeshow exhibit for my own company, I didn’t know what to expect – something that’s a little bit, er, difficult for me. See, I’m used to being the supporter. The person that puts it all together for someone else. I’m used to helping other people shine. Frankly, being the center of attention felt pretty weird to me. But I realized that I have to learn to embrace that, or at least accept it, to promote what I love to do. I imagine that many of you have to deal with this as you expand your careers and businesses as drivers, owners, and promoters. If you’re here, you’re probably the type that puts their head down and does the work instead of self-promoting. Even though, deep down, you know you have to do both. If it doesn’t come easy to you, rest assured that you’re not alone. I also learned a few more things that might be of interest to you, too: Being honest. Quite a few people at RPM asked me what...
by Kristin Swartzlander | Jan 15, 2015 | Thoughts and Rants
If you’re on any form of social media these days, you’ve probably seen a post or photo talking about the ‘good old days’ of racing, when ‘real’ race cars came to the track on open trailers and you could bring your whole family to the track for today’s price of popcorn. Although I can’t disagree – racing was pretty great when I was growing up – I have to say that I’m much more positive about the future than I am sad about the way things were. Call me crazy, but I’d like to take a moment to be grateful for the opportunities we have and shine a hopeful light on our sport: We can watch a race from almost anywhere. In fact, even if you’re on Antarctica right now you could probably catch a race from a short track somewhere in the world. (And pneumonia. But whatever.) The power of live streaming and high-quality video broadcasting has never been, well, more powerful. My list of race-tracks-to-visit is much longer than my allotted number of vacation days each year (even if I am mostly my own boss), so I’m more than happy to pay the price of admission – usually more than the price of a grandstand seat – to see a race from my living room. (Side Note: If you or your local track promoter believe that live streaming a race, or posting results to social media, will take fans out of the stands, I’m thrilled to factually tell you that you’re wrong. Future post to come.) And while we’re watching races from all over the world, we’re...
by Kristin Swartzlander | Jan 1, 2015 | Mindset, Thoughts and Rants
I have to say, I’m pretty excited to roll into 2015. In the past few weeks, I’ve gotten busy on goal-setting for the new year. I’ve got a few projects up my sleeve for both racers and promoters, and I’m pumped to share those with you over the next few months. But before that all happens, I want to take a moment to avoid one of the biggest mistakes that I make each year: not celebrating the goals I met from the previous year. If you don’t recognize your past successes, you’re subconsciously telling yourself that you won’t celebrate future ones, either. How motivated do you think you’ll be, then, to achieve those goals if there’s nothing in it for you in the end? You must celebrate your accomplishments to know what success looks (and feels) like. Here are a few highlights from my 2014 – the good and the bad – and the lessons I learned: Growing the community. DirtyMouth became a real, live thing in 2014 and the response was amazing. There are so many people, from clients to friends, which I’m proud to be associated with – and a lot of those people came to me through this blog. From page views and social media statistics to subscribers, the numbers far exceeded my expectations. But there is still tons of room for growth. Actually, that’s my main focus for 2015: continuing to grow and serve this community, to make a real impact on this sport. (So, if you find this or any other piece of content from DirtyMouth helpful, I encourage you to share it. Let’s make...
by Kristin Swartzlander | Dec 4, 2014 | Mindset, Thoughts and Rants
For most dirt track and asphalt racers, the Performance Racing Industry (PRI) Trade Show next week will be one of the biggest business events of the off-season. And if you’re a racing promoter, you might already be in Reno for the RPM Promoter’s Workshops – another great industry event. I’ll be attending PRI next week in a few capacities – as a buyer and as a rep for a few of my industry clients. My newest client will also be there, debuting a major initiative that’ll benefit the entire industry. I’m excited to be able to share that news soon! I’ll also be meeting with a few new potential clients to see if we’re a good fit and what that relationship might look like going forward. This year’s show will be different from those in the past, when I’ve had a looser strategy. And that’s what I want to touch on today – setting a game plan and making it happen. Whether you’re headed to a trade show, networking event or team holiday party, it’s important to make the most of your opportunities. I wrote an article last year on five ways to get the most out of your trip or event, and it’s definitely worth reading again. It touches on: Saving your sanity by avoiding shiny object syndrome. Taking notes using my (simple) system – so you’ll be able to actually use them later. Skipping (most) presentations. You can’t replicate the opportunity to meet new people and strengthen existing relationships in person. Making a plan and sticking to it, while still allowing for spur-of-the-moment opportunities. Preparing information about...
by Kristin Swartzlander | Nov 27, 2014 | Thoughts and Rants
Just a quick note today to say Happy Thanksgiving to all of my American friends! I hope you enjoy a day of love, happiness and gratitude. As racers, we’re always striving to improve. To get better. To find the next best way to get ahead. And I’ve found that every once in a while, I’m straddling that line between wanting to be better and wanting more…and forgetting that what I have, and who I am right now, is enough. So I just wanted to say that I’m grateful. I’m grateful for so many things, including you. Whether you’re here for the first time today or tune in every week, I appreciate you spending time with me and my lofty ideas for what our racing could be. And I’m grateful for what our racing is. It’s my family, my community, my work and my play. And for that, I’m grateful. xo....
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