Your Zone of Genius
I have a terrible habit of wasting my time doing tasks someone else should be doing.
In the language of Gay Hendricks, bestselling author of The Big Leap, I spend way too much time in my Zone of Competence (and sometimes, let’s be honest, my Zone of Incompetence)… instead of my Zone of Genius.
If you’ve read the book, you know the four Zones: Incompetence, Competence, Excellence, and Genius.
The Zone of Competence is the sneakiest one. It’s the Zone of “I can technically do this… but should I?”
Because often you can sort of do the thing — just not quickly, joyfully, or expertly. And often not without cursing under your breath.
Barely Competent
Exhibit A: The electrical box situation.
Last year I had to replace the electrical box thingy behind a light switch in my TV room. I watched the YouTubes, shut off fuses, connected mysterious wires I had no business touching — and after way too much fiddling and sweating, miracle upon miracle, it worked.
But the whole time I was thinking, Is this worth it? Am I about to burn down my house? And is this really the best use of my time?!
Pretty Incompetent
Exhibit B: My backyard.
When I first bought my house, I tried to give the yard a DIY facelift. It was… fine-ish? But never a space I wanted to be in.
When I finally hired a professional, he took one look and instantly knew how to make it both gorgeous and functional. I agonized over the cost — especially the lighting — but it’s one of the best investments I’ve ever made. And I’ve never regretted that “expensive” lighting.
Of course, we did cut one corner: the patio. Half beautiful slate pavers, half bargain-bin gravel. It was cheaper, but a huge mess. Literally. Gravel was tracked everywhere.
I knew immediately we’d made a mistake, but we waited a few years to fix it. Mistake number two.
Because we waited, the new pavers didn’t match the old ones, so we had to dig up everything and blend the stones. It looks great now, but it cost a gazillion dollars more than if we’d just done it right the first time. Live and learn. Sigh.
Seeing the Pattern?
Every time I DIY something because I “can” do it or cut corners because I think I’m being practical, I end up spending more time, more money, and way more mental energy than if I’d hired the right expert from the start.
You probably see where I’m going with this…
This is exactly what I see many women doing with their brand and website.
On our first call, women often apologize for not knowing what their brand should be, for not being good at design, or for feeling overwhelmed by Squarespace.
DIY platforms like Squarespace and Canva have created the false impression that everyone should be able to design beautiful, compelling marketing materials themselves.
And yes, maybe they technically can. They can write their own copy. They can piece together a website. But it takes forever. It drains their energy. And it rarely reflects the elevated, premium business they’re trying to build.
My Zone of Genius
After working together, one client said:
“I wondered whether we even needed to hire someone. But being on the other side, I can say with 100% confidence it was a great investment. If I had tried to write the copy and create the design myself, there’s no way it would look half as professional.”
Another shared:
“I feared the investment would only be in things I could ‘do on my own.’ But it turned out to be a deeper investment in my business and myself as a woman entrepreneur. I am so thankful that I asked for help.”
And one more:
“Caitlin took my DIY website and turned it into something I’m genuinely proud to share. The old one was fine and functional, but I never wanted to send people there. Now, I’m excited to share it.”
You don’t have to do this alone
If you’ve been DIY’ing your brand, feeling embarrassed to share your site, or holding back because it doesn’t feel like you… consider this your nudge.
The first step is my Branding Roadmap. It’s a 90-minute strategy session where we nail your messaging and map out the exact path to a gorgeous brand and website that attracts the right-fit clients.
If you’re tired of wasting time in your Zone of Competence (or Incompetence), I’d love to help you get out of it.
Goodies Just For You
WHAT I’M THINKING ABOUT: I’m a couple episodes into season 2 of Pernille, a dramedy out of Norway. It’s about a divorced, middle-aged mom and it has a great tone—sweet, funny, and often really poignant. Each episode is only 30 minutes, so it goes down fast and easy.
WHAT I’M MAKING: These Crispy Oven-Baked Chicken Wings are a huge hit in my house. They don't look anything like the photo, but they're delicious and easy to make. I double the marinade.
WHO I’M ADMIRING: Kim Kiel is a brilliant copywriter who specializes in premium sales and marketing messaging for Gen X women. Whether you need help with your email newsletter, a sales page, a launch, or copy for a full website, Kim is your gal. She also hosts the excellent Ill Communication podcast (any other Beastie Boys fans out there?!). I also really love how she shares her values in her website footer. Check her out.
