This spring, I couldn’t wait to get my garden going.
I planted seeds under bright lights, tended to my seedlings, and finally moved them outside to my rooftop terrace when the threat of frost had passed.
But once they were in the soil, they didn’t exactly take off. Some stayed small and leggy. Others just… died.
Every time I stepped into the garden, I was tempted to rip it all out.
There was a part of me that said, “Wow, you can’t even plant a damn seed right.”
Clearly I’d done something wrong — used the wrong soil, the wrong seed trays, maybe even the wrong seeds?
Never mind that Toronto had an unseasonably cold, wet spring — and nearly every gardener I knew was struggling...
And then one day, I almost didn't notice. But my garden was in full bloom.
Lush and abundant. Not perfect — the zinnias a little too red, the petunias a little too orange, the dahlias tipping out of their cages — but undeniably thriving.
This reminds me of something I hear often from creative small business owners. So many of us are carrying the same quiet fear:
“If I’m not seeing immediate results, it must be because I did something wrong.”
So what do we do? We rip out the seedlings and start from scratch. Again.
But here’s what gardening has taught me: If something’s not working yet, it doesn't mean it won’t.
Sometimes the seeds are sprouting under the surface — they just need more time and sunlight.
We need to interrupt the entrepreneurial urge to trash everything every couple of months. Because what 20+ years in marketing communications has taught me is this:
✨ Time is an essential element of an effective strategy.
Inside the Slow & Steady Decelerator, we don’t rip out the work you’ve already done.
We tend to what’s already planted — filling in the gaps and building the right supports to help it grow.
That means:
🌸 Direct, 1:1 support so you’re not second-guessing alone
🌺 Personalized feedback to help you focus on what’s actually working in your business
🌻 A rhythm you can return to — even when things wobble
So all that hard work you’ve done? It starts to bloom — with more clarity, more leads, and more sales.
This year has felt a lot like a long, cold spring. With a little planning, 2026 could be the season everything blooms.
🪴 If you’d like to be part of shaping what I’m building — and get first dibs when spots open — you can join the waitlist here.
More soon. Until then, go slow and stay steady.
Until next time,
Amanda Laird
Growth Marketing Strategist
Founder, Slow & Steady Studio
PS: What’s one seed you almost ripped out this year — but didn’t? Garden, business, doesn't matter to me. Hit reply and tell me. I’d love to hear.