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1 year of working for ourselves
The Fear & Freedom and Why We Wouldn’t Change a Thing Celebrating 1 year of Clear Coast Solutions As I write this, it is June 1st. Exactly 365 days ago, Mik and I officially launched Clear Coast Solutions. If you had told us a few years back that we’d be…
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The ROI of Freedom: Calculating Your “True” Hourly Rate
In the world of small business, there is a common myth that “doing it yourself” saves money. We treat our own time as an infinite, free resource. So why are you spending three hours on a Tuesday afternoon trying to figure out why your email signature looks weird or manually…
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The “Hit by a Bus” Test: Why Your Business Needs SOPs
“I have it all in my head.” It’s the most common (and most dangerous) sentence in small business. At Clear Coast Solutions, we hear it every week. It’s usually whispered by a founder who hasn’t slept since 2023. You’ve built a successful brand, your customers love you, and the gears…
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eCommerce Store Optimisation: 5 Simple Ways to Sell More
Most eCommerce business owners we talk to have the same goal: “We need more website visitors.” We need more sales.” But here is the honest truth: if your store has a “leaky bucket,” bringing in more people won’t help you grow. When we talk about a leaky bucket in eCommerce,…
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Cut the Crap: tech tools that actually make your small business better
Running a small business in 2026 can feel like juggling flaming torches while blindfolded. There’s a tool for everything (emails, social media, accounts, projects, marketing…), and some of them are probably doing more harm than good. But here’s the thing: you don’t need every shiny app under the sun. What…
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How to Use AI For Content Without Losing Your Brand Voice
Use AI tools for marketing without sounding generic. Learn how to protect your brand voice while using AI for content creation. Scale fast but stay human.
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Resolve to Grow: Small Business New Year Checklist for 2026
A new year is here! Time to dust off the cobwebs, grab a coffee, and give your business a little TLC. Whether you’re a tiny start-up or a growing SMB, this simple new year checklist will help you kick off 2026 on the right foot. No jargon, no complicated charts—just…
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Social media posts people actually want to read
How to stop people scrolling past you Let’s be honest: we’ve all posted something on social media that we thought was brilliant… only to be rewarded with two likes (one from your mum and one from your business partner). If you want to stop this and start creating posts people…