Mia’s last two columns were very different, but both worth a read if you haven’t seen them yet.

In the first,  “Know when it’s time let things go,” Mia shared her top New Year’s resolution for small business owners.

“To be clear, I’m not telling you to let go of your business or your ambition for great things – but you do need to realize when it is time to let go of the everyday stuff that has become too big for you to manage on your own,” Mia writes.

Profiling the strong relationship between BC-based photographer Kathryn Langsford and marketing consultant Crystal Munro, this column explores the tremendous benefits small business owners can realize by drawing on professional marketers.

“The more freed up my brain is, the better my work looks,” says Langsford. “So as soon as I was financially able to, anything I could outsource, I did – in order to be the best artist that I could.”

Munro articulated the hesitation she sometimes sees from businesses unsure about seeking outside marketing support.

“Some small business owners want to hold everything close, and they are so scared to let go because their business that they have built is like their baby,” says Munro. “To many, outsourcing is like sending a kid off to college.”

But just as your child grows older and you have to stop the handholding, the same is true for a rapidly growing company.

“You need to be able to let go to take it to the next level. Otherwise, you’ll get stuck at the plateau,” Munro says.

Mia writes:

“The relationship [Munro] and Langsford have built is inspiring – and offers a great lesson for growing small businesses. Whether you hire a new staff member, outsource to a consultant or bring in a professional public relations or marketing firm, the benefit of a professional, fresh set of eyes for your marketing strategy will be huge. You just have to be willing to let it happen.”

Her second column, “UFC’s social media strategy packs a punch” highlighted how the Ultimate Fighting Championship and its president Dana White have harnessed the power of social media to build excitement and interest in fans.

Mia writes: “Social media outreach from the president and the fighters appears to be a key component of UFC’s marketing game plan. White is known for his frank nature and impromptu ticket giveaways via Twitter. With White at the helm, the UFC is delivering a level of authenticity and accessibility that many other big sports just don’t have.”

“I may not be an ultimate fighting fan – but there is something to be said for the excitement the organization has generated with its brand,” Mia writes. “The takeaway is this: If you’re not getting the kind of coverage that you’d like, you need, in your own unique way, to keep working on getting your audience, customers and teams excited. Once you achieve that, you will create a story that will be hard for others to ignore.”

Check out Mia’s column every Thursday in the Globe and Mail’s Report on Business.