Megan Joy
Laugh, move & let the emotions out too!
Be committed, be fluid & flexible. Constantly check in with yourself if what you're doing is aligned with the vision for your business, the impact & reach you want to make, and ultimately how you're feeling. If you're drained, exhausted, and constantly feeling meh - why? Are you and your activities out of alignment? Also, brush yourself off when things don't go as planned, learn & keep moving.
Blake Blankenbecler, Part 2
Don’t Go at it Alone
Just for the accountability sake alone, having someone along side you who knows more and has done something similar to you before, makes a really daunting process feel a lot more possible. And expect to be uncomfortable for a lot of the process!
Blythe Alpern
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask For Help
Be prepared for a lot of long hours and hard work. There is so much to learn about being an entrepreneur, but you can do it, if you truly want it and believe in yourself. Also, don't be afraid to ask for help or support.
Devon Michelle
Embracing Your Calling
Admitting that I am not a fine art wedding photographer, but a dynamic and creative family photographer. Once I fully embraced my call to work with and care for families my heart changed and started to sing every time I went out to a session.
Melissa Keyser
Launching a Course
I recently launched my first course - Self-Portrait School for Solopreneurs- and surpassed my enrollment goal! It's been so validating to know this is an issue I can help others with!
Maliquea Starnes
Learning to Say No
Learning to rest, and letting go of things that aren't essential has certainly been the most challenging for me. I always feel such a need to do "more" in my life and business and trying to do it all inevitably leads to burn out! I've had to learn to set better boundaries, be super intentional and found this magical word called "no" which has helped tremendously.
Josephine Brooks
Growing a Business
I’ve learned to look at growing my business as taking a series of experiments one after the other, rather than setting the stakes high and thinking of everything as either a success or failure. It’s definitely a mind-set shift that takes the pressure off!
Nikki Villatoro
The Reality of Running a Business
Remember to always value yourself and push yourself, there may be moments where you may be taken advantage of but know that your work is worth what you make it! Also, work your butt off but don't forget to treat yourself with some good time off.
Rachida Kankpe-Kombath
Standing Out
“Trust in yourself. There are a lot of content creators out there who are doing amazing things, however your uniqueness is also needed.”
Blake Blankenbecler
Honoring Yourself
“There is a great deal of talk about self-care, but it’s so much more than a face-mask or a manicure. Narrative Self-Care is about connecting deeply with yourself and caring for all parts of you, even the parts of you that feel rejected or unworthy. It’s learning to work with all these different parts of yourself instead of against them.”
Niki Torres
On Doing-it-Yourself
“Try doing it at least once before hiring someone. Sometimes we're the first to rule ourselves out. There's much to be gained in doing it ourselves first because it helps us understand how it works and can hire a better person, or it could even be a catalyst to doing greater things…”
Adrienne Lindsay
Making a Business Out of What You Love
“My start in business came about when I invited one of my mentors – an intelligent and intuitive woman – out for coffee. She knew how intense my life has been recently and encouraged me to reconsider how I was defining success. I had not considered launching my own business until she said, ‘You’re a great writer – why don’t you start your own business?’ In that same week, another mentor said the same thing!”
Sam Laura Brown
Breaking Perfectionism
“Don't expect to feel comfortable or motivated. It's something that everyone one says but most people still think they would be more successful if they didn't have so much fear or they felt more motivated. We all have fear and none of us feel motivated all the time (or even most of the time). You don't need the fear to go away, you just need to learn how to take action anyway.”
Atlas Supply Co
Backpack Makers + Risk Takers
“Take chances, make mistakes, and get messy. It can be so overwhelming to start out and you keep thinking ‘it’s not perfect yet, it won’t work unless it’s perfect’. But it’s not a math equation that has one answer and that’s the pathway you take to success. It’s a constantly changing battle of trial and error. If you love it and you want it – go for it.”
Emily Bode
Designer, Writer + Creative Thinker
"I was such a serious, over-analyzing, and doubtful child. Blogging helped me unearth a lot of those layers because writing has always been like holding up a mirror for me. It nudged me out of my comfort zone on my own terms, becoming a safe space to explore my thoughts and feelings on career, relationships, and my creativity."
Me & Orla
Instagram expert, writer + coach
“I grew a following really quickly, so I started my blog, and then it gradually evolved into my dream business, and I was able to quit my day job. What began as a personal website has had to evolve to take heavy traffic and house a variety of functions, and I’ve had to learn to do the same!”
Love Cloth
Denim Lover + Photo Taker
“Do it, there’s plenty of room in the pond for us all. Just do it for the right reason. Do it for the passion of being creative and being you. It can be disheartening at first when you spend a few months talking to yourself but if you’re passionate it makes it worthwhile.”
MontgomeryFest
Mama, painter, illustrator + traveller
“It wasn’t until I started sharing my work that my creativity really soared. Not everything has been an obvious success, but every time I put something I’ve made out there, I’ve pushed my boundaries and learned more about myself and my process, what works and doesn’t work. It can be pretty intimidating and vulnerable, but that growth is the overall win.”
Ink & Honey Design Co.
Wandering online design studio
“Just begin. Honestly, this is one of the most important things I’ve learned over the past year; just start. There’s no point waiting for everything to be perfect, the quicker you get yourself out there the more time you have to learn, grow and adjust until you reach where you’d like to be.”