I need to speak to those of you who are working from home. Those of you who have little ones running around while you are simultaneously trying to build your own business. Those of you who are preparing lunch for your kids while you answer client calls.
Read MoreEvery single day I quit the same thing - I quit my work.
Have you ever been home with your family and that little “ding” sound goes off notifying you of a new email? You immediately check it and feel the urgency to respond right away. While you are simply trying to get your thoughts from your head through your fingertips and onto the screen so you can press send, and your child walks over to you and says, “Mommy, look at…” only to be abruptly cut off by you with a response that resembles something like, “Honey, I need you to give mommy just a second - I’m just trying to finish this one thing then I can listen to you.”
Read MoreFour years ago, I wrote down where I wanted to be in five years. Here's a little snippet from the six page entry:
"I hope to be in a place where I am able to choose which clients I want to work with. I hope to be in a place where my clients trust me to execute their vision and give me creative freedom to do so. I hope to be in a place where I only have to do a handful of weddings a year and still exceed my sales goal. I hope to be in a place where I can blend my love of travel with my work."
Read MoreToday is our 13th wedding anniversary. We dated five years before we married. We've officially been with one another half our lives. Warning: This is not going to be one of those sweet and sappy anniversary posts.
To be honest, this past year has been the hardest year of marriage we've had. In almost every way, our roles switched. Something neither of us asked for or were prepared for. We struggled to navigate our new normal.
Read MoreThere was an overwhelming number of applicants. So many that 42 states and 15 countries were represented.
It really was such a tough decision with so many wonderful, inspiring, heart-warming applications. As I read through each submission, there were common themes throughout of what you were desiring to get out of the course:
Read MoreI was working out with my trainer yesterday (I'm trying to take better care of myself and get some energy to keep up with my three kids and they say after a while I'll start to enjoy it, still waiting on that!) and she said to me, "My fiance isn't loving his job and he asked me how I was able to land my dream job and I told him I'm one of the lucky ones."
Read MoreOur kids currently go to preschool year-round. Every July they are off for one week and every July we go somewhere fun. The weather in Arkansas is brutally hot during this time, so traveling someplace a little less hot is always a big incentive, too. This past year, we traveled to Wisconsin and stayed at a lovely little place called Camp Wandawega.
Read MoreI hear it all the time: “No one will run my business like I do.”
In fact, I had that same exact fear a few years ago. I was wearing way too many hats in my business. I thought wearing all the hats meant I was in total control of everything. Turns out, it was the complete opposite. Because I was trying to do everything myself, I was actually destroying my business. My mindset was all wrong. When I really think back on this time, it wasn’t that I was going to lose control, it’s that I was fearful of releasing some control.
Read MoreI had a conversation with one of my mentoring clients that really stuck with me. She has so many great ideas. Her mind is racing in 17 different directions. She’s wondering what her next step should be. Does this sound familiar? I used to be the exact same way!
Read MoreI’ve only been doing kid birthday parties for four years, but it only took me two years to figure this thing out. Here’s what I do to make sure I actually get to be present during the parties – you know, like actually talk to the people there, watch my kids as they blow out their candles with my actual eyes and not through the viewfinder on my phone – and have zero clean up when the party's over.
Read MoreI’m often asked questions like, “How do you get so much done in a day?” or “How did you become successful?”
Truth be told, I inherited a couple of good traits that might be working well together. My maternal grandfather was a dreamer. He was one of those guys who dreamed up crazy big dreams, but never saw them through. He was a writer, a storyteller, and had an incredible imagination. My paternal grandfather was a determined, hardworking man. He was stubborn in the best way possible. He would never let anything or anyone get in his way.
My Dad said to me once, “You’re a dreamer like your Granddaddy and determined like your Pappy, one way or another you’ll be successful.”
Read MoreFour years ago, I attended my floral idol’s workshop. I remember sitting in the front row soaking in every single word she said, writing down notes like a crazy woman, asking questions like my life depended on it, and seeing images of her beautiful work as they displayed on the screen in front of me.
I remember thinking, “I wish I could be like her. I wish I could do events like she does. I wish could have big budget clients like she has.”
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