Business survival tactics
We become entrepreneurs because we know there’s a better way to work and live.
And then we realize how much we have to learn. From work-life-balance to burnout to perfectionism, here’s my take on some of our biggest entrepreneurial battles:
My favourite productivity tools
Back in January, when I decided this would be the year of my Creative Renaissance (!), I knew one thing would be absolutely critical: I had to become more productive. You've heard it before: we all have the same number of hours in a day. How do some people manage to...
It sucks when it happens. It’s worse if it doesn’t.
I just finished reading Brene Brown's Daring Greatly (I know, I'm late to the party) and I'm feeling pretty determined to make mistakes, be uncomfortable, and get nice and cozy with rejection. If that sounds awful to you, keep reading. Failure used to be the absolute...
How long does it take?
In the beginning of our adventures in entrepreneurship, there's a lot of uncertainty. Sometimes it feels like money is flowing out of our vulnerable little bank accounts as much as flowing in (business coaching, website design, and fancy programs...and I can't even...
Letting the real you (and me!) shine through
I've got a big question for you today—a question that will help you create a more refined and authentic online presence. And that, of course, is precisely how you attract the right people and build a business that's 100% aligned with your values. But I should warn...
Are you asking the wrong people for feedback?
You showed the The Thing You Are Creating to your mother, and she said, "That's nice, sweetheart." And you thought, "Hmm..." You showed the The Thing You Are Creating to your best friend, and she said, "It's awesome! You're awesome!" And you thought, "Did she even...
Find the real cause of your resistance
As creative entrepreneurs, we know that dreams and plans are worth very little on their own—creation requires serious action. But something we just don't wanna. We lose our motivation and let our plans languish on our to-do lists for much, much longer than we ever...
Three steps to conquering your fears—for the health of your business
I recently faced one of my biggest fears. It might sound ridiculous to you. I'm okay with that. I'm afraid of medical interventions. Specifically needles or anything else that could be considered intrusive. I've had this medical phobia since at least the seventh...
Eight lies to tell yourself to survive your first year in business
The first year in business can be gruelling. When the results don't come as quickly as we'd like, it's easy to get frustrated and even easier to give up. Luckily, advice on how to keep moving forward abounds! Sometimes it even feels like there might be just a wee bit...
How I define “marketing” and what I learned from B-School
I can't remember the first time I encountered Sarah Selecky, but I do know this: I've been following the Canadian fiction writer for years. I was an early student of her amazing ecourse, Story is a State of Mind, and when she agreed to contribute to an anthology...
Why I walked away from my dream job
Every person with a big heart and an entrepreneurial spirit reaches a point where they have to decide. To stay or walk away. To do the conventional and expected thing, or take an abrupt right turn. To follow the rules, or write their own. I've had a few of these...