Every other week, I ask myself why I don’t blog more. When I decide to, like today, it then takes three hours for me to finish the content outline. Just kidding, I don’t write content outlines for most blog posts. It took me two and half hours to decide on a typeface for this photo because that’s my life and I accept my flaws. To recap, the last time I wrote, I’d just finished the 100 Day Project. I was very much on the fence about it and yet here we are, three days into my second 100 Day Project. Since then, I’ve become the mom of a preschooler, we had a great time wrapping up conference season at WordCamp Orlando, kicked off this year’s conference season with WordCamp Miami, have become slightly obsessed with powerlifting, and hit 100 episodes of the Heart + Hustle podcast. I’ve also just had a birthday which has concluded a few months of retrospection that I’ve decided to culminate and share here, especially the things I’ve been thinking about entrepreneurship.

Learning to Check-In and Adjust

When I quit my job to work for Sevenality full-time, I was at a crossroads. There had been a lot of events that lead me to figure out what I needed to do for me. What was best for me at the time was to take a break from working for someone else and to carve a path for a creative business. That was the very last time I took time to do something specifically for me. Following that BIG decision for me at the time, I became a mom. I became co-producer of a podcast that grew quicker than I expected it to. (We’re two years in and hundreds of thousands of listens later!) David came on to Sevenality full-time. We decided to travel and speak publicly a lot. November 8, 2016 happened. I went through trauma and didn’t realize it.

I experienced all of those things and kept pushing forward because as an entrepreneur that’s what we’re told to do. I embrace being the hustle-half of Heart + Hustle. I like the challenges of building a business. It’s frustrating, exhausting, and tiring; however, I am so privileged to be a creative entrepreneur so I embrace the good with the bad. As a creative, I’ve had burnout before. I’ve written about creative overload. I’ve never been stuck but I found myself stuck a lot last year.

Every single meeting, email, and phone call was met with dread. We worked on cool projects and I just wanted to move through them. I was pushing and getting drab results. It honestly wasn’t until Danielle Evans wrote about her trauma and recovering from trauma as a creative (See date: December 2017) that I was forced to face the reality of the past three years. I’d experienced life and major life changes and really didn’t spend a second checking-in and adjusting to create balance.

Here are the things I’ve learned about myself and learned to do which has created some balance.

• Play on your strengths. Being good at staying focused and pushing through is an excellent thing when you have to. It’s important for me to reserve that energy for when it’s needed. We’re a business who runs on all cylinders all of the time but that doesn’t mean we’re exactly swamped all of the time. I’m hustling when I need to not because I feel like I have to.
• Do less. Delegate more. I’ve been saying this for two years but scaling is a pain. You have to take chances on yourself in order for your business to grow. We’re doing less this year and focusing on growing a team that can help sustain and grow the business beyond what we can do.
• Keep your calendar balanced. I’m fantastic at staying balanced with family life, social life, gym life, and business life. So I’ve learned to keep doing that and add in more me-life. If you find me sitting outside at 2pm reading, it’s because I’m done. Four years ago, I would’ve been working from 8am until 8pm. Yes, I’ll still have 6:30pm or later meetings and that’s ok too. Just stay balanced.

Growing with Goals and Intention

[Tweet “We are so lucky to have opportunities to talk with thought leaders and other amazing people who’ve done what we do or other things that are similar.”]

I love our business because it’s growing every year. We’ve experienced so much growth and seeing that in reports and charts sounds fantastic. We’re not always where we want to be but we’re doing things correctly to serve the community we’re fostering. That’s not to say it has been easy. We’ve taken chances on clients who weren’t good fits and that showed prevalent quickly. I still own a paper shop that makes literally no money because I couldn’t imagine even a second of my day where I’d be able to actually manage it properly. I’ve been repeating the same script over and over for the past two years when really it’s just time to shut up and scale the business properly.

We are so lucky to have opportunities to talk with thought leaders and other amazing people who’ve done what we do or other things that are similar. They’ve weighed in, given advice, mentored, talked us through new opportunities, and really shown us the potential that is out there. We’re planning, moving, and trying to make decisions on what the best steps are in order to reach certain benchmarks as efficiently as possible.

There are still so many things I’m stuck on that currently give me so much anxiety, I try not to think of them.

• Roots. Not the book by Alex Haley but honestly, where do we want to place roots? The better question is do we even want to place roots anywhere? I’m a millennial; I have lots of avocado toast to buy. We are technically digital nomads right now and life’s not awful? However, when your kid starts SRS BZN preschool in August, you have zero desire to homeschool/unschool, and you know you love the school she’ll go to (probably forever, thanks private school!), you should probably live in one place for the school year at least. We’ll have to make hard choices sooner or later about this.
• Hiring and Operating. When Allie Lehman was on the podcast, she gave fantastic advice about the Wonder Jam’s hiring strategy. When I look at businesses that are similar to ours and people I know who run them, I think of The Wonder Jam, Wildcat Echo, and The Banner Years. I really admire things about each business. I like these things a lot and that’s some of what we’re growing toward which is nice. It’s just the HOW that burns me but knowing it’s possible by means of delegating. We need to build the people around us so we can, at the very least, update the damn website.
  • I love the way Allie and Adam have built their team and their hiring practices. I love the way they pour into their community.
  • I really admire Elizabeth (She’s also chatted with us and got me in order on the podcast.) and Jared for taking time to really pour and invest in their business. I can’t even imagine doing that but it’s obviously paid off through a rebrand that makes sense.
  • I couldn’t say enough nice things about Tara and Brad. They take design above and beyond and really work on building the creative community. Having a single conversation with Brad makes you feel like you’ve stepped into a breadth of knowledge and someone who gets it and wants to make the community around him better. They are also working on creating a space for mental health.

Values Keep You Grounded

[Tweet “If your communities aren’t maintained, how will your clients be able to thrive in them to work with you?”]

I surround myself with good people (most of the time) who share similar if not the same values as I do. I have been able to have more black women in my life and cultivate friendships with them to help build them up. It’s been fantastic and I adore them. We purposefully decided last year to take on more work from women, especially women of color because it was important to us after November 8, 2016. I worried about this for way too long about talking about values so publicly. Things are taught to be “taboo” in business. However, having Christie Chirinos of Caldera Labs tell us that her company is a feminist organization who is creating a zero-tolerance sexual harassment policy really challenged me to talk more openly about building a business surrounded by values.

• Pour into the community. If there is nothing we can do to help build our business, we will always pour into the communities it finds itself in. Locally, digitally, and beyond. I was so excited to spend time with our local Girls Who Code chapter and will be participating and helping out with Girl Develop It next month. I support the women of our FemCity chapter. We’ve done enough and will keep doing enough WordCamps until we can’t move anymore. (See you soon, Chicago!) We find things and we prioritize them when community is involved because that is what keeps us going. If your communities aren’t maintained, how will your clients be able to thrive in them to work with you?
• Knowledge is power. Yes we can build things and create things but we won’t be anything without being consultants first. We will always use our expertise to empower you and your business towards your goals. We’re working on more long-term consulting offerings for people because it’s hard for people of marginalized groups to get the same business knowledge that people of privilege receive. I love Arsha Jones’s Brand, Build, and Sell group for this very reason. There are so many people who have shared in their success that otherwise we wouldn’t have been able to talk to. We will always keep learning so that we can keep educating. Pro-tip: Find a Facebook group that works for you. I’ve learned so much about powerlifting business from Facebook groups!

I can go on and on and on and that’s why I blog whenever the tide tells me to. TL;DR – I’ve learned things and I’m growing from what I learned. Also, super quick shout out to #WriteNight for making me want to blog again. I’ve spent way too long writing this post so I need to go do real work so I can go sit in the sun at 2pm! I’m on Instagram specifically for the next 100 days, we’re pseudo-regular on Heart + Hustle, and I tweet a lot.

What have you learned in the past year? Share things with me!

The post On Learning, Growing, and Values in Business appeared first on Studio 404 Paper.

Welcome back! It’s another year, we survived 2016, and it’s time to get things in order. The holidays went by in a blink of an eye and for the first time in a long time, I was ready for them to be over. January is promising to have a lot of opportunities. We’re expanding our business to start offering new services, being a lot more hands on with our clients to help ensure success for their businesses, and working on offering new creative services. One thing I really focused on in 2016 was developing the Sevenality side which left Studio 404 on the back burner. Today, I want to talk about what goals I have for my personal brand in 2017, the intentions behind them, and how I’m trying different things to get them done.

Develop Studio 404 Paper

[Tweet “There is nothing wrong in creating the life you want to live by being proactive.”]

I opened the shop in 2014 and have really gone back and forth between what I want the products to look like. In year one, I was really focused on being consistent with scheduling launches, trying to understand the market, and narrowing down the actual products. By year two, I was overwhelmed but excited about the possibilities of continuing to make paper products. In year three, I could have not been any more stuck. What I really want to do is stop treating this like a hobby and develop it into a business which means learning about the e-commerce space, just not the stationery and gift space. I’ve already begun this process by taking time back to learn what goes into selling products in 2017 and here are a few things that I’ve learned thus far:

• Develop a brand that has a story. There are thousands of other people who do what you do. What you’re selling to the customer is not only a quality product but a brand that resonates with them personality. Why are people rooting for you? Why do people enjoy your product?
• Stay relevant and consistent. By treating the shop as a hobby, I really have enjoyed being able to be super flexible about releasing products and doing things the way I want them. Unfortunately, that’s also how to waste a ton of time and not make an money. Staying relevant and consistent sets expectations for customers. They want to be sure you’re as invested in what you’re doing as they are.
• Social media is king. I am not the biggest fan of this truth but it’s the way things are. If you’re not using social media in the best way, staying current, posting regularly, your brand will die. There is power in having customers who believe in what you’re doing and social media is how you lower the barrier to entry. I really need to work on this part for the shop and will keep you updated.

Some resources that I’ve really been enjoying, that have lit the fire under my butt, and have encouraged me to work harder have been the following:

• Make Art That Sells by Lila Rodgers – I have been following this blog and community online for about two years ago. There is so much talent that comes out of what Lila is doing. I really need to bite the bullet and invest in the self-paced course so I can really understand more about the space I’m in.
• Tradeshow Bootcamp: Paper Camp – I’ve been wanting to attend Paper Camp for years! I wouldn’t recommend a single other event for stationers and I’ve never attended. I am, however, signed up so I can join in on the next Paper Camp E-Course.
• Brand, Build, + Launch with Arsha Jones – This Facebook group is a must-join for anyone who wants to sell products online. Every hour there is something more to learn and I’m really learning a lot! I know quite a bit about e-commerce but there is always so much more to learn and this group is for the person who is ready to make money from their products.

My intention for this goal is to sell products I love without becoming someone who I don’t like in the process. I’ve always had the fear of becoming a different person once I began to sell products. That’s not true! There are so many people who I admire who make a living off of selling great things and I really aspire to do that for myself. Accepting there is nothing wrong in creating the life you want to live by being proactive should not be a challenge.

Create The Life I Want to Live

[Tweet “We spend a lot of time pouring energy into the universe hoping people understand our art.”]

Bless the imaginary work-life balance that we talk about over and over again. I did a lot of things in 2016 for the sake of getting them done. Trying to stay afloat, raise a toddler, prioritize fitness, and develop meaningful relationships. I wouldn’t redo anything but I definitely want to do less this year. I really need to reign in a lot of my energy and focus on my personal development. As creatives, we spend a lot of time pouring energy into the universe hoping people understand our art. As a mother and friend, I thrive from nurturing others which allows for me to do nothing for myself. It results in burn out and being completely burned out at the end of the year is not fun. Some steps I’m taking which may help other INFJs stay afloat in the new year are:

• Yoga, yoga, yoga, yoga, yoga. I really enjoyed getting to push my body in ways I didn’t know was possibly last year. I’ve talked about it before but the postpartum body is its own thing. I learned about cardio and strength training in a way I didn’t before. I’ve started weight training which is fantastic but I need a daily practice. For the sake of my mind and body, returning to the mat for a regular practice is a priority.
• Check in often. Without having time for self-reflection on my mat, I really kept going 100% every day only to crash every night. It’s a priority that I take time every day to check in and see where I am. I really believe knowing where I am will allow for better direction and decision making instead of just pushing myself for the sake of the hustle.
• Go where the heart desires. One thing I did love in 2016 was traveling with our tiny family. I really enjoyed visiting new places, learning about myself, and teaching our daughter through experiences. I want to continue this in 2017 with a focus on places that I really would enjoy being.

Some resources that I’m using to help me build the life I want are:

• Revolution: 31 Days of Yoga with Adrienne – The nearest yoga studio is about a 20 minute drive with traffic from me so I really need to work on practicing at home. Kicking off 2017 with a yoga challenge is the best way to get me to commit  to the mat.
• The Awakened Introvert by Arnie Kozak – This book is on my must-read in 2017. We talked about it with Cat Rose on our podcast and I really do believe in the power of tracking your energy as an introvert.
• Girls LOVE Travel – Another thing I found in late 2016, I’ve become obsessed with this Facebook group. GLT is a pretty awesome resource that allows insight into real women traveling the world and talking about their real perspectives.
• NomadTogether – Being a digital nomad, which we technically are right now, is something I really want to continue to look into. Whether it be the life we decide to live or not, I really have been enjoying learning more and more about living with less and doing more.

I really want to embrace Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu as a mantra and life intention in 2017.  May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all.

Encourage and Educate

[Tweet ” Having over a decade of experience means I should be doing things to give back to the community”]

The cool thing about 2016 is that I learned that I really loved teaching others how to do things to help them build their businesses and blogs. After six speaking gigs last year, I learned what I enjoyed doing versus what I didn’t. I really worked to develop a style of teaching that was relatable, easy to understand, and effective. Having over a decade of experience in design, development, and blogging means I should be doing things to give back to the community. I should be sharing what I’ve learned while still learning from others. This year, I want to take time to create opportunities to do this consistently and effectively while still having fun.

• Hello workshops! While these have been in development for a while, it’s no secret that I will be hosting live workshops in 2017. I’m still pulling together details and will be sure to let you know ASAP! I want to prioritize quality, content, and experience while still keeping it small and informative.
• Being involved. I traveled so much that I didn’t have the opportunity to really being involved locally as much as I could. I had the opportunity to be an instructor for our first Girls Who Code classes during the summer which I absolutely adored. I plan to do a little more local events this year to help balance out the travel.
• Connect with entrepreneur friends. Through the podcast, I really have been able to have great conversations with people I’ve always admired. Our schedule in 2017 thus far is no different. I want to make sure I’m reaching out for Skype dates or coffee dates to really chat with ladies who are doing great things. I want to able to support more women in 2017 in any way I can.

I have so much work to do during business day one of 2017 so I really need to wrap this up! What are some goals and intentions you have for 2017 and can I help you achieve them?

The post 2017 Goals and Intentions appeared first on Studio 404 Paper.

Happy Wednesday! I’m back from WordCamp Jacksonville which was a complete blast. As I continue to speak at different events and learn more about the industry, I’ve really found that I have grown so much in the past ten years. It seems like more of a “duh” moment but when you’re in your career, you don’t really look back to see how much you’ve actually grown. Eleven years ago, I didn’t know what PHP was. I hadn’t touched a brush pen. I could identify typefaces but only knew them as fonts. Listing the amount of knowledge I’ve learned from experience and personal studies as a self-taught designer and developer has allowed me to know where I stand among my peers and what I can offer my clients. Today, I want to talk more about tracking growth and progress and why it’s important to do so.

The Price of Experience

When I started out designing and developing as a freelancer years ago, I often had challenges charging people for work. I felt inexperienced. I didn’t see the value I was offering. I wanted to use the skills I was learning to create things. I was up all night constantly creating for what would be the equivalent of working for pennies. If someone sent me $100, I felt like I had really accomplished something. Spoiler alert: there are no instances in which I would take on any client projects in 2016 for $100.

With time, David and I really had to research pricing and understand the true value of what we were offering. We are offering countless hours of practice, self-learning, and creating results that we are doing every single day. The analogy of not questioning your electrician to wire lighting in your home really allowed us to value the experience we had. With understanding how we’ve built experience, we were able to raise our prices. As the years have come and go, we have raised our prices to match what we believe is the true value of the experience we offer our clients. We never question the rates we have and are confident in what we have to offer. Without really having a system in place to track growth and progress, that wouldn’t be possible.

Tracking Personal Growth

Being self-taught is valuable to us because we understand that we will never stop learning. I do honestly think had I gone the traditional route for this career, I would be overwhelmed at the amount of change that has happened in only a decade. Industry standards change rapidly, tools and systems evolve, and your learning curve has to be quick. Anyone who works in the tech space understands the time spent on keeping up allows you to place value on yourself. There are several ways that I am able to see how far I’ve progressed as a creative entrepreneur:

• Keeping an active portfolio. While I have a portfolio here and on Sevenality, I primarily use Dribbble to showcase my in-progress work. I love to look back at some of my old Dribbble shots and see how far I’ve come as designer and developer. If you are growing and progressing, seeing some of your old work can even being cringe-worthy. This is all for the best and it should encourage you to keep enhancing your skills.
• Having an updated resume.  I know as entrepreneurs we really don’t think about having a resume. You’re not really applying for jobs so you don’t really use it. With the power of LinkedIn, I am able to keep my resume up-to-date on my latest skills, accomplishments, and projects. It’s easy to keep it updated. I don’t use LinkedIn daily but having an account as made me realize how much I’ve grown in my career. It also allows for others to weigh in on my growth which is an invaluable resource.
• Tracking your journey. This blog is where I track my journey. I am able to look back at posts from only a few years ago and see how much I’ve grown. Blogging is powerful to creatives in so many ways. You don’t have to make a public space such as this but having somewhere that allows you to utilize your skills regularly can be a huge help in personal development.

[Tweet “Having somewhere that allows you to utilize your skills regularly can help in personal development”]

Tracking Business Growth

I really believe in knowing your personal career developments help you understand where your business is going. In the past, I always questioned our pricing and approach because I wasn’t confident. Now that I can use the methods above to physically see where I’ve come from, it allows me to have confidence in what value I have to our business. Putting in methods to track our business growth has now allowed us to see the value in our business. Your business also experiences growth even in the smallest ways. Here are some ways to really track the growth of your business both short-term and long-term.

• Using the Braid Creative chalkboard method. I first heard of this from the Being Boss podcast where Kathleen shared about the chalkboard method. I won’t go into too many details because you should really listen/read for yourself. The idea is just having a visual place where you can set goals and over-time fill those empty spaces with clients and projects. We started implementing this as a monthly visual for our business and it’s really helped us target our business’s growth. It has really worked out well for us in the first quarter of 2016 and we’ve seen incredible growth from our 2015 Q1 numbers.
• Forecasting Your Growth Projections. I am not an expert by no means but this is something I learned in high school economics. It’s so important to look back at your sales trends from previous quarters and years to project what direction your business is going in. Do you spend money more around a certain time of year? Do you have more clients in the spring than the fall? You should be going over the numbers at least once a month to know where you’re standing. Setting target goals for each quarter also allows you to active keep track on how things are going. I know the business side of owning a creative business isn’t always fun but it really helps you continue to grow.
• Track Milestones. You should have systems in place to know when big things have happened for your company. When were you founded? When did you get your first client? When did you make a certain amount? Just being mindful of those small things can help you see the growth in your business. Your business should always be evolving and over time, you can be able to look back see how far you’ve come.

[Tweet “Putting in methods to track our business growth has now allowed us to see the value in our business.”]

How are you tracking your growth and process? Share any ideas you’re using below!

The post Tracking Your Growth & Progress appeared first on Studio 404 Paper.

Hello friends! I’ve been so busy that I haven’t been able to get this post up on this space. After the launch of the Heart + Hustle Podcast, I really wanted to talk about the benefit of business partnerships. After working with my husband for so long, I’ve never batted an eyelash when it came to collaborating with someone else. I do know that most of my friends are solopreneurs and the thought of partnering with someone else in a business sounds overwhelming. We have all heard crazy stories of business partners fighting or ending their friendships I can understand the fear.There is a way to benefit from partnerships without offering half of your business.

Pick Your Partnership

I think when we use the word partnership or even collaboration, we’re overwhelmed with the idea of working with someone else. Most entrepreneurs enjoy working alone and being the person who makes decisions. There comes a time in everyone’s career when you learn you just can’t do everything. I know I have some strengths but I have many weaknesses. Very early in our relationship, David and I began to collaborate on projects. I didn’t think twice about deciding to start a business with the same person I intended to be in a life partnership with. Not everyone can work with their spouse. David and I are very different in many ways but we can be alike in our way of thinking and ethical philosophies which keep this business afloat. The point being is that you can choose what you want to do with another person when it comes to business. Here are some small things you could possibly try to see how you would like partnering with someone else.

• Create a regular guest blog series. I’ve seen bloggers do this and I think this is an excellent way to get into working with someone else. Two or more people can collaborate on blogging about a topic on a regular basis for however long you want. It could be for a month or an entire year. I think this is the easiest way to collaborate with someone else because there is complete ownership of what content is created while each person is responsible for marketing via their platforms. This methodology has introduced me to several other bloggers so it definitely works.
• Collaborate on a project. Have you ever worked with someone on a long-term or short-term project? It can be challenging but very rewarding to invest time into working with someone else. I have found nothing but joy in creating the Heart + Hustle podcast with Charisma which is leading us into more collaborations.
• Collaborate on a product. This is where we start to add in finances and bit more accountability. By creating a product with another person, you want to bring the best qualities you have and find someone who will compliment your weaknesses. Good things to do are e-courses or e-books which are passive income streams that require a lot of time upfront and just time promoting on the end.

[Tweet “E-books and e-courses are great ways to collaborate to create partnerships.”]

The Approach

Do you know someone who you would love to work with? Are you not sure how to reach out? Sometimes finding a business partnership can feel like going on a date. You’re worried about receiving commitment and finding the right match. There isn’t a “right” or “wrong’ way to connect with someone. There are things that you can look out for to know when it’s best to reach out.

• Be Genuine. I think the biggest thing about creating positive partnerships is having genuine relationships. If you’re approaching someone to use their audience or exploit their success, you probably won’t get a reply. Create partnerships with people that you connect with.
• Have Proof of Concepts. It’s important to present ideas in the same way you would present mock-ups to clients. Treat your partnership as  you would a new project. It’s ok to be more casual but being too casual can be a turn-off. For me, I enjoy when someone takes time and puts in the work before presenting an idea to me. It helps me visualize what they want to accomplish which speeds up the process.
• Don’t Be Hesitant. I believe we are more hesitant to collaborate because we’re afraid of being turned down. You may get a no but is that the worst thing that could happen? Don’t allow the risk of failure to keep you from possibly creating something amazing.

[Tweet “Create partnerships with people that you connect with.”]

Accountability

I believe this is where most people have concerns. How do you divide up accountability, finances, and assets? It’s important for transparency upfront. Be sure to meet and write down everything that needs to be done. You can then assign from there what tasks will be completed, who will cover finances up front, and how things will be divided up. As an example, for Heart + Hustle Podcast, Charisma and I use Asana to divide tasks and see where we are on individual items. I am mainly responsible for editing and design work. Charisma conquers the majority of the social media and content planning. Also by using a task management service and sharing files, we can stay updated on what we’re doing. This all varies from person to person and project to project but accountability should be sorted first.

• Be honest. If you don’t have a skillset or aren’t interested in doing something, let your partner know. You both benefit when you’re at your best. Be sure to allow your partner to express their strengths and weaknesses as well.
• Have everything written. It isn’t the best idea to jump into things without writing things down. Have things put together formally and in a place where you both can view it. I would even go as far to say that having a contract in place when money is involved is a must.
• Be open. There is nothing worse than working with someone who is closed off. You need to be open with your partner on everything that affects your ability to contribute. You have to be open to receive openness in return.

[Tweet “You have to be open to receive openness in return. “]

How do you manage business partnerships? Let me know in the comments below!

Letter Me A Love Song is a 29-Day lettering project where everyday I’m letting a different love song by a black musician. I’m so excited to be challenging my lettering and editing process this month which will hopefully push me beyond what I’ve ever created before.

The post Let’s Talk Business: Partnerships appeared first on Studio 404 Paper.

It’s another day! I’ve had such a busy January and it’s only the beginning of projects. We sat down yesterday and reviewed our goals and we’re ahead in many ways which is incredible. I did have reservations of starting the year with us both being employees of Sevenality but it’s going so well. I will be writing a post about the importance of partnerships next month. With the launch of Heart + Hustle Podcast and the projects we’re working on, partnerships have been priceless.

Speaking of Heart + Hustle Podcast, I wanted to talk today about managing feedback and criticism. This has been on my list for quite some time and my dear friend Melissa did a great job of writing about negative feedback last week. With releasing a podcast, it’s a much more public platform. I know of others who have started podcasts and the feedback they get can be brutal. I was afraid of being thrown into the lions’ den and not being able to handle it. It’s taken some time, but I am much better at receiving feedback than I was only a  few years ago. After a week of lots of (unwanted) feedback, I decided to share some tips on how to manage feedback and criticism about your business.

Have an Open Mind

We’re always excited for the positive feedback. With the launch of Heart + Hustle Podcast, I was overwhelmed with all of the positive feedback we received. I will admit that I had completely opened myself to receive any feedback, whether good or bad and to take it as objectively. When you’re not ready to receive negative feedback, it can really gut you. In the age of the Internet of all things, we must be aware that anything we put out into the world will be subjected to criticism. If you want to feel less of a punch when someone doesn’t like something you’ve done, be prepared to already hear what they have to say.

• Don’t panic. If you are ready to receive feedback, don’t panic when you receive negative feedback or even constructive criticism. Being in a state of panic is an easy way to overreact.
• Find peace with feedback. You should practice accepting feedback where it is. You are never going to create something to please every single person. Be at peace that someone may not like something you’ve done. There is nothing you can do to change other people’s preferences.
• Know your limits. I know exactly when I am ok with feedback and when I have a gut reaction. Anything that is an unfair accusation or something that is not true puts me on edge. Knowing what type of feedback causes a negative reaction from me allows me to know when NOT to read something and take some time to come back to it.

Digest Slowly

I think we become so eager to hear what others think that we often read things immediately. I have learned to only read replies and comments when I’m in mental space to go through things slowly. When I take the time to read client feedback or comments from other designers, I have a better reaction than if I read things immediately. Two weeks ago, I received so much feedback and I was overwhelmed getting it all in at once. I know where I could have benefitted from taking some of these steps:

• Never read feedback first thing in the morning. You’re not in the right state of mind. It can really set the tone to your day. Go through your routine first before getting into responding.
• Set time aside for processing. I like to read client feedback several times and take notes. When I’m able to create an action plan, it’s a lot easier for me to reply. Being a creative, sometimes the feedback can be brutal. Take it as room for growth and not a personal attack on yourself. If it is a personal attack on yourself, it’s usually best not to internalize.

Dealing with Negativity

I mentioned earlier that I really get upset when I’m accused of something that’s untrue. When recently dealing with a print project, I was accused of purposefully ignoring client feedback which is never ok. I have a really detailed organization system when it comes to design projects and never send in anything with out approval. After thinking on it for a day, I finally responded with an email that claimed responsibility but also defended myself without being accusatory. How can you do that without losing your mind? Here are some things that I do:

• Know the type of negative that garners a response. It takes time to know which things to respond to. If a client is accusing you of something that’s not true, be sure to be prepared with facts. I am always firm but not accusing. It’s important to stay level-headed, admit where improvements could be made, but never take the blame for something you didn’t do. Do not apologize for a mistake you didn’t make. Women are notorious over-apologists and we live to pacify. Don’t allow anyone to make you take blame for something you didn’t do. Sometimes people are being completely irrational and when it’s trolling-level of negative, do not feed the troll.
• Remove your feelings. This is not easy. I would always take every type of criticism personally. I felt as if they all were a personal attack on my character which is something that happens when you’re a 12-year 4.0 GPA student. If you’re a perfectionist or expect positive feedback, negative or any feedback for that matter can be jarring. Don’t feel personally attacked, even if it is a personal attack. Sometimes people just have bad days and find it easier to criticize others harshly than to deal with their problems. Take it in stride and do something that makes you happy.
• Learn from it. Everything is an opportunity to learn. Take your negative criticisms and really analyze what you can learn from them. There are things that I haven’t always been ready to hear that I needed to hear. By being open-minded, it’s easier to take things as learning experiences rather than catastrophes.

Get an Accountability Partner

It’s important to always receive feedback on your work as a creative. There are no other ways to grow than to hear from someone who can be honest with you about what you’re doing. I show almost every single thing I create to my husband. He’s my business partner and I know he’ll give me honest feedback. On things that he may not be the best voice of criticism, I find other creative friends. When seeking an accountability partner, be sure you are working with someone who can be honest and understanding. You want to know how to improve without being overwhelmed or feeling like someone loves everything you do. There is always room to grow and you should embrace that fact.

How do you handle feedback and criticism?

The post Managing Feedback & Criticism appeared first on Studio 404 Paper.

Happy 2016! I can’t believe that I’m going into my tenth year of blogging. I’ve spent a decade creating content via WordPress, making blog friends (some who are my closest friends!), and getting to know more about the Internet to help build a business. In the past decade, I’ve moved, gotten married, began working for myself full-time, and now I’m the mother of a one year old (see above!). One whole year of adding parenting into the mix has made things challenging but survival is possible. I’m sharing some things I’ve learned in year one of parenting that have helped me continue to grow our business, write from this space, and transform Studio 404 Paper.

Knowing My Goals

I knew throughout my entire pregnancy that I wanted to being a working mom. I think it’s easier to test the waters between parenting and working the first year to see where you stand. My goal was to continue working because I love what I do. Stay-at-home parenting will probably never be an option for me and I’m ok with that. I have to be busy to be fulfilled which is right for me and not everyone else. Knowing what I wanted to do helped me combat the barrage of unsolicited advice and weird comments people make to WAHP (work-at-home-parents.) I haven’t been bothered or distracted by other people’s thoughts because I know what’s best for me. Whatever you do as a parent, be sure it is what you feel is right and not what others say.

Doing What I Can

What I thought was great about working from home was being able to work whenever I felt like it. I loved taking the days to explore downtown Orlando when I was pregnant because I knew I could come home in the evenings and churn out work. Babies sort of have their own schedules (I have a toddler at my feet as I write this) and you need to time to adjust. Instead of using my previous HUSTLE-ALWAYS mentality, I took the approach of doing what I could when I could. Three hour nap times were a haven for me to relax and work on things if I felt I could. I scaled back quite a bit here on the blog to focus on my clients and creating quality work. Stay focused on what is important and worry about everything else later. My blog is still here and I can put more time into it.

Being Aware of My Shortcomings

The lead times to my work changed significantly throughout this past year of parenting. What could normally be sent in a day or a couple of days turned into at least a 7-10+ business days. I knew early on that I would not be as fast as I was before and I always informed my clients of this. I was fearful that being slower would make me lose clients but the quality of my work speaks volumes. I developed great relationships with my clients who were more than forgiving for my shortcomings this year. Always prioritize developing client relationships in your business. Projects are smoother and have less hiccups when you work with people you want to work with.

Branching Out

While I did scale back in this space, I completely branched out in other ways. I spoke at my first conference this year, joined different groups, and met even more people who have helped me tremendously in growing. Parenting is all about learning new things and I wanted to increase my knowledge in business and parenthood as much as possible. I am launching a exciting new endeavor this week with one of my favorite people and I don’t think I ever would have done this prior to becoming a parent. Doing new things can be challenging but often rewarding. I have loved letting my little on experience all of these business opportunities with me and being in a industry that allows me to do that as a mother.

I seriously could go on and on about all of the things I learned but this past year has really molded me. I am able to get so much done in a short amount of time. It’s easier to see what things are a waste of time and what things aren’t. I’m enjoying teaching my daughter every day about business (even as a tot!). She’ll be starting part-time in childcare two days a week which is a godsend but my goal was to spend year one together. We don’t have an immediate support group so she’s been here with us every single day so don’t get discouraged. It’s totally possible to raise a tiny person and run a business.

Photo Credit: Jacquelina Photography | Create HER Stock

The post The Art of Work-At-Home-Parenting appeared first on Studio 404 Paper.

Happy December! It’s hard to believe this year is only 30 days from being over. 2015 has been an insane year of just getting things done and while it’s been great, heading into December can be tricky for most service-based businesses. I am a partner in a service-based business and we’ve learned quite a bit about how to keep things going at the end of the year without completely burning out. As I write this, I just spent minutes hours ago complaining to a friend about how much I wish I could just sit at home and watch Christmas movies. There is something about the holiday season, specifically post-Thanksgiving, that drains you. Whether you are pushing products or looking for clients, there is a lot that you can do for your business that keeps things moving even if things are slow.

Create a Strategy

If you haven’t already, make a plan TODAY. Don’t wait for the end of the month to come around for you to start planning for 2016, do it right now. There are several things you can do this month that will help you get ahead of Q1 2016.

• Review your 2015 goals. You should spent the year revising and reviewing your business goals every quarter. Now that the year is almost complete, take some time today to look at what you have accomplished from last year’s goal list. How reasonable were you when setting goals for yourself? Knowing what has or hasn’t been done can allow you to follow up realistically for the upcoming year.
• Write things down. Take out your planner, your Evernote notebook, or whatever you use to start writing everything down. From financial goals to personal goals, everything should be written down as they come to mind. This will allow you to visualize everything and be prepared to organize it into a calendar.
• Find an accountability partner. You are only as good as the plans you follow through. Find someone who understands your business, is willing to push you, and respects you enough to believe in what you want to achieve. Once you find that person, take them out and ask them if they could be your accountability partner. You would be amazing at the difference you’ll see in reaching your goals with someone by your side. Siobhan of the Be Free Project wrote an excellent post on how to choose an accountability partner and she has such great points on what to look out for.

Reach Out

The holidays are the best time to reach out to previous customers and let them know you’re thinking of them. Using your mailing list is one way to get the word out but there are several things you could do that remind your customers why you are the provider they should choose in the new year.

• Send out Christmas cards. One thing that we try to do every year is send out Christmas cards to our preferred clients for the year. Using custom-branded cards with a sincere message and customized greeting makes a big difference than ordering corporate cards that are not inline with your brand. Take the extra step in making things personal.
• Check in via e-mail. Before things get too crazy, try to send out emails to let customers know what you’re offering currently and to follow up on any needs they may have. As 2016 budgets are approved, more businesses are open to booking projects in December. Don’t let these opportunities slip you by while waiting for January to come.

Stay Organized

One of the biggest flaws most small businesses have is allowing the end of the year madness to consume them. Whether you’re on your own or in a small team, with time off and holiday parties, it’s hard to run as tight of a ship as you would during any other time of the year. Think about keeping things consistent and organized to avoid having a total meltdown by the end of the month.

• Don’t stop organizing. The biggest fault is time is very limited at the end of the year. There are only so many work days before getting anything done becomes useless. Keep your spreadsheets updated, your bookkeeping together, and your project to-dos in order. Do not allow for the December madness to get you off your game.
• Hold off implementing anything new. The end of the year may not be the best time to try out something new depending on your business. Allow for things to cool down and for your focus to be completely steady to try any new software, methodologies, or courses that may require more time. If December is a slower month for you, this is a perfect time to get into those things and working on making your business more efficient.

Take Care of Yourself

The best way to stay at your very best is to make sure you are in good shape. Don’t allow holiday stress to overcome you and make you frazzled. You can get through December with a business like a boss if you allow yourself to have a great time.

• Enjoy some time off. It is the holidays and it’s ok to take a day or two to step away from your business. Don’t become so over-indulged that the upcoming year starts to give you anxiety. Taking a step back from your business can allow you to really appreciate and find the passion for what you do.
• Celebrate your achievements. Treat yourself for all of the things you’ve done right this year! You have made it through another year and your business is still going strong. Take some time to celebrate everything that has happened so you can prepare to do even bigger things in 2015.

How do you survive in December?

If you sign up today for the newsletter, you can receive the free printable Advent calendar below! 🙂

The post Let’s Talk Business: Surviving December appeared first on Studio 404 Paper.

Today was the final day of WordCamp Orlando and I’m sharing my talk on WordPress for Everyone. In case you missed it, I’m sharing how WordPress works for two of my clients and myself and why WordPress is a great option. I covered some ideas on custom builds versus themes. I also talk about which plugins I use, how they benefit my clients, and what other uses they could have for other businesses.

Resources

• User experience

Section One – Non-Profits

• RWD Study 

Section Two – Education

• Fable Theme
• The Events Calendar Pro
• Timetable Responsive Plugin for WordPress

Section Three – Blog & E-commerce

• CommentLuv
• CoSchedule
• jQuery Pint It Button for Images
• MailChimp
• NextScripts: SocIal Networks Auto-Poster
• WooCommerce
• Yoast SEO

The post WordCamp Orlando 2015: WordPress for Everyone appeared first on Studio 404 Paper.