Guest Post: The Power of Influence
Brave girls! This is my first guest blogger in over a year and I’m super excited to introduce him. Joel is a genius when it comes to the modern workplace. As an IT recruiter, he has over 4 years of experience in what it takes to navigate relationships in your career &/or business. He’s basically been my career coach the last few years. As a creative who prefers pretty visuals over business talk, the way he explains things makes me realize I can hold my own as a professional in the biz world and still maintain my creative integrity. He also happens to be my hubby of two months. Heart eyes over here. Seriously, so proud of him! I hope you find his tips on the power of influence in professional relationships as helpful as I have. xo, Em
Written by Joel Bode
As my first guest post on Brave Girl, I want to share 3 tips that will help you create and maintain your relationships in the workplace. The expectation of most workplaces I come across is to be heads down in your work and to focus on direct accomplishments. While these are important to your daily productivity, I want to focus on the long-term benefits of creating influence amongst your co-workers, customers, and social network. Being aware of these few steps as you go about your workday will create long-lasting relationships and a strong network of supporters.
1. Understand vs. being understood.
Inspired by one of my favorite books, the best way to create influence is to understand the other person’s point of view. What’s important to me may not be as important to you so how can our differing goals & objectives align? My role as a recruiter has a lot to do with matchmaking a person to a company based on that company's culture and mission (and you thought all I did was LinkedIn message you about your skillset all day!). If you want to develop a positive relationship with your co-worker, ask them questions to gain knowledge and insight into their goals & objectives first.
2. Seek points of common alignment.
Once you understand what your co-worker is trying to accomplish, find alignment between their goals and yours. It creates a give-and-take relationship that encourages trust and creates positive effects for both of you. If I say I can help you achieve a goal you’re after you'd listen, yes? And if I deliver on the help I promised, no matter how small, I’ll start to be considered in future situations where that kind of help is needed again, yes? And it’ll most likely be needed again.
3. Genuinely care for your tribe.
Please know that most people you come in contact with are part of your tribe in some way. I once talked to a candidate who competed in dodgeball at the national level (yes this does exist and is not just a movie). I came across a relatable article I thought he’d be interested in so I sent it to him. He was excited to hear from me and ended up sending me a contact he knew was looking for a new job. I eventually helped his friend get a job at a company he was excited to work for. We developed a mutual respect for each other and will potentially help each other in the future due to our positive interaction. Make it a point to connect on a deeper level with someone you’ve come in contact with. Send a “thinking of you” email and you may be surprised at the response you get.
Whether you’re trying to build a business or further your career in the workplace, don’t forget the power of influence you have by simply understanding what’s important to those around you. In return, you'll always be the first person they think of which will open more doors than just getting a lot of work done or staying in the office later than anyone else. Focus on the relationship between your co-workers, customers, and new acquaintances and you’ll eventually become friends.
Making Space
I had a professor in college who told me no matter what season of life I'm in, I must always make space for my art.
As a freshman design student, I thought this was a given. I was my art, & my art was me, so that would be something very easy to make happen. A desk & a closet was something I always made a priority with each of my moves. Pencils were easily accessible, laptop always had enough room to be docked for charging, and any other tools and past projects tucked away in a drawer, cupboard, closet for when I was ready to use at a moment's notice.
Always make space for your art.
Then my studio slowly became filled with a bed, a chair, and a nightstand for guests. We needed a room for family when they came to town, a place for friends to crash late at night. I became more happy to host our loved ones than I did to take up space with my art. Something to do someday but not today. An idea would chime in my head and leave before I could find my sketchbook. Pencils were never within arms reach. Tools tucked away in boxes in the basement made an easy excuse to let the idea slide by.
But, always make space for your art.
I now see what my professor meant. Life happens and other things take priority. It's easier to rationalize budgeting your financials than it is taking off an afternoon from work to sketch without a goal in mind. It's a helluva lot easier to sketch when you get home from work though when you have a designated area to do so.
Joel mounted a 5-ft. desk to the guest room wall last night on a whim (Sundays are relaxing in different ways for everyone, ha!) and I fell in love with him all over again. He made room for ideas to get jotted down, for creating to happen. Even though I wasn't making it a priority, he did, and I took it as a sign to honor this new space. Grateful for it, and grateful for him to remind me when I couldn't remind myself.
Always make space for your art.
Creativity
“Creating one thing at a certain point in the river feeds those who come to the river, feeds creatures far downstream, yet others in the deep. Creativity is not a solitary movement. That is its power. Whatever is touched by it, whoever hears it, sees it, senses it, knows it, is fed. That is why beholding someone else’s creative word, image, idea, fills us up, inspires us to our own creative work. A single creative act has the potential to feed a continent. One creative act can cause a torrent to break through stone.”
I always disagree when people say, "Oh, I'm not creative". Yes, yes you are.
It's your idea of what creativity means that is a little skewed. Creativity is not just for the painters and the illustrators and the poets. That is one outlet, yes, but it's also in the way you care for your child, the way you solve business problems, that thank you letter you sent, how you braided your hair. To name a very few.
That is what lights me up about creativity. There is no chosen few. There are so many things in this world that feel limiting, negative, and impossible to improve, but creativity is for everyone.
It's limitless. It's a natural talent. It's your birthright.
It's Río Abajo Río, the river beneath the river, in you that will change the very forces in this world that feel limiting, negative, and impossible to improve.
What is your creativity? There are no wrong answers (except "I don't know" & "nothing").
Find Your Here
Truth is, I don't have a life like the ones I see on my Instagram feed and aspire to have.
I'm not a #ladyboss. I don't run my own anything (dishwasher, yes. company, no.). I'm not at home writing in the morning and cuddling my adorable baby in the afternoon (my wish, yes). We're not building our dream home with a wraparound porch and view of the water (soon Joel, soon). Or traveling to beautiful places to attend beautiful events in beautiful clothes.
It's taken me a very long time to hear this truth of mine. To really acknowledge I'm not exactly where I want to be and I can't exactly get there tomorrow. I guess I thought if I admitted this to myself I would feel I had a very long way to go and do something drastic like quit my job or chop all my hair off.
Then I realized I've already tried that.
All the quitting and chopping doesn't actually make the uncertainty of what's next go away. It lasts for a fleeting moment – when I've put in my 2 weeks or when I look in the mirror with my new hairstyle – but that nagging feeling always comes back. Listen to this song and you will be 5 steps ahead of me in this lesson. I will not go anywhere if I'm not at first, here. Maybe some of you are here too?
My here currently looks like:
Wanting my aspirations so impatiently that I frantically email, post, and text my closest network (sometimes strangers) to PICK. ME. Choose me because I follow you and know all about you on-screen, so why would we not be a perfect fit to collab on something together?! (Admittedly, this is creepy and weird. I need to stop doing this.)
Using this method to lessen my student loans so Joel & I can get on with it already. Wraparound porch, remember?
Trying to find the balance between my full-time job and my passion projects while still making time for part of me who loves nothing more than a walk in nature.
Desperately needing to know how to wear a professional outfit without losing my very hard-won, completely mismatched, style.
I'm stepping out of the arena of perfectly curated pictures and the endless wishing I was somewhere other than where I am.
Maybe you are here or right down the road from here? I want to meet you where you are because maybe we can get through it together. Maybe we can figure out how to keep working full-time without losing our spirit at 5 o'clock. Maybe we can look at all the lady bosses, mamas, writers, homemakers, and jet setters and cheer them on for living their hard-fought dreams and for showing us how to.
Let's raise a glass to each of them.
The women. Our aspirations. Both. Knowing damn well they deserve it all and have been grinding for years to get to their here. Let's not let their moments discourage us from continuing the path to ours. Let's also know mine will look different from yours will look different from hers and we all deserve them for our own reasons.
Oh, and let's also remember we can encourage each other at the same time as staying on our own path. No need for a choice between one or the other. (Funny, this is also kind of how I pray. "Oh and", "Oh and this too".) Finally, let each of us begin. I'll meet you here.
Always love. Usually tough, Em
Connected. Supported. Held. Do you need this too? Join The Yellow Collective with me, a tribe of women dedicated to their creative life while celebrating yours.
My 1 Year Workaversary!
That's "one year anniversary at work" for those of you who don't like making up words.
When LinkedIn notified me earlier this month that I've been at my current job for one year, I realized this was a milestone. I've never stayed at one job longer than a year (the closest I got was 11 months)!
Most people would have the decency not to share this with their boss at their 90-day review, but I happen to have a boss who encourages transparency so I told her one of my goals was to be part of her team for longer than a year. I have others but I'm really proud of myself for having met the first one!
I started my career treating corporate environments like the plague, which led me to experiences that helped me grow as a designer in both studio and freelance settings. As I started to define what I like and what I don't, the corporate environment I'm in now has surprisingly been my favorite so far. I enjoy the structure, defining goals & expectations, and that there's an end date to every day. My absolute favorite part is the team I'm on – environment and culture are everything to me.
Over the last year, I've played a key role in redefining our brand standards which involves a lot of brainstorming, conceptualizing, and strategizing (this is seriously equivalent to frosting on cupcakes for me). I've learned about the myriad of details that goes into manufacturing even one tiny piece of a product and the ebb & flow of product cycles. Oh, and my email game's pretty tight now too.
What I love most about where I work is how it's broadening my horizons to what design means. In the furniture industry, there's a slew of interior designers, industrial designers, product designers, colorists, textile gurus, the list goes on & on. It's a daily inspiration to be surrounded by so many creative people.
I'm still in a cubicle with reminders telling me to get up and walk, in case you were thinking I have my shit together.
So to commemorate this time in my career, my top 2 projects I can share so far:
2015 Holiday Party
Art direction / Photographer / Designer
I foraged behind our house on the trail, styled my finds on our kitchen table, and turned them into fun posters and invites for our annual holiday party at The Cheney Place. I wish I had a picture of the drink menus held up by little pinecones as the centerpieces, so cute!
NeoCon Showroom Stylist
Concept / Execution / Print Materials
This was my biggest styling event so far! I spent a week in Chicago prepping for the largest national tradeshow event in the furniture industry. We chose dramatic silhouettes of greenery in clear glass vases to complement our sleek, high-end products. Oh, and here's how I looked most of the week running around the city gathering last-minute items & stuffing Whole Foods anything into my mouth. Top knots + coffee will forever make me smile.
The biggest takeaway I've had in my career so far is, don't knock it 'til you try it. I was so caught up with what I thought I wouldn't like about an office environment that I closed myself off to a lot of opportunities at first. Obviously, the Universe knew better so I wound up here anyway.
Cheers to one year!...and many more, Em
The Unpaved Path
“What do you have to do for the rest of the day? Nothing?”
He asked me after his last bite at lunch. It was meant to be funny, an innocent joke, but the final spoonful of my black bean chili tasted sour before my reply, “No, I actually do stuff.” Quite the convincing statement, huh?!
Since becoming a full-time freelance designer, lunch dates with old friends are of a different flava. Longer silences (a dash of salt, please) with a lot of me guiding conversation as they obsessively check their phone for the time (a little more spice, doll).
I’ve got the sneaking suspicion they think my days consist of pajamas with cable & calories at my fingertips! Of course, I won’t deny my mastery of making pajama pants lunch date-ready but the transition to freelance is anything but laid-back. Do they wonder what is it I do while they’re at their 9–5’s? How I sustain my lifestyle, if I make any money or why in God’s name I took a sharp right with my career when the road ahead was paved with a fresh coat of guiding yellow lines?
It’s something I wish I had a year’s worth of lunch dates to explain. The sharp right led me to a world unpaved. It brought me to the girl inside not-so-patiently waiting to be given permission to follow her gut. It challenged the safety net of salary & demolished the boundaries of my self-imposed rules. Sometimes you miss the opening if you’re not looking or you may not be ready to see the opening or you may have already found yours & go you if you have. Let’s schedule a lunch date, I want to hear all about it.
Maybe you really love pavement—also very hard work—which is beautiful too. But for me, I couldn’t control the pull from that pathless opening. The smell of fresh dirt, heavy foliage, promising nothing with the opportunity of anything. I’m still caught up in it. Pajamas, spices, forest & all.
Sometimes I wonder what would’ve happened if I stayed on the paved path. I’d probably identify with my friends as they hustle back to the office after lunch. We might have more to talk about. I might not feel “I still do stuff” is a sufficient answer.
That flame inside you is there to keep you warm as you explore your purpose. Ignite it, don’t stifle it.
Self-sabotage is tempting, especially when business is slow. Don’t be fooled. The Universe is conjuring up something for you as I type.
You have just begun to crack the surface of what life has in store for you. Keep following your gut. Or your heart. Or whichever part of your body is speaking to you now (I know you can hear it).
More of my freelance notes on the Yellow blog this week:
Photo by Rachel Kaye Photography
Article originally written for the Yellow Co. blog
Slo' Bones Identity
Remember when I talked about the importance of a meaningful brand sentence? It was for this project & I'm finally sharing the full identity with you today! Slo' Bones BBQ Smokehaus is a barbecue restaurant in Frankenmuth, MI. They've got a little thing for the blues & a lot of talent in the kitchen. Seriously, I had a dream about their brisket and mac & cheese last night. The restaurant is really unique because they have a passion for both mouthwatering food & hearty music. It starts with Big Jim, the owner of Slo' Bones, who I worked with to put visuals to his vision.
Logo Suite
I did a suite of logos for Slo' Bones so we could show the brand consistently on a myriad of materials. For example, their outdoor sign in front of the restaurant needed to say something different than their Facebook profile photo did. A distinct & rustic typeface set the tone of the atmosphere we were after, best described by the brand sentence; New Orleans French Quarters hosts a down-home meal to the tune of soul-lickin' blues rifts. When you're at the restaurant sitting at a round barrel table, being served the best 'cue in the region, you feel all warm & bluesy. I wanted the logo to reflect that.
Menu & Gift Cards
We focused on a dinner menu, lunch menu & gift cards to start. The menus needed to be flexible enough to change out meals throughout the year & organized enough to easily read meal options. I used subtle dividers with bold headlines to keep it airy & to-the-point.
Staff Work shirts
Jim wanted his crew to don black work shirts with the logo on the pocket & the team mascot, "Pork Chop", on the back. I loved the idea because they fit perfectly with the moody lighting, industrial feel & brass touches throughout the space. Details like this really make dinner at Slo' Bones an experience.
Website
The final touch was the Slo' Bones website with the current menu, upcoming events & a shop. It's also the place people make reservations & schedule parties for the holidays, work events, etc. I used a Squarespace template & then customized colors, photography & fonts. See it live.
I recently went to Slo' Bones to watch Larry McCray's acoustic show & get some brisket with mac & cheese (the meal I was telling you about!). I was overwhelmed with happiness when Larry played Soulshine, a song that means a lot to me for many reasons.
One reason is that I grew up listening to my parents & their bandmates sing this song at outdoor concerts & late into the night in our basement. At first, they weren't very good. My brother and I can say that. We were the ones trying to sleep at night when they practiced. But then they got really, really good.
The 5 of them taught me what it means to dream, what it means to keep showing up for that dream & what it means to have a damn good time with a few strings & a drum beat. Watching Larry sing "Soul shine, it's better than sunshine, better than moonshine, damn sure better than the rain", well, it melted me. I'm so honored to have been a part of Big Jim's vision & see his dream of Slo' Bones come to life. Keep following your dreams. Make them a reality. Let your soul shine, Em
Looking to launch a dream of your own? Let's chat.
Cover photo: Blues artist, Larry McCray. Photo courtesy of Gui Benck
On Networking Events
Going to design events has become increasingly important for me since becoming a freelance designer. They've saved my sanity. Sometimes a girl just wants to talk in Pantone color swatches or dance to funky music with a lion's head on her head. They're also a great opportunity to learn about new initiatives buzzing in the local design community & chatting with people who have similar interests as you. When I first started going to these events, I'd second guess everything from what I was wearing to who I was going to chat with to how I'd explain what I do. It was embarrassing & awkward at times but all a great learning experience. I've rounded up a few tips for any student or young professional who's new to attending networking events.
1 | Do your research
You'll be able to see who else is going to the event if it's been organized through a platform like Facebook, Eventbrite, or Meetup. Check out their LinkedIn or portfolio website beforehand to get an idea of what they do & what they're passionate about. Even perusing their Twitter is helpful to see any recent projects or collaborations they've been a part of. It may seem creepy at first but the way I see it is, people are putting their work & their thoughts & their interests out there for a reason. Use that to your advantage. Then when you meet them in person they'll know you care about what they're doing.
2 | Ask questions & genuinely listen
This is where the research transforms from being creepy into being a lifesaver. Events can be nerve-wracking, especially when you're an introvert. Instead of freezing up or wishing you wouldn't have gone, have some questions in your back pocket to get a conversation started. If you're not one for the spotlight, even better. Hand it over to the person you're talking to & use it as an opportunity to learn more about them or your field that you didn't know before.
3 | Talk about things outside of work
There's a stigma about networking events being dry & boring. It only feels that way when everyone's talking about work. Mix it up & tell a funny client story or talk about a current book/movie that's relevant. Or food. Lately, I've noticed some real obsession with tacos. Talk condiments. Talk whatever! It's refreshing to be at a "work event" having a real conversation.
4 | Dress for confidence
When I first started going to events, my professors gave a little one-two about what's "acceptable" to wear. I took their advice of wearing trendy blazers & other "professional" attire. I felt frumpy. Now I wear whatever feels good. It's usually a pair of skinnies, heels & a classic red lip. I feel hot & that makes me feel confident & that makes me enjoyable to be around. "Look good, feel good, do good," is what Joel always says. & if wearing a trendy blazer makes you feel good then, by all means, rock that shit!
5 | Keep going
Your first couple of events are going to feel weird & awkward no matter how hard you try (& by the way, don't try so hard, just be human). It's natural. Keep going. Keep getting more comfortable in the initial discomfort. Keep asking questions & sharing what you do. There is no real "end goal" to these kinds of events. It's an opportunity for you to be surrounded by like-minded people & to learn new things. Looking at it any other way takes a lot of the fun out of it.
If you have any questions about networking, email me! I'll either give you useful tips or tell you super embarrassing stories about my networking failures. They're guaranteed to make you feel much better about yourself, promise.
Have a networking horror story of your own? Share in the comments below!
AIGA West Michigan's Fête Dément Halloween Party, photo c/o Jill Devries Photography
A Message from My Muse
Darling, There's a current in you I've painstakingly watched you douse with negative self-talk & a hustle that makes me shiver to the bone. I'm sure you haven't seen it because you're only keeping your eye out for clean cuts, snip snip, but I've seen it. A little rip here, a tiny tear there, sweeping dust under the rug over there. These things slowly try to fade me away from you, you know.
This is an urgent matter because I've been around a lifetime or two & I've witnessed how this self-induced pressure makes lambs out of lionesses, how it puts out the innate fires of genius' obsessed with unearthing universal truths. And when I saw you the other day bawling into your overworked hands, carrying on about wisdom teeth fees & health insurance shortcomings, I saw an artist ready to surrender her gifts in the name of dental work & doctor's visits. Given my nature & my unconditional love for you, I just can't let you do that.
Your pursuit to patch up the rips & tears like a child's scraped-up knee patched with a kiss & a band-aid is a noble one. Your resilience at tirelessly fixing yourself is commendable but I must say, it's a little overkill & precisely where you lost your electricity. You fixed it right out of you.
I watched your bright-eyed wonder of living a creative life quickly change to an expectation that nothing was acceptable if it wasn't a pristine masterpiece, tidily wrapped & perfect all over. I tried to stop you from falling in love with the ritz & the want because I know how it tempts you into thinking your life will begin as soon as you have all the right projects, the right relationships, the right furniture.
I used to call you a silly girl when you got this craze of believing right would fill you up but now I call you human because you're not the only one learning from your mistakes, my dear. I want you to never forget your rips & tears & messy piles are part of you. That doesn't mean they have to define you. Life will hand you enough heaviness, you don't need to go out looking for it. But it's crucial you hear that I love you because of your messy. It's often in these places you find me & then we create wonderful things together. Embrace it as I embrace you.
Your current will reignite in your veins. Your eyes will light up. Gosh, you look so beautiful when your eyes light up. I'm not really one to sit back & watch so I had to tell you this at the exact moment I saw your light leave. I hope you're not upset, I just desperately want to make messes with you again. I will wait to feel your current in my fingertips & when I do, I'll hold you a second longer than you're comfortable with. I love you, after all.
With open arms, Your Muse
Whimsy & Wild Interview
Julie is an illustrator influenced by nature, our state & close-knit bonds, selling her stationery & paper goods in her shop, Whimsy and Wild. You'll also find her bright vibes gracing shops like Rebel Reclaimed & Parliament The Boutique in Grand Rapids. Julie & I became instant friends as we talked over coffee about the holidays, our favorite blogs & freelance life. I admire her will as a shop owner, the spirit she brings to her work & the honesty she shares in her process:
Why did you begin Whimsy and Wild?
Julie Wylie To be quite honest, I started Whimsy + Wild because I got to a point where I realized I couldn’t work for someone else. I’ve only had a couple of jobs in my life, + I gotta say, I was pretty miserable. I have always been really creative + I love art. For a long time I thought opening an Etsy shop would be cool, + one day it just made sense. It started as a blog since I temporarily moved to Arizona with my husband so he could go to school. Once we got back home, I got to work + finally opened up shop! It was so exciting, and it truly still is every day. I love being able to do what I love + I am so, so thankful.
What makes you feel brave?
JW I think having the support from my loved ones is what makes me feel the bravest. Knowing that they’ll always be there supporting me along the way really makes me feel like I can do anything. It is because of them that I’m not afraid to really push myself + try something risky, like starting my own business with zero savings. I know that if it does or doesn’t work out in the end, I have them.
Describe a typical day for you.
JW My days are not very exciting. I wish I had some awesome routine that included eating healthier + waking up at the crack of dawn to get work done, maybe some yoga + one day, it will. I’m working towards that, but for right now, I try to get up as early as I can. Sometimes that’s 9am, sometimes it’s 11am. I usually eat some food then check out what’s happening on Instagram or the internet. After a little inspiration, I get to work. My favorite thing is when I actually check off everything on my to-do list. I’m a pretty unmotivated person in general, but I’ve been getting a lot better at it + that feels really good! A few days a week I wake up at 7:45am to babysit my niece + I get to hang out with her all day. It’s pretty awesome.
Who has guided you to do the work you love?
JW I think I’d have to say myself. There were teachers I had in art school or even high school, that were really awesome, but I’ve never really had a “mentor” per se. The reason I’m doing what I love is because I just couldn’t do anything else anymore. I was done living a life I didn’t love + I was and still am determined to do what makes me happy. It’s most definitely challenging, but it’s worth it. And like I said, I’m very fortunate to have such a wonderfully supportive family (+ friends!).
How do you begin a piece?
JW Everything starts on paper, either with a pencil or more often now just a nice pen/marker. I doodle over and over and over, honestly. I have so many pages of computer paper on my desk + in drawers. It’s a lot of clutter sometimes but it’s my preferred way to work (the papers, not the mess). Sometimes I’ll pull out the handy LightPad my husband bought me as a wedding gift to trace a design that’s good but not quite right. Then I scan it + edit it on the computer using Photoshop and my Wacom Bamboo tablet. Sometimes I use Illustrator but a lot of my work is just cleaned up/colored in Photoshop.
My favorites are the little things. I like nature a lot. I like pretty things. I’m not sure what that means exactly but I like rain, steam from a cup of coffee, frosting on a cupcake, a cardinal in the snow, sunlight through a window…
What inspires you to create?
JW This is both a tough + easy question. Sometimes nothing inspires me + I just create because I need to. I create because I need to make something even if I don’t feel like it or even if it isn’t good. Other times, so much inspires me. My favorites are the little things. I like nature a lot. I like pretty things. I’m not sure what that means exactly but I like rain, steam from a cup of coffee, frosting on a cupcake, a cardinal in the snow, sunlight through a window…it’s all of these little things that really get me going. I also love looking at other artists’ work. That can be tough if you start to critique your work against theirs but whenever I scroll through Instagram and see a fellow maker’s work, I can’t help but get really inspired.
Currently digging?
JW The excitement of Christmas time, even if it is a little stressful. I love this time of year. Also, David Bazan + The Passenger String Quartet’s recent collab. SO perfect. It’s on repeat in my car.
What can we look forward to from Whimsy and Wild?
JW Hopefully a lot! Right now, I'm looking forward to adding a bunch of new card designs after the holidays. I also really need to get my butt into gear and add the rest of the states to my States Series collection! Oh, and something extra exciting but I can’t say anything just yet.
Surprise! Julie & I made something for you in celebration of the Winter Solstice coming up this Sunday. It's the shortest day of the year, symbolizing the inherent need for soul searching & inner reflection during this dark season. It's also a time to celebrate the coming of more light as the days get increasingly longer.
Solstice literally means "when the sun stands still" so Julie made a dark & light version for your desktop or your phone background. It's a free download, our gift to you:
In Great Company is a Brave Girl series that sparks conversation with people making waves in their communities, careers & life.
Savor the Season Brand
Savor the Season is Katie Den Ouden's holiday guide to enjoying complete presence during a month that's particularly challenging to do so. I've worked on the design in partnership with Fresh Paige Creative, a studio founded by my hilarious & crazy talented friend, Meghan, to equip women entrepreneurs with unique brands to reflect their own powerful message. Katie is a health coach based out of Denver with a zeal for living fully. Working on materials for her holiday guide has been the anchor to my slower pace lately & the sole reason for listening to Christmas music pre-Thanksgiving.
If you ever meet Katie, you'll quickly discover a powerhouse woman with a bright personality & an amazing message to share. She listens intently, truly cares about your concerns & doesn't want you in that rut any more than you do!
I wanted the handwritten logo to reflect how personal this program is with a touch of whimsy for the magic we feel during the holidays. Photography was thoughtfully collected to embrace the coziness & warmth bringing us indoors this time of year with a palette of soft vanilla & mint hues. Oh, & a sparkle of gold for good measure!
A 1-pager explaining why Katie created this guide, what you can look forward to & where to sign-up. The web page is the beginning of a gift of seasonal recipes, desire-seeking exercises & essential oil know-how (my favorite part!) that keeps giving throughout December. I designed the layout to highlight key points & neatly organize the contents of the holiday guide.
We kept promotional pieces simple since it's difficult to savor the moment if you keep being told to do it. A newsletter announcement & minimal social media badges gently prompt you to sign-up for free if it fits your fancy.
The holiday guide just launched on Monday with the 1st topic: Self-care.
I can tell Katie's message has made a difference in how I'm viewing this holiday season than those in the past. I took a bath in an aroma of balsam fir, had a bonfire because I craved the smoky smell & have gotten coffee at the local bakery every morning this week because it's always buzzing with a great atmosphere.
What are some ways you're savoring this holiday season? Cheers! Em
Honor Your Rhythm
A friend told me the other day to honor my rhythm. How beautiful is that? I was feeling irresponsible dancing to my natural rhythm, swaying slowly like the blues with a little surprise sax in the mix. Waking up slow, creating at odd hours & putting my boots on to walk the trail over driving. I was feeling good but guilty. Shouldn't I want to hustle harder? Shouldn't I be working longer?
But...Honor your rhythm. We are in the slow season, after all.
It's a luxury—and a curse—of being someone compelled to create as a career. The muse does not care about your 9–5 timeframe. You must honor the present moment, float on it like a cloud or ride the wave to see where it takes you. The muse is not measured by numbers but by experiences, vibes & connections, if she is even measured at all (quite touchy, that muse).
This wave, although slow & unpredictable, has guided me to similar creatives that have been in my neighborhood all along. I remember when I told my favorite teacher right before I graduated that I wasn't sure design was for me anymore. She disagreed, "Oh no, you just have to find your tribe." She was so sure, I hoped she was right & 2 years later I think she might've been.
I found a few of them trudging through the snow to get the perfect shot, getting their illustrations into killer shops & hosting amazing events they've been dreaming of. There's something about friends who get your hustle, who empathize with your challenges & celebrate with your triumphs, who want to create something awesome together.
I'm always trying to replicate the memory of Saturday mornings with my mom, covering the kitchen table in glitter & beads & whatever else we could find to MAKE STUFF. At the core, these moments invigorate my creativity.
Muses just wanna have fun, you know? Getting out of your comfort zone is great for growth, a noble pursuit, but making messes with people who accept my weird warms my soul the most.
Photos by Rachel Kaye Photography
Focus for the Holidays
This may be the most wonderful time of the year but it’s also the most difficult time of the year to stay focused on work tasks, client deadlines & your blog calendar (or is that just me?). There’s gifts to be purchased, family events to attend & lots of spiked egg-nog to drink. I’ve gathered 5 quick & cozy ways to remain focused on your to-do’s so you can fully appreciate the chaos & comfort that this beautiful season brings. From my studio to yours:
1. Get outdoors
Bundle up & get out there! A quick walk/activity outside is good for your lungs, legs & overall mood. When I started freelancing, I let my inbox determine my schedule first thing in the morning. This usually meant skipping lunch & being in reaction mode all day. I recently replaced this bad habit with a 20-minute morning walk. It slows my pace to “realistic”, clears my head & sets the tone for the rest of my day.
2. Drink hot lemon water
Megan Gilger of The Fresh Exchange recently shared that she drinks hot lemon water as part of her morning routine. I liked her idea & did the same once the snow began to fall (yes, already a foot & counting on the Michigan Lakeshore!). It soothes my throat after a chatty lunch date or client call & puts a refreshing spin on the most simple & best drink for you.
3. Wear your favorite sweater
Tending to client needs & task lists in your favorite sweater is the work day equivalent to cuddling up on the couch with your favorite blanket watching reruns of Gilmore Girls (thank you, Netflix) or that book you’ve been meaning to start. Sometimes I tell myself, “Rock the sweater & to-do list now so you can fully enjoy the blanket & book tonight.” Nothing wrong with a little self-imposed ultimatum, right?
4. Spread good vibes
Good energy in your workspace means good work, writing & creating. What gives you good vibes? Integrate that into your day to keep interested in the task at hand. It’s about enjoying the moment & reminding yourself that you hustle so hard because you love this shit (especially when you’d rather be building snowmen & decorating the Christmas tree)!
5. Crank up the holiday music
I’ve gone from Nat King Cole’s Christmas Song to Whitney Houston’s Holiday Album to Frank Sinatra’s Jolly Christmas & it isn’t even December yet! But with the snow softly falling outside & the heat cranking up inside, I feel so spirited a little work to fulfill promises I made doesn’t feel like an unwelcomed blizzard. It feels like giving a gift…& everyone knows giving is better than receiving.
May your workdays be merry & bright. Cheers! Em
You can also find this post on The Blog Loft, a great resource for bloggers looking to collaborate. Thanks for letting me share my focus essentials, Margo!
Why Brave Girl?
I became unattached from a crucial truth recently: People are people. It's seems ignorantly obvious, right? I've been so caught up with "pick me" guest blog applying, "I see you" tweeting & "follow me, damnit" notification checking that the core of me slipped away a bit. I saw myself dissolving into the screen, longing for acceptance from avatars & snapshots. But then I woke to the first snow of the season. It came in fluffy white flakes, the familiar cool drops of clarity landing onto my rosy cheeks. I put my knit socks on, shut down my laptop & listened to the person sitting in front of me. I looked into their eyes. It broke the ice building inside of me. This moment is for us.
Warmth. Eyes bright with understanding. Visions. Sipping hot drinks while smiling.
"Why Brave Girl? What does it mean?" It turned my moments of listening into a question that felt like those snowflakes. Clarity. "What a wonderful question. Thank you for asking. "My politeness was a stall tactic (although it was a truly thoughtful question).
Why Brave Girl?
It all poured out: "Can I let you in on a secret? I am scared of many things. Brave Girl is an aspiration. It is also a reminder to people putting a microscope on their weaknesses & a blind eye to their strengths to stop doing that, myself included. We need both to be whole. You are worthy simply because you are here. Showing up as YOU is one of the most courageous acts in your life. I want to celebrate my wholeness more than I want to be ruled by the exhaustive effort of trying to be good enough until I can do so."
I was teary-eyed by the end of it. Life is emotional, exhausting & eye-opening but it is never too much. We all deserve to be here. For you, Em.
Hep & Cask Identity
Hep & Cask is a lifestyle blog crafted to uplift people through photography, positive writing, local hangout reviews & a classic drink recipe or two. When Christopher first introduced his swanky vision for a blog to me, I was instantly hooked. It was a bonus that we met at one of my favorite coffee shops to discuss his intent for the blog. Hep is a 1940's spin on the word hip (Bing Crosby was known as a hepster back in the day, ha!). It was the era of jazz, Jack Kerouac & fedoras.
Christopher mixed his admiration for this rebellious time in history with his vast knowledge of bourbon to encapsulate the spirit of his blog. He wants his readers to feel sanguine & relaxed as they read on, leaving the space with a bit of optimism & swagger as they go about their day. I wanted his logo suite to capture this essence so a geometric sans-serif typeface, Neutraface, is used for a classic yet modern feel. Soft-shaped drink icons take the ampersand's place in a palette of boozy colors with the option to rotate seasonally. Could anybody else use an Old-Fashioned right about now?!
Using the Squarespace template, Aviator, the Hep & Cask home page invites readers to join a weekly newsletter to receive original photography from Christopher & positive quotes for their week (with a little prompt to go do that thing you can't get out of your head). I loved working with Christopher on his identity & can't wait for it to go live (I jumped the gun a bit early to give you a sneak peek)!
Working with people like Christopher has opened me up to new perspectives, experiences & interests. I would've never known the origin of the word "hipster", wouldn't be able to tell you the history of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail & sure as hell wouldn't be able to tell the difference between an Old-Fashioned & a Bufala Negra if it weren't for this opportunity. Cheers to having a vision & seeing it through.
Looking to launch a dream of your own? Let's chat.
Photos courtesy of Death to the Stock Photo & Nothing But Delicious
Babe Vibes Interview
Kara Haupt is a designer based out of Portland, Oregon. In addition to developing a design thesis at Pacific Northwest College of Art, teaching workshops on art journaling & photography. Kara is the founder of Babe Vibes. It's a sisterhood of women channeling their inner babe, standing up for their beliefs & challenging the status quo. I stumbled upon Babe Vibes on Instagram a few weeks back, intrigued by the manifesto & self-care handbook. It's equal parts positive vibes & empowerment on your own terms. I had to learn more about the strong babe at the forefront of it all:
Why did you create Babe Vibes?
Kara Haupt: I don't know why I created it, or the name at least, in the beginning. It just appeared. I kept making Babe Vibes because I needed it. I needed to be kinder to myself, I needed to make things with women, I needed to say "fuck off" to all the stuff I've been taught.
What makes you feel brave?
KH: My younger self. When I was 18 I moved to New York to go to school (I lived there for a year). I've made a lot of hard choices, in regard to how I live my (so far, short) life. I often feel surprised with how tough I am or the badass things I've done in my past. So, she makes me brave.
How would you describe feminism? There are so many perspectives & opinions on what it means to be a feminist. How do you see it?
KH: Feminism is a response to the oppressive systems & ideologies that face marginalized people, women specifically, but also people of color, queer people, poor people, etc., & all the ways those things intersect. Being a feminist is about listening to fellow women & groups that are marginalized; actually listening. Trusting their experience, being a good human being & changing those systems & ideologies.
Describe a typical day for you lately.
KH: It really changes each weekday! I work at a marketing company part-time & then I'm in school part-time. I'm in my thesis year for Communication Design & spend my nights & weekends working on Babe Vibes, homework & whatever else I'm making. My days are pretty typical & boring. I like getting up early & getting some work done before I go to work. I listen to podcasts while I walk to work (trying to get through the Longform archive right now) & then after the workday I head home, eat, shower, make coffee & get to work. Looks pretty much the same for school days too. It's not glamorous & it's stressful. I take a lot of showers to calm myself down.
Who has guided you to do the work you love?
KH: My friends Steph, Mei & Danika have been really big encouragers of Babe Vibes. My friend Mei specifically is constantly encouraging me & reminding me to take care of myself through all I do. Also, my Instagram and Twitter followers rule. Every woman who has posted in the #babevibes Instagram tag has inspired me. I am so lucky.
How do you get through the 3pm slump? Is it just me or does this happen to you too?! Even after going freelance, I still need some serious mental toughness—aka, caffeine—to get through that hour!
KH: Ugh, I hate the 3pm slump & to be honest, I don't really get through it. When I'm at home working, I try to schedule errands or house-cleaning, or classes then. I work best in the morning & at a night. At work, I usually leave to get coffee. It really helps if you're around other people working. Their focus will guilt you into working, ha.
A piece of advice for all the Brave Babes?
KH: You don't owe men shit.
What can we look forward to from Babe Vibes?
KH: I just asked one of my good friends to help me out with the site & I'm excited to have help to make everything better. I'm pretty positive my thesis is going to be about digital publications, so I'm excited to have an excuse to research all these things. That didn't really answer your question though. From Babe Vibes in the coming months, you can look forward to good music, Star Trek, masturbation, gifs & more selfies.
Thank you for the inside look into Babe Vibes & what makes you brave, Kara. Here's to all the strong babes (that's you!). All the good vibes, Em.
Methods of Self-Care zine (free download)
All images courtesy of Kara Haupt
In Great Company is a new Brave Girl series that sparks conversation with people making waves in their communities, careers & life.
Thoughts On Courage
Something magic happens when you put a thought out into the world you truly believe in. It's like Life says, "Ok, I see you. You want that? You need that? You are that? Show me." At least, this was my life talking to me this week. Is it just my life who has a mind of her own, an airy feeling when I let her breathe & I surrender the urge to control everything? God, I hope not. It's beautiful in a free-falling kind of way. The best way.
I was challenged this week to:
Be vulnerable with an idea I believed in whole-heartedly
Attempt grace in the midst of chaos (a very uncomfortable feeling for me)
Listen fully when I really wanted to gab
Not accept what is socially acceptable (& shouldn't be)
Ask for help despite my pride not wanting me to ask for help
All of this happened because of your comments on my post earlier this week. I wasn't only using the courage from my reservoir, I had taken some from yours too. I hope you don't mind because what you wonderful women who commented on the last post taught me is when you share a piece of yourself with others it comes back to you with the power of everyone who has used it before you.
So without further ado, the Brave Girl Clutch was meant to be for Emily C.! I picked the good ole fashioned way (thanks Joel!) & am thrilled it's ready for Emily to rock in her own way. Haley is also including free shipping for any readers who purchase a Brave Girl Clutch from her Sweet Sugar Beet shop. Use the code FREESHIP at checkout & you're good to go!
Thank you to everyone who supported the maker's union between Sweet Sugar Beet & Brave Girl this week with your kind comments online & off. They lit the fire for me creatively & spiritually, I hope it caused some bright flames for you too.
Happy weekend friends. xo, Emily
Sweet Sugar Beet x Brave Girl Spirit Collab
Remember the Bloom Workshop I went to back in June? Not only did I learn a ton of ways to improve this little space of mine, but I also met some amazingly talented women. One of them being Haley Baur, the owner of Sweet Sugar Beet, who I connected with immediately over a lack of sleep & sugar beets. Long story short, Haley grew up on a sugar beet farm & I grew up next to the factory that turns them into sugar. We ate lunch together & chatted about the direction we'd like to take our businesses in with renewed energy.
Then I discovered quickly how absolutely talented—& modest!—Haley is. The craftsmanship & style of her handmade bags & accessories is impeccable. I haven't stopped using my ColorBlock Clutch since the workshop.
Together, we've designed & crafted an original Brave Girl Clutch in the name of chasing your dreams while remembering your roots. There's nothing wrong with a gentle reminder every once in a while, right?
Haley really thinks through what women will be using her bags for so she includes options to use one bag multiple ways with just about every piece. We did the same with our clutch so I've styled it in two ways to give you an idea of its flexibility.
The dog days of summer are upon us (at least, they're trying to be here in Michigan!) making the color block side of the clutch great for bright & sandy beach days. The neutral tones of the canvas & gold fabric compliment intricate textures like a summer straw hat while the coral pattern aptly named "Optical in Watermelon" pops warmly against soft fabric from a bathing suit cover-up or towel. Plus, we all need a place to keep our phone sand-free in anticipation of those ideal Instagram beach pictures.
For when the conditions aren't ideal, say, on a Monday morning when you're back to the grind again (womp, womp) let the "Folk Birds in Summer" pattern remind you to step to your own tune. And seriously, you should step because sitting for as long as most of us do in our studios & cubicles these days is bad for our health. Guilty. So guilty.
I use my ColorBlock Clutch this way for coffee chats & farmer's market runs when I do get to steppin'. It's good on the go! It's for these reasons Haley & I want to share this clutch with you. We all need a little pick-me-up once in a while & we've noticed it's easier to do so when you're carrying it right with you. We're snail-mailing a Brave Girl ColorBlock Clutch to one of you fearless readers who answer this question in the comments section: My courage comes from…sitting on the shore & looking out at the water in silence.
I get called to courage when I listen for the gentle nudge to "keep going". Where does your courage come from? We want to hear from you! Speak your truth in the comment section & I'll announce one lucky reader as the new owner of the Brave Girl Clutch this Friday, August 1 at 6pm.
Eeek, I can't wait to see your courage unfold! xo brave ones, Em.
Brand Sentence
It's been about 1 month since I became a full-time freelance designer & let me tell you, I've been learning faster than the lake can bring a storm to shore. Which is to say, terrifyingly fast. I mean, this summer in Michigan, you guys! Crazy fast.
I've practiced design for 7 years now & with every project have discovered the most effective pieces to my process while keeping an open mind to tweaks that will make it better. It's why I'm bringing the Design Diaries series to Brave Girl in hopes sharing my process will start a conversation we can all benefit from. Feel free to share nuggets of your creative process below or email me with any questions. I could talk your ear off about design all day & love hearing new perspectives on age-old ideas.
With brand design, in particular, I've found establishing the designer-to-client relationship at the beginning of the creative journey is crucial to both parties reaching an ultimate state of brand euphoria. I may have just made that term up but it's the feeling you get when you see a space/website/apparel/etc. that feels right & effortless. Of course, the journey is not effortless if you do it right & there are a lot of twists & turns along the way we can't predict but exuding the brand spirit is the end goal of every brand design for my clients.
A meaningful sentence is crafted to refer to throughout the journey because it's inevitable I'll get knee-deep & carried away with the nitty-gritty details of making brand elements. I enjoy having a good milestone like this as a reference during these making moments.
I'm working with a client right now who's bringing his passion for mouthwatering eats, travel experiences, & blues music to the table at his new restaurant. Expressing these interests is key to his brand-in-the-making. Not only is crafting a meaningful message important, so are the vibes the brand gives off. We curated a rdio playlist to listen to for this very reason. It's been on repeat quite a bit lately as we prepare for the big opening.
Rdio is an amazing interface to interact with for anyone who appreciates a wonderful—and free—music experience. Come jam with us! There's just something about this song on a stormy summer day in the studio, I tell ya.
Hope you're making the most of your storms, my friends. xo, Em
The Bloom Workshop
As I drove up to the Hydrangea Blu Barn for the Bloom Workshop at the end of the week, I was miraculously reenergized from all the blooms, treats, and the group of women who have started their own blogs & businesses. Michaela & Ashley thought of everything. From the moment I signed up for the workshop to the details of workshop day until today when they're still giving us lovin' online.
I took a lot of notes & a lot of pictures! Our day was broken up into 4 sessions. Ashley & Michaela began the day with coffee & a blogging chat, which led to how using social media for your business can improve the overall brand experience. I'm very interested in this topic because I've noticed a lot of small businesses want social media but they don't know why they want it. For some, using popular social media channels is more of a formality than it is an avenue to connect with their tribe & brand advocates. Our talk at Bloom centered around how to promote what you're doing or your product in the most authentic way. I loved this session because I believe that's the only way to use social media effectively (& it takes some work to pull off!).
The day was so thought out. I have to reiterate the Bloomers' attention to detail because it makes a complete difference. Branding experiences is something I nerd out over so I noticed the type on the vintage door outside matched the type on a chalkboard inside the barn. I smiled when I saw the straws complimenting the coffee mugs & felt fancy with all the touches of gold glittered throughout our day.
Not only did I feel elegant but I gained a wealth of knowledge from Michaela's interior design tips & Ashley's photography session. Now I can't get rid of this itch to do a living room revamp & feel the heavens have opened with my ability to understand The Exposure Triangle thanks to Ashley. Seriously, hallelujah! The concept of ISO, shutter speed & aperture working together is so hard for me to grasp. Ask Ashley about her blinds metaphor. It'll click with you too!
After the sessions, the expert Q & A panel answered a handful of questions. It was nice to hear advice from women who are always finding ways to innovate their process, who continue to push the boundaries of content, & who were very open about hard lessons that made them stronger as business owners.
One thing that stood out for me was Michaela's journey to starting Michaela Noelle Designs. A lot of people told her she was crazy to start her own business right out of college but she pushed on with what felt right for her. Among many things, she asked professionals in her field to job shadow & help with styling photoshoots because, why not? They could say, "no". But they could also say, "yes". I took some of her courage home with me.
I also took home a ton of swag. The prints will be a great spruce-up to my studio & I have a little outfit post planned with my new Sweet Sugar Beet clutch. I sat next to Haley Baur, the owner of SSB, at the workshop. She grew up on a sugar beet farm & I grew up next to the sugar beet factory where their crops went once they were harvested so of course, we got along with this sweet vegetable in common!
Since the Bloom Workshop, my head has been spinning with wonderful ideas for Brave Girl. I can't help but wonder what this little space of mine will evolve into being. The Bloom Workshop made me confident to continue on this journey, wherever it may lead me. Thank you for sharing your wonderful gifts with this young bloomer, Michaela & Ashley!
May you soak up the rain this week in the name of blooming. xoxo, Em.