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5.28.13

Speaking at Power and Pinkstripes

power pinkstripes eventI was so excited when Tammie called and asked if I would be a speaker at the Power and Pinkstripes event on June 6. I was on my way home from a pretty great photo shoot, and my phone rang as I was stopped at a traffic light.

Women entrepreneurs and business leaders are some of my favorite people in the world. It’s just amazing the type of energy and inspiration that is generated when we all gather together. I am thrilled to be a part of this event.

I will be heading to Coze next Thursday evening for some cocktail networking (and you know this new mom needs a drink!) before chatting about business, branding and balance during the power panel at Power and Pinkstripes.

Hope to see you there!

Filed in: Speaking
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3.27.13

Designing for My Own Business

After 5 (or is it 6 now) years of designing for other people clients, I am finally taking on a new project and am designing for myself.

It’s been slow going, since designing for yourself always seems 1,384,592 times more difficult than when working on a client project. But, I feel like I’m starting to hit my stride with product design. So, fingers crossed that things start going more quickly from here on out.

I’ve started what seems like at least ten different business since graduating from college six years ago, and each one has been a service based business. From web design to graphic design to photography, oh and a little food blog… it’s all been service based. But oh no… this time, I’m launching a product based business.

Oh, don’t mind me, just peed my pants.

Just kidding. I think.

Yeah, I’m scared out of my mind. But that’s okay. Because I’m ridiculously, completely and hopelessly passionate about this new venture.


Swaymai – clothing and gear for female water athletes, with a mission to give back to ocean conservation.

I have been in love with the ocean since my first scuba diving trip four years ago in Cozumel, Mexico. I have been in love with the feeling of being deep below the surface and swimming peacefully with the animals that call the seas their home. After my first trip beneath the ocean’s surface, I decided that I wanted to make it my mission to contribute to ocean and marine life conservation.

For the past few weeks, I’ve been hard at work at some t-shirt designs. Fingers crossed for a Spring 2013 product launch! (Here’s a sneak peak)


Yes, sea turtles just might make an appearance on our products *wink wink*

 

Filed in: Business | Design & Development
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April 10, 2013 - 8:44 pm

estherjulee - yay!!

3.17.13

Going Home

Going “home” always seems bittersweet.

This little city of Radford, Virginia was where I spent the first 18 years of my life. There were some good times, awkward times, great times and not-so-great times.

In front of my parents’ restaurant – they lease the building out these days.

The most vivid memory I have of my hometown was how ready and excited I was to leave it behind. To get out of that tiny, middle of nowhere town and head south to the big city of Atlanta. And that’s just what I did, happily. I moved down to Atlanta, and that’s where I’ve lived for the past 11 years.

Atlanta is home now.

But going home to Radford is something that I have come to look forward to. It’s a welcome change of pace to leave the city and spend a few days in the relative quiet of the Appalachian mountains. We only visit about once a year, it’s too far of a drive with the new baby now.

These days, we only go to see family. All my childhood friends have also moved away to the big cities (New York, Washington DC, etc.). Mini-me will never think of Virginia as home. The suburbs of Atlanta will be her hometown, and that’s okay.

For me, Southwest Virginia will always be home.

So for a few days this weekend, I am home.

Filed in: Personal
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March 18, 2013 - 10:07 pm

estherjulee - so glad you had a good time with the fam! :)

3.1.13

Needing Focus

Focus.

I’ve been needing this lately.

With the new role of “mommy” that I took on four months ago, it’s been a struggle to get work done and stay productive. I’m lucky (and ecstatic) if I manage to get 45 minutes of quiet time to sit down at the computer. In fact, right now I’m typing as fast as I can so that I can hopefully get this blog post up before Mini-me wakes up from her nap.

Before motherhood, I had the privilege of doing a lot of things. Part time commercial photographer/graphic designer/web designer/food blogger/dreamer. Full time dabbler.

After four months of raising a baby and attempting to continue with my dabbling ways, I’ve realized that if I don’t focus, I won’t get anything done.

So, here comes the tough part. What to cut out?

Truthfully, I’m not completely sure yet. I want to dabble. I love to dabble. But something must go. And I know that motherhood is the one non-negotiable role.  So it looks like I will be building this in 2013, making this a side-business and freelancing here. I realize that it looks that I’m dabbling still, but it’s a big step for me (prioritizing everything)

Also, I’ve resorted to this:

A super duper broken down checklist.

With each task being something that I can accomplish in 15 to 20 minutes, or less. It’s been amazing.

So, focus. Here we go…

Filed in: Entrepreneurship
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March 4, 2013 - 3:46 am

estherjulee - proud of you! maybe we should do weekly skype sessions. :)

March 4, 2013 - 10:32 am

Melissa - Yes – weekly skype sessions! Emailing you now :)

1.8.13

2013: A New Year, with New Visions

2012 was a such whirlwind year for me. Not that I really meant it to be one, but having a baby will throw things off a bit. Now that I’ve gotten a better handle on motherhood, I’m starting to get excited about the new year and making plans.

I am a huge fan of making lists, it keeps me in line and pushes me towards my goals. Luckily, Esther also loves her lists. Last year, we would get together for business accountability over tea discuss our lists.

Esther made a 13 in 2013 list for her New Year’s Resolutions. I loved that idea. Especially with the resolutions being SMART goals. It’s so important to have specific goals that have a purpose and deadline.

Since I’m the type of person who needs a visual guide to everything in life, I made a vision board for my resolutions. The one I made last year out of a poster board and magazine cutouts was so effective, I thought I’d give the vision board another go:

Filed in: Entrepreneurship | Personal
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January 8, 2013 - 5:43 pm

estherjulee - woo! you work fast!! love the visuals. i am curious on what the sex and the city photo means… just to stay fabulous in 2013? ;)

January 8, 2013 - 6:37 pm

Melissa - Haha! The SATC photo means to remember to make time to hang out with good girl friends and also to stay fabulous in 2013 ;)

11.22.12

4 weeks of Motherhood,10 Lessons Learned and What I’m Thankful For

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

These first few weeks of being a new mom have flown by, and while I haven’t spent much time here, we have been busily taking pictures, video and documenting our new life with our little one. Finding the energy to take pictures was near impossible at the beginning. There are many photos that I wish that I had remembered to take while we were in the hospital, but I’m trying to make up for them now.

This week has been pretty amazing. My Mini Me, Lyla, has been sleeping very well at night.

Meaning: I finally have energy to photograph, edit and blog again!

Now that we have family in town with some extra helping hands, I’ve taken some time to reflect on the past month and everything that I’ve learned and how we’ve grown as a family.

10 things that I’ve learned about motherhood:

Delivery

1. An epidural doesn’t always take away all the pain. Enough said.
2. Having a wonderful obstetrician makes all the difference in the world.
3. Glad most friends visited while we were at the hospital, because entertaining visitors at home with a newborn wasn’t something I wanted to do right away.

Life at Home
4. Sleep when your baby sleeps is great advice… that is very, very difficult to follow through on.
5. Nighttime feedings are pure torture, at first. Then you and baby start getting better at time management.
6. Dinners at home become a necessity. Dinners out are a luxury.
7. Taking a shower everyday really does help you feel more human.

Motherhood
8. Knowing how to calm your crying baby isn’t instinctual, but thankfully you learn fast (and I’m still learning).
9. The love you feel for this tiny human being is overwhelming.
10. You finally understand how much your own mother loves you.

This year, I feel that I have so much more to be thankful for than in previous years. It’s amazing how a baby really does change everything.

I’m thankful for…
- a healthy, beautiful baby
- a wonderful, supportive husband who is an amazing father
- being able to take time away from work and spend it taking care of our little girl
- family who came to help us out in the first couple of weeks
- friends who have given us so many sweet words of congratulations and encouragement
- social media, because otherwise I would feel completely disconnected from the world right now – ha!

I hope you’re enjoying a wonderful Thanksgiving with your friends and family! And hope that you have plenty to be thankful for this year as well!

Filed in: Raising Mini-Me
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