I was recently in a group chat with some fab biz ladies spilling our deep and dark secrets about our big dreams and hopes when the topic to "help" came up, and when/how to grow your team, versus making yourself a "true" solopreneur and doing it all yourself forever.

Ha! That latter sounds like an utter nightmare to me, but definitely opened my eyes to some conversations I've had with friends, clients, and local indie/entrepreneurs who seem to have it all in their heads that just because they mentally can do something (like designing/developing their own website, researching printers and prepping files, taking care of order processing) doesn't mean that they physically can (as in time management) or that they should. Not even a little bit.

It's this whole idea of being a "solopreneur" that has us all a little jaded. We see cool online heroes who call themselves solopreneurs, implying that they've made themselves, but that isn't always the case. If ever, I daresay. 

During our little brain session that brought about this topic, an article by Tara Gentile was shared, along with an Alexandra Franzen one I saw recently, that uncovered just how backwards this thinking is, and how these powerhouse "solopreneur" business women have a team of people there that make them as big and successful as they are.

So, in powerhouse woman fashion, I know I'd like to make it very known how it is that I've gotten to where I am, and those who have supported and created me along the way.

I recently had a chat with a local indiepreneur where she stated that I had my shit together. This will be a whole topic in itself soon, but I seriously only look this way because I have had/currently have a team behind me that help me rock my life/biz and get my shit done. I couldn't be the "solopreneur" I am now if I had went at it solo for all this time.

Assistants
In my 3.5 years I have had two assistants. Both were while we lived in the mountains, and both did wonders for my productivity. I hired both while I was working at home and keeping Cute Kid, so days switched between keeping Cute Kid out of my hair and doing research and small tasks around the studio.

I got SO MUCH done, both on the forefront of having someone take care of Cute Kid, and by having someone do the filing, research, etc that I just couldn't find for time for during the day.

Web-helper guy
I have since traded in the assistant role for my web-helper guy Corey. Corey works with me on all my web projects to get sites ready for development. He does tasks like putting in search boxes and contact forms. These are the tasks that are standard on all projects, and allow me to just get in and implement design. He also does a lot of product inputing and client small maintenance handling. He does the small stuff so that I can focus on the big stuff.

Corey also manages the search engine optimization of my website, which has done wonders in the past 2-3 months. I personally hate implementing SEO, so having him on my team has kept me from having to do something I really hate.

David
Apart from doing the laundry and dishes, and making sure the oil in my car is changed - which are all imperative to my ability to focus on my biz as much as I'm allowed to, David also does a lot of tasks around Indie Spaces/my office that allow me to work. For example, he cleans out wallet and sorts through and files away my receipts every two weeks or so. He also brings me lunch on days when I can't allow myself to get out of the groove, for fear the groove won't return. And he's just here to help if I ever need him.

Braid Creative
My love for these ladies is very real. It's no lie, and apart from being inspiration and facilitators and encouragers and sometimes the devil's advocate, they helped me get my shit together in terms of branding and positioning for both Indie Shopography and Indie Spaces. They helped me build my platform.

Kiyuko.com
I often get emails from newbie web designers wanting my opinion on partnering with Adobe Business Catalyst, and how I learned the system. A lot of it was just playing, but most of the fancy how-tos came from fellow BC-partners, and tutorial-guys extraordinaire in the form of Kiyuko.com, a subscription-based site that teaches me all kinds of tricks for making my Business Catalyst sites just a bit more awesome. I always cite them as an invaluable resource for building sites on BC.

BCGurus.com
Whereas Kiyuko taught me to build sites on BC, BCGurus.com taught me to sell sites on BC. A couple of months with a subscription from them and I'm now making constant cash. Also invaluable. (Just wish I had more time to sift through and take in all their info.)

My online-friend support team
Whether it be partnering on projects, being sounding board for ideas, or just venting about business hell, my online support team of fellow female entrepreneurs helps me keep going. These are the ones that I can talk to about business without ever worrying that I'm wearing them out.

My in-person-friend support team
One of my favorite things about my friends is they don't usually ask me about how business is going. I don't have to talk about work. They allow me to quietly process and move on. These are the ones that I don't have to talk about business with, and that makes me grateful. But they also seem to know when to ask me, as if they can sense I need to explode about something fun or something I just need to spill about.

Last, but definitely not least (more like most), my clients
I think that if an entrepreneur truly listens to their clients/customers, they could never be a solopreneur. Not only do my clients first hire me and then tell their friends and collegues to hire me (word of mouth makes up 90% of my marketing), but my clients are the ones that have given me most of the ideas for new offerings and blog topics and general idea-having. They are, on every level, why I am where I am today.

AND OTHERS
Then I have my printers and my stamp-makers and my buddies next door with always a banana waiting for me. My supportive family-members and strangers who recognize me when I'm out (it's totally happened before, and always trips me out). My life is full of people who help make my business-running easier, more efficient, and a million times more fun/pleasurable.

So, I say all that to show you that I'm no solopreneur. Let's just scratch that word from our vocabulary. I'm not "self-made" or really even "independent." Sure, I don't have a staff of 15, but I do have a team. A team that helps me rock my business, a task I couldn't do alone, every single day. And for each of them, I am grateful.

I don't have my shit together, I have people who help me get/keep it together. There's a difference. And coming next month I'm running a 5-day blog series on helping you get your shit together, in both life and work. Follow me on Facebook for more details as they come about.

Want to add me to your team? I'm now open to branding and web design projects for early-Fall. Together, we'll make it happen. Get in touch >>

When I was 8 I wanted to be an archaeologist, travel to Egypt, and discover the next King Tut. When I was in high school I wanted to be a psychologist, so that I could help troubled people find peace. Later in college I was sure I wanted to be a wine geographer, traveling the world and drinking wine in the name of science. I never, not once, even thought of being a web designer.

But then, after graduation, I stumbled into web design, and it soon became my dream job. Oh, the celebratory moments I would have when I booked a new client, and how ferociously I devoured every bit of content on the web that would help me navigate this new path.

The ever-changing dream job.

I remember once thinking that working from home was the epitome of the dream job. I even recall an "about me" section on my website once touting the idea of working steps away from my kitchen, so that a warm cup of tea was never far away.

There is something weirdly glamorous about having the ability to work in your pajamas. Having no one to tell you how to dress, or even how to smell. Going a couple of days without a shower is commonplace when you work from home. (Or at least when I worked from home.)

For a long time, I had it made. I could wander in and out of the studio as I wanted. I loved it (for the most part). But, I soon found out that I didn't know what I was missing. I soon found out that working from home was good-ish for my life, but kept me from really focusing on my business.

When David and I opened Indie Spaces, I - for the first time ever - had an office that wasn't in my home. It took a little getting used to, but I soon realized that I had been selling myself way short for far too long.

There's something very legitimizing about "going to work." Getting up, getting [at least semi-] ready, and going into the office. An office where you focus on your business, not your laundry.

Having a full-time office at Indie Spaces has done so much for my business and my life.

And, now that I'm here, the wily creative in me is wondering what will be next? Maybe it'll be taking my show on the road and becoming a gypsy entrepreneur.

Or maybe I have found just what my 8-year old self was digging for all those years ago.

We're still taking applications for another full-time Indie Spaces resident. If you're interested, shoot me an email at [email protected]. We'd love to hear from you!

I've been spending a lot of time lately thinking about my working space. We opened Indie Spaces five months ago, and then moved into our new house a month later. I feel like we're finally good and settled in, and I've been itching to make Indie Spaces my at-work home.

When we moved my office into Indie Spaces in December, after working from a home office since the dawn of my web designing, it was way awkward for me. It felt weird to go to work, and I had a hard time "setting up office."

To begin, I inhabited the loft area of the space, a cool little workspace that overlooked the entirety of Indie Spaces. I felt a little almighty looking down on everyone, and descending to walk amongst the people, but also soon felt detached and a little lonely. Because of this, I never really made it super functional, because I just wasn't feeling it.

Then, when I hired Corey – my web helper guy – I soon found my loft office a little weirder, as I would yell down to him what his tasks were for the day. I just felt uncomfortable.

I soon pulled my computer downstairs to work at my old counter-height desk against a wall. I never set anything up more than my iMac, and have spent the last 3 months just kind of squatting there. I never made it my home, because it was never meant to be my home.

And so, finally, last weekend David and I did something that had been clawing to be put on my to-do list for some time. We gave me a legitimate office. For real.

The final push was a chat I had with the Braid ladies and some other creative gals. We were talking about money, and making it, and manifesting it, and Kathleen reminded me of their killer quarterly chalkboard tracker. It's a really great thing, and something I felt I needed. (They give a fab description in their Dream Customer Catching ECourse, open for registration again in August.) But first, I needed an office.

David and I pulled a table from a corner of the space, dragged my bookcase down from the loft (literally), and I set it up, sat down, and felt at home.

I'm feeling so at home that I worked more in the past week than I have in the last month. I've even been getting up and leaving the house by 7am every morning for an almost 2-mile walk to work just so I can enjoy the early mornings getting stuff done. Something I haven't done since we lived in the mountains. It's amazing what you can accomplish when your surroundings are just right.

It was a little challenging partitioning out a little cozy workspace out of over 2000 sq ft of room, but I think we accomplished something amazing. My chi feels more balanced, and I'm itching every day to get to work, to sit in my space, and to make things happen.

Inspiration is flowing out of my little section of Indie Spaces.

The super awesomeness of my new office has made David and I rethink accepting applications for permanent residences at Indie Spaces, and we've decided to open up to one other permanent office at the space. If you're local and interested in being my permanent office mate, check out our post on Facebook, and shoot us an email. We're taking applications now.

This past weekend Indie Spaces held it's first pop-up shop. It was a monumental moment for David and I, but it was an even bigger one for our friend Heather, the fab lady behind Bohemian Bop.

It was a big event, with catering from Magpie+Ruth, homebrew beer from our friend Arron, and ice cream from Shirey Ice Cream. Heather launched her new tshirt line to we're guessing around 200 attendees over two days.

It was the kind of event that makes David and I really really happy to have started Indie Spaces. It's giving local independent entrepreneurs a platform that drives us everyday, and makes us so excited to host these kinds of events.

We're planning on hosting more events like this one for other local makers, and can't wait to share each of them. Shake up the Shoals.

Last week I was coming off my post-vacation hangover (a fun- and sun-induced one, not an alcohol-induced one) and was having sincere problems getting back into the groove. My pal Heather called me mid-day one day and asked if I wanted to go out to her new studio with her while she got some things done, and I was game. I needed to leave the studio. Nothing good was coming of it.

So, I packed up my laptop and camera and went out to check the new Bohemian Bop digs. (And ended up slashing at some emails like no joke.)

While there Heather introduced me to her bunk bin. I was so confused when she lifted this large-ish canvas laundry basket-type container, and found it full of tshirts. So many tshirts.

I started going through them, reprimanding her for ditching all these fab shirts, then I started noticing little flaws. Off-center screen-prints, smudges of ink, ideas that just ended up bad. Each one needed to be bunked.

It got me to thinking about my own bunk bin, and the bunk bins of each creative. Because, so help us if we ever throw something away.

Like the photographer who snaps thirty photos for the one. Those bad thirty are never deleted.

Or the painter with piles of bunked canvases.

Or me (and any digital designer) with files on top of files that fill our project folders that will never again see the light of day.

To me, my own bunk binned files are little reminders of all the hard work that goes into the good one. Reminds me of an ever going strife for perfection. Reminder of the path that gets us from beginning to end. It makes the good results a little more meaty, knowing that there are bunked attempts as a foundation.

And, so, the Bohemian Bop bunk bin has inspired me to be a little more conscious of the designs that don't make it, and why it is that we never trash them. We all have to start somewhere.

I hope you'll join me and Bohemian Bop this Friday and Saturday at Indie Spaces for the Bohemian Bop Pop Up Shop. We promise no bunked pieces will be making their debut. More info >>