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Denver Life Slice of Life Work Diaries

Taking a step back & a step forward

Speaking at Ignite Denver 20 on June 11, 2015. Thanks to @b_wleung for the photo!
Speaking at Ignite Denver 20 on June 11, 2015. Thanks to @b_wleung for the photo!

Last month, I spent a lot of time reflecting on my business, Hashtag Hustler, and what direction I want to take it. I also spent some time thinking about what exactly I want out of my life–do I want to go back and work for someone else? Do I want to actually succeed as an entrepreneur?

The first half of June, I spent running around getting stuff done for a couple organizations I’m a part of here in Denver: I gave my third Ignite Denver talk on June 11, talking about the lessons I learned from working at a hot dog stand in San Francisco. Hopefully the video will be up shortly so I can share it with you all!

Ryan and I in Times Square after watching Les Miserables on Broadway.
Ryan and I in Times Square after watching Les Miserables on Broadway.

After that, though, I spent the rest of the month with my love, Ryan, and went to New York City for vacation. It was Ryan’s first time to visit the Big Apple, so we visited many tourist attractions, such as the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, Chinatown, and so forth. We went to see Les Miserables on Broadway and walked the Brooklyn Bridge as well. All in all, it was a great respite from life in Denver, and gave me space to really think about what I want out of my career and business.

Unfortunately, after we got back from New York City, I got sick with a terrible stomach virus. I’m feeling better now, but that sickness forced me to take off several more days and think about what direction I want the rest of the year to go in. On Monday, I received a rejection letter from a job I really wanted, and that was when I knew I had my answer: it’s time to go full-force with Hashtag Hustler.

It’s not that I haven’t been going at it with Hashtag Hustler since the official launch at the start of the year: it’s that I have been getting rejections from prospects the past several months, and I want to fix that. So I’ve hired a business coach to work with me over these next six months to revitalize the business.

Since the beginning of June, I’ve been hearing others talk about how we as professionals need to seek out other professionals to help us in our careers and lives. Why would a real estate agent act as his or her own expert in financial management if he or she doesn’t even have the background in that field? Why do so many businesses insist on doing their own marketing when that is NOT their speciality?

If you don’t invest in your own career or your life, you will receive that energy back from your clients or your friends. I realized this when I kept receiving rejection after rejection: I haven’t invested in my own business since my first business! Why would others want to hire me as their social media coach/manager if I don’t myself seek out a coach for my business?

So, onward I go. I have high hopes for this new adventure.


 

Speaking of adventures…

If you’ve been reading my blog for awhile, you may know that I spoke at the inaugural Denver Startup Week in 2012. I would love to speak at this year’s Denver Startup Week about social media, but I need your help: please click on over to vote for my two sessions before Friday, July 10th. Much appreciated!

What Businesses Do Wrong On Social Media (& What To Do Instead)

Make Your Event Social Media Sparkle!

Categories
Denver Life

Plummeting Temperatures

2014-01-07 07.06.26-1The weather has changed drastically this week in Denver (if you haven’t already noticed). On Monday, the day started off around the 50s-60s range; by the end of the day, we had plummeted to about 10 degrees. Today, the temperatures have hovered around 0 degrees with snow on the ground and icy conditions at night.

I am probably one of the few who actually enjoy this cooler weather: I get a mix of emotions when it comes to the seasons and the weather. In the wintertime, I get a little sad from S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder), but then I also get really happy from the snow and the cooler temperatures. I was born in January, so I am naturally a winter person.

Today I had to go downtown for my Leads Group 7 meeting and I was so excited bundling up to go outside. I think the idea of bundling up to stay warm just generally excites me: getting to choose which sweater to wear, which jacket, which hat, how to wear everything, et. al. Maybe it’s just the fact that I get to play with my clothing choices a bit more that allows for me to enjoy wintertime.

Snow before Christmas is always a bit whimsical anyway: it evokes those images of hot cocoa, a warm fireplace, and carolers around town. One thing I am thankful for though: I am not driving in this weather (I don’t have a car of my own). Driving in snow is one of my bigger fears; kudos to those who are competent with winter driving!

The temperatures are supposed to stay cold through this weekend, and then it’s back up to a balmy 40 degrees for “normal” late autumn/early winter temperatures. I’ll take it; I’ve been ready for this weather the past several months.

Categories
Denver Life

A Small World After All

I love them, but sometimes I need space away from them!
I love them, but sometimes I need space away from them!

Sometimes I find myself spending too much time at home doing work and otherwise putzing around. Yes, it’s home; that’s where I want to be. But when it comes to me and getting work done, my home has become a bit of a challenge with my two cats running around all day. So, today I decided to venture out to a coworking space in town that I used to be a member of.

Lots has changed around here and I thought I would only know a couple people here; turns out though that I know more people here now than I did back then though! Denver can oftentimes feel like a really small place with how I run into people from different parts of my life here in one place. I love the feeling of coincidences, unexpectedly seeing people I haven’t seen in ages.

As for my being productive for getting out of the house: got all my work done and the last bit of GMAT studying completed. Not a bad decision for the benefits I received today!

Categories
Denver Life support local

seamly.co: super-rad sustainable clothing

I’ve known Kristin Glenn of seamly.co since the days of Revolution Apparel in 2012, when they launched their Kickstarter for the Versalette. I was immediately hooked on the idea: a piece of clothing that can be worn 15 different ways?! Sign me up!

Last year, Revolution Apparel closed down and Kristin and her cofounder Shannon Whitehead went their separate ways. Kristin started up seamly.co here in Denver and ever since, I’ve been one of their hugest fans! I LOVE the company’s mission in making sustainable clothing, and each piece of clothing usually has multiple ways to wear it. I am all about convertible fashion since that helps me reduce the number of clothing items in my closet.

So far, I have purchased the following items:

  1. The Wrapped Cardigan, which can be worn three ways
  2. No Sweat Pants, great for wearing to work or to a workout
  3. 5-Ways Maxi Dress, which is one of my favorite pieces to wear around town
  4. Seasonless Skirt, which is my second-favorite piece to wear

I’m clearly on my way to buying all of the company’s clothing!

Definitely a rad sweatshirt! (Photo courtesy of seamly.co)
Definitely a rad sweatshirt! (Photo courtesy of seamly.co)

In terms of this fall season’s newest offerings, I am most looking forward to the Moto Sweatshirt, which is currently running on Kickstarter to raise money to purchase the awesome Canadian-made fleece material for the shirt. I don’t know about you, but I am LOVING the asymmetrical zipper and the fact that this shirt sounds so super-warm!

So go ahead, go support this awesome company and buy some great, sustainable clothing.

Categories
Denver Life support local

Life at 3MPH: Walk2Connect Gets Us All Moving

Group photo during a trip in Lakewood, February 2013.
Group photo during a trip in Lakewood, February 2013.

This is a long overdue Support Local post. I have known Jonathon Stalls, lead itinerant and founder of Walk2Connect, since early 2013. Walk2Connect’s mission is to get more people walking rather than driving: discover the beauty of everyday life around us instead of letting it all speed on by. Jonathan was inspired to start Walk2Connect after his own epic, life-changing walking trip from Delaware to San Francisco in 2010 for Kiva Walk.

Hearing Jonathon’s story really inspired me to attend his walking trips around the Denver Metro area. I have met so many incredible people on these walking excursions: people I wouldn’t have met if I had stuck with my usual crowd at startup events. Walk2Connect has grown to many followers these days, considering the organization has expanded to include more daily walking trips throughout the Denver Metro area (such as Park Hill Sunrise Walks, Five Points at Dusk, and many more) in the past year.

Got to hold an egg-laying  hen at last year's Walk2Connect Farm-To-Table Experience in Wheat Ridge!
Got to hold an egg-laying hen at last year’s Walk2Connect Farm-To-Table Experience in Wheat Ridge!

My favorite Walk2Connect trips have been walks where a bit of local food-making is involved, such as the Wheat Ridge Farm-To-Table walk last summer: we walked to several farms in Wheat Ridge and collected ingredients to make pizza at Right Coast Pizza after our walk. The beer and the delicious pizza were all well worth the nine miles of walking!

I really hope more Denver-area residents get to experience Walk2Connect at least once in their lifetimes. The walks are a great alternative and active way to meet new people in your neighborhood, city, region. Plus, Jonathon’s personality is so infectious with his laughter and impeccable enthusiasm for life. You’ll be glad to have met Jonathon and the other walkers on your next trip: they’re sure to change your life.