Smart Creative Women

I have Ashley Brooke with me today! She is the owner and smart girl behind her brand Ashley Brooke Designs, a brand with a mission to make your everyday just a lit bit more fancy. She is a beauty and I loved the authentic conversation on what prompted her to start her brand. (hint: job loss and a desk right next to her dad's) As much as she loved worked next to her father, she wanted to carve something out for her self, and she did! She peppers her social media (100k+ on her instagram) with just the right amount of bling and inspiration, which is no easy fete! Ashley makes it look effortless, tune into today and listen to the in's and out's of her brand (some of it is comical and I simply adore her outlook on it all!)

This topic is so near and dear to my heart! Styling your brand! If you know me, I believe we all have innate style within us and so talking to Fiona about applying it to you brand is right up my alley! In fact, as a creative I believe we are required to bring an EXTRA dose of style to our businesses and lives. Fortunately, Fiona Humberstone is here to help!

Drawing on her background from developing brands for companies worldwide, Fiona Humberstone’s beautifully designed coffee table book, ‘How To Style Your Brand’ is a one-of-a-kind design bible for business owners. Packed with more than 60 inspirational examples of brand identities, her book is a comprehensive workbook on how to do it right! And just incase you want a MORE hands on approach Fiona conducts in-person workshops as well (in fact we got on so famously, we may have a little collaboration up our sleeves this spring!)

In this chat, we talk about how she made the LEAP and committed to write a book and SELF PUBLISH it even before she had an audience "in place!" I like it when someone is successful in defying conventional wisdom! For you moms out there, we really dig deep on what being a mom means to her and the decisions she has made to keep work life/children balance in her life. Lots to learn here!

I hope you love Stasia as much as I do. Her energy is infectious and her story blew me away!

This is a must listen! Stasia has such great though s about how who you are in the outside reflecting who you are in the inside and she learned a good part of that lesson from her daughter. Her daughter has taught her (and blown her away) so many times on what it really means to have insides and outsides match up. You simply HAVE to tune in and hear this story because I have a feeling Stasia's story is going to be in Oprah (if Oprah still had her own show, you know what I mean!)

This duo have such a great tale to tell and Stasia is telling it via social media with the hashtag #styledbymychild, you can follow her here. ALSO, in this interview she talks about what she covers in Stasia's Style School coming up in Oct and I was impressed! It really sounds like it could be very enlightening. I know who much it means to me to FINALLY find my right wardrobe!

Hey!!! It is my birthday and I have stuff to say....

Look...new Art Prints! You can see them for sale here along with a super "it's-my-party-sale" over at XO, Monica Lee!

How did what I find out what I love to create the most? Tune in to this episode, I talk about style, finding mine getting over myself and my hang ups about whether other people liked it and about you doing the same! It's short, it's fun lots of good stuff. Sorry for the short post, I gotta go eat some birthday cake!!

...and it happened to be found at her DAY job! This such a fabulous story of having the tenacity to find your voice, your groove, and your outlet. Meet Kathy Weller, she has a rockin' good story! Many of you might relate to her story, working a day job hoping to make it full time on your creative work, trying to get everything to click into place. Tune in and see how Kathy's visual story telling ability snapped right place when she took a good look around her cubicle! I love this episode, because I love Kathy!! She is a ray of sunshine and it is so so nice to see her art getting licensed on one product after another!

...a little self love, that is. Here is a quick podcast about "comfort zones." I found myself in a conversation with my son that made me question myself on what it means to truly be "in love" with myself, with what I create and even with my name! Tune in to this sort podcast and see what he said that left me wondering if I was playing a game of false humility or if I have finally gotten comfortable in my own skin.

It's a process to truly admire yourself and I know I am a work in progress for sure.

What about you? Are you able to list all the characteristics that you LOVE about your self comfortably or are you a deer caught in headlights when the question comes your way?

This interview is FULL of great ideas and inspiration. I loved Lindsay as soon as I heard her speak on a panel at Alt Summit about PR. I also LOVE her adorable fashion line! Lot 801 is the coolest fashion brand for your mini me (or nephew, niece, or well, jus about any COOL baby or kid you know!) Lindsay says these clothes appeal to fashionable moms and little punks alike. I love this thinking! Way to know what you are all about! Its a super soft unisex line of clothing that I wish big kids (like me) could sport all the time! Tune in and hear her talk about prompted Lindsay to start her line, the big decision about quitting her day job AND all the smart cookie ways that she has been doing her own PR for the line. She just might give you permission to be a healthy stalker!

Today I have Boaz David from Human B on the show with me. Boaz helped me turns my idea/dream/bags into a reality! If you tuned into my launch story, you will hear that I hot a point where I was about to through in the towel (ok, there may have been several points!) I found Boaz, a seasoned professional of the fashion industry guided me through the process. We worked together on tech packs and finding a factory that would do the quality work I wanted for the clutches for XO, Monica Lee .

Human B is a company (and marvelous team) of industry professionals who can walk you through developing your own fashion line. Boaz tells his own story of how he got into fashion in Israel and some important lesson he learned while he was in school. Tune in, learn a few things and get inspired to try to stay true to your vision!