Hello,

January is over! Hurrah! What a month. It felt like it dragged on for-e-ver. I had a lot of fun during January. I connected with a lot of people. I practised epic self-care in my business by relaxing all my "shoulds" and only doing what felt like the next right step.

Next week I am heading to the Facebook Community Summit Europe to represent my not-for-profit, Amsterdam Mamas. After eight years of hard work, burn out and pushing on through there is a huge sense of validation that Facebook has recognised our community as one that should be present at this event. My heart and soul are always in the topic of community but never more so than this year when so many pathways into doing the work I feel so drawn to do are opening up to me.

Creating balance in all that I do is top of my mind right now. Making sure that all the areas I have interests in are working to support the others is definitely a work in progress. When I return I will be pushing forward into the next round of the Change Maker Programme. And the Change Maker is changing, which I'll talk more about later this month.

Until then, let's get on with the Notes...

1) Make better video

The trend for video is going nowhere and access to the tools you need to make videos for your business has never been easier. Of course, we all wish that we could afford to hire a professional videographer but if you can't then here are 16 tips for making awesome videos using just your iPhone.

2) Let's get comfortable with rejection

So, that potential client chose to hire someone else? That "sure thing" project went to another company? That great getting to know you coaching call ended in "thanks but no thanks" or worse, they just never contacted you again? It sucks, I know. We've all been there. But what if we looked on these rejections as a learning (rather than a crushing, soul-sucking, what's wrong with meeeeeeeee?!?) experience? What if we actually aimed to be rejected?

3) What is your work telling people?

Oh, how I loved this piece by Pam Slim. It is worth a long, slow read, before putting the steps she outlines into action. Because we do change over time, how we approach our business changes, our knowledge deepens and often those changes will show up in our content even before we realise it ourselves. Making sure that your work is representing you and in alignment with where you want your business to be is critical and there is no better time than now to review it. 

4) Less clutter = more happiness

If there is one thing that I have learnt to be true over the last year or so it is that when the space around me is cluttered it has a direct impact on my happiness and my ability to do my best work. When I feel overwhelmed, the clutter creeps back creating a cycle. For me, less clutter definitely creates more happiness. What about you?

5) Welcome to the new renaissance

Jeffrey Shaw has a vision, he sees a time when "...artists, coaches, designers, authors, speakers and other purpose-driven entrepreneurs will run profitable businesses, be highly respected for their talents and free to express their work across a variety of mediums.” Yes! This was a wonderful episode of the Pivot podcast full of learning and quotable moments. Bring on the new renaissance.

Me, elsewhere...

I am speaking at two events this quarter: Families in Global Transition in the Hague on the 8th of March at which I will be talking about leading the change you want to see in the world. And Spark Women 2018 in Amsterdam at which I will be moderating a panel discussion on the Winding Path of Entrepreneurship. If you haven't got your ticket yet then use the code: SPARKFRIEND to get a discount on the full ticket price.

Until the next Notes,

Emmy

P.S. If you would like to have a conversation about how you want to shift your business forward this year and whether the Change Maker Programme could be the right fit for you then please fill out an application form and book an Intake Call with me. I only take business owners into the Programme if I am absolutely certain that it will make a significant shift in their business. I'd love to get to know your business and see how I could help. Let's talk.