I’m on what feels like day 92,704,361 of slow building my brand strategy and design studio.

My body hurts from so much sitting at the computer and I’m living out of laundry baskets because nearly everything has become secondary to this.

This process has taught me that the most important work in building a business is the stuff that no one sees.

The last 6 months have looked like:

• Learning through self-teaching and courses
  Professional design software, CRMs, client portals, SOPs, website and blog building, SEO, marketing… SO MUCH STUFF. The expertise is building but the learning isn’t slowing down.
  
  I’ve jumped head first into experimenting, breaking things apart, starting back at square one, and building back even better.
  
  Slayin’ Showit and Bangin’ Brands by Olive Street Studio have been money. Did you know that one benefit of some library cards is free access to LinkedIn Learning, and that HubSpot Academy has loads of free certificates?

• System building
  I know myself well enough that flying by the seat of my pants will only result in my inevitable crash and burn. ADHD hyperfocus is great when it works, but all bets are off when that’s not engaged. Chaos in my personal life is one thing, but is a no-go when clients are trusting me with their business investments.
  
  Customizing my offer ecosystem, detailed SOPs, CRM, client processes, and overall behind-the-scenes structure was simply a non-negotiable for me. Some people say JUST START and figure that stuff later. That’s a fast track to burnout for me.
  
  Strategic systems = Smooth process = Happy client and happy me

• Templates and client portal
  Work smarter, not harder. Everywhere I’m able to build a template, you better believe I’m doing it.
  
  Questionnaires, agreements, transactional emails, strategy and creative documents, client portal. Every client still gets a personalized experience and clear, organized steps — but instead of starting from scratch each time, I can save my brain for the strategy & design work that matters the most.
  
  The client portal deserves its own post — you’ll hear about that baby soon.

• Personal growth
  “They” say that becoming an entrepreneur requires vulnerability and self-discovery. Turns out that’s not bullshit.
  
  You’ve got to get honest about who you are, what impact you want to make, and accept the hundreds of iterations it takes to get there. Some days you question what’s the point, other days you feel on top of the world.

So why does all of this matter?

Because this is the work. The real work. Not the highlight reel.

The work that has brought me to tears and streams of curse words, but also reminded me how fucking smart and capable I am to make this a success for myself and my clients.

The work that gives me confidence that when my brand studio opens next week, I’ll be ready.

The work that will lead to kick-ass client experiences and bold brands for women founders that are ready to take up the space they deserve.

xo,