Nothing drives me more nuts than the little things that slow you down. Like when I discovered this week in the middle of a design deadline that my keyboard shortcuts weren't working.I've been a web designer for almost 2 decades - these quick keys are ingrained in my head. Losing them meant I was moving at turtle pace.After a protracted youtube search, I discovered the fix. Turns out when I set up my new computer the other week I needed to change a system preference to turn on my function...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
I'm pretty sure I think about benches more than the average person. My favorite running trail has an wobbly old wooden one, perched on top of a hill with killer unobstructed city river views. Every time I pass by, I think "that's a great spot for my ashes." Slightly morbid, but who wouldn't want an eternally great view with daily dog visitors? Anytime I see a bench with a commemorative plaque, I have to stop and read it. The other week as we hiked inside the DC Smithsonian Zoo (we're suckers...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
If you're lucky like I am, over the course of your working life, you're bound to pick up a bunch of smart friends. And you'll get to have conversations about all sort of topics like I did this week on things like: my secret pinterest board of tattoo ideas (I live in the 3rd most tattooed city in the country, yet can't make a decision on what to get inked...) how to radically pivot your business without blowing up your life my favorite east coast saunas ranked by location and price how to...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
I've never been one for complex math. I needed a tutor for geometry and gave up the ghost at AP calc.Still not sure how I married a theoretical physicist whose thesis is so mathy I can't get past the first page - yet somehow I'm the one who does the taxes ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.I get that dealing with numbers can get overwhelming.So I love sharing tools that it make it easy to answer big data questions at a glance.Last week in one of my 1:1 consult sessions, I took a minute to review my client's website...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
All summer I've been repeating a new phrase. Outside is expensive. (Frankly, inside is expensive too - have you seen the price of avocados?) Last week we took Amtrak up to DC to see the Missy Elliott concert.As we walked into the venue I saw a sign for event parking.$100. For 3 hours. Even by DC standards that's banana pants.Everyone's trying to get their piece of the pie where they can. And we're all feeling the financial squeeze - affecting the ability to invest in the things we really want...
2 months ago • 3 min read
If you're anything like me, you've likely spent the last week or so in an Olympic haze, bouncing between your big screen and little screen (I mean, I had to know the exact particle level of E. Coli in the Seine).By day three, I had myself fully convinced that I could do Simone Biles' epic wolf turn (the 360 degree spinny thing everyone tried to emulate). 5 minutes in and one disgruntled lower back later, I had to remind myself that what looks easy from the outside often requires a whole lot...
2 months ago • 1 min read
Every four years when the Olympics roll around I convince myself it’s not too late to learn how to do a back handspring (really I think I just want to wear one of those bedazzled leotards).While my lower back nudges me that it's way past my prime to reclaim my inner Simone Biles, it's never too late to bring some new energy to a funnel flow for something you've already launched.Last week we launched a new landing page, downloadable guide and live event for Elena Brower's beloved Simplify...
3 months ago • 2 min read
(skimming your inbox this week? skip to the p.s. if you're running a US based business for a timely reporting reminder.)I'm the de facto go-to tech trainer in this house.Even though my dad still builds robot-controlled synthesizers and my brother is a C++ programmer, somehow I'm the one responsible for teaching everyone how to use zoom to host family reunions. On their ipads. (My customer support friends understand this pain.)But it turns out teaching tech is my love language. Yesterday I was...
3 months ago • 2 min read
I tend to do everything fast.Reading, eating and especially talking. I blame the speed eating on growing up fending for food with a brother who hoovered everything in sight. The talking, well, that's been a "problem" for years. In my college days, I was the best-selling salesperson on my team at Victoria's Secret Catalogue. Back then we took orders by phone - and I regularly got reprimanded in my performance reviews for talking too fast. In my head, the faster I got through the order, the...
3 months ago • 2 min read