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Featuring Carla Gomes Jensen: Founder of Solarium Press & Children’s Book Author

February 17, 2020 by Kelly Nash 2 Comments

Thanks to the close friendship of our husbands, Carla Gomes Jensen is a dear friend I’ve come to know and respect over the years. I’ve been fascinated by her upbringing in Sao Paulo, Brazil and how she has blossomed living and working in the United States. We’ve connected especially over the last year or so because she too is a writer and recently founded her own publishing company, Solarium Press, LLC, where she has written, illustrated and published two children’s books – all while still working a full-time job!

From a very young age, Carla had a special relationship with reading. Her family was well aware of her being a so-called “bookworm” since she always had a book in her hands. Every year since she was 11 years old, her Christmas list has been filled with books. She continued her love affair with reading into adulthood, working at a major Brazilian publishing company while earning a degree in Marketing.

Carla decided to move to the U.S. to broaden her professional resume and learn a second language. As part of an exchange program, she began working with kids shortly after arriving in the country. Taking a page out of the book from the children she worked with, Carla learned English from an unexpected source: Dr. Seuss. With the help of Dr. Seuss books, she was able to practice her pronunciation and reading skills, eventually becoming fluent in English.

Today, Carla wants to share her ideas and culture with the world through her favorite way of communication: children’s books. Find out more about how she got started and what her plans are for the future in our exclusive interview below!

Carla Jensen selling her first book.

KN: Carla, so excited to have you a part of the Shine On series! Can you give an overview of your story and how you got to be where you are today?

Carla Gomes Jensen: As a freshman pursuing a Marketing degree in Sao Paulo, Brazil, I landed an internship with one of the most successful magazines in the country. During my second year of college, that internship turned into a full-time job. Every day I left my house for work at 6am for work and attended school in the evenings, often getting home close to midnight. Seeing my dream job as the magazine’s head event coordinator in my future, I kept pushing forward and did not let those long days get in the way.

After 3 years with the company and nearing graduation, I applied for the position I had coveted for so long. When I wasn’t even considered for the job, I was extremely discouraged and blamed myself for not doing more. According to the hiring manager, my resume was not good enough due to my college’s reputation. The magazine only promoted people that attended top tier schools and, due to financial reasons, that was not my case. To be considered for such a position, I would have had to earn a master’s degree from a top school or become fluent in a second language. After some research and deliberation, I took matters into my hands, packed my bags and moved to the USA to learn English.

The first few months in the U.S. were very challenging. My inability to communicate well put me in many embarrassing and troublesome situations. In order to reach my goal of mastering English in one year, I needed to dive in headfirst and learn by any possible means. While taking ESL classes, I was also taking care of children through the au pair program (a fancy way to say I was a live-in nanny.) Luckily for me, one of the children I lived with was learning how to read. We would get together every night and read Dr. Seuss to each other. To this day, when I try to remember how to spell words, I sound it out just like that 6-year-old taught me how to.

Sadly, I did not become fluent in English in one year. Although I could communicate, I was not quite there on a professional level and I decided to extend my stay in the States. Enrolling in a city college, I chose to continue my education by pursuing a psychology degree. Hitting two birds with one stone, I could still use what I learned in marketing and I knew my classes would be full of big words that are very difficult to pronounce, advancing my desire to be proficient in English.

Years later, life has happened. I found someone I really love, got used to my life in a foreign country and those dreams I had in my early twenties grew distant. I found myself drawn to newer, different goals that were shaped by the hardships I went through my first few years in the States. Since I was away from the “real” workforce for several years, my resume took a huge hit. Finding a job here was extremely challenging and discouraging. When I finally got one, it was not the field that I wanted or something I enjoyed doing.

Once again, I decided to take matters in my hands. I wrote down my ideas, analyzed the potential risks and with unconditional support from my family and friends, decided I was ready to take a huge leap. So, in February of 2019, I opened Solarium Press, LLC.

KN: This story is incredible, Carla, and it shows just how determined of a person you are. You powered through so many obstacles and are living out one of your dreams! How have you gone about building your business and ensuring what you wanted to do was successful?

CGJ: Research, research and more research.

Before starting Solarium, I read books, watched videos, read blogs, attended free classes around Chicago and purchased online classes to learn how to build a website and market my product across social media platforms.

I made a spreadsheet with steps I would have to take and how to get to where I wanted. I also made sure to learn the legal part of working with the state, paying taxes and submitting legal forms.

I did not have a lot of money to invest, so I published my first two books targeting the Brazilian community living in the U.S. As part of the intended audience, I knew exactly what they were looking for and how limited their options were for finding books about Brazilian culture written in English.

Carla Jensen dances in a festival in Brazil.

KN: That’s amazing and I think you made all the right choices along the way in building Solarium Press! What would you say has been the most rewarding and most challenging part of starting and running your own business?

CGJ: Solarium is a one-woman operation, so the most challenging part has been running the areas I previously had little knowledge of, specifically accounting. Although I took an accounting class, purchased accounting software, and watched several tutorial videos on the subject, I still struggle with the ins and outs. The reality is that I just don’t enjoy this part of the business, which is why I think it is so challenging for me.

The most rewarding aspect of Solarium has been the feedback. The reviews are not always positive and that’s okay! I made something that impacted someone enough that they wanted to give their opinion about it. It also excites me how far my words have traveled! I only sell the books in the U.S. (for now) and people have been purchasing it from coast to coast. I have even sold a few in Hawaii! Customers have told me that they bought my books as gifts for people living in different countries. It fills my heart to know that right now, there is a little girl in Italy that has my book on her bookshelf. It is surreal!

KN: Awww! That is so, so great. That definitely has to make you feel good. What do you love most about what you do either in your full-time job or with your publishing company? 

CGJ: At my full-time job, I love the stability. I am good at what I do and know that my company wants to keep me around. That stability allows me to take risks with Solarium since it’s not yet my main source of income.  It’s easier to “gamble” when it’s not affecting all the money in your pocket. Don’t get me wrong, I am not irresponsible about how I invest & spend my company’s money. The risks have just been less stressful and at worse, are mildly expensive lessons I learn when not all goes smoothly.

KN: I can definitely relate to that, working full-time and having L&I on the side. What keeps you motivated, working both of your jobs?

CGJ: The idea of what Solarium can become! Life gets in the way, A LOT. It’s natural to think about giving up the grind to have real free time where you don’t have to do anything. To keep me moving forward, I repeat a quote I read on Lipstick & Ink to myself all the time: “When you are tired, learn how to rest, not to quit.”

Instead of quitting, I take breaks when I begin to feel overwhelmed.  Sometimes the break is for a day, sometimes it lasts a week. But during those breaks, I continue to dream about what my books and Solarium could become and that’s what keeps me going. The future has endless possibilities.

KN: I couldn’t agree more. Breaks are crucial not only for our health but also for our creativity! Speaking of, have you found a balance between your work and your well-being? 

CGJ: Quite frankly, I have not mastered the balance yet. When I first started Solarium, I barely slept and worked myself so hard that I got sick. As I said before, I’ve now learned to take breaks. I love my company and the work I do, but I decided I am only doing it while it gives me pleasure. I’d rather keep moving forward slowly and steadily, keeping my passion and love alive instead of doing too much, too fast and transforming Solarium into a miserable job.

KN: Super smart. What would you credit your success to thus far?

CGJ: That’s a funny question because I don’t believe I am successful yet. Solarium is still growing and while technically my company is profitable, the profits have and will be reinvested into new books and projects. But I would say that my “success” comes from hard work and determination. An idea does not get anywhere by itself. You need to envision, plan and follow all the steps. Taking short cuts could damage the bigger picture. It’s tedious and tiring sometimes, but you will need to believe that sunny days will come after the storm.

Carla Jensen pauses to smile while signing her books.

KN: Yes! I truly believe hard work always pays off, despite the challenges you may run into along the way. What does the future of your business ultimately look like?

CGJ: I want to move on from targeting a Brazilian demographic and broaden the books’ audience to children of all backgrounds.

I have an idea for a book series that will allow children to not only learn but express themselves individually. I can’t give too much away since I am still in the R&D phase and months from taking the product to market, but I am beyond excited about this project. If everything goes as planned, this series could take Solarium to a whole different level!

KN: Ooh! That’s so exciting. I can’t wait to learn more in the coming months. You inspire me!! Can I ask who inspires you and why?

CGJ: Thank you!! I admire a lot people but don’t have a specific person that sticks out. Small business owners, people who break stereotypes and women that are kicking butts in their careers are on the top of my list. These are the type of people I look up to when I need some inspiration.

KN: Love it. So, Lipstick & Ink is all about encouraging women to make their mark on their lives, the lives of others and on the world. What does “making your mark” mean to you?

CGJ: Here is the thing, we are all automatically branded somehow. For example: here in the U.S., people usually refer to me as the “Brazilian friend” when talking about me to someone else. I personally don’t take offense to that, but I’d like to believe that “making your mark” means you can choose, create and earn what your brand will be and play a role in how it is perceived.

Although I love being Brazilian, it’s not an earned title. None of us have control over the location of where we are born. However, being Carla, the children’s book author or Carla, the entrepreneur, is my own doing. It’s the mark I made and what I believe “making your mark” is – a choice!

Carla Jensen smiles in front a lake during the wintertime.

KN: I haven’t gotten that response before but I absolutely love that perspective. Making your mark is 100% a choice! If you had one piece of advice for women trying to make their mark, what would you say?

CGJ: I heard this once and I think about it often: “Do not give up on a dream that you can’t spend a day without thinking about.”

Life will get in the way EVERY SINGLE DAY and it is up to you to make your goals happen. You will learn how to prioritize and find the help and support you need.  It’s never too late to make your mark!

KN: Yessss!! Thank you so much, Carla, for sharing your wisdom! Do you have any parting thoughts or advice?

CGJ: Be supportive! If someone is stepping out of their comfort zone, be their cheerleader. Follow their social media, attend their events or even just tell them you admire their efforts. It goes a long way and it’s always free to be kind!

To get in touch with Carla or find out more about Solarium Press, check out the links below:

  • Website: www.solariumbooks.com
  • E-mail address: carlagjensen@gmail.com
  • Instagram: @solariumbooks
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
Kelly, Founder of Lipstick & Ink
Kelly Nash

Kelly Nash is a Chicago-based writer, speaker, career advisor, and founder of Lipstick & Ink®. In addition, she works full-time in technology as a Success Manager at Salesforce and has over 10 years of digital marketing experience. Kelly has been featured in Thrive Global, International Association of Women, General Assembly, Salesforce, SheFactor, and Six Degrees Society. She is also in the process of writing her first book.

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Filed Under: Shine On Series Tagged With: goal-getters, shine on, shine on series, women who inspire

About Kelly Nash

Kelly Nash is a Chicago-based writer, speaker, career advisor, and founder of Lipstick & Ink®. In addition, she works full-time in technology as a Success Manager at Salesforce and has over 10 years of digital marketing experience. Kelly has been featured in Thrive Global, International Association of Women, General Assembly, Salesforce, SheFactor, and Six Degrees Society. She is also in the process of writing her first book.

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Comments

  1. Jeff V says

    March 3, 2020 at 8:52 am

    Love this post! Carla, (or Kelly) can you site any of the resources you used,

    “Before starting Solarium, I read books, watched videos, read blogs, attended free classes around Chicago and purchased online classes to learn how to build a website and market my product across social media platforms.”

    for other budding entrepreneurs in Chicago? Specifically-what free classes you attended, or which ones you found most valuable to your goal?

    Thank you! Wishing you continued success!

    Reply
    • Kelly Nash says

      March 5, 2020 at 11:16 am

      Hi Jeff!

      I spoke with Carla who sent me the following to answer your questions that I hope will help:

      – Free GA class on social media marketing. You just have to register online. General Assembly have both free and paid classes.

      – I bought 2 Udemy courses (online classes) you can find promotions and discounts and pay as low as $9.99 per course
      The ones I purchased:
      *The Complete Digital Marketing Course – 12 Courses in 1 Class by Daragh Walsh (This one taught me how to build my website step by step – I highly recommend it)
      * Adobe Illustrator CC – Essentials Training Course. Class by Phill Ebiner

      – I read the following books:
      Business for Dummies By Paul Tiffany and Steven D. Peterson
      How to sell stuff on Amazon: your beginner huide to start selling online by Nick Tsai

      – With YouTube tutorials, I watched content mostly on Quickbooks. That’s the software I use for accounting because I knew nothing about it!

      Reply

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⠀
ʟɪᴘꜱᴛɪᴄᴋ - 𝗢𝘄𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 💄⠀
There is power in wearing lipstick. A woman wearing lipstick embodies self-confidence and empowerment. She’s the woman who looks at herself in the mirror and thinks, I am powerful. She’s the woman who stands out in a crowd. She’s the woman who knows she can do anything she sets her mind to. With just a few swipes of her favorite color, she feels invigorated and ready to own her power and take on the world.
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ɪɴᴋ - 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸 🖊⠀
There is power in a woman’s words and how she puts them to action. Thinking about what she wants out of life and putting it pen to paper creates vision and clarity. By writing in ink, she commits to making what she wants a reality. For a woman in pursuit of her goals and dreams is determined to make her mark.
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𝗟𝗶𝗽𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗸 & 𝗜𝗻𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘂𝗽 𝗮𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳. 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘢𝘪𝘮𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘰𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘷𝘦𝘴. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗼𝘁𝘆𝗽𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀 𝗰𝗲𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀. 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢𝘯 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘵. 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀💋
"𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠 𝙄'𝙢 𝙗𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙜." "𝙈𝙮 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙨𝙥𝙚𝙖𝙠𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙞𝙩𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛." "𝙎𝙚𝙡𝙛-𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙤 𝙪𝙣𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚." "𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙧𝙪𝙗 𝙥𝙚𝙤𝙥𝙡𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙬𝙧𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙬𝙖𝙮."
⠀⠀
These are some of the reasons women hold back in promoting themselves in the workplace. 𝗜 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻. Going from a small company to Salesforce seven years ago changed that all for me though. I was a small fish in a VERY big pond (and that's when we were under 20,000 employees - now we've surpassed over 50,000!).
⠀
I quickly realized that 𝘪𝘧 𝘐 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘮𝘺 𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴, 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘱𝘶𝘵 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦. I had to share my wins. I had to manage up to manager and send the positive feedback I received from my clients and other employees. I had to showcase the value I brought to my clients, to my team, and to the company. 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛-𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙤𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣.
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Here's the tea, friends. 𝗦𝗲𝗹𝗳-𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴. It's showcasing your 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲. It's delivering facts. It's sharing your learnings so you can help others. 𝑰𝒕'𝒔 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒃𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒂𝒅𝒗𝒐𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒆. In today’s corporate world, going to work, doing your job and hoping you get the recognition you deserve isn’t going to cut it anymore. If you want to advance in your career, get promoted and nab raises, you need to speak up and share your wins.
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If you're not promoting yourself, ask yourself why. 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩'𝙨 𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠?💋
Do you 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬? I recently joined a webinar by @insideoutincubator about the 𝟭𝟬 "𝗿𝘂𝗹𝗲𝘀" 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗽𝘀 & 𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆:
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☞ Rule 1: 𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐄𝐥𝐬𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐧𝐬𝐰𝐞𝐫 - You doubt what you know & assume others know more than you.⠀
☞ Rule 2: 𝐋𝐞𝐭 𝐌𝐲 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐈𝐭𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 - You think you don't deserve to be in the spotlight or don't want others to think you're bragging.⠀
☞ Rule 3: 𝐈'𝐥𝐥 𝐃𝐨 𝐗 𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐈 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 - You fear being "found out" or don't contribute until you feel you have ALL the answers.⠀
☞ Rule 4: 𝐈 𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐈 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐝 𝐈𝐭 - Even after you've been hired or promoted, you feel you have to go above and beyond, saying yes to everything, afraid to say no.⠀
☞ Rule 5: 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐟𝐢𝐬𝐡 - Reaching out to specific people (i.e. leaders) will make you seem self-serving so you connect only with people you feel safe with.⠀
☞ Rule 6: 𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐨-𝐃𝐨 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐃𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐌𝐲 𝐃𝐚𝐲 - You get stuck in reactive mode and don't give yourself time to work on more of the forward-looking strategic projects.⠀
☞ Rule 7: 𝐎𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞'𝐬 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 - You don't want to rub anyone the wrong way and constantly worry about other's feelings.⠀
☞ Rule 8: 𝐀𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐔𝐠𝐥𝐲 - You make yourself small and defer to others to dictate your path.⠀
☞ Rule 9: 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐌𝐲 𝐄𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐨𝐨𝐫 - You believe you have to be productive 100% of the time and beat yourself up when you're not feeling your best.⠀
☞ Rule 10: 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐬 𝐌𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 - You take on everything and think you have to solve everyone's problems & say sorry way too often.
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Which resonate with you? Some of these I've overcome the last few years, but it’s a kick in the butt reminder that there are a few (3, 4, 6, 10) I still struggle with & want to break! Which do you want to break?💋
[𝙽𝙴𝚆 𝙱𝙻𝙾𝙶 𝙿𝙾𝚂𝚃] 𝘗𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥. While certainly an overused term, it’s definitely not overrated. Personal branding is more important than ever as it helps you to 𝙗𝙪𝙞𝙡𝙙 𝙖 𝙧𝙚𝙥𝙪𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬𝙣 𝙛𝙤𝙧, 𝙙𝙞𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙤𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙨, 𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙫𝙖𝙡𝙪𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙣𝙛𝙡𝙪𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙡𝙮, 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙧. Regardless if you work in the corporate world or consider yourself an entrepreneur (or both!), knowing and cultivating your personal brand is essential.
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Because here’s the thing – you already have a personal brand, whether you realize it or not. 𝗬𝗢𝗨 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗮 𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱. However, understanding the power of your brand can be difficult and requires self-awareness, intention, and action.
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If you’re unsure or curious about how to get started with building and boosting your brand, I've developed a 5 step formula to do just that! You can read more about these 5 steps and your best path forward in L&I's newest blog post, found via the link in my bio!💋
3 years ago today, I pressed “Publish” on Lips 3 years ago today, I pressed “Publish” on Lipstick & Ink. Even though it was only a blog at the time, I was terrified to put myself out there. I worried about what people would think about me, wondered if my site was good enough, and questioned if what I was writing would even resonate or help others.
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At the same time, it was exhilarating and freeing. I was finally writing again, something that had been a passion of mine since I was a kid. I was in my purpose, sharing my knowledge of how I had grown my career and guiding women on how they could do the same. And most of all, I was pushing myself out of my comfort zone, facing fears I had avoided for years.
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Since February 22, 2018, I have grown more than I thought possible. From my blog to expanding to events to speaking to advising clients to writing my first book, I continue to find ways to grow L&I and make an impact. And I can feel in my bones this is only the beginning.

Through these last 3 years, if I could share one piece of advice as to what I’ve learned , it’s this: OWN YOUR POWER. Own the power of yours that’s generated from within, not outside of yourself. Your authentic power. Don’t give your power away. Don’t allow the thoughts of others to get in your way. Don’t compare yourself to others and wonder how you will measure up. Don’t hold back on what you want to do because you are concerned about how others are going to feel about it.
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There is always a choice to make in terms of whether you decide to own your power or give it away. And these days, I choose my power. I choose me. My hope is that you too honor who you are and choose yourself. Because when you choose yourself, you set yourself free💋
We live in a world of 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 We live in a world of 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 - and let's be honest, we have gotten reaaal accustomed to it. So much so, that we may be easily disappointed when something doesn't immediately go our way - including when it comes to our careers. Whether it's seeking a promotion or landing a job at your dream company, we need to remember that it may take longer than we like or anticipate.
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Most of the time, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒓 𝒓𝒆𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒔 𝒘𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒓 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒏 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒆𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒍𝒚. This is why it's critical to ᴘʟᴀɴᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴇᴇᴅ early on to begin preparing to reach your next career goal. For example:⠀
🌱 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Start making an effort to connect with your manager periodically to discuss your career growth. Voice that you are aiming for a promotion. Show to him/her that you take your professional development seriously by discussing your goals and ways you can start taking on additional responsibilities. Try and start taking on the work of the role above yours. Keep a track record of your accomplishments and feedback (L&I has a free template FYI under Resources in my bio!).⠀
🌱 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗝𝗼𝗯 𝗮𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗗𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆: Research the company and learn about their mission, corporate values, and their offerings. Take their available certifications if available to put on your resume. Reach out and build relationships over time with people that currently work there to understand the culture and to let them know you are interested in working for their company. Get your resume, cover letter and LinkedIn profile professionally reviewed. Tailor your resume and yes, even your cover letter for the job you ultimately apply for.
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Both of these scenarios 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚. But don't let that discourage you. What's something you're looking to accomplish in your career in the next 6 months? Don't delay - it's never too early to start preparing. Plant the seed now and watch yourself grow these next few months. Soon enough, after some hard work and patience, those 𝐛𝐥𝐨𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝𝐬 will come🌷💋
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