Name:
đź“Ť Quandamooka Country, QLD, Australia
I help service-based solopreneurs build cozy businesses without the empire-building pressure. I also host the Emerge + Expand podcast, where I share insights, tips, and strategies for cozy business owners and interview folks who are doing business differently. When I'm not supporting my members and clients, you can find me drinking coffee and going for walks by the bay.
What moment or experience inspired you to start your business? What was your vision at the beginning?
My business started a little bit by accident. I had been blogging for a few years as a creative project while I was working in the television industry at the moment when online business and especially coaching really blew up, and I sort of fell into it.
My partner is entrepreneurial, but it wasn't really something I thought I'd get into. But as soon as the possibility of working for myself, writing, and doing the work I loved without the long hours and exhausting pace of the TV world came up, I knew it was something I wanted to do.
At the beginning, it was just that, but I quickly realized my bigger vision: to support other introverted and highly sensitive folks to carve out a cozy corner of the Internet for themselves.
What does a typical day for you look like?
I'm a big believer in the power of quiet mornings. I used to always rush and force myself to start the day with a bang, but it's so against my natural state of being. So I will start the day with a big cup of coffee and a book or comfort show to ease into the day.
If I have calls with clients or my members, I will get up and get started, but most days, I work pretty intuitively on the project or area of my business that I feel energized about that day. I usually have a few different things on the go because it keeps my brain happy, and I can bounce between what I need to do.
My most productive time of the day is in the late afternoon, and then I'll make dinner and relax in the evening. I keep it cozy and pretty chill because that's the kind of life and business I love.
What unique routines or habits do you believe contribute to your success?
With my ADHD, some routines are really important to me, but I've recently learned that habits don't necessarily work for ADHD brains, so I am trying to be more relaxed and not force myself or feel bad if I stop doing something after a few days.
I try to really tune out the noise of what I "should" be doing—for example, doing the hardest thing on my list first up will never work because I need the dopamine to kick-start my day. So I actually look at my to-do list and focus on the easiest or most fun thing first.
I rarely work well in the morning, so I let it be okay to start my day later and only work when I feel really inspired and energized. If I'm having an off day, that's usually a sign I've been pushing myself too hard, so I find it really useful to go for a long walk or take the day off.
What's your workstation setup?
I always have my notebook next to me, a few crystals scattered around, multiple beverages, and my houseplants nearby. I sometimes like to put essential oils in a diffuser depending on my mood, and I always have my music playing to hype me up for the day.
I have a 2-screen setup and can't believe I ever tried to work with only one screen and, of course, way too many tabs open at all times.
Where do you go to look for inspiration?
Probably my biggest problem and my greatest strength is that I am never short of ideas! But I definitely need to give myself space to sort through them, and I love to just step away from the computer, get out of my usual space, and shift the energy, and that always does the trick.
What core values drive your business, and how have they shaped your path?
That's a tough one—I have about 5 that really guide my whole business! But if I had to choose one, it would be integrity. I always want to operate from this place so that, at the end of the day, I know that I did the best I could to be honest, treat people who come into contact with me and my business with respect, and be real with people.
What part of your business are you most proud of?
All my offers fit within my cozy business framework, and I love every time someone in my community experiments with a different strategy or way of running their business that is maybe different from what we've been taught "success" should look like.
I love how it empowers them to connect more with the kind of business they want, not what they think they should want. And probably the other thing I'm most proud of is how many people in my community have told me they feel safe to show up as themselves in my spaces in a way they never have before.
What’s a challenge you’re currently working on in your business?
I'm very bad at balance. I'm a bit of a 0-100 person, so I have a tendency to push really hard to create something new or just work long hours when I'm in the zone (sometimes forgetting to even eat or take breaks), and then I will spend 2 weeks as a potato, unable to really do anything.
I'm still trying to figure out if I need to support this way of operating if that's more natural to how I work best, or if I need to find a better way.
What music do you listen to while working?
Lately, I've just been listening to Sleep Token non-stop, but usually, when I'm trying to concentrate, I listen to classical music.
What’s one piece of advice someone gave you that you’ll never forget?
Always operate online in a way that if someone met you in real life, they would say, "You're exactly what I expected you to be like".
Any advice for ambitious professionals in your field?
Focus on creating a business that truly resonates with who you are. Don't get caught up in the hustle culture or what you think you should be doing. Build something that aligns with your energy and values.
What shortcuts are you eyeing next on World of Shortcuts?
Your Signature Show by Soulidify Your Business looks awesome! And Breathing Space by Jacqui Taylor. They're the next two on my list.
