171: When Saying No is the Key to Success: Prioritizing Your Best Yes

In case you didn’t know this, I love my Tuesday episodes because they are unscripted! In this particular batch of my unscripted Tuesday thoughts, I open up about the challenges of staying focused as a creative entrepreneur. If you're like me, then you have very likely experienced “shiny object syndrome” - that temptation to jump from one exciting idea to the next, but this year, my mission has been to dial in on what truly matters to my business and heart, which is serving the surface pattern design industry!

Listen in as I will be sharing how I had to make some tough decisions, like sadly having to cancel our highly anticipated Professional Creative Conference, despite how incredible that it definitely would have been! That was a moment that was painful, but it also felt like a weight lifted off my shoulders because it allowed me to stay true to my mission. Refining focus has been far from easy, but it is truly necessary to make room for our best yeses!

We have some truly exciting new things in the works, including a product shop that will be a living example for our students, a brand-new in-house art agent, and a potential journal publication for our industry! I am so excited to explore these opportunities while staying aligned with our core mission, and I really hope that you will walk away from this episode of the show inspired to take a closer look at your own focus! What can you say no to in order to protect your best yes?

It's saying no to some really, really good things in order to reserve your yeses for the very, very best of the best.

 Discussed in this episode:

1. Focusing on one primary goal: serving the surface pattern design industry!
2. Saying no to good opportunities that can be painful but necessary to stay aligned
3. Why my team canceled a second conference to avoid overextending resources
4. Launching a product shop to inspire students through example
5. Why I have hired an in-house art agent to handle licensing outreach!
6. Working on new projects, such as, in my case, surface pattern design classes, a licensing handbook, and an e-magazine!

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Review of the week: 

BONNIE IS THE BEST!

I love hearing what Bonnie has to say, especially in her podcasts! Even though I’m a veteran in the design industry I learn so many new things from her. And she is so encouraging. When I feel discouraged, I listen to one of her podcasts and instantly feel energized and hopeful. She is so easy to listen to. I took her Immersion class last year and got tons out of it. In all the things she takes on, she does it with thoughtfulness, intention, and excellence. Go Bonnie!

— Rising-17

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