Last week I attended and hosted the first CRAVEfuel session at one of my favorite working spaces in the city of Austin, Posh Coworking. Blossom, the owner and I were introduced at last year’s MomCom Conference and we’ve stayed in touch ever since. The space is not only gorgeous, but the people who work there are creative, passionate and inviting. It’s an ideal location for women and the perfect spot for our first CRAVE event of the year.
CRAVE as an organization has recently undergone some changes and it looks like there are exciting things ahead for women looking to be part of a group that celebrates women and community. In the past, CRAVE was a great place to meet women business owners. If you had a retail boutique, health or wellness studio or ran a business from a brick-and-mortar building, CRAVE was a great way to connect with like-minded, local, stylish women. Ideally potential customers and friends!
Events called CRAVEchats were held at different businesses around town once a month. These functioned as educational panel discussion on specific business related topic. Each event included an hour or so of informal networking, because who doesn’t love getting together with other fun ladies over wine?
Back in July of 2013 I was lucky enough to meet Melody Biringer, the founder of CRAVE at the World Domination Summit and she let me in on some of the changes that she hoped to implement in each chapter around the globe. (By the way, there are about 30 different chapters, including Amsterdam and Vancouver.) I remember her talking passionately about building a community of all different types of women. A community where women were able to connect and have real, meaningful conversations on a deeper level. It wasn’t strictly about entrepreneurship, but any topic that could affect the modern woman. Be that relationships, home life, work/life balance or business.
Now with a new mission, CRAVE hopes to gather women each month to build relationships, reflect and connect during what we’re calling CRAVEfuel events. Think of them like TED talks, but a much smaller scale. Each month we’ll gather to hear real stories from local women on particular topic, followed by smaller breakouts. Of course there will still be wine.
All woman are encouraged to attend and participate, it doesn’t matter if you’re single, married, childless, with children, business owners, leaders, side hustlers, wanna-be entrepreneurs or anything in between. We need each other ladies and I encourage you to attend a CRAVEfuel event in your city.
January CRAVEfuel Recap
This month our CRAVEfuel topic was Visions: Living For The Future You. So appropriate for January, the time of year we all think about setting goals and planning what we want the upcoming year to look like. Here in Austin we had three fabulous speakers share personal stories and advice with the group. In between snapping photos I typed up some key points from the chat and wanted to share insights that might just help you in the coming year.
How to Live for the Future You: Tips for Setting and Accomplishing Goals
Michelle of bombchelle.com
“Don’t get caught up with the details. Be clear on your priorities and try to not get overwhelmed.”
Michelle uses a self-developed matrix to help her personally and with clients, to focus on what she calls the Big Vision. She showed us an example matrix, or a square divided into four quadrants split between High and Low Leverage activities. She recommends spending time on High Leverage/High Return activities (ie: up selling people.) This should be highest priority. Things that are Low Leverage/Low Return you just shoudn’t do- even though you might want to. If it’s not moving you toward the Big Vision, cross it off the list. Other organizational tips:
- Create a DIY dry erase board from a mirror frame backed with pretty paper. Pinterest will help here!
- Color code Post-Its according to life activities.
- Hang inspirational posters or quotes where you can see them.
- Combine life and business on one wall or calendar.
- Have a weekly review session. Go back to monthly goals and year goals each week to make sure you’re moving ahead.
- Try using a project management app to help you track projects on the go. Take a look at Azendoo, Wunderlist or Any.do.
- Include self-care in your goals and planning. Take the time to test your goals to see if they are realistic and sustainable becuase the last thing you want to do is burnout halfway through the year!
Shenee Howard of HeyShenee.com
“I am not a planer! I’m the opposite- I go with a flow.”
Shenee shared with us her three tips for getting shit done, which includes this helpful mantra, “Don’t go against energy of who you are.”
- Make yourself a “Hell No” list This is a list of all the things you will NEVER do again. Things that you got sucked into doing, for whatever reason, during the past year. This could be personal, business or both. Seeing on paper what you never want to do opens up the door for you to say, “Yes!” to those things you DO want to do again. Break your patterns and learn from the past.
- Ask yourself, “Is this supporting my Bat Signal?” You know, like Bat Man the superhero. Every time the Bat Signal beams he races to the scene to help. The signal stands for something. It’s how you leave your mark on the world, or how you help. Once you figure that out every decision you make or blog post you write should start with, “Does this support my Bat Signal?
- Think about what rituals will help you get where you want to go Don’t think about the year in terms of goals. It’s really about behaviors and what you do everyday. For example you wouldn’t just wake up one day and run a marathon. No! You’d put daily rituals in place to help you get to that level over time. Don’t waste your time performing rituals that you hate.
Side note: You may recognize her from My Best Year Yet Calendar + Guide! She’s super awesome, local and literally everywhere these days.
Blossom Breamer, Owner of Posh Coworking and the Posh Entrepreneur
“Let people in to help.”
Blossom told us a very personal story about her challenges as an entrepreneur when opening the coworking space. Like any business, it has gone through peaks and valleys. Just when she was about to shut the doors on her venue she experienced a turning point thanks to Brene Brown, of TED talk fame. It was through her work on vulnerability and bravery that helped Blossom realized that she needed to let people into her world in order to truly reach her potential.
“I’m successful, I’m smart I thought I didn’t let anyone in.” Now she includes people in her goals and vision planning.
She went on to tell us about her methods of organization which yes, includes sticky notes and calendars. However, some days she’ll rip all the notes off the wall and then throw the stickies in the air. So I guess you could call her a planner AND also a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kinda gal.
Now it’s your turn to share.
How do you set goals and plan?
Do you use a tool or take each day as it comes?
Share in the comments below. I’d love to hear about your system.
Learn More About CRAVE
If you want to learn more about CRAVE check out the website and our local Austin Facebook Page. Join us next month as we talk about K.I.S.S, or Keeping It Simple Sista! I’m super pumped about the topic because it’s my word for 2o14!
