Category: Business & Entrepreneurship

Last Thursday, Charlie and I attended PandoDaily’s  sponsored by ZEFR and Eventbrite. Sophia Amoruso, CEO of Nasty Gal, was being interviewed for one of their events here in good ol’ Los Angeles. As an owner of a growing online business, I just had to attend this one! ZEFR’s venue was very industrial and modern (my kind of place!) and she spoke to a sold-out audience. I walked away inspired to work harder. It was exactly what I needed to kick my ass into gear!

She had me questioning a lot of things about my business that I’ve put off since we’ve started.

1. Who is my ideal client? Though I have a vision of them in my head, I really need to get more specific. I loved that when they were asking Sophia about her target market she would always refer to them as “her” or “she.” I really felt like she really understood her niche market and has a personal relationship with them in a lot of ways.
2. What do I have to offer that’s different from those also in my industry? The ideas and answers are brewing in my head. This is a really tough question and I’m going to need some time to think about this one 🙂 More on this later!
3. Am I really being transparent and true to myself/our brand? I think so! But I know there’s more I can do to really put my authentic self out there. This is always going to be a work in progress.

Bottom line: Awesome event.

If you want to watch the interview in its entirety check it out here:

It’s tax season. You know when you start seeing tax commercials back-to-back on T.V. Blehh, taxes just puts a sour taste in my mouth.The bane of my existence…

Okay maybe not THE bane, but one of them! I hate doing my taxes. It’s just one of those things that I do.not.enjoy.at.all. I have learned a few things over the years being a small business owner, though.

1. Save your receipts! Did you treat your client out to coffee or lunch? Expense! Did you buy those cute paper clips for your paperwork? Expense! Did you buy that new laptop for all your designing needs? Expense! You get it.
2. Track your mileage! Meetings, working in the field, deliveries, etc. are all valuable expenditures of a small business. Trust me, these bad boys add up!
3. Have a bookkeeping system. This is one of the hardest things for me to stay on top of. But I promise you it’s SO worth it. Personally, I use Quickbooks but you can use any type that works with your budget and needs.
4. Keep your paperwork for 7 years. Trust me, I’m going through it. Don’t throw your stuff away so quickly. Keep a copy just in case you get a call and need to show your paperwork.
5. Hire a professional. I can’t stress this enough guys. This is THE best thing I have done. My accountant, Jenn, saved me from all this stress. She’s someone I can trust, is a friend and colleague, and is really good at what she does. Thanks to her, I have peace of mind during this time of year!