MAD LOVE MONDAY | Taylor Fedor - Spruc'd Design Co.
I am Taylor, the creator behind Spruc’d Design Co. a collection of handmade signs and At-Home Sign Workshops.
Oh Heey there!
I am Taylor, the creator behind Spruc’d Design Co. a collection of handmade signs and At-Home Sign Workshops.
I try to focus on timeless/minimal designs that are able to fit into anyone’s home regardless of style/trends, with the hopes that these pieces will stay around for many years to come! Growing up I always enjoyed creating things, and as I got older it never really went away. As I entered that 9-5 work week lifestyle, I found myself unsatisfied and craving a creative outlet. It was then that I started playing around with my Silhouette Curio at the time. Before I knew it, my new creative outlet, turned into requests from friends and family, which eventually turned into customers from the community! It was then that I turned to some social media platforms to better showcase some of my work. Originally I began with instagram (my fave) and facebook, which I still use today, and eventually pinterest...not so much for advertising but to help spark inspiration for new designs.
Since then many things have changed, this year especially, I have set quite a few goals for myself. Personally, I am focusing on finding a better work/life balance, and building real relationships within the entrepreneur community. Currently I have yet to figure out this whole work/life balance schedule (has anyone though?)...So far my attempts have been to split up the steps in my overall process into different days of the week and to not do any business after 8pm (which I have been a little less successful with so far). Professionally, I am looking to really step outside of my box, by attending more networking event, getting better educated with my products/marketing and entering the world of wholesale...so holla at your girl if your looking for some new store product!.
Being an entrepreneur is like riding a rollercoaster at times, but I love it because it allows you to show people who you are in a fun creative way! If anyone tells you that being an entrepreneur is rainbows and sunshine all the time they are lying. It is hard work, and believe me, there has been countless times where I have thought to myself “Is this really worth it?”. I found the best thing for me (a rather new change) was to stop comparing my work/success to other entrepreneurs and just focus on myself and my own creations...definitely easier said than done, especially with social media these days. But I have found it makes those moments of reassurance just that much better. I’ll never forget my very first sale to a complete stranger! Don’t get me wrong, family and friend support is great, but you can’t help think they are just buying from you to be supportive haha. So when that stranger comes along, you just think to yourself
“HOLY CRAP SOMEBODY ACTUALLY LIKES MY WORK” haha, it’s honestly the most satisfying feeling ever!
If you have made it this far, thank-you for reading along and I sure hope I have not bored you to death! I am so very fortunate to be able to turn to a group of like minded people like YEGBOSSBABEs who are more than willing to help me get the information, and support I need to continue on my crazy ass journey of being an entrepreneur. So here’s to another year of creating, learning, supporting, and sipping(always have to make time for wine) with the amazing YEGBOSSBABE community.
“Creativity is intelligence having fun” -Albert Einstein
MAD LOVE MONDAY | Kendra Adachi - Health Coach, Plantbased Chef + Cannabis Educator
My name is Kendra Adachi. I’m a certified Integrative Health Coach, Plant-based Chef, Cannabis Consultant and life long student of personal development. I’m often asked what exactly does this all mean and what do I “do”?
MEET KENDRA
HEALTH COACH, PLANTBASED CHEF & CANNABIS EDUCATOR
My name is Kendra Adachi. I’m a certified Integrative Health Coach, Plant-based Chef, Cannabis Consultant and life long student of personal development. I’m often asked what exactly does this all mean and what do I “do”?
Well, I work with people who acknowledge that their current circumstances are not desirable. They’re aware that their habits and behaviours are subtracting rather than adding to a life of optimal health and vitality. They could use a revamp in order to become the person they desire to be.
Together we emphasize on mindset, food for mood and establishing proactive tools to support their journey of self empowerment. I do this via one on one coaching online, speaking, immersive workshops and co-hosting retreats.
Whether it be feeling comfortable in their skin, feeling stuck and bored in a career and routine or simply needing a someone in their corner to hold them accountable in order to achieve desires and goals they have for themselves and their life. That’s where I come in.
I get to know where they hold themselves back, why and where they wish to be. Through addressing lifestyle and behaviours we create heightened awareness of self, new habits and ultimately an existence they honor and are genuinely grateful for that is unique to them and their needs.
I get what it’s like to feel frustrated knowing the choices I make hinder optimal physical health, career satisfaction, relationship healing and overall performance in life at my greatest capacity.
The frustration of getting in our own way. This is why it’s beneficial to have an outside perspective that will support and hold accountable to the changes that you say you’re going to make yet never seem to accomplish. This is because they have a different perspective and can see what you choose not to.
I do what I do now because of my own needs of healing. I was diagnosed with severe depression in my late teens and as a result, I had the opportunity to take a serious look at my lifestyle habits that were subtracting my growth and my quality of life opposed to healing and adding to my life’s experience. During my mental health journey (which is ongoing because I’m human) I experienced the traumatic loss of my first love, Alex, to suicide. This, was a catalyst to step boldly into the world of serving and supporting others who may find themselves in a place where they feel heaviness and alone. I’ve had the opportunity to be on both sides: being depressed, witnessing depression and losing someone to depression.
As I began to address my lifestyle habits I became quickly aware how nutrition, movement and mindset played critical roles toward my energy and understanding myself in a compassionate and unconditionally loving way. I started to honor myself and created proactive habits that blossomed into an expertise of sorts. After becoming an Integrative Health Coach I understood that the underlying force was to Honor by Health. I live by this motto daily.
What does it mean to honor?: Adhering to what is right or to a conventional standard of conduct; to regard with great respect.
Being half Japanese I was raised with the importance of honor and what it means to live with honor. I started to realize that we can’t truly honor our loved ones, our relationships or purpose if we do not honor ourselves first. To honor by health is to honor others. To show respect for others.
It’s my variation of Jim Rohn’s quote: “I will take care of me for you, if you take care of you for me”.
Along with coaching, I have aspirations to collaborate with like minds in creating non-judgmental spaces gathering a global community that fosters enthusiastic play and compassionate awareness for ourselves, the planet and thus for others.
My most recent and upcoming retreat with my dear friend Aly Paws is this July 11-17, 2019 in Casperia, Italy called The Love Affair in Italy! We speak about this in greater detail on social media such as instagram and facebook.
I have a goal to create in person immersive experiences that will run globally bringing together women and men to encourage authentic connection and expression cultivating the embodiment of what it is to feel acceptance of our unique amazing selves, whole and enough.
Doing this work has empowered me to honor my personal needs and desires. I used to fight against my innate calling of becoming an entrepreneur as I didn’t feel I had what it takes or that I could ever accomplish the dreams that I had for myself.
The more I grow into my business, I grow into myself. The experiences I’ve had of working in jobs that weren’t completely soul nourishing were opportunities for me to discover what lights me up and what holds me back. Being on this path as an entrepreneur has been spontaneous, exciting, liberating, terrifying and incredibly rewarding. There are moments where I fall back into my limiting beliefs of not being able to ‘succeed’. However, when these feelings show up I always voice them into the world, share with my personal coaches and people who’s feedback I value and respect who remind me that the work I’m doing has a profound purpose.
We all have a profound purpose and our work matters. People need what I do, people need what you do. It matters. Coming back to this knowing helps me get out of my own way and continue to serve. There are greater matters at hand.
When I find myself in these states I often share my human experience on social media which are instagram and facebook as well as by newsletter for those who subscribe to my website. I do this as catharsis (writing as therapy) as well as a form of connecting with others because I know that I’m not the only one who feels these emotions. I encourage everyone to share and show their humanness. You just never know who may need to read or hear your words that can shift their mindset and create healing.
We are all connected and we can forget this when we remain silent.
Work life balance is an ongoing process for me. The thing is that I love what I do so it doesn’t feel like ‘work’. However, what I have come to know to be true is how this can affect close relationships. The key to this is radical honesty and great communication.
I also encourage establishing non negotiables such as a morning and nightly routine that is solely for self-care practices. Set up boundaries for what your needs are and honor them. By doing this we teach others how we wish to be treated, they will witness and may establish a ritual for themself.
In sharing all of this I have hopes to create connections within the YEG Boss Babe community and beyond in order to give and receive support, create friendships and impactful memories with the purpose of doing good in this world. I believe tribe, community and sisterhood are vital toward an empowered and thriving life.
Website: www.adachikendra.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adachikendra/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kendra.adachi.3
MAD LOVE MONDAY | Lorna Mutegyeki - Msichana Inc.
To be honest I didn’t set out to be a fashion designer. In fact, when I first moved to Canada, it was to study molecular genetics at the U of A.
To be honest I didn’t set out to be a fashion designer. In fact, when I first moved to Canada, it was to study molecular genetics at the U of A. And while in school, I began working in finance which eventually led to me becoming a CPA. But even with a good career, I really felt that I needed to do more, so I decided to make a change.
Fashion is a natural form of communication for me; I’m very passionate about women and this industry impacts so many (everyone, really!) I wanted to make the most significant, meaningful and lasting impact I possibly could.
One thing I love about being an entrepreneur is that I get to pursue the mission /priorities that are most important to me and perfectly aligned with my values.
One of my favorite moments in the day is the moment a client tries on a bespoke piece for the first time- there is something so empowering about looking at yourself and knowing that a piece perfectly fits your body- and I see it that confidence in their eyes.
Model | Sonia @bsocialcomm
Photo | @TasyNicole
Model | Marnie @glowjuicery
I also love the connection formed between the women creating the clothing and the women who wear it. With each bespoke piece, our clients receive a video where they can watch their garment being created and meet the women behind it. People don’t always think about how their clothing was made, but with Msichana the process is something that we are very proud of.
Running my own business has not been without challenges. The hustle is real, but I have never felt more satisfied. When times get really tough and I’m tempted to give up, I think of the people whose lives Msichana is impacting, and how many more there will be, and that encourages me to keep going.
Currently, I am working on the next collection for Msichana and improving the program for our team in Uganda. I am incredibly proud of the work that they have accomplished as seamstresses and we are now focusing on the business aspect so that these ladies can be successful entrepreneurs themselves. By giving women the skills they need to grow past Msichana I hope to create a community and a network of professional women who will support each other and be the proof that others may need to believe in their own power.
I am glad to be a part of the YEG Boss Babes community. I love connecting with women who experience similar challenges and who I can celebrate successes with.