How to get out of your own way
Long time, no speak! I've finally decided to get out of my own way and start a new series called Founder Diaries š«
Iāve been procrastinating on this for six months, but Iāve decided itās time to get out of my own way.
Ever since I started my first business 6 years ago, I have been OBSESSED with seeing the behind-the-scenes of other foundersā lives.
Because we all see the highlight reel on social media, but often in newsletters or in vlogs, we see more of what itās really like to run a business.
If Iām being honest, Iāve had creative block for the best part of 2025.
I havenāt done anything creative outside of work.
But there is one thing I have felt called to do, time and time againā¦
ā To write my Founder Diaries.
A brand new series here on Substack that documents the process of what it really takes to build a business in your 20s.
I want to take you behind the scenes as I move into an exciting phase of building my business, Studio Self-Made.
If youāre interested in exploring new places, productivity, storytelling and marketing, then you're in the right place š¤©
Welcome to The Founder Diaries š
This summer has been a whirlwind. From facing a slow start to signing new clients and travelling to new placesā¦
Navigating the slower months of Summer
No matter what industry you work in, most people can relate to the summer slump.
Every year, we reach July and everything seems to slow down.
When you work for yourself and you want to sign new clients or launch new projects, this can be very frustrating.
The best thing to do when youāve got more free time on your hands?
ā Get yourself to some networking events to meet people.
That way, you can avoid receiving loads of Out of Office emails and meet people who want to take action.
This year, my July started with a trip to Downing Street on the hottest day of the year š„µ as part of being shortlisted for The Small Awards. This definitely wasnāt on my bingo card this year, but it was such a surreal experience.
Then I headed to my first WILD digital event in Leeds and learned all about how to feel confident as a founder when being involved in boardroom discussions, as well as attending a few more local events.
If youāre ever feeling stuck or feeling like things are moving slowly in your freelance work or business, I couldnāt recommend getting out there and meeting people enough.
As a socially anxious founder, I understand that networking events can be intimidating.
The most effective approach for me has been setting realistic goals for every event.
If I can speak to one new person and get their contact, itās been a success!
Are you a fan of networking? Let me know in the comments.
Out of Office | Taking a break as a solo founder
If youād said this to me a few years ago, I wouldnāt have believed you, butā¦
You can actually take a week off and your business wonāt fall apart.
Iāve just got back from an incredible week exploring 3 European cities in the beautiful sunshine, and I didnāt even take my laptop.
Apart from checking my emails on my phone (more times than I probably should have, Iām not perfect), I took 8 days off from working on any client projects to actually be in the moment.
Even though I onboarded 3 new clients just before I went away, I knew I needed to take some time off so I could come back feeling ready to take on this next stage of growth.
Building systems to help me manage my clients has been a game-changer for my business, and one of the reasons why this didnāt cause me to stress about work while I was away. If youād like me to share more about this in a future episode, let me know in the comments.
It did feel strange taking some time off from thinking about the business, but Iāve realised it is so needed to make entrepreneurship and working for yourself sustainable.
Ready for September?
There are some big things happening for Studio Self-Made in September, including onboarding a new team member š, going to some exciting events and launching some brand new offers.
I canāt wait to see what this next season has in store for us and you guys, too!
A new direction for Studio Self-Made
Since I last wrote on Substack, Studio Self-Made has gone through a transformation.
When I had the idea for Studio Self-Made in 2022, I wanted to help creatives build fulfilling careers.
At the time, I thought this just meant helping people find clients, price their services and launch businesses.
However, over the last two years, I realised there is one key component that every creative needs to have to succeed in business ā A Personal Brand.
In order to help other people, I knew I needed to test this theory for myself.
In the last 9 months, I have doubled my following on LinkedIn to 15k followers,
And off the back of this secured paid brand partnerships, speaking opportunities and new clients.
Now, Studio Self-Made not only offers mentoring to early-stage creatives and founders, but we also work with established entrepreneurs and thought leaders to help you tell your story and make exciting connections.
More details on some exciting updates will be coming very soon.
P.S. If weāre not already, Iād love to connect with you on LinkedIn š
Let me know if youād like more episodes of the Founder Diaries by liking this post ā¤ļø