Showing up online can feel uncomfortable — especially when you’re the face of your brand. You might tell yourself you need to lose weight first, feel more confident, have everything figured out, or wait for “the right time.” But confidence doesn’t come before showing up. It’s built by doing the thing — imperfectly, consistently, and […]

This 2025 business reflection is about a year that stretched me in ways I didn’t see coming—through motherhood, rebuilding my business, and redefining who I thought I had to be to make things work. As I head into 2026, I’m no longer chasing more.Instead, I’m choosing better—for my business, my family, and the life I’m […]

Social media boundaries for moms can feel impossible when you’re raising kids and running a business at the same time. If social media feels like another full-time job — one that never really shuts off — you’re not alone. In this episode of The Self-Made Life Podcast, I sit down with Kat Tepylo Murphy of […]

As a mom of two running a growing design studio, I know how overwhelming it can feel to keep up with content, stay consistent, and also keep small humans alive. That’s exactly why I brought social media strategist Ruthie Sterrett onto The Self Made Life Podcast to talk about what a realistic social media strategy […]

Thoughtful gifts from local businesses, creatives, and makers we love. If you’re craving gifts that feel good to give (and even better to receive), this intentional holiday gift guide is for you. Instead of scrambling for last-minute ideas or getting lost in the big-box shuffle, here’s a curated list of thoughtful gifts from small businesses, […]

If money makes you squirm or you’ve ever avoided checking your bank account even when client work is steady… you’re not alone. This lesson in my Seven Lessons in Seven Years series is one I had to learn the messy way. Money mindset, pricing, profit, taxes—it all came in fast and loud during both of […]

Running a business isn’t linear. It changes, it stretches you, it surprises you, and sometimes it nudges you to take a turn you weren’t planning for. If you’ve been feeling unsettled in your business or sensing an upcoming shift, you’re in good company. In this post, I want to share what I’ve learned from pivoting […]

Start Before You’re Ready: How My Business Began (And Why Yours Can Too) If you’ve ever wondered whether you should start before you’re ready, I’m proof that the answer is yes. This lesson shaped the early days of Monarch Design Co. long before I had a polished brand, a website, or any clear plan. Starting […]

Pinterest isn’t a social app; it’s a visual search engine. In this episode of The Self Made Life Podcast, I sat down with strategist Elaine Timms to unpack what’s working right now for Pinterest marketing 2025—so your evergreen content keeps pulling traffic while you run your business and, you know, live your life. Key Takeaways […]

What does it really look like to build a business while raising babies? In this honest episode of The Self-Made Life Podcast, I’m sharing what no one prepared me for: the juggling act of newborn naps, client deadlines, and trying to scale my design studio, Monarch Design Co., while recovering from birth (twice). If you’re […]