Today the Harvard Business Review published an article, Why Peace and Harmony are Bad for Innovation by Andrew O’Connell. I hate it because it’s true, but I also loved this article because it’s the type of insight that I know from experience is so true. So I figure after two posts on cookies, naps and office synergy I can write a bit on less feel-good circumstances and instead on those arduous journeys that (ideally) bring us to some hard-won nap and cookie time.

Entrepreneurship is survival. If you’ve done it, you know it’s true. No ifs, ands or buts and no matter how much preparation is met with luck or opportunity, building something from nothing in this economy is a trying experience. There are moments in running my business day-to-day that are incredibly intense, frightening and of course rewarding. Nothing is ever certain. Once I start to believe that it is, some unexpected force rocks us into action and reaction.

I write a lot about office synergy lately because for many months, we didn’t have much of it. We started gaining momentum in this area when I made a rather bold move to bridge the gap between executive level detachment and production minutia, taking over both creative direction and the majority of the project management for the company. The transition took about two months to complete, but afterward, life at work was eerily calm. I actually started having some significant anxiety at this point, because that lack of stress was stressing me out. I felt like conflict was coming… Well it did, occasionally, but on a different fronts. Thankfully what started working exceptionally well in our office restructuring keeps working. But that doesn’t keep other annoyances from keeping my blood pressure relatively high. (more…)

It may be an offshoot of my own personal resistance to authority in the workplace, but I have never really subscribed to an especially hierarchical structure in our company. In my pre-C.E.O. days, I was always trying to position myself as independently as possible, making my own hours, avoiding time slots where I would be subjected to a lot of management meetings, even talking myself into a pretty comfortable “work-from-home” schedule at one point. This may sound incredibly clever and lazy, but in truth, I just wasn’t a big fan of hierarchies that were designed to squeeze as many productive hours out of its employees as possible, with the assumption I, the employee, needed that structure to be productive. At the end of the day, despite my little rebellions, I was able to get all of my work done–possibly more than I would have otherwise.

So when I found my way into entrepreneurship, I wasn’t especially surprised when the schedule and flexibility suited me very well. Now that I am the big boss lady of course I adhere to the 9-5 + schedule, because honestly if I didn’t I’d never catch up. Outside of my being the overarching “boss” however, I try to avoid burdening our staff with unnecessary bureaucracy within the company itself.

At a recent meeting with prospective clients, I was asked about our company structure. While we have members of the team who I would call “key players” namely due to their experience and long-term knowledge of the company, we are each masters of our domain in many respects, which is precisely how I answered the question. Our “hierarchy” is based on knowledge of what we do, and together, those who know more or less about a particular subject do not represent a stereotypical “ladder.” At least in our cozy Salem office, our varied skills and expertise represent degrees of knowledge in many fields of this industry. (more…)

It could be a matter of personal preference, but I know that I don’t personally respond too well to threats, disrespect and attempts at intimidation. Despite being young and occasionally on the learning curve, I take a lot of pride in my work, my business and the journey that has brought me here. Possibly one of the worst mistakes you can make when doing business with me is to talk down to me. Although being 5′ 3″, sometimes that’s unavoidable. But you get the point.

I don’t imagine anyone especially likes being underestimated or insulted, but still people occasionally dish it out, possibly thinking that they’ll be more likely to get what they want out of the exchange? I end that sentence with a question mark because I don’t quite understand how someone could rationalize that. Like our breakfast waitress in Las Vegas this summer who took our orders in a rather militant fashion. Does she really expect a tip when she is nearly yelling at me for not having my ID ready when ordering my mimosa? I’m on vacation, lady. Plus I’m down $300, tired and hungover, geesh.

The oddest situations are when I’m paying a service provider and they’re talking to me like I’m a jerk. What’s wrong with this picture? Is this reverse psychology? Regardless, I try to treat everyone with a level of politeness and respect that I would expect from them, whether or not I pay them or they pay me. I think they call it “common courtesy.” (more…)

Valentine’s Day conjures a lot of different feelings for different people, from love to resentment to indifference. This year, happily married, I find that it means more to me than simply having a significant other versus being alone, or even getting the usual trinkets, chocolates, flowers, etc. This year Valentine’s day is a celebration of the many amazing relationships that I have in my life. I am partial to my husband of course… I did get some beautiful flowers and a brand new kitchen after all! I’m sure I get some points from him too, for bearing his children and what not.

We spent this weekend with our family, as we often do. Today I was again reminded of how lucky I am to be a part of my husband’s especially large and welcoming family, who I hope I will never take for granted. We spent the morning with “Mamama & Papapa,” my husband’s grandparents. Even at their advanced age, you can find moments of intimacy between them. A hug they thought we didn’t see, or the silent understanding between them as they go about their morning. This all exists between the hearing-challenged bickering of course, which I cannot help but find cute. As we left, both gave me a big hug and kiss and told me that they loved me. I know they say it not out of habit or obligation, but because they mean it.

And of course there are our parents, cousins and siblings, who since our move from Florida have become so integral to our daily lives. I’ve maintained friendships from across the globe, having moved so frequently, but having a tight-knit community and our best friends essentially in our backyard is priceless. They care about our children, our successes and supporting each other when we need it most. You know you’re in the “crew” if you have low ball glasses dedicated to you in our liquor cabinet. (more…)

I can’t bring myself to draw parallels between home renovation and entrepreneurship, though I feel certain it’s possible. The reality is that I am deeply in love with my new kitchen…

Several weeks ago, my husband announced that he was pregnant with a ktichen. And as much as I’d like to school him on the realities of this experience, I have to give him credit where credit is due. For the past thirteen weeks (yes, I’ve been counting), we have been living our lives under construction. Being pregnant (me, not him), mothering a four-year-old and a two-year-old, and living day to day with the center of my house completed gutted, you can imagine what a wild woman I have been. Threats, many emotional breakdowns, and a never ending trail of receipts and contractor expenses, at one point I said I’d actually rather give birth two or three times more than have to go through this again.

There is a convenient amnesia associated with labor and delivery, however. After all that anticipation and hard work is over, and you’re staring your new baby in the eyes for the first time, every minute of discomfort and stress and worry becomes worth it. It would be worth doubling in fact, to have this moment.

Right now, I’m staring at my brand new baby kitchen, and she’s beautiful. It’s hard to believe what the space was like before now, and in another couple months I’ll have almost forgotten the hell that was this arduous journey. (more…)

I happen to think there’s about a million good reasons to start a social network, but that naturally is because I live and breathe this industry, and I have an amazing team at my fingertips who happen to be skilled in all levels of social network geekery. Outside of my mania however, there are numerous sound and legitimate reasons to start your own online community. Below I have highlighted a few, and I hope to build onto this list in the future…

Fill an Untapped Niche in the Social Networking World. If you’re anything like me, you have periodic revelations about something that you’re certain hasn’t been done yet. And if you are me, you immediately think about how you can fill the void through a social network of some sort. Like Twitter but only for sports fans! A community for Twilight-obsessed moms! A network to connect tattoo enthusiasts with tattoo artists! While social networks have really become commonplace in our lives the past few years, there is still plenty of opportunity to fill a void. I will say that the chances are low that any run-of-the-mill idea can compete with social networks giants like Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. These networks target a very general and broad audience. Websites that target specific niche communities, serving the needs of that particular group, I feel have a fighting chance of gaining momentum. If successful, they could have a chance of achieving more broad appeal. Facebook, for example, was originally built for college and university students. MySpace was primarily for musicians. Both evolved from serving a specific niche community to serving literally millions of users from all over the globe, including numerous corporate giants who now use these networks as must-have microsites for their brands.

My advice? Take your idea, identify potential target audiences as specifically as you can, research competing sites and find out how you can best serve that group with the most useful tools. What if there are other tattoo networks, for example? Don’t be discouraged. If there are others competing in this market, it’s typically a good sign. It means that there actually is a market. You just need to find out how to make your concept better: more unique, more useful, more visually-appealing and valuable enough to attract the lion’s share of the market. (more…)