Hello and welcome! And welcome back if you’ve been a reader for a while. 

I’d like to express my sincere apologies for not being around here on my own blog for a while. As some of you may know, the past couple of years have been devastating and heartbreaking for me. My mother passed away on Valentine’s Day, 2021, and soon after that I lost a few more close friends who were like parents to me. I travelled frequently between Los Angeles (where I live) and Washington, DC, where I’m from, to help my older brother take care of our mother’s post-mortem affairs, which went pretty smoothly. Still, losing a parent and loved ones is hard to get through. I was glad that my brother and I could lean on one another. And I’m grateful for my wonderful husband and daughter and the many friends who were there for us. 

Because of everything that was going on in my personal life, I decided there were some things in my business life that just had to be put aside. I tried to keep my YouTube channel going and posted to Instagram with the help of a social media expert, and I thought that was going well. However, I didn’t feel my heart was in it. Moreover, I didn’t feel I was being myself. The social media expert and I parted ways, thankfully on good terms. 

Since marketing is so important for any business, but I was putting it aside, I decided I would just go through my existing network of friends and clients (current and former) to drum up new business. So all new business was through referrals. And honestly, referrals are still the best!

There is no one way to grieve. Everyone experiences death in different ways. But one thing I felt as I was going through the immediate aftermath of my mother’s death was that I needed some change. I wasn’t sure what that was. But I just felt it. My mother was a very unique character; my relationship with her was often difficult but I always admired how she was so unapologetically herself. Strong, opinionated, stylish, curious, resourceful, sharp, funny. Many people often said she was such a unique Japanese woman. She was. But I think she was unique no matter what. 

And I’m telling you about my mother because she really inspired me to be myself. To work hard, be the best I can in everything I do, and most of all, for everything I do to be an extension of who I am. 

I’m still figuring things out, but as far as my business is concerned, here’s what I have figured out so far: 

Who I want to work with - professional services providers 

First, I only want to work with professional services providers. Coaches, consultants, advisors, lawyers…people who provide services to others. I have nothing against businesses who sell physical products, artists, and others, but I really feel that I’m at my best when I am working with services providers. So that’s who I’ll be focusing on from here onward. 

Social media will be for business - but I’m going have fun with it, dammit!

Second, while I’ll be using my Instagram account primarily for my business, I want to also included posts to share what inspires me, what’s going on in my work life, as well as in my non-work life. And yes, occasionally I’ll encourage you to buy my services, but not often. I don’t like seeing those types of posts, so, I’m not gonna pump those out. 

My YouTube channel is going to be informative, fun and ME!    

Third, my YouTube channel is going to be a little different, too. After watching a lot of my videos I realized that I’ve been trying to be another marketing and design “guru” or “expert” yet I don’t feel I am worthy of that title. And I don’t really want to do much of that anymore, anyway. I’ll still dispense advice but I really want to do more creative things. Like show my process, share things that inspire me, what my work life is like, maybe interview other creative professionals I admire. I just want to have more fun with video production and my channel and do it in my own style. 

And like my mother used to say, “If they don’t like it, tant pis! That’s their problem.” 

My newsletter will continue to be beautiful and a welcome visitor in your inbox

Finally, my newsletter. If you’ve been a loyal subscriber, thank you so much!!! You mean the world to me. That one is not going to change that much. I feel it’s the one thing in my marketing that I’ve been doing right for a while. My average open rate for every newsletter is around 60%. SIXTY PERCENT!!! Wow. And why? Because I think I’m being myself in it. 

Wait, there’s one more thing: my own website

Oh, and one additional “Finally…” Plans are in place to redesign this little website, and I’m oh, so, excited. The planning for just the photography alone is making me giddy. 

Anyway. That’s what’s been going on. That’s what I’ve been thinking, feeling and planning. Thanks for reading this far. 

I’ve got all sortsa great stuff for you this year. So stick around!!!