How to Rock a Photo Shoot in 5 Easy Steps

Rock a photoshoot

Step 1. Squeeze your feet into heels that are at LEAST a size too small.
Step 2. Fall ALL over the damn place, but do it with a smile because the photographer is going to laugh at you and take pictures anyways.
Step 3. Get your balaaaance… Easyyyyyyy.
Step 4. Grab onto squat rack for dear life.
Step 5. Smile like you do this all day long.

**LADIES!!** You do NOT have to be super fit (or graceful apparently) to come play at FEM Camp. If you’re interested in increasing your knowledge in health and fitness and having a lot of FUN, join us in Vegas May 16 – 18th!! Message me for details or check out www.FemCamp.com.

Business-versary

9 years

Today, I celebrate 9 years in business for myself. I could actually say that I’m celebrating a lifetime of it considering I started my first venture at about 8 or 9 selling pet rocks, but I don’t want you to think I’m lame so pretend you didn’t just read that.

Five years ago today, I made the decision to leave my full time job (pictured above, or to the right, or left, whatever, in the god damn picture) and pursue my dream of owning my own business after 4 years of working on it on evenings, weekends, and every chance I got. It started off as a video production company and evolved into writing, editing, strategizing, marketing, producing, PRing, coding, geeking, designing,…

I’ve had many businesses, partnerships, ventures, and projects over the years and from that experience I’ve made a list of 15 (or so) things I’ve learned to share with you. Here they are (in order that they appeared in my head at 4am):

1. Listen to your instinct ALWAYS.
2. Choose your business partners carefully.
3. Don’t be a dick.
4. Unless you have to be.
5. If someone seems shady, they probably are. Don’t do business with them.
6. Sometimes they’re not though, so give everyone a fair chance.
7. Don’t contradict yourself.
5. Don’t waste your time making a business plan until you need one and you know who it’s for.
5. Don’t take business advice from someone who doesn’t own a business.
7. Don’t ever follow my numbering system, (I feel like we’ve had this talk before).
8. Without marketing you don’t have a business.
9. If you fall on your face, have a glass (or bottle I ain’t judging) of wine, cry if you have to, then get over it and start again tomorrow.
10. Be loyal but not to a fault.
11. If you don’t know what you’re doing, don’t pretend like you do. You just look like a dummy.
11. Celebrate. Enjoy the ride. Laugh at yourself. Have fun with it.
12. Take care of yourself – exercise, eat good food, drink lots of water, sleep when you can.
13. There will be times when #12 won’t happen, have lots of coffee and sugar free Rockstars on hand, especially if I’m with you.
14. Don’t let anyone tell you that you’re crazy. You’re in business for yourself, so you are, but don’t let anyone tell you that.
15. Dreams don’t work unless you do. You will work long hours, every day, with no break, sometimes with little or no reward, and nobody will understand why you’re doing it. Do it anyway.

**To my amazing clients who stick by me even when I mess up from time to time, all my business partners over the years, my friends who cheer me on when I’m winning and feed and vodka me when I’m losing, my family who (strangely) haven’t disowned me (yet), and everyone who has been a part of my entrepreneurial journey so far – THANK YOU!!!**#onwardandupward #ipitythefool heart emoticon A.

The Ten Commandments of Social Media

As some of you know, I manage social media channels for some of my clients. It’s the reason why I’m “here” so much… well that and I really like the attention you give me. Anyway, over the years I’ve seen countless lists, rules, commandments, etc.. for social media use. I’ve made a few of my own for business but here’s my version for the general public (that’s you! you’re the general public) Enjoy, and more importantly follow them!!

1. Don’t be a dick.
2. Stop whining about your life.
3. If you’re going to whine about your life, give me all the juicy details. No more vague statements that force me to engage and ask questions. Tell ALL in an epically detailed rant.. or shaddup about it.
3. Don’t you tell me that I’m on FB too much. The fact that you know how much I’m on FB tells me you’re on it just as much. (Just because you don’t post doesn’t mean you’re not here creeping. I’m onto you motherf*$%er!)
4. The complaints about the invites to candyfarm jewelcrushville and the actual invites are equally stupid. Just play your games and don’t tell anyone. It’s embarrassing for all of us.
5. Don’t be a duck.
6. Or a dick.
7. Let autocorrect take the wheel sometimes… it could work out, (see rule #5)
7. Don’t pay attention to my numbering… ever. (See rules 3,3, and 7, and 7…shit!)
9. Don’t poke me just because its an option. Decaf coffee is also an option… doesn’t make it ok.
8. Unfollow/unfriend whoever you want. Just don’t post an announcement about it. People getting publicly shamed makes me sad. ‪#‎sadface‬
9. Never be sarcastic, (see what I did there?)
10. Post funny shit as much as possible, and ‪#‎extrabonuspoints‬ for inappropriately and/or ironically used ‪#‎hashtags‬.

‪#‎theend‬ ‪#‎themstherules‬ ‪#‎goodtalk‬

Redefining Success

 Brett Wilson Book
EEeek!! *Somebody pinch me!* I’ve been chosen as one of ten writers to review W. Brett Wilson‘s shiny new book Redefining Success. I’ll be getting 2 SIGNED hardcover copies before the release and I’m giving one away. If you want the other copy, go here>>http://www.amylafleche.com/redefining-success/<< put in your name and email in the form, and I’ll send you all the juicy details when the books arrive!!

Try to be a Rainbow…

trytobearainbow

“Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.”

 

In the worst of time, there is the possibility of seeing hope…

We can say “I can be a rainbow in the cloud for someone yet to be.”

That may be our calling.

I’ve learned that people will forget what you said,

people will forget what you did,

but people will never forget how you made them feel.

~ Dr. Maya Angelou

 

 

 

 

**I did not create this image. I don’t know who the Copyright belongs to.
If you can read the tiny writing on the spoon, or this belongs to you, please let me know so I can give you credit!! 🙂

The Silent Shift of the Big Scary Internet Machine

bigscaryinternet

Photo courtesy: http://www.dijitul.co.uk/advice/the-internet

Do businesses (because let’s not forget that’s what they are) like Facebook and Google have a responsibility to us, their users, to create a space of free flowing information?

Did you know that what you see on your social media feeds and search engine searches is being controlled by ROBOTS!?

robot

Ok, maybe not robots per say, but algorithms that are coded to identify and sort what you “want” to see. Is this a good thing? A bad thing? Is Big Brother watching?

If you got as far as this post, it means I wasn’t sorted out based on your interests – yay! Which means you’ll likely appreciate this video too.

This is one of the best Ted talks I’ve seen in awhile about the silent shift of the big scary Internet machine!!

How To Make Your Own Mic Flag

Ever since you were a little kid, you dreamed of having your very own mic flag… Well, guess what!? The wait is over!

Here are step-by-step instructions on how to do it yourself.

What You Need:
Cardboard
Pencil
Tea Light (or similar sized circular object)
Pink Exacto Knife
Ruler
Duct Tape
Black Permanent Marker
Logo Stickers (or your logo with some clear packing tape)
Wine (optional)

(This list would make MacGyver proud, no?)

STEP 1: Gather your shit together and take a deep breath.

 

micflagtools

STEP 2: Measure out 13″-ish wide x 3″ tall and cut yourself out a piece of cardboard.

micflagmeasure

 

STEP 3: Fold the cardboard into 3″ square and use the rest as a fold. Duct tape the fold on the inside. Now you have a square. Weeeeeeh!

micflagsquare

STEP 4: When you are done admiring your cardboard square, cutout two 3″ x 3″ squares from your cardboard and mark them with X to find the center. These will be the top and bottom of the mic flag. If you don’t want the bottom then just cut out one for the top.

micflagcuts

 

STEP 5: Find a circular object, like a tea light to mark a circle in the center of the ‘X’

micflagcirclemeasure

STEP 6: Cut the circle out. Try not to butcher the cardboard like I did.

micflagcircle

STEP 7: Attach the top with some duct tape and then wrap the whole thing up in duct tape. There is no such thing as too much.

micflagducttape

STEP 8: When you run out of duct tape. Stop. Then, cut the hole back out at the top (and bottom if you made one)

micflagcircletaped

STEP 9: Put your logo stickers on each side of the mic flag.. like so.

micflagsticker

STEP 10: If you’re super clever, this step can be avoided by just buying black duct tape. 😉 But if you’re like me, open a window and colour the silver tape black with a marker.

micflagmarker

STEP 11: Insert mic and, VOILÀ! You got yourself you’re very own mic flag!!

micflag