Create a business that mirrors the truest and highest expression of who you are.
When I graduated with a Marketing Management Diploma in Communications from one of the best Institute of Technology in North America, I knew I did not desire a lucrative job in a prestigious company like the rest of my peers. For many of them this choice was hard to understand. It was even confusing for me! But because salary and prestige were not at the top of my list, I knew I had to choose a career path in alignment with my values. For me, how I make money directly reflects the values that inform how I live my life.
I did’t want a job; what I wanted and went searching for were those ‘feel-good butterflies’ to help me find something meaningful to do with, and make of, my life.
My new “pro skills” paired with some understanding of public relations and seven years of professional experience in relational sales, I found myself to be a magnet for work opportunities. I remember just how good it felt to realize that I’m now a contractor, qualified for the Boss Lady label.
As an entrepreneur yourself, I’m sure you can relate to the excitement of finding your freedom in business.
I felt fortunate to have skills of value so I could now work on big projects. Entrepreneurs invited me to contribute to their impressive ventures from opening modern art galleries to filming videos at world class music festivals and world-class conventions showcasing their products and services. I’ve worked so much more than your regular “9 to 5" and after five years of trying to be “something for everyone”, I lost touch with who I really was. The butterflies and excitement started to fade. I felt inauthentic and uninspired.
So I packed my wardrobe and my office into a suitcase and let go of my “lucky apartment” to venture out into the unknown and in search of bigger and better butterflies and life-changing inspiration… “Crazy girl. This is a big deal!” — said my mom. But I never listen to conventional advice.
Remember, I said I was a magnet for opportunities? Something out there has my back, and I believe this is the case for all of us without exception.
Credit it all to the Universe, plain good luck, and synchronicity, every time I took a risk to do something completely unconventional - jumping on a plane without a plan (when my bank account was in overdraft) and volunteering over and over for events and festivals, just so I would be in the company of amazing people! I just show up with a smile and pure optimism, walking into some of the best opportunities I never even thought I would have…
This genuine search for more meaning in my life by being a part of something much bigger than myself — was answered by some greater force (to my own surprise!) And it was wild.
My path crossed with people I’ve only dreamed about meeting, and the defining moment for me both personally and professionally — was learning to ask for an opportunity. Asking for the business and believing that I had what it takes — something of value and I was worthy of this opportunity.
This unshakable belief in myself is something I knew I had to master if I was to succeed. Like most of us, I resisted my own greatness and doubted myself.
If any of this sounds familiar to you and you’ve made a leap of faith towards your desires — you may agree that taking risks is actually the ‘best thing ever’ because it breaks up the mould which keeps you stuck.
This is when I met the author and spiritual teacher, Marianne Williamson, and had the amazing opportunity to contribute to her grassroots campaign in L.A., “Marianne Williamson for Congress”…
I remember vividly when I was standing behind Marianne, when she was giving her speech — I saw this timeless Muse in her and a trailblazer for women like myself! The women of my generation who have the opportunity to live fully and freely. This woman paved the way for the same ideals and inspiration which impacted my life. The fact that I was even aware of higher ideals for myself, is because of the words, actions and lives of women and activists — like Marianne, Oprah Winfrey and Maya Angelou to name a few…
By the way, when I had this vivid realization and a moment of gratitude, she said this quote and this is how I was inspired to make and share this meme:
Everyone I met on the path of self-discovery and personal development has contributed an important piece of the puzzle to what I now clearly see as the platform which allows me to serve through creativity, passion and a genuine expression of who I am both personally and professionally; after five years of freelancing, I’ve built something I’m really proud of — The Meme Factory.
As the entrepreneur and influencer — you have the right and the opportunity to integrate all the inspiration, including your sense of adventure and passion — to create a genuine expression through your business and brand voice, which is equally valuable to your audiences.
I know that I won’t stop being an “Inspiration Junkie” who is passionate about doing good for the planet and people and that’s cool. Because this world could really use more of us…
So I built my business offering around this without any compromise. You get the best of me and I get that feeling of doing something good in the world. Five years later and 20 brands & new clients in three countries, I feel like I can finally show up as myself and be transparent with my clients. No frills.
By doing so, I think I’ve cracked the code: how to best share inspiration since I had the gift of working with visionary pioneers, authors and speakers including celebrity brands and nationwide campaigns.
One thing we know for sure — the Internet is only getting faster and more crowded, making ATTENTION one of the most valuable commodities and worldwide currency.
Your attention span is high-on-demand; being bid on by companies, marketers and merchants simultaneously. If you’ve got something to share and you’re hoping for attention — put it in a format that’s easy to grasp and share for your people. (If you love your people, spare them your many paragraphs… rather give them what they can remember!)
That’s why sharing memes is so powerful, especially for the influencers.
How you say and share your message is just as important as the message itself! Whether you’re building a following on social media, you’re an author, activist or a passionate leader looking to spread your message — now more than ever — you must have a winning online brand presence!
In my experience, memes work every time! That’s why it’s the core of my business: The Meme Factory is a boutique service and design platform empowering clients with winning brand assets: memes, ebooks, social ads
For further inspiration, free tools and advice on creating a winning brand presence, I invite you to visit our official site: meme-factory.com
I’m personally hosting a social media community & writing blogs on various topics to do with inspiration on Medium, and I’d love to hear from you!
