Stop being a brain ninja!

You work, maybe have kids, a spouse, employees, a business, a home, cars, brothers & sisters, parents, friends and probably a few dozen other things to take care of on a regular basis. I know I do and if you're anything like me, I love to care for the people that I love. I love to see them happy and thriving in all they do.

Here's the back side of this: I forget to care for myself.

If you have ever flown, you probably remember the flight attendant telling you to put the oxygen on your own face before putting it on others. There's a deeper meaning to this in everyday life. If you don't take care of yourself first, it's impossible to continue caring for others.

Over the summer we packed up our whole life, moved our house, remodeled our basement in 30 days and moved Worx. In the mean time I was caring for everything in our "normal" life: my son and husband, empowering the Worx girls, managing clients and projects, supporting friends and family and lots of other daily tasks. But there's one thing I forgot to do. Take care of me.

As a result of that, I depleted everything I had. I ate terrible food (whatever was fast), went to bed late and got up early, stopped exercising and worst of all, gained 10lbs. Dammit.

I'm sure there has been a time in your life that you've experienced a season like this - one where you became so focused on everything else that you neglected to care for yourself. I'm here to tell you that it happens to all of us. The most important thing is to recognize when it is happening and change it. There's nothing you can do about the past so don't beat yourself up. Make the choice to change today.

And for all of you out there that think taking care of yourself is selfish... Stop being a brain ninja! I had to get over it. Those thoughts of, "how dare I go for a run instead of playing with my son," or "I'll just skip lunch today so I can get this project done" are debilitating. We create these scenarios in our heads! What if instead you said, "I'll go for a run so I have more energy to play with my son" or "If I eat a nutritious lunch I will have more creativity and energy to finish that project strong." It's all in the mindset friends. When you stop thinking that taking care of yourself is selfish and start thinking of it as a necessity, you will be able to care for everything around you better than before.

What's next? Take one step. What is the ONE thing you can do to better yourself so that you can continue to nurture those around you? That old saying "Rome wasn't built in a day" applies here too. For me, my one step is filling my body with nutrients again. I'm eating better and taking my vitamins. And no more skipping lunch. That's stupid.

I'd love to hear your promise to yourself - comment below with your one step to caring for yourself!

What the heck is The Green Couch Project?

A few years ago, my husband and I were walking around a furniture store, not really looking for anything in particular, when I walked around the corner and fell in love. There she sat, the green couch I never knew I needed. It felt as though she was waving at me saying, "Hey Laura! Lets do great things together!"

Rewind to 2007, the year everything started. I guess you could say I had gutsy because at 6 months pregnant, I quit my full time job to develop Worx. My first desk was a couch and a coffee table (as you can see, I have a thing for couches). So then, when I saw the green couch it reminded me of a time that once existed. It took me back to that uneasy and excited moment when I decided to start a business: How many late nights I worked on that couch to create a voice and how passionate I was (and still am) about making a difference in other entrepreneurs' journeys.

It took me back to that moment when I knew I wanted to be in control of my own destiny.

Fast forward to today and a little something we like to call The Green Couch Project©. It's all about authentic risk takers spilling their gutsy. What the heck does that mean? As entrepreneurs we share similar strengths, weaknesses, victories and obstacles. Gutsy means to be bold, courageous, daring and adventurous.

We found 6 risk takers to share their stories and Spill Their Gutsy©. They dug into the depths of their hearts and shared insights on questions like:

• What fires you up?
• Why do you do what you do?
• What do you fear loosing the most?
• What was the moment that made it all worth it?
• What was the moment you almost quit, and why didn't you?

Check out the teaser video here!

The Green Couch Project is all about empowerment. From positive quotes posted on social media everyday, to rich stories about people just like you. We want you to know that you're not alone. You're among a unique group of people that think differently. You have gutsy, and we celebrate that.

So what's next? We've created the promise form (download here) which is your way of committing. Not to us or anyone else, but yourself. And if you choose to, take a snapshot of yourself holding your promise, upload to Instagram or Twitter and tag us in it with #spillyourgutsy. Let's create a community that empowers each other! 

And last but not least, the stories. By the end of March, you'll be able to visit the website to view the full-length stories, videos and pictures of our 6 participants. We'll even give you the tools you need to succeed by building a base brand that stands for who you are, what you do and why it matters.

So stay tuned as we, and so many others, spill our gutsy.

Photo credit to the amazing Anderson Photographs team!

Feeling a little uncomfortable

I have a business motto that I live by: If it doesn't scare me (at least a little), it's not a good idea. Sounds scary, doesn't it? I agree. But here's the thing, if we always did things that we were comfortable doing, we would live the same life forever.

There are two kinds of fear: 

1. The feeling when you know something just isn't right, that what you're being faced with is a bad move or decision - follow your gut on this one.
2. OR the feeling where you know something great is right around the corner, but you're too afraid to take the step towards it - this is the one that gets most of us.

Think back to when you were a child. Everything was unknown! That first time you let go on the merry-go-round, the first time you had a sleep over away from home and the time you took your first bite of what is now your favorite food... although they are all low risk, back then they were huge!

Business is the same way (although some days I wish it were as easy as playing on the playground again). Instead of hiding from fear, embrace it! By taking a risk you open the door to so many possibilities - things that could change your life.

If that risk doesn't work out the way it's supposed to, know that it's ok! Failed attempts are not a sign of weakness but a sign that you've learned an important skill or lesson that will allow you excel at the right time in your life.

The next time an opportunity presents itself and it gives you that unsettling feeling, think about which type of fear it is. Are you going to change your destiny?

Live comfortably by being uncomfortable.


poster by Charly Clements on behance.net

High Five +1

Six years ago this week, in the worst economic downturn of our time, I took a leap of faith. Starting a business and leaving a full time paycheck scared the crap out of me. However, I have a motto that I live by. If it doesn't scare me, it's not a good idea. So here we are.

As a small business owner, I can relate to all the risk takers out there. There's something exhilarating and horrifying about each phase you grow through. One of the things I love most, however, are the endless possibilities. We have the opportunity to work with some of the most unique and dedicated business people and ideas in the world. From artists to doctors, schools and restaurants (to name a few), we've had the honor to be part of their passion. Watching people grow and succeed is priceless.

I've added some pretty amazingly talented people to the worx team along the way. Amber (3 years) and Kassie (1 year) have played such an integrated role in who we are today. I'm a firm believer in surrounding yourself with people that are 1. smarter than you and 2. have a unique talent. It's the distinct differences and talents that make the worx team what it is - fun and modern, precise and dedicated.

We have a pretty amazing support team, including the two cuties you see above. Our kids are our #1 priority and we're fortunate to work from the home office where we can watch them grow! Our husbands and families are pretty awesome too! AJ is a huge help to us, running proofs, monitoring print jobs and being the ring leader in this circus of a home office :)

As a team we've developed hundreds of brands, dozens of websites, and coached countless excited entrepreneurs. Even more exciting is there is so much more ahead! If you're thinking about taking the leap of faith, whether it's starting a business or expanding a current one, I encourage you to do it. The only thing standing in the way of your success and happiness is you.

"You can't try to do things, you must simply DO them." -Ray Bradbury

Size Matters.

The positioning of a company is one of its most valuable assets. Since 1983, The Jewelry Shop has been selling quality jewelry at competitive prices, followed with uncompromising service after the sale. They have developed life long relationships with many of their customers over the years.

2012 was a year for change at The Jewelry Shop. To continue growing, they came to Worx to revamp their image and better reflect the quality business they are. The process began with a new logo, which served as the launch pad for the development of stationery, business cards, and a website with a mobile version.

“We wanted to work with someone who could take our ideas (our wish list) and execute it into a wonderful website. After meeting with several companies, we chose Worx. Laura requested a planning meeting with us and came to our store with her staff so that they could understand our business image and listen to our thoughts and suggestions. It was a productive and beneficial meeting to the development process.

We didn’t realize it until we began the process, but we needed and received a more cohesive brand. The Jewelry Shop has a beautiful, classy logo, new stationery and business cards, new email accounts and a new website! We also have a great partner to work with to continue to refine our business image going forward. The professionals at Worx Graphic Design are a fantastic team with which to work.”

Marjorie Motichka

Advertising.Marketing.Promotions.Sales.

The Jewelry Shop