(Let's Not) Do All the Things

I used to be a people pleaser, worried that I may miss out on something or disappoint someone if I said no, especially if it was towards a boss or a client. I would say I could try to fit it in my schedule and ended up working until 7pm every night until I was caught up. Often we are distracted because we think of exciting missed opportunities. The cold hard truth is that we can’t do it all.

With every new opportunity, I consider the following:

• How much time do I actually have right now to take on a new project?

• When will I be able to devote enough time to complete it?

• How long will I need to effectively complete the project?

You may want to ignore my advice and take it on anyway. Say yes and figure it out later, right? That works in some situations, but you may want to run far, far away. You might find yourself wincing at the thought of answering another phone call or email – because you feel resentful that you are spread so thin.

Being an adult is hard. Sometimes you have to choose what you are willing to take on. Even if the opportunity is shiny and exciting and new, you might have to turn it down if it doesn’t fit in to the big picture. Think of it like this: Will this project matter a year from now? Five years from now? It might be a fantastic short-term project, but if it isn’t a long-term commitment and you don’t have the resources to devote time to it, does it really serve you?

Here are some examples of projects that would be considered “big picture:”

• Writing a book

• Partnering with clients that trust you and make you an extension of their organization

• Spending time on growing your business

• Setting up processes so it can run without you

Things that don’t contribute to long-term success may look like this:

• One-time service/vendor relationship

• Working on 20 small projects at an alarming pace to meet deadlines

• A fast and furious attempt to read and reply to all emails in the same business day

If that second scenario doesn’t sound like a good time, that’s because it isn’t. I am going to be cliché for a moment: only one of those categories will plant the seeds for a better tomorrow. You don’t have to do it all. The only part you need to worry about is choosing what you want to do.

Planning vs. Spontaneity

I’ve been a planner for as long as I remember.

Even in middle school I was always trying to organize my daily schedule in my head: practices, school, projects, homework, organizations and time to chat on MSN messenger. Planning my New Year’s and Birthday parties, I’d have a master sheet of the invite list, food to buy, games to play, even the cleaning duties list the day of the party. I don’t think we as planners should be looked at as boring, mundane and over organized, but rather so excited for the future that we can’t help but start to plan it; an efficient organizer that feeds off of the high of anticipation. We can visualize the future as a success, and we want to get started right away!

Unfortunately, with all of the excitement and expectations, comes the opportunity for disappointment; the anxiety of focusing on the details of something that might not even happen. Wasted time, energy and sometimes, even money.

On the contrary, there are times of spontaneity, and those are the times that can end up being most memorable. By being spontaneous, one can absorb the present and react to what is happening here and now because they are extremely aware of their surroundings. With non-existent expectations, the risk of being disappointed by a cancelation is practically non-existent.

However, these people can also establish a reputation of being unreliable and hard to coordinate with which can be disappointing and frustrating to others.

 So which is better?

Both!

Finding the balance between the two will create an opportunity to fulfill the planner and adventurer inside of you. So how do you find that middle sweet spot?

-Work with time chunks.

Planners: Schedule chunks of time to be open and ready for spontaneity. This will allow you to keep the structure without the expectations to details.

Spontaneous: Try to establish a time chunk for coordinating with others.

Work together: Use time ranges to coordinate rather than to-the-minute, on-the-dot details.

-Find flexible activities.

Planners: Choose an activity that doesn’t require a set start-time. Ex: reservations at dinner vs. open house get-together.

Spontaneous: Coordinate with others to choose the location that will sync well with your spontaneity.

Work together: By coordinating around a location near the spontaneous, and an activity that doesn’t require a specific start time, it allows for casual expectations and meeting arrangements.

-Be less demanding.

Planners: Don’t ask others to be definitive.

Spontaneous: Avoid vague answers such as, “maybe,” “we’ll see” or “I don’t know/care.”

Work together: By using neutral words, neither side feels attacked or under-valued.

Celebrating Our Risk Takers

2014 was a pretty incredible year for a lot of businesses. I could list all day why The Worx Girls love what we do. One of our biggest passions is being part of someone else's dream on a daily basis. We work with risk takers, big thinkers and passionate, driven people that are excited about making a difference in their life and the lives of others. We get to ride along in the side cart of their motorcycle and help them visually navigate through the twists and turns of entrepreneurship. We watch their success story unfold as they take the thought that once scared them and turn it into a lifestyle that fulfills them.

In 2014 we were blessed to have branded over 40 new or growing businesses (you can see a few of them above). 40 companies that are following their dreams, boosting our economy, solving problems and creating jobs for others. They took the first step into living the life they want!

In addition, we launched over 15 websites, kicked off The Green Couch Project and expanded our office space (much needed!). It's been a beautifully busy year for The Worx Family!

We're constantly blown away by the innovative and amazing people that knock on our email doors every week. Here are a few that we're especially proud of:

Innovative, Inc. and NOVA Corporation both made the Inc. 5000 fastest growing private companies in the US list for 2014.

In addition, Innovative, Inc. has opened a second location in Frederick and continues to grow their dynamic team to serve growing IT needs.

Nova has created 170 new jobs in the past 3 years and was named the 2014 American Indian Business of the Year award.



Food Safety Training Solutions, Inc. has expanded their marketing reach with over 7,000 Facebook likes from 45 countries. Every month they email thousands of viewers from 8 countries to keep them informed on #keepingyourfoodsafe. They are Nationally training the hospitality industry on Food Safety and have worked with some of the countries largest corporations, such as McDonalds, Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts.




Nothing makes me happier than to hear a client say, "WOW. You made this real for me. This is something I can now show people instead of just telling them. I can't wait to use it!!" As an entrepreneur, it is easy to get stuck inside your own head. But when you partner with someone that believes in your passion as much as you do, beautiful things can happen.

Are you one of the passionate, big thinkers that we'll get to work with in 2015? I want to see your logo at the top of this page next year because that means you'll have taken the first step to change your life forever. Cheers to 2015 friends.

Live Intentionally

What does “Living Intentionally” mean anyway?

It’s all about not living on auto-pilot. We all have very busy lives, with many people and things that need our attention. So, how do we naturally just become more aware of the purpose behind our actions? Ask yourself questions. Don’t overwhelm yourself by over-thinking every situation, but become aware of the reason for your action, even if it’s after-the-fact. Better late than never and you’ll get to know yourself, your habits and preferences on a deeper level.

1. Let’s start with people. Who do you surround yourself with? Do they better you?

If yes, how? And then, how can you meet more people like that? Grow your positive circle of people who push you, encourage you and love you.

If no, why? What do they say or do that isn’t helping you become a better person? Are you exchanging negativity equally? Have you talked to them about their effect (or lack thereof) on you? What requires you to be around them? Really push for a solution by either bettering the relationship or ending it. You deserve to be happy. So be aware and take responsibility for your surroundings and relationships.

2. Next up, actions.

Do you say and do things that are helpful? Are you aware of other drivers on the road or do you drive aggressively and with frustration? Do you hold doors open for others or are you always in a hurry? When you decide what to eat, are you choosing something that nurtures your body and health or is it an impulse treat? Learning to slow down and think before acting is a struggle for everyone, but once conquered leads to a less stressful, happier and more rewarding daily routine.

3. Last but not least, stuff.

When you buy something, is it necessary? Is it serving a very specific and beneficial purpose or is it an impulse purchase that is filling a void or hiding an emotion? Allow yourself to be vulnerable to your own mind. What void is that “stuff” filling?   Address those feelings or the need to hoard things. Your life will be more organized on a physical, emotional and mental level.

Practice being aware of the reason you do things on a daily basis. As you slowly become more aware of your actions and the purpose behind them, the more you can mold yourself with intention of becoming the best version of you that you want to become.

DIY Branding - Hurtful or Helpful?

DIY Branding – Hurtful or Helpful?

With all of the DIY tutorials available on the web, it can be tempting to try and save money by pursuing the creative process yourself. Those who design branding based on personal preference rather than what will attract the target audience, suit the personality of the brand or translate well in multiple applications could hurt their company more than it helps.

As graphic designers, we strive to make an aesthetically pleasing product, but more importantly we are problem solvers. We research the industry of clients for a thorough understanding of their target audience; this enables us to create a brand that engages and interacts with that audience. Having a brand created for you by a professional designer has many benefits:

It’s custom.

No templates, no pre-formulated shapes or limited font choices. A one-of-a-kind; a brand as unique and strong as your ideas will attract the kind of clients you want.

It’s from an industry expert.

Professional graphic designers have education and experience in the industry. There is a carefully planned strategy behind everything created: Color schemes, font choices and all visuals are elements combined to solve a problem. A pro will educate their clients about these choices and how they are the solution. Telling you it is something they thought was pretty is not acceptable reasoning.

It’s from an outsider’s perspective.

Being IN a brand can hinder your perspective of that brand. We see the potential of your brand and big ideas. We do our homework, so we know how your brand looks through the eyes of your audience. Let us capitalize on your strengths and build a solid reputation.

You will attract the right clients.

You want to build a good reputation and attract qualified clients. Our solution is to work with you to accomplish your goals with solid branding, consistent materials and advertising.

Many businesses are hesitant to invest in branding because it’s not an instant solution or quick fix. However, a professionally designed brand backed by years of education, research and experience is a solid foundation to success.

Introducing the Worx Girls

How well do you know us? We bring our personalities with us, and you can always count on meeting the authentic Worx team. We embrace each other’s differences and help fill in the gaps of weaknesses with strengths to create a close-knit, un-breakable, one-of-a-kind team. I spend more time with these girls a week than with anyone else. Let me introduce you to…

Our fearless leader, Laura:
She’s so brave; Braver than I can fathom and I think the other girls would agree with me. The things she gets herself into blows my mind. She’s involved, motivated and dedicated to the many roles she plays. She’s mother to Kandon, age 6; wife to AJ; sister and friend; Creative Director of Worx Graphic Design; creator of The Green Couch Project; President of the American Advertising Federation of Greater Frederick; a member of Business Networking International; the Greencastle, PA Chamber of Commerce; as well as the Hagerstown, MD Chamber. Some of her non-professional titles would include athlete, interior designer, accountant, professional organizer and party-planner. She is a visionary and loves to brainstorm with our clients to help take their ideas to the next level as well as building their brand from the logo –up.

The web guru, Amber:
She’s the introvert of the group. She is also the healthy-inspiration member of Worx. Her healthful vegetarian lifestyle has inspired all of us to explore juicing and running 5K’s. You should see the vegetables this girl eats (even her daughter, Morgan snacks on peppers and cucumbers!). Her usual days of “plugging in” with headphones and designing websites are (almost) free of distractions. Her daughter Morgan joins us in the office a few days out of the week. Her off-the-scale cute factor makes up for her threenager mood swings. Amber’s patience with her is very admirable. Amber can say that she has a genuine fear of public speaking and will go to great measures to avoid it. Her addiction to Etsy and Pinterest are evident off-the-clock. She is the expert of website design and with her Masters degree in branding, she writes our proposals to clarify the goals of the project.

The Word Master, Momina:
The newest Worx girl may not be a designer, but she definitely thinks like one! How many copywriters have a “logo inspiration” board on Pinterest? Her vocabulary and writing skills are phenomenal, and she loves a good play-on-words. She knows how to put the personality of a business into their materials, as well as brainstorming with the team on advertising strategies. She is the fashionable one of the group and inspires us all to look a little more like our Style inspiration boards on Pinterest. She is a Twitter master, tweeting more fluently than some birds I’ve heard. Sitting across from her playing peek-a-boo over our giant computer screens has added to my experience at Worx in the past 9 months.

Then there’s me, Collateral Kassie:
It’s hard to believe I’ve been here over two years, but I feel like I’ve known these girls for my entire life. Whatever I’m doing – brainstorming, collaborating, coaching, designing – I’m passionate about and give it my 100%. I’m over-enthusiastic and have an unnatural obsession with glitter and sparkly things. I’m even wearing a shirt as I write that deemed me with the nickname “sparkle pits.” I love to dance and party on the weekends but love also just relaxing in a hammock listening to reggae. I love to create materials consistent with the company’s brand and tend to handle rush projects well. I enjoy helping a client meet a tight deadline; they are always grateful.

Our differences and similarities make for quite the chemistry of team members. The office experience we live everyday is one like no other. Our company culture creates an environment for personal and professional growth. This makes work fun, life enjoyable and clients happy.