I recently had an awesome chat with Jody Maberry & Jared Easley for the Starve the Doubts podcast! Really fun & jam packed with great questions & insights you are going to LOVE.

We talked about everything from favorite concerts, hugs vs high fives, to (my favorite) feeling the fear and following your heart anyway. Click here to listen to the episode on the Starve the Doubts site (and read their summary post about it)!

Thanks for having me, Jody & Jared. This was a blast, and you two are pros!

The post Starve the Doubts [Interview] appeared first on WilloLovesYou.

Embodied Leadership = How you’re showing up

How are YOU showing up in your life?

I do Heart-Centered Coaching. I work with Creative Entrepreneurs and passionate individuals who want to thrive in all areas of their lives.

This means that my work starts with Clarifying their Vision & Goals, and then often translates into supporting them with the tech and business aspects; effectively helping them take their creative ideas to the next level.

So, while I’m coaching & consulting, we’re not just looking at the tasks and to-do lists, but we’re going deeper, and looking at all the aspects that are going to enable us to BECOME and CREATE what we want to see in our lives.

What does being a Leader look like for YOU?

Leadership in your life doesn’t have to mean leading teams, or becoming the CEO. It’s about TAKING THE LEAD in your life.  Recognizing that you have a choice in how you CHOOSE TO SHOW UP.

It’s accepting 100% Responsibility for who we are now, and the willingness to get curious and discover where we may have room to grow.

Often our weaknesses are amplified under pressure. Be curious and compassionate, as these are learning edges and opportunities for growth.

— Willo Sana (@WilloLovesYou) March 21, 2014

Learning Edges = Opportunities for Growth

What are your learning edges? 

When we lean into our Learning Edges – our opportunities for growth – we’re opening ourselves up to more of what we want in our life.

Who you want to become starts with EMBODYING it today. Right here, right now.

A helpful framework for this can be to begin by looking at it holistically:

• PHYSICAL: How we’re taking care of ourselves, our health, our bodies.
• EMOTIONAL: How happy we are, and what our heart is saying.
• MENTAL: How clear & focused our minds are. If we’re feeling lost or overwhelmed, and where we may need more structure.
• SPIRITUAL: And lastly, how connected are we feeling. Are we clear on our purpose, and are we fully engaged; recognizing our actions are serving more than just us. We need to feel like we’re a part of something and making a difference.

When you think what you do matters, you bring more energy to it. #Purpose #Contribution #Appreciation

— Willo Sana (@WilloLovesYou) March 21, 2014

What aspects of you/your life, if you gave it a little more intentional energy and focus, would greatly improve?

What’s the first step you will take?

Wednesday, March 26th, I delivered a talk/workshop, entitled “Embodied Leadership: Practical Tools for Tangible Change,” at Microsoft’s ‘Make it Happen’ Career Conference.

Sponsored by Silicon Valley Women at Microsoft, this conference supports professional and leadership development for Microsoft employees in the Bay Area. It focuses on insight and strategy to make ideal careers happen – YES! My favorite.

Thank you for having me, Microsoft!

The post Embodied Leadership: Practical Tools for Tangible Change [ Microsoft Workshop ] appeared first on WilloLovesYou.

Tonight my good friend, Laura Gluhanich (aka @lauraglu) will be speaking on Your Presence Is A Present , and I’m looking forward to seeing her rock it.

Additionally… this weekend, Julie is putting on GitHub’s First Public Speaking Workshop For Women, and I’ve been invited to be a mentor/contributor!

I’ll be there, with several other (incredibly awesome and admirable) women, mentoring, working and hacking all day. We’ll be talking about things like writing a proposal and personal bio, writing in general, talk outlines and flows, how to handle Q&A or discussion formats, how to have (or fake) confidence whilst on stage, and how to show your passion.

I absolutely love what a champion Julie is for supporting women in the creative/tech industry, and I’m super excited to meet all the other rad women flying in from around the country for this awesome event!

The post Mentoring, speaking and supporting other awesome women! appeared first on WilloLovesYou.

Click here to view the full course details »

The seedlings of this idea came to me almost a year ago, and since then it’s been slowly taking shape. It’s morphed, evolved, and become what it is today in a way that has me totally dumbfounded and humbled at the wonders of the creative process. I was actually feeling pretty stuck with it at one point. Not even totally realizing I was stuck, because I was so busy running my other ecourses, putting on YxYY, traveling, and feeling *completely over the moon* in my growing coaching business.

But this one kept knocking at my door.

I’d have new ideas for it all the time. I’d write them down, share them with friends, and get super excited. I’d make some progress here and there. I’d record a video, write some emails, schedule some plans… but somehow it just wasn’t coming together. Then recently – actually just a short 30 days ago! – it all came to me like a lightning bolt. WOW is that a cool feeling.

Couldn’t be more fitting really, because it literally felt like the door blew open, and the crisp fall air brought in leaves of clarity and guidance. It was like finding the last few pieces of the puzzle, and having the whole picture finally come together. Huzzah!

What a gift…  This year I’ve taken to calling myself a Doula for Hatching Big Ideas. Not only is it more interesting than saying I’m a Coach & Creative Business Consultant, but it really holds such a deep resonance for me. I help birth beautiful ideas. Ideas that light up people’s hearts!

I love that I get to work with so many brilliant souls, coaching them through untangling their fears, experiencing major shifts, and supporting them as they make big, bold leaps in their lives, artistic passions and careers. I also love that I get to experience this process in my own life & business, with my own creations, and that the two are so closely married.

Feel all that love and celebration? 
I think that’s why I’m so excited to share Harvest & Thrive with you today.
This is me taking the next step on my path. This is my calling. This incarnation has been calling me for almost a year, and I listened. I listened and let it guide me, and here we are. It’s here!!

It’s also my gift to you. My way of serving the world. My way of sharing and giving all that I have learned in coaching others, and coaching myself through my own creative process. It feels like a gift to me to be able to share it with you! I think that’s what they call a win-win, which is pretty much my favorite way of doing business. 😉

I would love to have you join me for this experience. If not the entire course, then whichever one of the modules feels right for you (yes, they’re available individually)! It’s a grand experiment, and it’s going to be really fun to see what comes of it.

Thank you for reading my shmoopy post. I wish this feeling for everyone! 🙂

Big love & hugs,

The post Celebrating the launch of Harvest & Thrive! appeared first on WilloLovesYou.

Do what you love + Do what comes easily to you + Get paid well for it = SWEET SPOT!

It continually amazes me to see how I’ve been able to transform the clients I was attracting into exactly the kind of clients I want to have AND be doing the work I’m passionate about.

I often describe my Coaching & Creative Business Consulting as the intersection where ‘Art meets Business meets Tech’. Given my experience as an artist myself – as well as my background in tech and entrepreneurship – I love empowering creative small business owners with the systems and structure to optimize and catalyze success.    

Have you found your Sweet Spot?

What lights you up? What are you doing now that’s not really your strength, or you don’t enjoy doing. Are you feeling frustrated, stuck, or simply craving more in your life/business? What’s missing?

The venn diagram above may not even be the exact cross-section that drives you. What’s your guiding compass?

I’ve created a venn diagram for you to download/print and create your unique map to your sweet spot. This could be for your life, love, health or business! You can also create sweet venn diagrams online using Lucidchart. When you do, I’d love for you to share them with me. Post them on Twitter or Instagram and tag me @WilloLovesYou, so I can see!

Making it happen

Most likely if you’re reading this you already have a pretty good idea about this, but sometimes we need support in helping untangle old patterns, or simply to have someone outside of ourselves with the experience and know-how to help us take it to the next level. This is exactly what I do with my clients.

All of these have my ethos of Creative Sustainability threaded through, too, staying conscious of the integrity around your vision and self-care.

Life is too short, and you’re too awesome
to not be truly happy, healthy & doing what you love!

Would you like support in clarifying the vision for your business or new product? Are you ready to take your life & business to the next level? Let me know where you’re at and let’s talk!

The post The Joy of Work: What’s your Guiding Compass? appeared first on WilloLovesYou.

This year I have the delight to be involved in two great sessions. The first, is a fireside chat with keynote speaker, Elias Plishner (@SonyPictures), SVP of Worldwide Digital Media at Sony Pictures Entertainment. We’ll sit down after his keynote address to have a more intimate conversation about how social media has uniquely impacted the entertainment industry, and how it’s had an affect on the creation of art as we know it today.

Fireside Chat with Keynote Speaker, Elias Plishner of Sony Pictures
In conversation with Willo O’Brien, WilloToons + Stitch Labs
Friday, February 17th, 9:30am
Adobe San Francisco

Directly after that, I will be contributing to a panel with Tim Partridge (@hellotim) and Denny Tedesco (@WreckCrewFilm), two outrageously talented filmmakers. We’ll share our expertise in using the internet to achieve a creative vision: where art meets social media.

Both Tim and Denny garnered support for their projects, “Life in a Day” and “The Wrecking Crew” respectively, by reaching out to their online community. With support from their social media fan-base, they were able to fund their projects and improve their visibility.

I hope you can join us for this free event!

Social Media Week Panel: “Life in a Day” and “The Wrecking Crew”
Moderated by Willo O’Brien
Friday, February 17th, 11:00am
Adobe San Francisco

“Life in a Day“ is a compilation of footage from all sorts of people across the globe, all filmed on the same day. It’s a great film that showcases the beauty of humans, and all of the fantastic and fragile things that encompasses. Watch the trailer:

Find the Life in a Day project on YouTube and Facebook.

“The Wrecking Crew“ is a peek behind some of the most iconic stars in music to the musicians who made it all happen. It’s an amazing story about how a lot of the same artists recoded in the studio for every famous star from The Beach Boys to Cher, and created the music we all know and love. Watch the trailer:

https://youtu.be/-xs2kJn6PBE
Find The Wrecking Crew film on YouTube and Facebook.

Remember, most all of these events are free, you just have to register, which is pretty cool. I’m off to the VIP party tonight, and will be attending the closing party next Friday night too. Hope to see you there!

The post I'm Speaking at Social Media Week 2012 appeared first on WilloLovesYou.

Recently I made a commitment to listen really closely to my ‘if onlys’ and I feel like, with this intention, every day I get clearer on what drives me; what my purpose is here, and how I can truly serve the universe with the unique gifts I have been given.

Right Now Is All We Have
Today, right now, I don’t need awards or trophies or badges. What’s important is that I’m happy. I am healthy physically/emotionally/mentally, and I have amazing friends and a loving family. I have a beautiful little home and a sweet loving kitty. I have listened to my heart and my creativity close enough to know who I am and what’s important to me in my life. I am making choices every day to give myself the life I want today. Not next month or next year, but really being present and creating the life I want in the everyday.

If this hits home for you, or there has been some part of you longing to do something that you haven’t done yet, simply start by making a commitment to listen. Listen to your heart. Listen to the ‘if onlys’. Listen to the small little voice within you that keeps piping up every once and awhile and is just hoping and praying you’ll stop, get quiet and take the time to listen.

What small thing can you do today to start listening?
Ask yourself what that might be for you. For me, it’s writing. Writing is a powerful tool for listening to the small voices within that are trying to be heard. Start with writing down your “if onlys.” What are the things you wish you were doing? If it were up to you (hint: it is), what would your life look like?

Most importantly, stop comparing yourself to others. “They” are not you. You are the only one who is exactly YOU. You are unique. That’s why it’s extremely important to listen to what YOU want.

Remember, it all starts right here. Right now. You can start doing one little thing every day that will take you closer to where you want to be a year from now. You gotta start somewhere! Now is the time.

I offer consulting and coaching for those who want support as they walk through this process. It can sometimes be difficult to untangle it all ourselves. Work with me and we’ll find the clarity around how you can get closer to making your “if onlys” a reality. Contact me and let’s talk.

The post A year from now you will wish you had started today appeared first on WilloLovesYou.

I started my first business almost by accident, after being laid off from my last “real” job in 2003, where I worked for 3 years as the Lead Web/Flash/Graphic Designer, at a small firm in Potrero Hill. Wasting no time in the few weeks after I got the news, I quickly put together a quick website and business cards to launch WilloToons Baby, offering custom wall painting for nurseries and playrooms. However, it wasn’t long before I started getting inquiries to do freelance Web & Graphic Design, and next thing I knew I had a full client load.

The years to follow were full of a lot of great experience. I’ve had the pleasure of working with some great clients; designing & launching sites for both small and large organizations. I learned valuable skills around managing projects, timelines and client expectations. I hired developers, copywriters and did all my own bookkeeping. And I learned a lot around managing my time, and maintaining a healthy work/life balance. (Raise your hand if you relate to that one. A common side effect of being a passionate, driven person, I suppose, but I feel like I could write a whole book on it!

However, after a few years, I started thinking, what’s next? I really didn’t want to start my own design firm, but instead – for as long as I could remember – I’d been wanting to do something more with my illustrations. So, in May, 2007 I dove in to do just that: designing, producing and launching WilloToons – my super fun product line of tees, onesies & bibs (that since then has developed into greeting cards, jewelry, totes & more) – where geek meets rock ‘n roll! [Note: If you’re interested in reading about this transition, check out my launch post or my mission/vision post.]

Up until then, most of my professional experience had been in services, but I was ready to learn… and boy, did I! The last three years I have learned a LOT about product development, e-commerce, marketing, Quickbooks & bookkeeping, inventory management, COGS, cashflow, customer service, you name it! And honestly, while I could have done a lot of things differently (read: better/smarter/faster) in hindsight, I feel like I’ve been fairly successful, given my means and experience prior to diving in. I feel grateful that in this time I have met friends, and gained happy customers and fans, all around the globe. It’s provided me the opportunity to step into more speaking roles, sharing what I have learned, and consulting other crafters and small business owners in everything from how to get their business online, to marketing through social media, crafting your community, and to some of the more philosophical and psychological realms of being a small business owner (yes, this is another area I could write a whole book on :).

It’s not you, it’s me…
WilloToons has been my baby over the last 3 years, and I’m really proud of all that it’s become, but I’m at this place now–7+ years in, owning and running two fairly successful businesses–where I have some options. I’ve actually been wrestling with this decision for almost a year, really. Because, while I still haven’t seen WilloToons to the full potential I see in my vision, I’ve also learned what it would take to realize that vision. Therefore, causing me to seriously reevaluate if this is even the business that I want to continue growing. I mean, I of course still love illustration and design, I’ve just started feeling like there’s more I can do with ALL of my skills.

It’s kind of like that point in a relationship where you’re like, “sure, we could try to work on this… but I think we both know we need a break.” It’s been rather difficult to get clear on that. Like any relationship, I want to work on it. I don’t want to give up on it, but instead I want to do everything I can to know that I’ve taken responsibility for my part in all of it, and get clear on what it would take to make it better, or to know (really KNOW) that it’s best to just let it go.

Now, I’m not saying I’m letting go of WilloToons at all, which I think has been a big scary thought in this process for me. WilloToons is a part of me! I am WilloToons! :p But, thankfully the store runs itself for the most part right now (with big thanks to my Merchandise Manager, Jen!), and I have a relatively steady stream of client work that comes my way, so I’ve sort of had the luxury of doing this soul searching. I knew one thing was for sure though, just like in any relationship, figuring out what was best for me, meant taking care of myself first. And that, for me, is all about getting back to my creativity. My source. I want to get back to designing, creating, and giving birth to new ideas. I’ve needed to for a long time now, but as any creative in business knows, it can be hard to do that while you’re busy keeping all the plates spinning!

So, over the last few months I’ve been REALLY digging in to look deeper at what I want. For one, after juggling SO MUCH over the last 7 years, I’ve really felt called to unplug a bit more. Since I’d been feeling lost and stuck, instead of allowing myself to stay there, I decided I wanted to flip my life on it’s head, shake it up a bit and see what wanted to rattle out. A big part of this has been clearing and making way for the new to come through. First and foremost, decluttering and refreshing my wonderful little home, that I’ve lived in for these last 7 years, and worked out of for the first 5. Which even included getting rid of my TV, and all the habits that surrounded having that in my space, in order to transform my living room into more of an art studio… huzzah!

So much happened exactly 7 years ago, that has led me into my life as I know it right now… that I think mostly I’ve had to really allow myself to release who I have been – my identity – and how I have let this time, and these businesses, define who I am. I have *reveled* in owning my own business, and launching my dream! I mean, so awesome, right? Aren’t I living the dream, of what so many people in Corporate America wish they were doing? So how could this be not enough for me anymore? These are all rhetorical, mind you, but you can imagine what a rollercoaster it’s been trying to make heads or tales of it. All I knew was I just kept hearing my mind say, “I want to be a part of something bigger.”

Well, thankfully these last few weeks have *finally* brought some clarity… YES!! And the answer? Waaaaait for it…

I want to be a part of something BIGGER!
That’s what it comes down to. I have accumulated SO many awesome skills over the last 7 years and I have SO much to offer now more than ever! I have done this. I have worked on my own and experienced developing and running a business two businesses, giving me experience in both services and products; I’ve managed my time, clients, and employees; I am passionate & motivated, and not afraid (in fact, downright good at) working hard to make something happen, and I want to be a part of a team!

So, over the weekend, I started getting even clearer on what this means for me. Here are some of the questions I have been asking myself:

What does it mean (to me) to “be a part of something bigger?”

• I see so many of my friends, whom I respect so much, accepting positions or starting companies that are developing products on the cutting edge. The tech space has changed SO much over the last few years, and in my opinion is truly more exciting than ever!
• I want to work and learn from other business owners, and professionals who compliment my skills.
• I want to have the means to hire and manage a rockstar team.
• I want my creativity and all that I have to offer to reach a larger population.
• My WilloToons’ mission is to celebrate individuality and expression, so how can I do that on a larger scale?

What are the qualities that are important to me, in feeling good about working with another team or company?

• Forward thinking
• Social/economical awareness
• Environmental awareness
• Fun, easy going people, with healthy communication
• An understanding around what it takes to build a smart team. i.e. Building a team where members are encouraged to work within their strengths

What skills come naturally to me?

• If I look at the last few years in this business, I think one of the most rewarding aspects has been helping people. Through my speaking engagements, teaching, consulting and connecting people… it’s what comes so naturally to me! I love offering perspective to other creatives and small business owners, sharing my process, mentoring and giving tips on how they can make money, develop their community, step into their creativity. I’ve loved helping my clients; I enjoy the communication, knowing that I’m making their lives/businesses easier (not to mention prettier!), and helping them position themselves for success.
• Design & illustration (of course), but now even on a broader scale, with creative direction & strategy. I’m a natural problem solver, big idea thinker, and rapid implementer. In addition to the joy I’ve experienced designing my own site/shop & product line, I’ve taken great pride in working with my clients, designing and developing their vision, and consulting them through the various phases of growing their business.

What am I most passionate about in business? aka What do I have to offer?

• Excellence in Design & Usability
• Awareness and Experience in Social Commerce
• Big Vision & Creative Direction
• Developing Strategy for Implementation
• Marketing, Community, Communication, Connection, Promotion
• Management: Client, Team & Product

Now, how can I wrap all of that up into my next step?
Honestly, I’m not quite sure where all of this is going to take me, but, being the excitable, positive person that I am, you can bet I’m on the edge of my seat!

I envision myself being a part of a core team. So, whether that means I’ll be starting up another company of my own, or joining a company at the ground floor (or close to it), I’m really looking forward to being able to really have an impact, utilizing my strengths and passion for the ultimate good of a great product or service. I’ve been talking to some friends, and we brainstormed a few things. Even that it might be a good idea to talk to some of our friends who are investors, or on Boards of startups who have the business, finance and tech aspects figured out, but need more creative direction. Who knows, but I’m putting it out there, and I’m ready!

Thanks so much for those taking the time to read this, and so many of you who have been with me on every step of these adventures thus far. I feel incredibly grateful for every single one of my friends and supporters out there, so seriously, thank you. I’d love to hear if you feel I’m missing anything in all of the above, or if while reading it you had a vision for what you see me doing with all that I have to offer. I’m looking forward to taking this next step, and you know I’ll be sharing it with you… that’s what I do!

The post Time for a Change appeared first on WilloLovesYou.