In this email:

• ⚖️ It's my 15-year biz anniversary! A reflection.
• 👩‍🎨 Something Fun: Dr. Sketchy's Philly is back! Memory lane flashback (scroll down for photos from '07-'09).

Friends,

This month, I celebrated 15-years in business! It’s been a wild ride. I’ve learned a ton, but one item that’s made a significant impact is the transformation (and improvement) of my relationship between my work and my life.

My work doesn’t define me. This is an idea I’ve struggled with over the years.

Before I started my business, I was the typical worker bee. Not necessarily a bad thing. I had to be. I didn’t have any monetary support when I was starting out and moved to Philadelphia for college. If I wanted to go, I had to figure everything out on my own. That meant working full-time + work study to support myself while also taking a full credit load in college. After graduation, that turned into working a full-time job while also working nights, freelancing, and hosting events (read about my days directing Dr. Sketchy's Philly in the next section) to make ends meet.

Having that drive has gotten me to where I am today. For that, I’m grateful. Those experiences have shaped who I am today and what role work plays in my life.

But I was miserable. I was tired all the time. And I definitely didn’t feel like I was living - even if the work was work I loved (spoiler: that old saying, "find a job you love doing and never work a day in your life" - heh... turns out not so much...). I made just enough to pay my bills (struggling some months just to do that) with nothing to show for relaxation. The further I got into the workforce, the more I realized this unquestioned and accepted way of life was a complete mismatch for me. Something had to change.

Flash forward to today. I’m still very into my work, but its level of importance has changed. Rather than it ruling my life, I’ve designed my business in such a way that it supports my life. I’m mindful that work is a supporting character instead of the star.

The moment I decided to invest more in myself, start my business and work for myself, I was able to begin creating a life I love. Autonomy is everything for me. I set the boundaries. I understand the value of my work and how it helps others. I’ve had the freedom to develop my own processes and methods that people specifically seek me out for. And the biggest item… I truly understand the value of my work (in terms of time and compensation) and I’m no longer working more than I’m living.

Today, I’m mindful of time spent in the office. I have set hours that work for me (which can and should be different for everyone based on preferences and needs), but you can be sure that when work is done, I’m closing my office doors to either go outside, spend time with my family, friends, or exploring something non-work related that brings me joy.

“Enough” or the philosophy of "Lagom" (which a friend of mine shared with me - thanks, Kara!) is the inspiration for my time spent doing work.

What I’ve learned about myself is that I’m happiest LIVING my life. And while I love what I do for work, that isn’t what life’s about for me. I’m at my best when I am able to get lost in the simple moments of life. Gardening, cooking, hiking, exploring, reading a good book, having a conversation with a friend, being goofy, dancing, singing, drawing (for fun), roller skating, and more!

I’m a much happier and healthier person today. Thanks to pulling myself out of the “this is just how it is” rut and engrained expectations of what work is “supposed” to look like.

So, to celebrate my 15-year business anniversary, I wanted to inspire you with the idea and possibility of work being what you need it to be. Whether it’s the standard job or one you design to fit your life, my hope is that everyone feels good about taking a chance on themselves and their happiness.

Of course, it goes without saying that it's a very difficult process getting there at times. Self-employment is not for everyone. I also understand that while some may want to move into self-employment, their situations make it almost impossilbe to achieve. But if you're able to spend a few hours, here and there, to create and build something for yourself (whether part-time or full-time) putting your energy into something that may someday allow for the freedoms you require is incredibly rewarding. Know that if you do decide to take the plunge, there are lots of us out here ready to support you. 🚀
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If any of that appeals to you, I'll have a helpful announcement in my next email about Season Four of Work In Progress (an incredible community my friend, Alex Hillman and I launched January 2021) that will help support you if you choose to explore this route. Stay tuned!

👩‍🎨Something Fun:
Dr. Sketchy's Philly is back!

Some of you have been subscribers of this newsletter since my Dr. Sketchy’s Philly days back in '07-'09. Remember those events? Some of you were die-hard attendees and may be in these photos:

Photos courtesy of various photographers: Jimmy McMillan, Leah McDonald, Michele Alvaro, & Andreas

Oh my gosh! Some of my best and favorite memories are from my time as the director of Dr. Sketchy’s Philly (shoutout to The Midwives Collective for their help the first year). If you read the previous section where I call back to this particular time in my life when I was working all of the time and putting on these events, I, of course, still look back with fond and happy memories.

For those of you who aren’t familiar, Dr. Sketchy's (with branches worldwide) is an event created by Molly Crabapple. While each branch is a bit different, I added a bit of my own flavor to design the Philly branch as a party for artists to come together, draw burlesque models in full costume (with occasional sideshow performers, roller derby skaters, and other fun alt models sprinkled in) while tunes played from the DJ booth and a bartender poured drinks. Needless to say, it was one of the most fun times in my history of producing events.

Since 2010, there have been a few more Dr. Sketchy’s Philly iterations. Each director since has been either one of my Art Monkeys (what we called our artists) or one of my models. All of them, my friends.
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​Which brings me to some good news! Candy Mayhem, previous director AND model of Dr. Sketchy’s Philly (she's in two of the pics above as one of my fabulous models ❤️ - I love this woman), is bringing it back! It will be a quarterly event with the premiere event scheduled for Sunday, May 7th! And… she’s asked me to handle the promotional graphics! One of my favorite parts of directing these events was the work I did around marketing and design. Below is a snapshot of some of my favorite promos from my time as director. I used to plaster them all over the Philly and South Jersey region. <3 What a time.

I’ll keep you updated with more info and how you can buy tix if you’re interested in Candy’s next iteration (which I’m sure many of you will be). For now, follow along on their Instagram for announcements. More very soon! 😉

How you can work with me:

Are you in the market for a new Visual Brand Identity or an updated or refreshed identity? My project calendar has a few openings. I only take on 2-3 Identities each quarter, so make sure to book your spot soon. Reply to this email to start the conversation or book your complimentary 30-minute consultation so I can learn more about you and your business.

If your business is 1+ years old, but you’re not quite sure what it needs to improve in terms of its Visual Brand Identity, my Light Brand Identity Audits are for you! Bonus: the cost of the Audit can be used toward a full Visual Brand Identity Package. A win, win!

And if you’re feeling creative and want to try your hand at creating your own Visual Brand Identity. I’ve got your back! Read Logo-To-Go for tips and tricks as well as what you’ll need to know (that you may not have considered) when you tackle your project.

Happily designing my life,

Nicola