I know, I know. It's not even Halloween yet. Don't hate me.
But October is Fair Trade Month so what better way to celebrate than thinking ahead a little to consider buying gifts with more meaning and good juju. Opting for a fair trade gift means the workers that made the item are paid a fair wage and they have safe working conditions. It also often means more sustainable practices.
Baskets are a great present because they are useful and beautiful.
Cherry Checkered Basket from SERV - $68
While living in a small space can seem like a recipe for frustration for some, for others it can feel like a slice of freedom. Erin Boyle of Reading My Tea Leaves joyfully lives in a tiny one bedroom apartment with her husband and small daughter in Brooklyn NY. She shared a bit about their life in a 400 square foot apartment, what is important, living simply, considerations for their relationships in relation to their space and more. I so enjoyed talking with Erin and I hope that you enjoy the conversation!
My favorite podcasts are a mix of design, stories and business. However, I spend the majority of my time listening to business podcasts because I've always been a bit geeky with entrepreneurship, entering business plan contests and spending hours researching each small part of starting and running businesses. I love a good success story and really appreciate when others share what they have learned from their failures, because everybody has them!
The Accidental Creative
This one has crossover into the business category. The host Todd Henry delivers great productivity and creativity tips and systems that have been really helpful to me. I've listened to Todd Henry's book Die Empty through Audible, read by him, and it's even more helpful.
After The Jump
Conversations with Grace Bonney and a diverse group of designers and collaborators. It's great to hear what is going on in the design blog world and beyond. I started listening to this one in design school while I drafted late into the night (in between episodes of Project Runway) and loved the creative fuel it gave me.
The Moth Podcast
My sister got me hooked on this podcast. It's storytelling at it's finest. You know that feeling when you get when you check your inbox and there is an email from someone you really care about? That's how I feel when I see Moth has a new podcast.
NPR: Story Corps
You can't listen without tearing up or possibly laughing. Always in a good deep-felt way. Not in a "geez I don't feel like crying today" way.
Pat Flynn's Smart Passive Income
He used to work for an architectural firm but got let go because of the economy. Their loss is our gain, he always has great tips for any online business and success stories. Plus he's just a super nice guy.
John Lee Dumas' Entrepreneur on Fire
I love this one because it's 7 days a week, and I always know what to expect because he asks all his guests the same questions. My favorite question of his is for his interviewees to share a specific failure that they have learned and grown from.
Sean Wes
Even though he comes from the perspective of a young guy with no kiddos making him a little difficult to relate to, he still has great business sense and drive. Although he can be a bit extreme sometimes, even his most "cooky" ideas are thought provoking.
Have a favorite podcast? I'd love to hear about it! Join the conversation.
A few weeks ago, just after launching the podcast, I got an email from iTunes. They wanted to let me know that the podcast would be featured on the New & Noteworthy section. I had read about this while doing research on starting a podcast, learning that it was a very good thing. I was planning to start the podcast slowly and a bit quietly as I got my footing and some experience. But after only two podcasts, there it was, front and center.
It quickly climbed to over 900 subscribers and I was blown away by the support for the podcast. At first I was elated, emailing family screen shots and posting to Facebook. By the second day I had this feeling in the pit of my stomach that I was going to royally screw this up. I've been listening to so many entrepreneur podcast lately talking about "imposter syndrome". I really connected with that term. It's something most everyone goes through. I was convinced that everyone was going to subscribe, then unsubscribe a week later.
We made it to the #7 spot on design podcasts...
and #6 on top episodes in the design section as well.
To some extent that has happened, and I'm totally fine with it. I want to truly connect with my listeners and if it isn't what someone is looking for, I get it. It seems to be leveling out a bit now around 600 subscribers. I'm excited to see how it can grow organically (although I think it will be featured once more on iTunes soon, which is great). I've gotten texts, comments and emails from supportive and excited old friends and new friends. I've loved our past guests and am really looking forward to upcoming guests. If you know of someone that you think would be perfect for the show, feel free to let me know!
Tomorrow I'll share some of my favorite podcasts that I listen to. I would love to hear a list of your favorites as well.
