Who are you and what do you do?
I’m the woman who created bone sigh arts. On the surface, I create prints and greeting cards, mixing poetry and art. Scratch the surface a little more, and you’ll find deeply feminine creations that reflect a woman’s journey into finding herself. Come on down a little deeper, and you’ll find a community run with heart and with the purpose of supporting and encouraging anyone who’s struggling. Over the past 10 years, I’ve come to witness and believe in the power of sharing our stories. Sharing who we are helps us all remember that we all matter. My goal is to offer a candle in the darkness and to remind everyone to honor themselves.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I have a trusted team I go to when I want to hammer out an idea. I’ll bring the idea in a fuzzy form and throw it on the table. We’ll all talk about it and take the haziness away. In talking out loud, I can hear what’s most important to me about the idea and the best way to make that come alive. Then it’s just a matter of getting up and doing the legwork. Once I decide to do something, I don’t get hung up on it being perfect. I dive in and just start. It takes shape as I go along. I enjoy watching that happen and I enjoy trusting that it will happen.
What is the one book that you recommend our community should read and why?
I don’t have an exact title, but I do have the topic. The title would be your personal choice. But the topic would be about believing in yourself. You might be able to run your own business with a shaky belief in yourself (maybe), but you can’t offer who you are unless that belief is solid. And to be truly successful, I think you need to offer who you are. So any book that helps you with that – and one you can grab in those self doubting moments…that’s what you want on your shelf!
What is one piece of advice that you’d like to give?
Be real. Don’t try to be something you’re not. Be who you are, enjoy who you are and offer who you are with your whole heart. It’s not only appealing, it can change the world.
What is one idea that you’re going to bring to life in 2012?
There are so many roles you take on when you run your own business. I’m the artist, the poet and the creator of the art we offer. I’m the bookkeeper, customer service representative and the shelf stocker. The one part that has alluded me, intimidated me and frustrated me is the advertiser/marketer. I would like 2012 to be the year in which I learn that role in a way that feels real and positive. I would like to be able to wear the artist hat and the businessperson hat both comfortably and proudly. So for me, 2012 is the year of the hats! Fedora anyone?
Mario Schulzke is the Founder of ideamensch, which he started a decade ago to learn from entrepreneurs and give them a platform for their ideas.