Hello to my Beautiful Friends. I know it has been a hot minute since I last wrote in this category. I will not apologize, sometimes I need a break to fill my own cup, run my spoons through the dishwasher, and just be with myself. I plan to be writing here every other week for a while so that I can get back into the habit of blogging and sharing my Adventures With Makeup.
Like so many people on social media, I am a direct marketer. I still have a lot to learn, and I am happy to say that 2020 provided me with some new opportunities. I gained a part-time job in the beauty industry. I can continue to grow and challenge myself there while serving the local community of stylists in a retail store. Physically, I wasn’t sure that I could ever work on my feet again, but this job has allowed me to build up my stamina. I still have moments when my nerve pain bothers me, however, my doctor has been able to prescribe something to help manage it. I am gaining confidence in my ability to work on my feet, and in my expanding knowledge of the beauty industry as well.
My business offered some wonderful bundles of makeup throughout the holiday season. In 2019, I was only able to purchase one of them. In 2020, I made it a mission to get them all. I have received all but the last holiday bundle to date, and I am eagerly checking the tracking information for updates. I had mini celebrations here as bundles one through nine arrived in my mailbox. I have not tried out all of the products, yet. I have tried a few, and I am impressed with all of them so far.
You see, I had a plan when I decided to get the holiday bundles for myself. I wanted to have my own products to use, so that I can give them my honest reviews. I am honest to a fault, and I value my integrity immensely. I am an optimist and I do my best to find the bright side of everything I can. So even when I review products, I will be honest if I am not happy with them, explain what I do not like, and then spin it to aim towards people who like the things I do not. I am not in the business of destroying anything or anyone, I look for something good in everything and everyone.
Today I wanted to set the stage for the next entries. I will be scheduling time to use the products I received in the bundles, to help me to grow my business. It is hard to tell people why you love something if you have not tried it yourself, and I now have more to work with. It is one reason for the title of this blog, and why I decided to invest in my business.
The other reason is personal. I have found that I really enjoy playing with makeup! I do not wear it every day. For me, it is something I have worn in the past for special occasions only. I sometimes share eyes only posts, because we have to wear masks due to the pandemic to minimize the spread of Covid-19. I wish I could have written this blog without referring to the pandemic, but it is here, and we are adapting as much as we can to be able to survive it. So many people have died from it, and many are suffering, either from fighting the illness or from the loss of loved ones. Others are struggling with mental health issues. If you missed the connection above, filling your cup and running out of spoons are references to mental health and wellness.
Eyes Only. Looking toward the future with hope.
One thing you can do to make yourself feel better is to do makeup on your eyes only if you have to wear a mask. When you have a day off and do not plan to leave the house, it is a great excuse to do a full face of makeup to make yourself feel better and to snap a new profile pic for your social media. Show people your blank canvas, and then enhance your natural beauty with makeup. There are lots of tutorials on Youtube for different makeup trends, and if you are going to play, why not learn something new at the same time? It could be a technique, a new style of makeup brush to use, or if you splurge, you can try new makeup and learn from makeup artists online.
I am working towards a collection of my own makeup, from my own company, so that I can show people how to use it and what the benefits are for the products. There is a skincare line, and it is something I am working towards earning more of in 2021.
I have slowly been growing my makeup biz, and I am constantly looking for new ideas of how to make it more successful. I am sharing my first official ‘look’ photo above, and two more here. When I do a full face of makeup, I like to take numerous selfies, including some with my glasses on, and some without. Then I can show how the makeup looks whether you wear glasses or you don’t.
I shared these photos as Facebook Stories in December 2020.
I feel like I am improving my skills, and that will translate to more customers in the future. It is the ultimate goal of any entrepreneur to grow their business. As I work on this, I always want to remind myself that we are all Always Beautiful and that applying makeup is a skill we can use to enhance our own natural beauty. I believe this is something that I am learning myself, and I am happy to share the journey with all who are interested in following me on this path. I know I am beautiful on the inside, but for years, I would only want to be the person behind the camera taking the pictures, not being in them. I have come a long way in five years, personally, and I am looking forward to the future with hope. I share the good selfies, and the bad ones, to show that I am learning and that it is okay to share the not so perfect pics because they aren’t all the best pictures of me. They are pictures of me, though, and I do not use filters. Whether or not I am wearing makeup, I have gained so much confidence in myself that I don’t think twice about sharing the silly selfies. They make me human, and that is something we all have in common.
The journey of #Tishspiration has been an adventure, with many twists and turns along the way. Right now, it really feels like an uphill battle. You know what I mean, you are on a narrow path, climbing a mountain one step at a time.
When this happens, you have two choices. You can stop for a rest, or you can choose a different path. I choose to rest when I need to but keep aiming for the top of the mountain.
I have been working towards the dream of launching my own business since January. While I am on this path, I am meeting people, in the areas of personal and business development. I have been in a constant state of learning for three years. Becoming an entrepreneur alongside of being a published author is the direction I must keep moving towards.
Why DIY?
Here is the thing. For the last three years, I have been learning as much as I can from free online training programs. I have to confess, that first one with the pitch at the end really threw me for a loop. I had never experienced a sales pitch for an online program before.
In this realm of online training, you have two choices. You can choose a program to invest in to have professionals help you get your business idea up and running, or you can do it yourself.
If you only have time and energy to invest in your business, it makes investing money into your dreams difficult. I started with baby steps to invest in myself financially. Quite frankly, in the online business world, it comes highly recommended.
I have had good experiences, and I have had good results after paying more than I expected. There are lessons to learn as I work towards bettering myself.
What have I tried?
I tried an online coach hot seat. I would be able to talk about my business and the coach would ask questions and offer advice. The really cool thing is that participants like myself also offered help and advice. It may have been my nervousness which caused them to want to offer support, as I was visibly nervous when my turn came around.
The coach was gracious and encouraged me to talk more about my business plan. (It has changed entirely since this session). She knew from my application that there was more to my business plan than what I was saying when the spotlight was on me. Except for my nervousness about being in the hot seat with someone I follow who is confident and has an incredible sense of business, this experience was a positive one, which I would do again if the timing and price were right.
What else have I tried?
I took a paid online challenge. There is no disputing that I did indeed get value from working through this challenge. However, the cost of doing so from a financial point of view was more than double what I expected to pay.
The series of unexpected charges which kept adding up made me feel like I was not treated fairly. I was aware of the exchange rate and having to pay a little more because I live in Canada, not the USA. After the first unexpected charge on my credit card, I asked some questions. They answered, and I was okay with their explanation until the postman delivered a book to go with the challenge, and I had to pay more money.
The work done with this online challenge did lead to a breakthrough for me, and for that I am grateful. I didn’t sign up for their next challenge, as I had a bad taste in my mouth when the sales pitch came at me.
What Lessons Have I Learned?
Sometimes I get really nervous. It can impact my experience both positively and negatively. It positively gathered more support for me than anyone else in the group coaching session. My authentic self has the ability to surprise me in what it can do, even when my palms are sweaty and my words are not conveying my whole message. I will go for it again and be less nervous the next time because I have tried it before.
It is good business sense to set the expectations for your clients in all aspects of the services you are providing. If I had known how much that paid online challenge was going to cost me in the end, I may not have taken it. Or, I would have been expecting each charge, and not becoming upset when I experienced each additional fee.
Now, some of you may be thinking I should have refused the package. It was tempting, but I want to read this book to see if it is worth the extra cost. I went to my husband one more time, as he does our household budget and I explained that there was yet another unanticipated charge on a credit card. We were both ticked off at the financial consequences of my signing up for the paid online challenge. After our discussion, we also agreed that the lessons to be learned would not be easily forgotten.
Surprises are everywhere.
Regardless of the financial impacts, I have crossed a toe over the line into paid online training. The value of what I have learned outweighs the charges on the one hand. On the other hand, I had a breakthrough with personal growth and I was amazed when people started offering to help me from an unpredictable source.
Tishspiration is The Art of Surprising Yourself. When you push your boundaries and limits, even in a small way, you might just be surprised at the results. It will not be a big deal unless you choose to learn the lessons life delivers to you and you are open to the possibilities of success. When you find your own Tishspiration, please do celebrate it with me! It is a feeling like no other when you accomplish something you never thought you could do. I would love to celebrate with you, so please share your wins in the comments so I can.
#Tishspiration Tuesdays have been missing here lately. I find myself heading back to the beginning. I am creating a business, with what I thought was an incredible idea, to help artists and authors through a subscription box service. The plan was to collect art, write stories, create my own Bling, and find other inspirational items to go into a box. I thought about launching bi-monthly, or quarterly.
Instead of worrying about it being wildly successful, I tell myself that will be a good thing, as I will need to hire help. I was moving forward with as much as I could before making it all official.
The first problem I ran into was the cash flow. When I started to add my own salary into the budget, I started to lose money. This concerned me, and my business advisor. He has been working with me for months to help me apply for the self-employment program, which would allow me to draw on unemployment insurance for 12 more weeks while I grow my business, and most importantly, not have to claim my earnings against the unemployment insurance with this program.
Last week, I asked for a meeting to figure out what was going wrong with my cash flow, and what I should do to make it work.
I learned I had to re-evaluate everything. Budget. Cost of goods. Sale price. How much to ask for a startup loan. All of the elements I had worked so hard on to make a business plan to make my entrepreneurial dreams a reality.
I am in a networking group called 100 Coffees. The Coffee Community is women who want to learn networking techniques. It works on a basic principle of having virtual meetings, which we call coffees, with two members a week. I am more active in the community now and involved in a weekly Master Mind meeting. I have been working with my peers within the group to develop the ideas for my business.
Two weeks ago, our weekly meeting started having more participants. One was not convinced that the subscription box idea would be right for me.
This made me pause and doubt my plans.
We found time to have an online chat together, separate from the weekly meeting. We both shared where our thoughts were coming from, and at the end of our conversation, she was concerned that I was upset. I was quiet and explained that I was processing. Some of my fears were valid, and I was having a brain pretzel moment.
What were my fears? I worried that if the business was too successful, it would cause problems with finding enough artists to contribute to the boxes as I have only had one inquiry since I started my local networking with artists to exchange information. I have enough product for the first box, but no solid leads for the second.
This is when the questions became a little harder to answer. I was asked to choose between being an author or a jewellery designer. It made me pause to think again. I know I am a writer who loves crafts. I have narrowed the scope to jewellery designing for business purposes, with the Tish MacWebber Always Blinging business.
The jewellery business has never been my purpose.
It is really hard for me to admit this. I love being creative. For as long as I can remember, I have always made gifts for people. I had to search my heart to find my answer.
Writing is my purpose. Creativity is my passion. Jewellery Designing is my pleasure.
I wrote this when I relaunched my website in January 2019. My answer was right in front of me this whole time. People have asked me to narrow my scope since I started this journey to become an entrepreneur, and true to my stubborn, Scottish roots, I dug in my heels. I wanted to do it all.
For 17 years I have tried to get the jewellery business to be my thing. I will continue to work on it, but it is time to be realistic about it and see it for the hobby it really is. There are customers who I can rely on me when they need something special. The challenge of custom orders, especially when I can surprise my clients with the bling they didn’t know they needed, is something I enjoy. I will continue to make gifts for family and friends, however, I will not be continuing with it as a business. I’ll still sell pieces as a side hustle, but it will not be along for the ride in the passenger seat any more. It is time to pack it into the backseat, or maybe even in the trunk for a while. Not forever, but for now.
In three days, I will need to submit a new business plan
It is a little daunting to start it all over, after spending so much time on it already. I have to take what I have learned from meeting with professionals, and with my networking group to move forward. Yes, I have a plan.
My one on one meeting with my peer also made me come to this conclusion. She told me I would be lost in the subscription box business because it wasn’t about me. Her concern was that I will not reach the people I am meant to help with this business idea.
I have been reading two books. Don’t Sweat The Small Stuff by Richard Carlson and You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero. Yes, I do read in the washroom and the bedroom for a few minutes when I can. Real books; usually more than one at a time. I have 2 others in progress and am thinking about picking up a fifth as I have a stack of books from the library which I need to speed read to get through them all before the due date.
They are about changing the way you think, and I have been working on affirmation statements for a while. I realized today that I only need one. It is something I have been saying for a while now, and I shared it on my Facebook profile earlier this evening.
The world needs more Tish.
My next challenge is to rethink the whole business plan, based on this affirmation. In no way is it meant to be egotistical. I am not arrogant or conceited when I am saying this. What this affirmation means to me is that I can help people by being myself, and sharing the best parts of me with others.
My new business plan will reflect this. I can’t wait to share more details with you as they develop. Thank you for following my journey. Here comes another left turn. Hang on!
Hello Treasure Seekers! (Sorry it is Wednesday now, but I needed more time to get something extra special for you!) It is time to write something a little different. Again. 🙂 Stick with me, I have an idea.
I recently went to a movie premiere for Anonymous Zombie. It was filmed here, in New Brunswick, and I know the Special/Visual Makeup Artist for this movie. The title this week gives away my idea, it is to interview my friend, Kadi Oram. I have known her for at least fifteen years, now. We met as vendors at Impossible Realities; a gaming convention, in Saint John, New Brunswick. We have each been travelling on our own individual creative paths to becoming entrepreneurs. I am happy that I was able to see her name on the big screen during the premiere. I think it is really important that we stay in touch, especially as we are both carving our own paths to capture our dreams and rein them in. Here is the interview.
Tish: We first met at Impossible Realities. I find it uncoincidental that we were both there as vendors, wives of Gamer Husbands, trying to make our own craftiness pay off, each one in her own way. What gave you the idea to do that?
Kadi:I have always been crafty. I saw it as an opportunity to get my self out there. Perhaps make a name for myself. I think it was boredom honestly haha.
Tish: What was the first craft that you learned how to do?
Kadi:Ohhh that’s a tough one. I know I used to paint on board and make Holiday crafts around Christmas time. Goodness, that would be back when I was about 8.
Tish: Which craft do you still do from way back?
Kadi:Sadly I don’t actually craft anymore. I used to do perlers, clay work, beadwork. and now I am just far too busy with my new career choice. It doesn’t leave me a lot of free time.
Tish: Is there a creative hobby that you just can’t give up on?
Kadi:I guess my desire to own all the crafty things, even if I may never use em. Haha.
Tish: The desire to own all of the crafty things is something I can totally understand. I think a lot of other creative souls out there will relate to that sentiment, whether or not they are actively working on their crafts. Was there a pivotal moment that made you decide to go to school and pursue your current career path?
Kadi:Yes. three years ago, We went to Crystal Palace as a family and my eldest wanted to get her face painted. We did it, she fell in love with it, and demanded a face painter for her upcoming birthday party. With no avail, I took on the role myself. 3 years later I have achieved quite a reputation for myself and am now on film #3. *winks*
Tish: How did you know it was the right career choice for you?
Kadi:Anything with Beauty, Glam, Gore, Glitter and Colour, pretty much sums up my life so being a Makeup Artist and Face Painter made sense.
Tish: Where does the desire to be a Special/Visual Makeup Artist come from?
Kadi: I suppose it comes from the desire to always be bigger and better. And to go from a children’s party favour to become a critical part of a team for feature films is a pretty solid direction of bigger and better.
Tish: Did you ever think that you would be turning actors into Zombies?
Kadi:Maybe in my head, I did, which is why I think its so easy for me to imagine and put one together. Haha.
Tish: What was the dream that you have been chasing?
Kadi:To make my family and children proud of their Wife, Mom, Daughter.
Tish: Have you achieved it yet?
Kadi:I sure hope so.
Tish: I know you do. As you (may, or may not) know, I am on my own personal journey, taking my beadwork alongside my Author Career Goals. What type of books do you like to read?
Kadi:Ohhh I’m a harrrrrd core nerd. Fantasy is pretty much right up my alley. Hobbit-esque.
Tish: Excellent. After I am finished writing my NaNoWriMo book about cat stories, I am going to work on one of my lifelong dreams of writing a Fantasy Trilogy. Do you have a favourite Author?
Kadi:Well with that I’d have to say, Tolkien. In fact, I have a Tolkien tattoo, it’s elvish, on my thigh *Proud*
Tish: What is next for you in your entrepreneurial goals?
Kadi:Opening a Salon of my own now that I have graduated Aesthetic College with a 99% average, might I add. It made sense for me to open and continue to do my movies and face painting.
Tish: Where does your inspiration come from?
Kadi:My own head, my children, everything and anything around me. I can usually turn my work into something beautiful or something horrifying.
Tish: Other than the wonderful things you have accomplished in your personal life, what are you most proud of yourself for doing?
Kadi:Pushing myself when there were so many days I didn’t feel adequate enough. My children and husband are a huge inspiration of my pride. My friends *smiles*. I’m proud; I refuse to let any of you down.
Tish: What scares you, and how do you overcome the fear?
Kadi:The fear of failing scares me.
I try to look at what I’ve accomplished so far and I remind myself that now, no one can take this away from me. We were surprised with great news today, Anonymous Zombie had won an award in Berlin at the Rising of the Undead Film Festival, for Best Zombie Movie!! Another thing to take with me and hold dear to my heart. and to keep that fear of failing far, far at bay.
Tish: What advice would you give to people who are just starting on their journey, and how are you planning to teach your daughters about this journey?
Kadi:My one piece of advice, would be…. Never think you’re good enough. Never think you’re the best. Having that fear of someone else being better will keep you on your toes and keep your game strong and on top. I plan to tell my daughters this. Humility is important in any journey. Always keep yours.
Wow. Am I ever glad I thought of doing this interview. Kadi, thank you for taking the time to answer my questions and lend your wisdom to the Treasure Seekers. I know I certainly have enjoyed being your friend, and watching you take chances and grow as an entrepreneur. You are someone I am going to be proud to call my friend years from now; when we are both having a glass of wine and reminiscing about how we exploded into our own niches and expanded our horizons beyond our wildest imaginations. Congratulations Kadi, for believing in yourself and not settling for anything less than your very best, and Congratulations to the Cast and Crew of Anonymous Zombie for winning that award in Berlin! That is fantastic news. I am so glad you shared it here. I cannot wait to find out when and where I can catch the movie again. I want to share it with my friends!
There you have it! My first interview on my Blog. I know other authors interview authors, and I may try that later on in the blog. Kadi is such an inspiration to me, I love cheering her on, and cannot wait to see what she gets to do next!
I have been working on myself in more areas than one, all at once. I am learning, growing and changing as a result of the work I am doing. The work I am doing online involves some challenges. I am thinking (more than usual) and I am inspired! I am working to change my life by turning my dreams into a reality.
I first took part in the #brandstorychallenge last week. It is over now, and people actually participate in it more than once. It is that good, and the information is different each time you take it! The basics may be similar each time, as it has a solid foundation, but you are guaranteed to learn something new each time you take this free challenge. My Day 6 Bonus Challenge homework was a design I made in Canva. That program was introduced to me earlier in my blogging journey. Along with Pixabay, where I get some of the most wonderful pictures that are free to use for my blog like the flower pictures shared in this story, are two of the many tips I have learned from asking a million and one questions. Which I do. All the time.
I am proud of completing the first challenge, and this was the “Culture Credo” bonus that I designed:
I am really excited about how that turned out. I LOVE it when my brain works and comes up with the most creative and wonderful ideas. That is why I am here, still blogging. It is something I have a lot of fun with, and something that I really enjoy!
This week started a new challenge. It is all about the audience. It is the #growyourtribechallenge. The same person that taught the first one is teaching this one, too. I have just completed the Day 2 homework. I like the things I am learning. It is making me think, and because I am writing my answers in a journal, and sharing it all every day, privately in the #PaidToBeYouPosse group (where you can find the challenges if you are interested) on Facebook and sharing the summaries publicly to win prizes.
After completing the #BrandStoryChallenge, I was in the draw for a prize, but I did not win. I feel like I won something that will help me move forward, though. I asked a list of questions, and they were almost all answered in the closing video for the challenge last week. I used my talent of rapid fire think and ask questions to my advantage. Jennifer Kem graciously took almost an hour of the 90-minute video to address almost all of my questions. I am certain that other people were maybe too shy to ask, and I certainly didn’t think she would pick more than one or two at most. As she runs a four-month long course that is not free like the challenges I am participating in, I didn’t get EVERY SINGLE QUESTION answered, but that is SMART. It makes me want to start saving up for the next time the course will be offered, to get more training to become a successful entrepreneur. I have already started business ideas before this, so I do consider myself an entrepreneur. Becoming a success story, well that is what I am developing as I progress on this journey. So again, Jennifer, thanks for the answers, I feel like I had a coaching session, and the advice was priceless! If you are interested in her course, check out her website http://www.jenniferkem.com/. She teaches about #masterbrand and #paidtobeyou.
Now, to address the two remaining elements in this Tish-ism. What brought this one to life? I was journaling away at my homework from Day 2. I was on the final question, and it was in my mind. The people in my tribe that read this blog are open to the “Tish-bits” of information that I share here. I was inspired in the middle of answering that question, and I just put up a bracket and wrote it and used some other terms in the answer too. I Tishsplained “Tish-isms”, “Tishsplaining”, and my new term “Tish-bits” right in the body of my answer. If you have been following my blog, then you will know that my brain never stops, and it felt right to me to just stick it all in my answer. I made it all relatable like I do.
The last mysterious element in the latest Tish-ism is what kind of flower that picture at the top of the story was. I will solve the mystery here if you didn’t guess it already.
It was a close-up of a Sunflower, my second favourite flower, after the Wild Cape Breton Rose.
