Business Journal: a place to celebrate wins & reflect - 39th Edition

March’s highlights included working on all of the branding projects, launching the “Take Chelsie to Lunch” program, celebrating women, voting in Chicago’s local election, and presenting on topics of marketing and entrepreneurship.

The Big Wins

• Worked on all of the branding projects, including a logo for a polymer clay earring brand, a business focused on the Enneagram, and an avid crafter. I have three spots open for branding projects in quarter two, reach out today if you’d like to discuss what working together could look like.

• Put the “Take Chelsie to Lunch” program out into the world. This is my solution to “pick your brain” coffee date requests. You can learn more about the program and take advantage of a session here.

• Recorded a version of my How to Show Up Online as an Artist presentation that I debuted at the Business of Art Conference in Peoria last month. You can watch it for free on-demand here.

General Updates + Accomplishments:

• Celebrated women all month long! Highlights included attending a women’s restaurant event, a Logan Square Chamber panel event on IWD, the US-concert debut of JOON, a monthly Sunnyside Chats meeting, an Inner Workout book launch party, and a virtual, all-women panel as part of AMAC’s monthly Legends & Leapers series.

• Advocated for voting in local elections by getting behind the #Artists4BrandonJohnson movement and creating my own artwork to support the cause. Chicagoans, you have until April 4th to vote in the runoff election!

• Created a portrait of Judy Heumann to celebrate her incredible life and advocacy efforts in the disability rights space. If you are not familiar with her work, I’d highly recommend giving her memoir, Being Heumann, a read. Judy passed away on March 4, 2023 and will forever be remembered for her positive spirt and law-changing advocacy.

• Had a fun Staycation Day in Ravenswood and Lincoln Square with Daniel. Highlights included trying the pizza and arancini at Spacca Napoli, walking around the area and popping into local shops (and sneaking in an order drop off at Midwest Nice, which included new Geneva stickers), grabbing drinks at The Longroom and Kite String Cantina, and indulging in a German feast at Laschet’s Inn. 

• Enjoyed a visit from my parents and friend Michelle. We spent some time planning our upcoming Italy trip as well our wedding tour with my parents.

• Presented to the WBDC’s ScaleHigher Aurora cohort as well as to the capstone design class at Dominican University. If you are looking for a speaker for your group or class, you can inquire about my availability here.

• Wrapped up six weeks of cohort five of Self-Made Artist Academy. I am moving to an on-demand format instead of twice-a-year cohorts, so if you are interested in taking the course, you can enroll whenever you’re ready (and yes, the pay-what-you-can options are still available).

I spent the entire month of March in Chicago and enjoyed getting ahead on projects, enjoying the unseasonably mild weather, and preparing for some fun adventures and opportunities in the coming months. Projects (especially those as part of the Artist Trade Program) are currently booking out further than usual, so if you’d like to work together in the coming months, please reach out soon!

In April, I’m most looking forward to traveling to Italy with Daniel and my parents as well as preparing for my first trade show (at the Museum Store Association Conference in Denver) in May and wrapping up some fun design projects.

March is National Kidney Month!

Which means I must shine the spotlight on one of my favorite passion projects of all time: Cool Beans. Check out my fun, renal-diet-inspired restaurant concept here.

Thank you for being here, for supporting me, and for following along with my entrepreneurial journey.

PS - Have a project you’d like to chat about? Send me the details now to ensure your project gets on my calendar in 2023. Bring on all the logos, branded merchandise, + brand identity projects… let’s make some beautiful + impactful things together.

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