Lifestyle

My Work from Home Essentials

I’ve worked from home on and off over the years, but since I started my business I’ve spent the majority of my working hours at home. Working from home is not for everyone. It requires discipline, motivation, and a routine — at the very least. But setting yourself up for success can make a huge impact on your overall productivity. Now that many of us are working from home, I’ve heard from several friends that there’s been a huge adjustment going from an office scene to working from a home where they may or may not even have a desk. In today’s post I’m sharing a few things that I consider essentials for working at home and some other items that just make my work day a little easier. Let’s get it out of the way first that a desk is crucial and working from your couch or dining room table won’t cut it…but do what you gotta do.

Hot Water with Lemon – I start every day with either hot tea or warm water with lemon. I won’t go into any nutritional benefits because — to be honest — who knows if they’re true and that’s not what I’m here for. My reasoning for this is that 1) I don’t drink caffeine and 2) I find a warm beverage to be soothing but the lemon to be refreshing and awakening. I turn on this electric kettle before I take Marty for a walk, and by the time we’re back the water is ready and cooled down a bit.

A Cute Mug – For whatever reason, drinking out of a cute mug will easily put a smile on my face. I have this initial mug from Anthropologie and I also love this one.

Apple Airpods – Hear me out. (Ha pun intended.) I LOVE MY AIRPODS. I’ve had several people ask me “Are they worth it?” UM YES what are you waiting for??! Yes, the price tag is yikes, but just consider skipping a couple of dinners out or unnecessary clothing purchases and pick up a pair of these babies. When I say that I use them constantly, I am not exaggerating. Put it this way — I have the charger on the same table as my keys and Marty’s leash. As soon as I get up, I shower,  brush my teeth and put my Airpods in before a walk. Which leads me to…

Podcasts – I will do another blog post on this, but just know that I probably spend several hours a day listening to podcasts. When I’m walking, working out, cleaning, driving…all the time. And having Airpods in and being able to go about my daily life hands free = WIN!

Candles – I’ve had the same favorite candle for a while: Anthropologie’s Capri Blue. If you’ve ever been to the store, it’s the candle they’re always burning aka their signature scent. It’s amazing. BUT! I have a dupe for you. Bath & Body Works has a scent called Midnight Blue Citrus that is pretty darn similar if you ask me. Anthro’s may give off more of a scent, but they’re both awesome.

Fresh Flowers – Candles are great, but flowers give off a great scent and they’re nice to look at. I have a ton of plants in my house, but there’s something special about getting fresh flowers every week or so. I usually get white lilies (despite everyone saying they’re funeral flowers), hydrangeas, or sunflowers. And for the two weeks that they’re available here, LILACS!

Black Pens – I have a strong preference for black ink pens and I love these. I buy ’em by the box. May or may not have a subscription even though they last me a while. I keep several at my desk, one in my purse, one in my car, one in my bedside table drawer…you get the picture. The ink is smooth and I love them. That is all.

Legal Pads – My favorite thing to write on. I don’t use a planner and notebooks are a pain because I’m left handed. Legal pads have tons of lines (wow that sounds pathetic) but because they’re yellow, I feel like the writing stands out better. Plus, flipping over each page feels good. Sue me.

Wireless Mouse – I use a Macbook Pro, and while the trackpad is fine, I can move faster with a mouse. I also notice my wrist hurting from the trackpad, but not with this mouse. It’s on the smaller side but my hand fits comfortably and it’s easily stashed in my purse if I want to take it out.

Honestly this list could go on and on, but those things are what usually help me go about my day. But I’m always curious about other people’s setups and must-haves, so lemme know! Drop a comment below or send me a DM on IG. I’ll do another roundup soon! Until then, stay well my friends. 🙂

My Morning Routine

I listen to a ton of business-related podcasts and one thing that almost all successful entrepreneurs have in common is that they have a morning routine. And I think it’s suuuper interesting to hear what people’s routines look like. I have always been someone who thrived off on routine and structure. I feel like this isn’t as common for creatives, who tend to be more type-B personalities, but I know that in order for me to stay focused, a morning routine is crucial.

One misconception that I think a lot of people have about morning routines — I certainly did — is that it means you get up at the crack of dawn. But it’s so much more than that. To me, having a morning routine is just a set of things you do to keep yourself motivated, organized, and ready to take on the day. If the first part of my morning goes “according to plan”, I already feel like the rest of my day will just run smoother. So, here’s what I do every day.

I wake up at the same time every day, or within the same ½ hour. I struggled with sleep for years. Like I could do a whole separate blog post on my evening routine too, trust me. But a huge factor of getting a good night’s sleep is staying on somewhat of a schedule. Yeah, sure, I’ll deviate from it a bit on the weekends or when I need extra sleep, but for the most part I stick to the same time. The time? 7:30 am. To some, that’s early; to others, that’s late! But that’s what works for me.

I go to the gym. I aim to be at the gym by 8am the latest. It’s about a 4-minute walk from my house, so I’m usually in and out within an hour and back home by 9. Without getting too much into the actual workout, I will say that I run every single time I go to the gym. Most days I do some form of strength training too, but running/sprints is always in the plan. It immediately wakes me up, gets my heart racing, and really makes me feel energized.

I walk Marty. As soon as I get back from the gym, I walk Marty. Often times it ends up being a nice little cool down from my workout too. He’s his happiest in the morning, so it always puts me in a good mood right away. The dood really loves life!

I eat the same thing for breakfast every day. As a business owner, you’re forced to make decisions all day long. Where I can eliminate unnecessary decisions, I sure will. Breakfast is one of them. Every now and then I’ll have something different (like brunch with friends, on vacation, etc) but at home, it’s the same thing every day. An RXBar + fruit or a protein shake. I rotate RXBar flavors (my go-to’s are Chocolate Sea Salt, Banana Chocolate Walnut, and Mint Chocolate) as well as fruit (usually an orange, banana, or berries).

I DO NOT drink caffeine. People are always surprised by this. Sometimes baffled. Caffeine and I do not get along. It makes me extremely anxious and irritable. I feel like my skin is crawling and everything is annoying. I was drinking half caff for a while but even that was too much and really triggered my anxiety. If you’re prone to panic attacks (I’ve suffered for years) caffeine is literally the worst thing. I still like a warm drink with breakfast, so I just drink tea. The Yogi brand is my #1 and my favorites are Lemon Ginger, Honey Lavender, and Honey Chai Turmeric.

I start work right away. Pretty much as soon as I get back from walking the dog and showering, I sit down to start working. To be blunt, I don’t dick around. The first thing I do is go through any emails that I didn’t get to during my walk to and from the gym. The second thing I do is check all the social media accounts I cover, making sure all scheduled posts went up and everything is running smoothly. At the time of writing this, I’m working with 18 different brands, so do you see why putting this at the top of the to-do list is a must? 😉

I always listen to podcasts. I usually start listening during my walk with Marty and throughout the first part of the day. But in reality, I listen to podcasts nonstop — when I’m driving, cleaning, cooking — all the time. But I’m sure you’re wondering why I consider this part of my morning routine. A lot of the podcasts I listen to have a purpose. They’re either to deliver me daily news, inspire and motivate me, or teach me something. I think it’s super important to always be learning, and I get a ton of useful information from podcasts. I plan to do a separate post on my favorite podcasts, don’t worry!

Other things worth mentioning:

  • The night before, I write out my to-do list for the day and use it to stay on track.
  • I time block as much as possible, focusing on one task at at time rather than jumping around.
  • I work in energy waves. I take breaks to reset my mind rather than sit in overdrive for hours on end.
  • If I feel like I’m in a temporary work rut, I either go for a walk or read a couple chapters of whatever book I’m reading.

What does your morning routine look like? I’d love to know!

 

Entrepreneur vs. Employee: The Pros & Cons of Each Role

Entrepreneur vs. Employee: The Pros & Cons of Each Role

Before I started my company, I went over the pros and cons of leaving my full-time role to become an entrepreneur. I had always had at least one side hustle (sometimes multiple) and knew that I was fully capable of something bigger. My end goal was to combine all of my current clients and side hustles to be enough to take the leap. Having been on both sides, there are some major pros and cons to both being an employee or an entrepreneur. First I’ll go over a few things, then I’ll get into specifics about my own business and life. 

Amount of Hours Worked

Employee: As an employee, your full-time job probably consists of around 40 hours a week. You go in, keep busy for 8 or so hours, and go home. You may be limited in the specific daily schedule you commit to work, ie 9-5 and your schedule is often set by your employer. On the flip side, having a structured schedule each week gives you a good idea of what’s ahead.

Entrepreneur: When you first start your business, you may put in 60-80 hours per week. But once you establish yourself and/or outsource tasks, you can greatly reduce the amount of hours you work. In addition, you may be able to greatly replace the income from a day job in less than 40 hours by charging a higher rate as a contractor. It all depends on how much you want to work and meeting your own needs. 

Work/Life Balance

Employee: Typically as an employee, once you’re done with work you can clock out and go home. And often times you can forget about work completely once you’re out of the office. While this isn’t always the case, it’s easier to create a good work/life balance in a structured role.

Entrepreneur: It can be really difficult to get out of work mode, especially if you work from home. You’re always near your phone or computer, making it super tempting to check on things. But, as I mentioned above, you may get to work less hours than an employee and therefore get more free time with family and friends.

Work Stress

Employee: As an employee, my stress level was always pretty low. I knew what was expected of me, I knew when I could go above and beyond, and I knew how to keep my bosses happy. I didn’t worry about the daily operations of the business, but instead, fulfilling my own role. 

Entrepreneur: When you first start out, you may be a one woman show. It can take time to build a team and adjust to outsourcing income. Projects can fluctuate and you always need to be working on multiple streams of income. You also wear many hats. You don’t just provide a product or service — you market, network, find suitable employees, and act as your own accountant. However, the direction of your business is all up to you.

Money

Employee: Your income is usually limited, unless you work on a bonus structure. You put in hours, and in return, get a paycheck for the same amount each week. You can move up the chain, but eventually your income is capped. On the plus side, you know those paychecks are coming and you don’t have to chase anyone down for your money.

Entrepreneur: The possibilities are endless. The money you bring in and the rate your business grows is all up to you. The sky really is the limit here. Lose the fear of not getting a paycheck and instead think about the multiple streams of income that will bring you so much more. 

General Work Life

Employee: As an employee, you have bosses (sometimes multiple) and coworkers. Often times you are put on projects with coworkers that you may or may not like. This may be a struggle for someone who prefers to work on their own. On top of that, many employees put in their time and go home, especially if the extra mile isn’t going to get them anywhere.

Entrepreneur: It’s all up to you to earn your income. Nobody is going to earn it for you. It can be such a hustle in the beginning, and you may have a tough time balancing projects, taking on only what you can handle, but also fearing you may not grow if you don’t take on more. 

My Honest Experience

Amount of Hours Worked: My first couple of months, I worked a ton. I had a couple big projects but was hustling to find lots of little projects to fill those voids and grow. During the summer, business slowed down. I got nervous! I remember telling my former boss and he assured me things always pick back up around September. And boy, did it pick up. 

Work/Life Balance: I often struggle with this, especially given that I’m in the world of social media — which is 24/7. It’s so easy for me to open my laptop or grab my phone to see what I might be missing. Then I end up getting roped right back into something. I also really like to complete things, so I have a hard time putting my laptop away until I feel like something is finished. During the first couple months, I made sure to give myself a little time each day to completely unplug and not think or talk about work. It wasn’t easy. Eventually, around the six month mark, I made sure I had one day a week to mostly put work away. Now this isn’t to say I was working 90 hours a week; I just struggled with time blocking. After the first year, I really learned how to work in increments so that I wasn’t working all day long.

Work Stress: As I mentioned, the “stress” in the beginning was making sure I had enough of an income flow to make up for the full-time job that I had left. However, the general work stress greatly reduced as I was really focusing on the industries I loved and the type of work I enjoyed most. Being my own boss is also a huge part of why I know this was the best decision.

Money: One of my biggest concerns about leaving my full-time job was not getting a paycheck every 2 weeks. Looking back, this seems so silly. My former boss convinced me that I was basically already at the top where I could be in the company and that I could be making so much more working for myself. When I say the opportunities are endless, I mean it. Within 6 months of starting my business, my income surpassed the six-figure mark. A couple months after that, my income had actually doubled from when I was an employee and that’s where I am today.

General Work Life: This was, by far, the best decision I’ve made career wise. I loved what I did in my full-time role, but I really love what I do now. I choose which projects I want to work on, I pick which clients I want to work with, I decide how much or how little I want to work. There are certainly times where I ponder taking on a bunch more clients and hiring a team, but I truly love being a one-woman show. Never fear that you can’t grow as a single-owner business. Do what you love, and outsource the rest.

Take the risk, make the leap, and figure it all out as it comes. Enjoy the whole process.

My First Year in Business: 10 Things I’ve Learned

christina orso what i've learned first year starting businessI just celebrated my first anniversary of starting my company. It’s been such a whirlwind, but I can honestly say it was the smartest decision I’ve ever made. I wanted to share some things I’ve learned my first year in business, and offer insight to many of you who are currently contemplating doing the same. Reach out if you have any questions! I’d love to put together a FAQ post as well so be sure to drop a comment below and I’ll respond in a future post. xo.

1. Narrow down your niche, at least in the beginning. When I was doing influencer partnerships, side hustles and contract work, my projects varied a lot. I worked with restaurants, packaged goods, fitness studios, beauty products, wellness, finance…the list goes on. Choosing a niche was really important to me. Coming out of the restaurant industry and being passionate about food, I decided to focus primarily on restaurants and consumer packaged goods. While that’s still my main focus and the bulk of who I work with, I do a lot of copywriting for other industries like beauty, fitness, and wine. I think it’s important to have a niche to truly be an expert at what you do and then expand from there.

2. Prepare to leave your full-time job in a sensible way. Thankfully my former boss at Boston Burger Company was so generous in allowing me to slowly condense my role in order to find new projects. March is when I began the hunt and my goal was to find enough work to leave by the end of the summer. It came way quicker than anticipated! By April, I told them that May would be the last month in my full-time role. In June, I turned BBC into one of my clients, along with the others I had picked up along the way.

3. Learn to roll with the ebbs and flows and your workload and finances. Some of of my earlier projects were about 3-months in length. Knowing that, I was always preparing to find something to replace them. I also filled gaps with smaller projects — usually copywriting and blogging for brands. In July & August, work was slooowwww. I got a little nervous, but my former boss convinced me to hang tight, because work always picks back up in September. Like clockwork, it did…and then some. The majority of my clients now are long-term, but knowing anything can change in an instant, I’m always keeping new projects in rotation. One thing I would strongly recommend is building up your savings beforehand. I prepared for slower months by saving 12+ months of salary. Thankfully I never had to touch it, but in those slow summer months, I found comfort in knowing the money was there if I needed it.

4. Separate business and personal expenses. I will be totally transparent in that I did not separate my finances in the beginning. Because I always had a side hustle before starting an actual business, everything was just going into my personal checking and savings. It gets way too messy and I strongly urge anyone starting a business to immediately open three things: a business checking, a business savings (put your tax money there) and a credit card with a good rewards program. I am partial to American Express and have two cards with them.

5. Do what you love and automate or outsource the rest. Know when to do the work yourself and when to contract out little tasks. In the beginning, I thought I was supposed to do everything. But there were a few days of “Oh my God I can’t handle this all alone” sprinkled in. I am very strong-minded and wanted to do everything myself. But it doesn’t always work out that way and it’s no way to do business. I eventually learned to let go of control and outsource things that I knew somebody else could do quicker than me. Examples of what I contracted out were media lists, super technical website stuff, and video editing. There are just some things that you need to be okay with someone else being the master at.

6. Set up a routine for success. I thrive off of routine so I know how important it is to have one to be successful. I could do an entire blog post on this but I’ll keep it simple today. Things I keep routine are the time I wake up, what I do before starting my day, how I organize my week, and how I time block throughout each day. I also keep certain things the same as much as possible so as not to create unnecessary decision-making for myself. Like what you ask? I eat the same thing for breakfast every day. Why? As a business owner, you’re forced to make so many decisions all day long and if I can eliminate one right away at breakfast, COOL.

7. Have an online portfolio. I was so overwhelmed by this in the beginning because I had so many side hustles over the years that I wanted to showcase. But thankfully from having my previous blog and a social media following, it was more a matter of getting info in the same place, which is why it is essential to have a website!!! It blows my mind when I meet someone who has a business without a website. I built mine on WordPress because for one, I’ve been using the platform since starting my blog in 2009, but also because it is highly customizable.

8. Always be learning. I have an almost embarrassing list of podcasts I listen to. I am constantly checking books out from the library. The Amazon bookstore is a second home. I actually enjoy taking online courses. And I love, love, love Google. If you don’t know the answer to something, Google it. Something more in-depth? Find a book or an online certification and teach yourself.

9. Reward yourself for your successes along the way. In this crazy world of entrepreneurship, you have to remember to take care of yourself. Whether it be completing a huge project or landing an awesome new gig, pat yourself on the back every now and then. It can be little things like taking a full day off (this is a huge lol in my book though), getting a massage (I get those more now than ever), or gifting yourself a big purchase (I have a one luxury purse a year rule 😉). Trust me when I say that when I finish the catering website I am building right now I will be treating myself to a carrot cake and quite possibly a new wardrobe.

10. Be gracious, kind, and respectful. Anyone you know can be a referral, potential client, or even a potential assistant. Treat everyone as someone you may one day do business with. I am also a firm believer in helping others as much as you can. Our knowledge and expertise is meant to be shared, not selfishly kept to ourselves in order to get ahead of others. Giving to others will always come back to you!

Thank you to everyone I have worked with this past year and a friendly hello to everyone else who is reading! If you have questions, feel free to leave a comment below or reach out to me on Instagram.