On Authenticity, the color Blue and being Boss(y)

This year marked the 4th wedding season for BlueSky.

The 4th year since I spread my wings, flew the corporate coop–shedding ‘golden hand cuffs’ of a fat salary, a company car, healthy 401K match …and life less-than-authentic.
I have always known I was meant to be an entrepreneur.  I have always known I was meant to lead a life less ‘ordinary.’  And these 4 years…challenge-filled as they have been…have put me on a path to making me more…ME.
 
Lesson learned:
– Being self-employed requires balls (ovaries?)  the size of Texas.
– You will take yourself waaaaay too seriously.  Yet– some days– not serious enough.
– You will struggle
– You will fail at some things (a lot of things)
– You will be let down: by clients, by peers, by yourself.
– You will lose some ‘connection’ with friends as being an entrepreneur creates a strange lack of understanding with those that aren’t.  (I assume this is a lot like the ‘divide’ that often happens when people have children.)
– Your business will be your ‘baby’
– Your spouse will often look at you sideways
– You will wonder where 4 years just went
– You will consistently ‘evolve’ and learn (if you are lucky)
– You will realize that what you do makes a difference (if you are lucky)
– You will be proud of yourself (very proud)
– It will dawn on you–YOU are your business and this is why you care, why you take it personally.  And  when you lay your cards on the table and show who YOU really are….you get the privileged to work with people that you adore and adore you back.

…and that…..makes ALL of the difference.

 
In the past year I have been ‘laying low’  (I guess, its technically lying low. Right Karisa;-)
I have been taking a good hard look at me, at my businesses, and leading a more authentic life as it relates to both.
And, I have been working to make my business reflect those things. (by evaluating who I am, whom I love working with best and getting a bit of help from a biz coach) –All in an effort start to become less about ‘tag lines’ and ‘marketing collateral’ and more about who I am at my core and how I wish to impact those around me.  (stay tuned for lots of changes)
 
But today….4 seasons in….I take the first step. (of many)   To announce a change to make my ‘brand’ fit more like a glove.  To more accurately reflect who I am and bring the ‘right’ people into my life (and me into theirs)  In these 4 years I have learned I thrive and delight in working with people who are Vibrant.  Who are Fearless. And have have a ‘Fire’ inside to make this life so much more than mediocre.  I have been crazy-insanely ‘lucky’ (#nosuchthing) to have spent the past years surrounded them.  I have learned that my colors are not “blush and bashful” (more,  see-it-mile-away: cobalt)  That being called “bossy” no longer bothers me a bit.  (as my ‘say-it-like-I-see-it’ ways come from a place of good vs evil and #banbossy just seems silly to me…Id rather own it.  (especially if the ‘Y’ is silent;-)
 
So, Step 1 in authenticity?  No longer ‘hiding’ behind a brand.  Though BlueSky is here to stay (for now) I am adding my name in all branding.  I want my clients-to-be to ‘know’ me right out of the gates.  –Though I know adding  my name may not seem like much…it is to me.
The fact of the matter is..BlueSky is and has always been...me.
 
….stay tuned.
 
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Comments

  1. WOOOHOOO! YEAH!
    Also you could just change your middle name to Blue Sky and be truly authentic.

  2. Lindsey Brown says:

    Congrats! Love the direction… and hearing all that you’ve learned! Happy Holiday & loved reading this one. Makes me feel fearless!

  3. […] To spare you the list of ‘pat on the backs,’ ‘financial successes’, and self congratulatory accolades (including getting published a lot you guys!)    –I will just say,  I think Ive become pretty legit:-)  (Including a pretty decent knowledge of many forms of lighting.  If you’d like to read more on my experience becoming  an entrepreneur–you can check out my post here or here..) […]

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