I’m not one to sit on a grand idea! I came home from Spark Retreat blazing with the courage to be my most awesomely awesome self so that I could give as much goodness to the world as possible. So I started working on getting crystal clear on what I need to do to get there. Putting the ideas I’ve had semi-floating around for the last year into a map for what I can see our community becoming. This is what happened:
- I fired myself from my design biz. I love designing but I need to stop doing client work so that I can focus on what I do best. I’m finishing up a couple of last projects and sending on referrals to all our Businessy Goodness Guide advertisers from now on!
- I wrote a new about page for myself. For the first time I am feeling like all my past work has connected with my current work-I know what I want to offer and how. Yes!
- I wrote a new about page for OMHG. We have grown beyond a blog for the handmade industry and into being a unique online community centre where creative entrepreneurs can connect. We’re growing up!
- I crafted new submission guidelines for OMHG. Bringing our ethics and support of our community into focus and opening up a platform for you to share & be heard. There are now three fun ways to get your story seen by our readers & I am so excited to see what you cook up for us.
- I’m coming to see YOU! I’m wrapping up all my knowledge about creative communities + businessy goodness and bringing them to you. I want to come to your community and share the goodness of OMHG, filling your community with creative inspiration & delivering hugs and cupcakes along the way. Come visit the new workshop page where I gave my dancing self a home for awhile (video is coming soon!) and I spill all the details on how #omhg is ready for #OMHGlive.
- and I bought ohmyawesome.com…just incase.
I feel like I’ve come home to myself in the biggest way possible. All my work with communities merging with my love for creativity + collaboration into one bright shiny package of goodness I can give to you, in person. I am filled up with gratitude, from my big feet to the tips of my 3 days of non-stop working hair, all for you dearest friends. Thank you x infinity for being with me on this adventure through our busy lives of businessy goodness and for building this community together. I’ve always felt this place is ours, not mine, and my hope is that by hitting the road and coming to you we’ll be able to take this incredible support from online to offline, from <3 to real hugs, and 🙂 to rooms of smiling, laughing, creative brilliance.
Let me know what you think of all this new news. Want to see me in your town sharing the love? Have an event that I need to speak at? Just want to tell me I’m out of my mind? Please share your ideas in the comments-I’ll meet you there (and I can’t wait to see you!).
PS: Be sure to get the ultimate jolt of community magic by reading the transcript of Thursday’s #OMHG chat. It was the best of our community ideals distilled into pure inspiration and I would love if one or more of you talented friends would play with making us a poster from the lovely tweets shared. Any volunteers?
#^@*!@#$*~ Love.
Wow, it’s all change! I am glad that you are discovering more about who Jessika is!
Your new about pages are really inspiring. They are so engaging. I’m never happy with mine. I’m constantly changing them and adding to them! I suppose it’s because I am still working out who I am, creatively.
Your workshop idea sounds fantastic! I wish you lots of luck with that 🙂
Hooray! Thank you friends:) Clare, I think changing your pages is great! Our lives/stories are works in progress. I know that I love the pages…for now, but I am sure that the time will come when things shift again. Keeps things fun & fresh!
Did I hear you say cupcakes? I’m in !!
It all sounds amazing to me!
Thanks and love Jane
Jessika-Congratulations on your new focus, your amazing pages and your inspiring clarity for OMHG!
I’ve enjoyed being a part of your community and watching it & you unfold right before my eyes.
xoxo.
Tracey! Your support has helped make all of this possible-your presence + sharing with our community has been a key piece in my personal/professional growth and I am SO thankful <3 Plus I want wine + long talks with you in person:)
Wow. Just wow.
These changes are so awesomely awesome 🙂 And I’m so happy that you’ve taken the proverbial bull by the horns and made some pretty big changes for you and this business. And I’m super excited to see where it leads you – and the rest of the #omhg community – this is going to be a great adventure! Congrats!
That is so good to hear Stacey! You’ve been part of our community for quite some time now-feels great to hear these changes are something that excite you too! Visits await:)
Congrats, Jess! Love seeing you come out from behind the curtain more and more. Good things in the works!
Thank you Laura! Would love to come visit your town & have you co-host a workshop-how fun would that be?!
Congrats Jessika! It’s awesome that you’ve had an AH HA moment!! I can’t wait to see the results- and if anyone is planning on bringing you to Montreal they MUST let me know!
@Lisa-Montreal =YES! @anile mentioned being interested-why don’t you connect with her & get a Montreal party started:)
I have loved seeing your new SPARK! Count me in for ATLANTA and help if you need!! Looking forward to meeting you (finally) in person.
Stacy! Atlanta was on my personal list-Lisa of Moxie Pear is there too and planning some super cool community focused projects…OMHG Atlanta sounds pretty awesome to me!
THis is such exciting news! You are such a huge inspiration and I am sure your new workshops will be fantastic. We hope to get some of your awesomness here in the UK 🙂
Zoe
x
Eeekkk!!! Super excited for you Jessika! I was wondering what was in the works…I am SO EXCITED that you added VIDEO to the mix…it is so much fun to create videos + they really let a little bit more of the real person shine through! I can’t wait to see the first videos hit!
Jessika- What exciting news!!! I think this direction is going to be fabulous! You just keep amazing daily! With your inspiration, energy, creativity, talent, dedication, personality, passion and direction for the handmade community… the world will be so lucky to work w/you in person. Always know you have a home in CO… I know our little artsy community in the mountains of CO will want to swoop you up! So excited for your new adventure!
xoxo Ami
I’m so excited for you, OMHG, and the whole creative community! You’re a shining beacon of inspiration, as always! I cannot wait to see where we all go from here. Sending hugs and positive energy!!!
Whoah this all sounds awesome! I’m excited. Jessika, as always, you are so inspiring.
All of this sounds awesome!
I missed most of the #omhg chat, as I go through the comments and will work on a poster for sharing.
You.Are.Amazing. I love you!! xoxo
gosh… let’s see… what do i think?
1) you rock, jessika!
2) you inspire me each & everyday, sweetiepie!
3) thanks for being the bestest!
4) now the world can have a little piece of your brilliance close to home? WOOOOHOOO!
5) how soon til we can clone you?
hugs & love your fabulousness, always.
great great stuff, nicey!
k.
Oh my goodness everyone I am SOOOOOO excited! Emails are coming in to chat about workshops in the most incredible communities-thank you all for your support & belief in me. With a community as loving & supportive as ours I think ANYTHING can happen!
@K. this is me melting all over the place at your loveliness-you have been such an incredible cheerleader & inspiration to me-I so want to come to your community and have our creative goodness collide & multiply. LOVE YOU!
Very exciting, Jessika! I wish you could come here to Kingston & shake up this town with your awesomeness…, although @lisa & @anile, I’m not far from Montreal & would definitely make the trip!
Kudos to you for firing yourself to focus on what you really want to (and are fantastic at, by the way!)
Oh, and your new About page rocks (especially the new pic) 😉
Thank you so very much for making our days that much brighter!
Geri xx
OhMyAwesome! Super!
I remember being nervous about my first #omhg twitter chat. Sometimes you just have to try something new (I had only been on Twitter for a few days) and you think to yourself “if it’s not my cup of tea, I can always leave”. Entering that chat room was the best decision I ever made when it comes to making connections. Everyone was superfriendly and welcoming. I’m not always able to chat since it’s around bedtime for my kids, but everytime I join I feel uplifted and ready to tackle the next big thing. A lot of that is due to you, Jessika. You have built this wonderful community and it wouldn’t be the same without you. I’m so happy that you are taking new turns and trying new things.
xx Tania
I want to bring you to PANAMA OMG OMG OMG. Don’t worry I will break piggy banks + sale cupcakes + patio sale all of David’s ugly T-Shirt + even sell T-Rex to bring you here. IT WILL HAPPEN 🙂
Panama… watch out…mamasita is COMING! Clear the way!
Oh sweet sister Mayi I am already packed and ready to come your way-yesterday! You have been in on this adventure the whole way-I’ve been hoping to come see you for a ridiculously long time. We are SOOOO going to make it happen. I totally cracked up at the thought of you selling David’s t-shirts in your big glasses…late Panamanian nights talking under the stars are over due PLUS Panama won’t know what hit it when we get our goodness together!
Genius. Simply genius.
I’m terribly excited to see you step into this! And make your way west!
xoxo
AAAAAAAH! So amazing!
Big huge love to you, dear friend!