“The circumstances of our lives may actually matter less to our happiness, than the sense of control we feel over our lives.” ~ Rory Sutherland

That hit home for me today.

Taken from this TEDx talk, “Perspective is Everything”:

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OMG this Tumblr is awesome. This one might be my fav so far: 

whenobamaendorsed:

… wedding planners were all:

Also: YAY OBAMA!!! So so so so SO happy to see this news in my feeds today: 

Today I’m leading a DesignCast all about Using Facebook for Your Business. This infographic is pretty sweet:

View Larger.

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victoria-klein:

Yes. Yes it does :)

joncrawford:

Have you ever had a dream like this?

HA!! Hilarious.

I love reading about inspiring women leaders, and at the beginning of the year decided I should create one place to collect and curate all the great content I come across. To that end, I started Ladypreneurs: Women Winning at Work, a Tumblr where you’ll find some of the most inspiring articles, videos, and studies I’ve come across in the last few months that encourage women’s leadership and inspire us all to bridge the gap.

The cool thing was that for months I hadn’t shared it with anyone, but one day decided to share it with one of my networks (of amazing women entrepreneurs), and next thing you know my little project was getting a lot of attention… including some hot press from Glamour Magazine!

I’m positively thrilled that female empowerment is officially Glamourous. I also got a shout out on Goodnet! A new site all about doing good that empowers us to take action to do good for the planet, people and… yourself! My kind of mission right there.

I’m so happy the word has gotten out about Ladypreneurs, and hope that by sharing this information we’ll all learn more about what we can do to empower women of all ages everywhere. Go forth and be awesome, ladies!

A few related posts you may enjoy: 

• Women Winning in the Workplace (my original post, featured in the Glamour article)
• Miss Representation – REPRESENT! This is a must-see documentary.
• Obvious to You. Amazing to Others.
• Fear of Being a Fraud
• Be the Change You Want to See in Your Life
• Ambition is Not a Dirty Word

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I was recently on TummelVision! TummelVision is a podcast dedicated to technology, business, and culture. I was interviewed by hosts Heather Gold, Deborah Schultz, & Kevin Marks about my WilloToons product line, blogging, being a social super collider, and joining Stitch Labs.

Listen to my Tummelvision episode here. We chat about the creative economy, slashed identities //, and being a kick-ass entrepreneur!

[caption id=”attachment_10925” align=”aligncenter” width=”367” caption=”Kevin Marks captured this great photo of TummelVision live in action!”][/caption]

Be sure you subscribe to the podcast to catch all their other awesome guests or listen live every Thursday at 6pm Pacific, 9pm Eastern. You can also connect with TummelVision on Twitter (@TummelVision) and like them on Facebook.

Thanks for having me, my friends!

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In addition to be speaking at the HOW Design Conference in Boston this June. I am also leading two hour-long online DesignCast webinars aimed at guiding and helping creatives and designers.

My first DesignCast is Twitter for Creative Entrepreneurs, where I will show creative professionals ways to leverage their followers to their professional advantage. I will share tactics for engagement and promotion, with an emphasis on being true to yourself and your work. Sign up today to join me!

Twitter for Creative Entrepreneurs
Thursday, April 19, 2012
2:00-3:00pm Eastern

The second DesignCast I’ll be Presenting is Using Facebook to Take Your Business to the Next Level. I will explain how creatives should be using Facebook for business and how to be successful doing it. I’ll cover many topics, including: how to measure your effectiveness, how to develop content that will deepen your relationships and expand your base, and how to work with the new timeline layout.

Using Facebook to
Take Your Business to the Next Level
 Wednesday, May 9, 2012
2:00-3:00pm Eastern

Good news: If you register for both of these upcoming DesignCasts, you can get $25 off! Just use code SMDC12, and you’ll be all set.

Oh and while we’re talking discount codes, if you’re interested in joining me in Boston for HOW Design Conference, you should register using my exclusive speaker discount code HSPKR for $100 off! There I’ll be leading a session called Balancing Your Freelance Workload.

I’m so excited for all three of these, and I would love to have you join me for one or all of them!

UPDATE: For those who missed the live DesignCasts - you can now purchase them on-demand! 

• Twitter for Creative Entrepreneurs OnDemand DesignCast
• Using Facebook to Take Your Business to the Next Level OnDemand DesignCast

I’m also planning a StitchUp in Boston, after my HOW talk - come see me!

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photojojo:

OMG, what if Polaroids shot out cheese? Amazing.

By Brock Davis; via nevver

eatsleepdraw:

Friendship and Love is hard work to do~ | http://www.kritzelkrabbe.de/blog/

Aww. <3

ilovedoodle:

Sky is my playground on Flickr.

Doodle Everyday 285
Website / Facebook / Twitter / Tumblr / Etsy

I am woman, hear me howl! 

I had the pleasure of seeing Jennifer Sherman - Senior Director of Applications Strategy at Oracle - speak live at the TEDxFidiWomen event last fall, and her talk resonated SO deeply with me.

“Imagine a world in which we evaluate corporations not by the percentage of women in power, but by the percentage of women who are happy.” ~ Jennifer Sherman

Since then I’ve been meaning to do a blog post expounding upon all that was stirred in me, but alas, life has been fabulously busy. Most notably being a very happy woman in my new workplace.

However, I absolutely LOVE the message she delivered, and I constantly bring it up with ambitious, entrepreneurial women in my life. Come to think of it, there really isn’t much more that needs to be said, as she delivers it flawlessly and with so much truth and heart.

So, without further ado, please stop everything you’re doing right now, and watch/listen to Jennifer Sherman’s TEDx talk:

[embed width=”550”]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paP_q_7iVug [/embed]
TEDxFiDiWomen: Jennifer Sherman - Women Winning in the Workplace on YouTube

If you like this post, you may also enjoy a tumblr I’ve been putting together of articles and inspiration around ambitious, entrepreneurial women: Ladypreneurs. You’ll see the tagline was inspired by Jennifer’s talk. ;)

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Who’s ready for another amazing SXSW this year? Well, hold on to your pants, because I have huge news: I’m putting together the very first CraftMakerCamp at SXSW!

» RSVP for CraftMakerCamp on Facebook 

UPDATE: Click here to read the wrapup with photos from SXSW CraftMakerCamp! 

The event will be a full day of networking and sessions specifically tailored for indie merchants. YES! Here’s the official write-up:

CraftMakerCamp at SXSW
Are you a designer, maker, mover & shaker selling your goods online? If so, then stop by the first-ever CraftMakerCamp at SXSW to meet like-minded souls. With a full day of programming specifically developed for creative entrepreneurs, CraftMakerCamp at SXSW will inspire and educate you for a more successful and productive year ahead.

So exciting, right?! If you have (or want to start) a product-based business, CraftMakerCamp will be the perfect opportunity to network and gain valuable tools and guidance. Also, I have it on good authority there will be free beer at this location. That’s right… mark your calendars, my friends!

Sessions, Panels & Contributors - just announced!
I’m delighted to report we’ll have folks from Etsy, Outright, Spoonflower, Hello Craft, HOW Design‘s Grace Dobush (author of Crafty Superstar), IndieGoGo, Stitch Labs and more throughout the duration of this 2-day event.

Note: I’m still looking to fill a few speaker spots, please send folks my way for the ones that are *‘d below!

SUNDAY’S SCHEDULE
[add to sxsocial schedule] + [add to sched.org]

11am-12pm
*DIY Nation: How Makers Will Save the US Economy [PANEL]

12:30-1:30pm
How to Design & Print Your Own Fabric with Stephen Fraser, Spoonflower
*Have a Spoonflower story to share, or better yet, fabric to show?

2:00-3:00pm
Making the Not-So-Fun Stuff Easier So You Can Save Time and Sell More with Willo O’Brien of Stitch Labs

3:30-4:30pm
What Makers Need to Know about Money & Taxes in 30 minutes with Laura Messerschmitt and Ryan Thompson from Outright

4:30-6pm:
CraftMaker Meetup & Crafty Happy Hour with Stitch Labs & Hello Craft

MONDAY’S SCHEDULE
[add to sxsocial] + [add to sched.org]

11am-12pm
*How to Get the Attention You Deserve: Basic PR Strategies for Makers [PANEL] with Kelly Rand of Hello Craft, Grace Dobush of HOW Design and author of Crafty Superstar

12:30-1:30pm
The Psychology & Philosophy of Premium Pricing with Tara Gentile of Scout Creative Media, Adam King of Adam King Studio

2:00-3:00pm
How To Find Funding for your Design, Product or Fashion Line - a Workshop with IndieGoGo

3:30-4:30pm
*Fab or Not: Do Discount Sites Help or Hurt Independent Makers? [PANEL]

4:30-6pm:
CraftMaker Meetup/Happy Hour with Stitch Labs & Spoonflower

» RSVP for CraftMakerCamp on Facebook  By doing so I can send updates on the line-up when it’s announced.

SXSW Interactive takes place:
March 9–13, 2012 in Austin, TX
Are you going?

I want to meet you!

Where you’ll find me Friday & Saturday 
I’m also planning to attend the Texas Style Council conference on Friday… and on Saturday we (Stitch Labs) will be a Showcased Startup at the TechCocktail #StartupLife Party!

Please click here & vote to help Stitch Labs win the People’s Choice award!
Here’s my post on the Stitch Labs blog all about it

Woweee, I’m so excited about all the new fabulous designers, makers, entrepreneurial movers & shakers I’m going to meet.

Hope to see you there!

Images © hownowdesign, GARNET, princess toadie

UPDATE: Click here to read the wrapup with photos from SXSW CraftMakerCamp! 

Original Article

Last fall, I put out a survey and got some really great responses (thanks, everyone!). From that, I promised one lucky participant would win $25 worth of goodies from the WilloToons store. It’s been a few months now, but a promise is a promise, so drumroll, please…

~ Hooray for Lane Collins! ~ 

Who is Lane Collins, you might ask? Well, we jumped at this opportunity to share, because Lane just happens to be a very talented photographer, capturing beautiful images from across the globe. Check her out on Twitter (@Lane), Tumblr, Flickr, and on her site, LaneCollins.com.

Oh, and a total bonus about Lane: she and I share a love for pickles! It’s crystal clear, the girl’s got good taste. ;)

Goodies are a Good Thing
With her surprise shopping money, Lane quickly picked out a few fun gifts for her adorable nephews.  Good thing, too, as she nabbed the very last rocksquirrel bib and one of the last rocksquirrel toddler tees!

So thrilled to play a part in that giving process, too. One giveaway and at least 4 happy people involved? Win win win win.

Adding More Win’s to the Equation
Only because I love making people happy, I figured I’d give a little surprise shopping money to all of you. For the next few weeks, you can use “HELLO2012” for 30% off everything in the WilloToons shop!

Note: This code will only work until March 15, so go get yourself some goodies right quick.

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FIRST of all, I love HOW Magazine, and have for many years.

SECOND of all, I have been dying to go to the HOW Design Conference for about the same amount of years.

So you can image my delight when the coordinators of the HOW Design Conference 2012 reached out to me, and asked if I would like to lead a session. Ummmmm… YES!!

So, what are all you awesome freelance designers doing in late June? Join me at HOW Design Live! I’ll be leading a session called:

Balancing Your Freelance Workload
Saturday, June 23rd, 2012, 2-3:15pm
HOW Design Conference 2012, Boston

I’ll be talking about the benefits and drawbacks of being your own boss, how to manage clients; tips for keeping everything organized, and how to deal with feeling overwhelmed. I’ll walk you through developing and sustaining work relationships, and how to work through unintentional blocks. I’ll share my expertise in communication, collaboration, and creative sustainability so that you can take your freelance work to the next level.

Register today, as early bird discount pricing ends March 30th. Oh ya, and I have an exclusive HDC speaker discount code for you: Use “HSPKR” for $100 off!

Also, did I mention it will be my BIRTHDAY!? Oh yaaaa, this year I’m celebrating my birthday coast to coast, peeps, so mark your calendars! I’ll be flying into NYC for one night only (June 21st*) and celebrating with all my dear friends there, and then cruising up to Boston for the conference. So excited.

Hope I get to see you at one or both of these events on the East Coast this summer!

*My actual birthday is June 20th

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Social Media Week is right around the corner! This global event is hosting their San Francisco edition February 13-17, 2012, and will offer a series of interconnected activities and conversations on emerging trends in social and mobile media across all major industries.

This year I have the delight to be involved in two great sessions. The first, is a fireside chat with keynote speaker, Elias Plishner (@SonyPictures), SVP of Worldwide Digital Media at Sony Pictures Entertainment. We’ll sit down after his keynote address to have a more intimate conversation about how social media has uniquely impacted the entertainment industry, and how it’s had an affect on the creation of art as we know it today.

Fireside Chat with Keynote Speaker, Elias Plishner of Sony Pictures
In conversation with Willo O’Brien, WilloToons + Stitch Labs
Friday, February 17th, 9:30am
Adobe San Francisco

Directly after that, I will be contributing to a panel with Tim Partridge (@hellotim) and Denny Tedesco (@WreckCrewFilm), two outrageously talented filmmakers. We’ll share our expertise in using the internet to achieve a creative vision: where art meets social media.

Both Tim and Denny garnered support for their projects, “Life in a Day” and “The Wrecking Crew” respectively, by reaching out to their online community. With support from their social media fan-base, they were able to fund their projects and improve their visibility.

I hope you can join us for this free event!

Social Media Week Panel: “Life in a Day” and “The Wrecking Crew”
Moderated by Willo O’Brien
Friday, February 17th, 11:00am
Adobe San Francisco

“Life in a Day” is a compilation of footage from all sorts of people across the globe, all filmed on the same day. It’s a great film that showcases the beauty of humans, and all of the fantastic and fragile things that encompasses. Watch the trailer:

[embed width=”600”]http://youtu.be/w8S4gGI4nRo[/embed]
Find the Life in a Day project on YouTube and Facebook.

“The Wrecking Crew” is a peek behind some of the most iconic stars in music to the musicians who made it all happen. It’s an amazing story about how a lot of the same artists recoded in the studio for every famous star from The Beach Boys to Cher, and created the music we all know and love. Watch the trailer:

[embed width=”600”]http://youtu.be/-xs2kJn6PBE[/embed]
Find The Wrecking Crew film on YouTube and Facebook.

Remember, most all of these events are free, you just have to register, which is pretty cool. I’m off to the VIP party tonight, and will be attending the closing party next Friday night too. Hope to see you there!

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My greatest fear is not that I am inadequate,
but that I am powerful beyond measure.

It is my light, not my darkness, that frightens me.
I ask myself,
Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, handsome, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who am I not to be?
I am a child of God.

My playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around me.
I was born to make manifest the glory of God within me.
It is not just in some, it is in everyone.

And, as I let my own light shine,
I unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

As I am liberated from my fear, my presence automatically liberates others.

- Marianne Williamson

I love this. It was in the movie Little Miss Sunshine & it’s been coming up in conversations around me more & more lately, so I thought I’d share it with all of you. Some people may prefer saying ‘Spirit’, ‘Source’ or ‘Higher Power’, instead of God… whatever works for you. Regardless, the message is beautiful.

The passage above is the one she converted into ‘I’ statements. Here’s the original one from her book:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous,
talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?

You are a child of God.

Your playing small does not serve the world.

There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other
people won’t feel insecure around you.

We were born to make manifest the glory of
God that is within us.

It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine,
we unconsciously give other people
permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear,
Our presence automatically liberates others.

- Marianne Williamson

Note: Many have been led to believe this is a quote from Nelson Mandela, because he once used this in a speech, but in fact it originated in Marianne Williamson’s 1992 book A Return To Love: Reflections on the Principles of “A Course in Miracles”.

Original Article

So get this: Last week I finally met the other Willow O’Brien!

(shoot, there was a photo here, but it was on an old server - i’ll have to replace it at some point)

We met for coffee near my house & just had the best time talking and comparing lives. Oddly enough she is ALSO an O’Brien from her step-dad adopting her! And currently all her immediate family lives in Colorado. WILD.

The coolest part IMO though is that we’re both successful, creative business women! Willow is a clothing designer with a line called KitKitDodge, and she owns a store here in Hayes Valley called Ver Unica. She’s really fun, outgoing & loves animals. Sound familiar? :) It was one of those meetings where I felt like we only scratched the surface of what we have to talk about. It couldn’t have gone better, really, and we’re both looking forward to meeting up again. She moved to Portland recently (after 12 years here!), but still comes down about once a month to meet with her business partner and tend to the store.

We ended up having this wild adventure in our first two hours of meeting, that involved chasing an adorable (but poorly trained) stray dog, and me pulling out my Spanish 101 to get him home to his owners. A great story to tell over dinner that night!

Original Article