This Week Alone

This week alone, my first week of transitioning to my new business, I have:

Spoken to a group of undergrad students about empathy in marketing strategy, prepped for a similar talk to a larger group of students, moderated a panel for a new group for women in technology about visibility and personal brand, been approached about speaking at two conferences and half a dozen corporate events.

Actually written. A little. Not as much as I’d like.

Pulled together material for a major media outlet to consider me as a contributor. (Fingers crossed!)

Held preliminary consultations with several people representing a variety of companies doing really cool projects, some of which would not have been the right fit with [meta]marketer service offerings for me to even take the meeting let alone consider advising on the projects. Had several phone meetings and exchanged emails about projects I may consult on, refer people to, or just be interested to hear more about as time goes on.

Brainstormed my forthcoming website and digital assets with a friend who is bringing some exciting, fresh ideas to the table. Fleshed out some further details and logistics for the content project to be named.

Connected with folks I know who’ve made the transition I’m making, and got some advice and invitations to meet up in person to discuss further when possible.

Attended the Nashville Technology Awards and cheered and screamed for the winners until I was hoarse. Attended an open house for a digital branding agency and met and reconnected with some great folks.

Watched the State of the Union on a laptop at my kitchen table. Had a tweet about the SotU favorited by the dude who wrote that song about the advice-giving gambler on the train. Posted a quip about that to Facebook. Had that quip liked by the dude who wrote that song about the hypothetical god on the bus.

Written one of my most-shared social updates ever. About the weather, of all things.

Met with the co-chair of the Mayor’s Office of Innovation over coffee and tea at the hipsteriest of all dimly-lit, bowling-alley-tabled hipster hangouts to discuss the progress of women in entrepreneurship. Met with a U.S. Congresswoman representing Middle Tennessee in a bright white minimalist glass-walled conference room at a huge corporate campus about the progress of a women’s leadership program. Felt incredibly privileged to be a part of both discussions.

Responded to approximately eleventy kajillion emails, Facebook messages, text messages, Twitter direct messages, LinkedIn messages, comments, and carrier pigeons. Continued to be amazed at how gracious and generous people are with their contacts and ideas.

Sent three invoices. (It’s a start.)

Had a massage, a few glasses of wine, some lovely meals, too little time with Robbie, too much coffee, and not nearly enough sleep.

Woken up every day feeling grateful for the chance to be doing this.