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Hey Bootstrapper,

Each week, I deliver a fresh, feminist-inspired, creative marketing email to your inbox...let's dive in!

Prefer to listen to this podcast style? You're in luck! Check it out here!

I need to make a confession: I haven't posted on social media in almost two weeks.

For someone who teaches the importance of consistent branding and visibility, this might seem like a bad thing, but the truth is there are many ways you can be visible online.

I realized I needed a break from social media when my personal time was becoming consumed with Instagram content ideas. I 100% understand the importance of connecting with your audience, but when you're thinking about photographing your lunch for stories instead of actually eating it (so you can use it as a b-roll for stories)...well, something had to change.

And honestly? I'm considering stepping away from social media altogether (my website and email list work best for marketing my business anyway).

The thought both terrifies and liberates me. What would my business look like without the constant pressure to constantly perform online? What would my creativity look like if it wasn't always being channeled into bite-sized, algorithm-friendly pieces?

When I sat down to write this week's email, I had another topic completely outlined. And then I deleted the whole thing. It felt forced. Inauthentic. Like I was writing what I thought I should write rather than what was actually alive in me.

So this is what you're getting instead—a raw, honest exploration of what happens when we prioritize content over creativity.

I have a collection of ideas I jot down when inspiration strikes. But lately, I've noticed that having this list sometimes makes me feel obligated rather than inspired.

I sometimes find myself trying to force these idea concepts into content, even when they're not fully formed or when my heart isn't really in them. And I also ALWAYS try to relate my emails to branding when sometimes I just want to talk to you about life and business and business life!

As women entrepreneurs, we're told that consistency is key. That visibility equals viability. That if we're not constantly showing up, our businesses will suffer.

But what if the opposite is true? What if forcing content when we're not inspired is actually damaging our brands more than a temporary silence ever could?

Think about it—how many times have you done something specifically because you thought it would make good content?

That elaborate morning routine you document in your stories. The perfectly styled desk flat lay. The "casual" workspace photo that took seven tries to capture.

I'm not saying there's anything wrong with curating beautiful content—I'm a designer, after all! Beauty and aesthetics matter to me. But there's a critical line between authentically sharing and performance, and I think many of us (myself included) have let it become blurred beyond recognition.

When every experience becomes potential content, we stop experiencing things fully. We become observers of our own lives rather than participants. And ironically, this makes our content less authentic, less engaging, and less effective.

Here's something I've learned after years in this industry: no designer creates anything without inspiration. Contrary to popular belief, we don't conjure beautiful brands out of thin air.

The truth? We're all constantly collecting inspiration—from nature, from architecture, from fashion, from conversations, from dreams. Creativity is less about generating something from nothing and more about making new connections between things that already exist.

But those connections can't form when our minds are constantly occupied with creating shareable moments rather than simply being present in them.

When I work with clients who feel their brand lacks originality or impact, I often discover they've been in a cycle of endless consumption and production. They scroll Instagram for hours, then try to create "copy-cat" content, and they are stuck in a cycle of constantly researching and comparing themselves to competitors, then wondering why their own brand feels misaligned.

What's missing is the space between—those precious moments of nothingness where your subconscious mind can work its magic.

Your brand is an extension of you—your values, your vision, your unique approach to serving others. When you're depleted, your brand feels it, too.

Think about the last time you pushed yourself to create content when you were exhausted. How did it turn out? Did it feel authentic? Did it energize you? Did it truly represent what makes your business special?

Or did it feel like you were just going through the motions, putting something—anything—out there because you thought you had to?

Freshly Baked Retro Sunshine Template: I've been putting the finishing touches on my first EVER Showit template! I'm so excited to launch it, but first, I have to finish recording all the training guides and update my how-to guides to make them super easy for you to use. If you're not ready to invest in a custom website design, you may want to consider using a template like this! I'll be offering a special Website in a Week package for women founders who want me to customize this ready-made template (just provide your branding, copy, and images to make it happen)!