State of the Union 2024
If I had to pick one word to describe 2023, it would be “rejuvenating”. Not only did I finally get the opportunity to step back from work completely for a few months, I also started to live healthier overall and make solid moves towards the person I want to become. 2023 Highlights Stepped back from […]
State of the Union 2023
2022 was a year of rest, relaxation and leisure. Now it’s time to get back to work. Here’s what happened, and what I’m planning for 2023.
State of the Union 2022
I’m notorious for my delinquency and procrastination, but even I must admit that publishing a State of the Union – aka my annual “year in review/new year plans” blog post – in March is pushing the boundaries a tad. However, after the very eventful last few months – which I’ll get into below – I […]
What’s revenue got to do with it?
You spend a bit of time on #techTwitter and you’ll see everyone proclaiming their growing MRR – monthly recurring revenue, or how much they’re collecting from customers each month. It’s become a symbol to the world of how successful the tool or app they’ve built is doing. In fact, across the board, how much revenue […]
How to finally take a break as a solopreneur
One of the hardest things to do when you’re a solopreneur is take a break. But guess what… You need that damn break! Not only is necessary to keep you from burning out, that’s the whole reason you got into this, remember? Freedom. Flexibility. Going to the beach in the middle of a Tuesday just […]
If you work for a man, work for him
I’ve always said I never want a husband or kids. And I found it a cruel joke that the universe saw it fit to give me – not my family-oriented siblings who all have spouses and kids – the responsibility of taking care of my elderly dad. I’ll admit, at first I wasn’t too happy […]
The only “other” in the room
I’ve become used to being the only “other” in the room. As a child in school, I was often the only one from a rural area, while others in my class came from the city. Of course, that meant that back home, I was the only child attending a school in the city, while the […]
How to stop chasing invoices
By becoming a freelancer or small business owner, you pretty much agree to get a masterclass in bill collecting. Following up on invoices becomes a part time job. I’ve had clients take months to pay for work they insisted was “urgent”, or refuse to pay because they outsourced the work from one of their clients […]
Books every freelancer should read
Becoming a successful freelancer can be very fulfilling. However, the road to success is paved with potholes. I know, because I’ve been at this for almost 10 years – and while I’ve had some great times, it’s been more like a rollercoaster ride until I finally got a good grasp of things a few years […]
Love the followers you’ve got
Imagine yourself at a conference with over a thousand attendees. You’re the big name on the ticket. They came just to support you and they’re eager to hear what you have to say. But instead of getting on stage, you’re at the door hawking tickets – hoping to pack the space with even more people. […]
The best ad campaigns I’ve seen (so far)
The best ads are the ones that make you take notice, change your perspective, or have a strong emotional reaction. As a marketer, I’ve been exposed to, and analyzed, many ads over the years, but these are a select few that stuck with me along the way. 1. The Real Thing (Coca Cola) Jamaica is […]
What’s your “enough”?
In Paul Jarvis’ book, Company of One, he tells a story of his accountant friend who made enough money by August to take the rest of the year off to go rock climbing. He figured out how much money he needed to be comfortable, made it and then went off to pursue his passions. Brilliant! […]
Third-worlders can’t afford your products
It’s no secret that folks from developing countries earn criminally less than their developed counterparts. Most people in Jamaica, for example, earn about $600 USD ($90,000 JMD) per month, compared to the estimated $2,800 USD earned by most Americans. Even if we do manage to get online and start to earn some foreign income, the […]
The quintessential millennial in NYC
A few years ago, I took my first trip to the Big Apple. I was on my own, and New York City was on my bucket list, so I was super excited about it. So excited, in fact, that I planned that trip to a tee. From booking tickets to attractions in advance to doing […]
Kill your goals
As a writer, you learn early in your career that sometimes you just have to “kill your darlings”. It’s a rather graphic way of reminding us that, no matter how attached we are to a certain sentence or storyline or character, if it doesn’t work in the overall context, we have to let it go. […]
True Life: My mother is an anti-vaxxer
My mother worked in public healthcare sector in Jamaica her entire life. She’s held jobs at several hospitals and even the Ministry of Health itself. She got vaccinated as a child, and took her children to be vaccinated as well. She even enrolled me in a clinical trial up until age 12. She also has […]
Productivity hacks I actually use
If there are a thousand productivity hacks out there, I’ve probably tried 999 of them. From cold showers to “eat the frog”, from GTD to PARA, I’ve tried them all, just to see what sticks. At the end of the day, while many were useful, there are a select few of them that have stuck […]
State of the Union 2021
2020 was a year that broke me. Shattered me to a million pieces… At 6pm on May 8th, I sat in a hard, uncomfortable chair in a makeshift hospital waiting room. My father slouched beside me in a wheelchair, the left side of his lip sagging. We waited over 6 dread-filled hours to confirm – […]
How I use Notion to manage my life, business & home
Here’s how I use Notion to plan and manage my life, home and work as a freelancer who works from home.
How to get paid online when you live (and bank) in Jamaica
*This post contains a referral link to Payoneer. If you use it, we will both benefit (financially) so it’s a win/win! Thank you in advance. 🙂 One of the biggest struggles of anyone who wants to embark on selling products or services online/overseas is how to get your hard-earned cash from PayPal (the most popular […]
State of the Union 2020
I accomplished some amazing things – dream clients and work milestones, finally making it to Europe (a goal I’ve had for 10 years), turning 30! Awesome, right? But somehow things still managed to get all screwed up.
About those racist sinks in Mexico…
Want to know what we mean by “systemic racism”? The system is so racist that even your sinks are discriminating against black folk. Sinks? Did you say sinks? Yes, your freaking bathroom sinks!
They call me Stacey, that’s not my name
A name is a very powerful thing, a core part of our identity, and we know how important it is to others. So why the hell do people keep calling me Stacey?
Do brands like Gillette really care about social justice?
Brands have been making very strong statements on social issues lately, but the true intent of their actions may be more than meets the eye.
We are only as strong as our weakest link [the story of Rahaf Al-Qunun]
The Golden Globes took Twitter by storm last Sunday, but the other far more important story happening that night was that of Saudi refugee, Rahaf Al-Qunun and her fight for freedom.
State of the Union 2019
2018 was the year of rebuilding. It started out looking like my last year on earth, but somehow miraculously turned into the year I finally gained some peace within. Here are the highlights.
The time I almost got kidnapped in Mexico…well, sort of
Have you ever done something that seemed pretty normal while you’re doing it, but afterward think…holy cow, that could have gone so terribly wrong! That’s how I met Maggie…