Yesterday morning, I saw the former president of the network where I used to write promos. Great guy. Used to be my boss’s boss. He didn’t notice me. I almost said hi but it was pre-coffee, and I see him often in that exact spot, outside of Jack’s Coffee. I felt too boring and uncaffeinated today to stop and chat. We’d just recently gone through all the “How’s your summer going” and “Who’ve you seen or talked to lately” and “I can’t wait for all these summer douchebags to leave Sag Harbor”...
1 day ago • 3 min read
There’s a bro-y saying I’ve always hated, especially with respect to entrepreneurship and income: “You’re the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with.” So — what — are you supposed to cut people out of your life who don’t have a proper webinar funnel set up? 👋 Bye! Can’t hang witchu anymore — your lack of steady, passive income is bringing down my average! Or can you keep that friend who doesn’t have a business, one who’s happy as a stay-at-home mom or in their dependable, unsexy...
3 days ago • 2 min read
Hey! Got book + TV recos for you. But first — I know I’ve told you about last year’s July experiment, which this year became a tradition (and pretty much seeped into August): While I didn’t take the month-and-change off work, I took it off the clock. No appointments, no Zooms, no podcast interviews, no 1:1s for Shrimp Club, nothing scheduled. You might be saying, “Um, I think that’s called ‘vacation.’” No. Remember, I was still working. Still writing you these emails. Also, posting on social,...
6 days ago • 2 min read
Hey! This woman I know got fired from her job, and it couldn’t happen to a better person. No, this isn’t schadenfreude, I’m not celebrating someone’s downfall. (Though I’m not above it — love me some petty!) I’m happy because the person who got sacked, Heather Campbell, is a 2-round Shrimp Club member who just posted a video about it on IG and LinkedIn, and check out the results: YES! YES, HEATHER! This is what I mean when I say tell your story. Telling your story, with your details, your...
8 days ago • 2 min read
Hey Reader, I was catching up via Voxer with one of my wonderful Shrimp Club members, Dani Sumner, and she said something about her business that I had to transcribe and pass along to you. I won’t share the actual transcript screenshot, because those look like the person talking was drunk and/or shit-their-pants nervous. Exhibit A, my reply (which I can expose because I give myself consent): “Find coins” is the robot’s interpretation of “find clients.” And “like that” refers to the ones...
9 days ago • 2 min read
So… Around 16 years ago, I pooped the bed on a freelance assignment. Mike and Brett, heads of a production company and my most important client, liked to hire me for “a day of my genius.” Those words froze me. I’m fueled by low expectations, and the demand for “genius” is my kryptonite. Add in my procrastination habits back then (still haven’t shaken them completely, but way better now that I write for ME) and you’ve got a perfect storm of NGSD — Not Getting Sh*t Done. Hence the stacks of old...
17 days ago • 3 min read
Hey Reader, I’m up at my mom’s place in Torrington, where the bears have taken over. When we got here, she warned me and Steven not to leave any food in the car. I said we only had sealed bags of Blue Diamond Almonds (Smokehouse flavor), a pack of Starburst Fave Reds, and some gummy burgers, and those were in the glove compartment. Nope, she said, take ‘em out. Bears smell everything. And they know how to break into a car. Not just open the door. Jimmy the lock, I guess? With a coat hanger?...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Hey Reader, A friend out here in Sag Harbor had me and a few other women over for cocktails this summer by her beautiful garden and pool. She made a little speech to introduce each of us (love this) and said about me, “I’ve been friends for years with Laura’s husband, Steve, through art” — she’s a gallery owner, he’s an obsessive collector art enthusiast — “and then really got to know Laura when I read her book, Tough Titties. It shared so openly and I related to so much of it, I knew I...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Hey! We’re heading next week to my mom’s place in Connecticut for our annual family gathering — me and Steven, Mom, my sis, her husband, and their two kids. One morning last year, while everyone was buzzing around the kitchen, fixing themselves bagels and lox or scrolling their phones, Steven looked up from his laptop and asked me, “Hey, Hun, why does most of your income come from something called ‘KAJ’?” “Oh. That’s Kajabi.” “‘Kajabi’? What’s a Kajabi, what you call your lady parts?” My...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
Hey Reader, I love the act of creating. Think about it: every time you create, you’re making something that never existed before, in the 3.4 billion years since Earth was just soup. Quick aside: When I googled to verify that number, the suggested search terms told me people really struggle with math. Anyway, some days, I’m excited to make something new.Other days, I’m lazy and go hunting for something to recycle. This morning, scrolling through emails from last year to find a possible repeat...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read