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Meet Liz Mozley, graphic designer, solopreneur and mum of two
Q. Inform us a bit about your background, the place you are from, and about your children?
Liz: I grew up in Cardiff in Wales, within the UK. After which I went away for a very long time, to check, work and stay in London for about 10 years. After which I had my first baby and got here again to Cardiff.
I’m a graphic designer and I began off in a little bit company; then went in-house at huge college, after which whereas I used to be there, began getting requests for freelance work. And curiously, working for myself had by no means been a aim or wasn’t actually one thing that I used to be enthusiastic about, however I began to tackle these aspect tasks.
And I really actually loved it, obtained a style for working for myself, after which I had children and realised that I did not need to return to working for another person.
Fortunately I had began constructing my very own enterprise earlier than having children. All of it moved very slowly firstly as a result of I used to be taking maternity go away and like juggling it with childcare. However now at 5 and seven years previous, my children are a bit older, I’ve actually gone all in by myself enterprise and I feel I would actually battle to return to work for another person now.
Q. The rationale I began following you was your Instagram put up about “embracing rejection”. That put up actually resonated with me as I am beginning my very own enterprise. Are you able to inform us extra about the place that got here from and the thought of “rejection remedy”?
Liz: So I invited somebody who was way more excessive profile than I might often ever ask to be on my podcast. And he stated no, as a result of I did not have sufficient downloads per episode. He stated it very properly. He stated to get in contact with him once I had extra downloads. And what was fascinating to me was how I felt. It wasn’t even a horrible rejection, it wasn’t public, it isn’t like anyone else knew about it, however I nonetheless had fairly sturdy emotions about it. I might catch myself saying to myself, that did not really feel good, I am not gonna ask anybody of that degree once more, I do not need to really feel like this once more.
And I began to assume if that is how I used to be reacting simply from a reasonably minor rejection for my podcast, what was I lacking out on as a result of I wasn’t even asking for it due to this concern of being rejected. I had seen another folks do that and a buddy of mine who’s an illustrator referred to as Katie Chapel additionally did a rejection problem a number of years beforehand to me.
So I set myself the problem to get 100 rejections inside six months, which it seems was utterly by no means going to occur. And I failed the problem however what was actually fascinating to me was the minute that I made it a problem and I gamified it, it grew to become one thing that was enjoyable for me and I created a win-win state of affairs and it simply gave me this actual boldness and confidence. And so I used to be simply going out and simply asking for what I wished.
Surprisingly, I obtained far more yeses than I anticipated; about 50 p.c sure’s, 50 p.c no’s. And I simply obtained significantly better at dealing with the rejection. A lot, significantly better at shifting on faster. I nonetheless really feel the destructive emotion when it occurs, like the frustration, however I do not dwell on it.
Q. What sort of issues have been you asking for as a part of your problem?
Liz: Most of it was business-related. I pitched visitors for my podcast, sought podcast sponsors, and requested for talking alternatives at occasions. A few of it was additionally about cold-pitching potential shoppers. It was a mixture, primarily centered on pushing my enterprise ahead.
Q. After having children, because you already had a aspect enterprise, at what level did you resolve not to return to your earlier job?
Liz: I had an amazing maternity bundle at my job, permitting me to take a complete yr off. By the top of my maternity go away, I did not need to return, primarily because of the lengthy commute and the need to spend extra time with my baby. I resigned and began constructing my enterprise, which allowed me to scale up or down primarily based on my household wants. After my second baby, I absolutely dedicated to my branding enterprise, which has been actually fulfilling.
Q. How did motherhood change your notion of labor?
Liz: Motherhood made me extra formidable. Earlier than children, I used to be content material however not pushing myself. Now, with my very own enterprise, I am pushed to make it profitable and sustainable, permitting me to have the flexibleness to be there for my children.
And for me, what feels profitable is that flexibility that I’ve. And I assume I really feel formidable within the sense of creating that work; making a enterprise that permits me to stay that life-style somewhat than formidable to be like essentially the most well-known branding designer.
I feel the phrase, ‘you’ll be able to have all of it’ has been actually damaging. I feel you’ve the potential to have all the issues that you really want, however not essentially on the similar time. I feel we simply should be a bit extra real looking about that.
It’s about understanding what you need after which understanding what you are prepared to sacrifice to make that occur since you do need to sacrifice one thing. For instance, what we have sacrificed is the soundness of a daily earnings and advantages from an organization, to have the ability to spend extra time with our youngsters.
Q. The place do you get your inspiration?
Liz: I feel folks, actually. I’m positively an extrovert. I like being round folks. I feel speaking to folks about totally different matters and what they’re engaged on, issues I am fascinated with, and bouncing that off different folks actually conjures up me.
I additionally discover it actually useful to get out of my work bubble and discover inspiration outdoors of that. I discover going to new locations actually inspirational. Additionally, I’ve not too long ago been to various conferences. So networking, listening to talks, I discovered that that is actually been good for me as effectively. So, a change of surroundings, totally different folks, totally different concepts, spark issues for me.
Q. What’s your largest productiveness hack?
Liz: Actually, a to-do listing is essentially the most motivating factor for me. Quite simple, it is simply on my cellphone, I make one for every day, and I try to get as many issues achieved on it as attainable. I additionally attempt to break duties into small chunks and use a timer. I get simply distracted, so setting quick deadlines helps me focus and get issues achieved.
Q. What’s your parenting mantra?
Liz: Properly, it relies upon what part I am in. I feel after they have been little, ‘This Too Shall Move’ is kind of a mantra for lots of oldsters, realizing that when issues felt arduous, that it wasn’t going to be like this perpetually.
It is so arduous as a result of whenever you’re within the thick of that although, just like the sleep deprivation and every thing, you simply cannot think about ever popping out the opposite aspect of it.
One of many issues that I am not excellent at and I need to be higher at is simply being actually current within the now, and so I feel my mantra is to only actually settle for the part that I am in of parenting, take pleasure in it as a lot as I can, and be as current as attainable with my children.
Q. What recommendation would you give to new mums seeking to begin working once more or begin their very own enterprise?
Liz: I feel my recommendation can be to be actually variety with your self.
I feel as mums we’re so arduous on ourselves if we simply do not get it and do it right away.
Every little thing is a studying course of and a journey. I used to be so so annoyed at myself in the beginning, that I wasn’t additional alongside; I gave myself a very arduous time, that I wasn’t incomes sufficient, all of those type of issues, and I simply want I would been kinder with myself.
We beat ourselves up about so many issues, so be light with your self as you begin a brand new factor. And in addition acknowledge that it is actually regular so that you can not really feel like your self, to have misplaced confidence, and to really feel a bit misplaced. See it as the start of a journey of rediscovering what you need to do and who you need to be.
Q. Do you’ve a favorite device that makes your life simpler?
Liz: I might say the Notes app on my cellphone. It is helpful for jotting down concepts and protecting every thing in a single place.
Q. What are your ideas on AI and its impression on work and our youngsters?
As a artistic, I assume generative AI makes me uncomfortable a bit, and I fear concerning the moral implications. I attempt to not fear about it an excessive amount of however that is at the back of my thoughts.
From a mum perspective I feel there’s a number of actually thrilling issues occurring. I get enthusiastic about AI when it is serving to me with the roles that I do not need to do. When it is doing the roles that I do need to do, like being artistic and designing, then I am not !
Q. What’s a parenting e-book or recommendation that was a recreation changer for you?
Liz: “The E-book You Want Your Mother and father Had Learn” by Philippa Perry was insightful.
To be completely sincere, the factor that has helped me most as a mum or dad was getting remedy.
When my first child was younger, I went to remedy for some time. I feel having children is actually triggering and it brings up quite a lot of undealt points for folks. So I feel really coping with these and addressing these has been the perfect factor that I’ve achieved and essentially the most useful for me. Realizing that that is what’s occurring after which looking for assist is difficult, particularly whenever you’re like sleep disadvantaged and also you’re simply within the midst of it and every thing’s foggy.
Q. What’s the perfect factor you’ve got learn or watched recently?
Liz: I simply watched “Ted Lasso,” which I loved for its light-heartedness.
I like escapist TV – issues that I haven’t got to assume too arduous about. I’ve simply watched Ted Lasso and actually loved it.
For studying, a e-book referred to as “The Finest 90 Days Ever” by a buddy of mine provides day by day advertising prompts, which I discover very helpful.
You’ll find Liz on Instagram right here.
And she or he has a very cool podcast, right here.
In different information…
I’ve so many different updates for you, each life and my enterprise journey, I’ll cowl all of it in a juicy e mail subsequent week.
Free session: How I’m establishing my on-line earnings streams
Subsequent week I’m doing a free session on how I began my side-hustle and then took it on to construct a enterprise round it which was all attainable due to the web, social media and AI instruments.
Basically, you’ll be able to take any ability, curiosity or ardour you’ve, and construct a enterprise round it. Once I discovered this was attainable, due to the web and new know-how, I realized every thing about how to do that.
I’m sharing extra about my journey and the way I did it in a free session on July 10. Particulars to enroll right here if you’re . Replay shall be despatched!
