Design Yourself

This week we meet the husband wife team behind Forty Third Place, the umbrella under which all of the creative projects and collaborations of Jonaki Sanyal and Blake Sloane live. Woodworking, carpentry, photography and design are among their specialities. (Blake just built beautiful custom desks for Sharon’s home office!) Listen to learn the story of how this pair has always prioritized their creative pursuits and how they continue in the work of figuring out what a well-designed life looks like for them. Theirs is an inspiring story of continuous iteration and evolution. And one where family serves as a strong grounding force. This is a great episode for anyone whose ever wondered how to meld their passions and their work into one place. It’s also a great case study into how you can throw out the idea of work-life balance and see work-life integration in action. “That’s what our relationship has always been built on: Being able to work together on things.” -Jonaki Sanyal “All of our clients come to us becau

Meet Clara Muggli-Toyloy, the mom and entrepreneur behind Fuzzy Logic Wool, a brand new company that produces gorgeous, handmade, sustainable clothing and cloth diapers for infants and toddlers. Clara is just starting out with Fuzzy Logic (her Etsy shop launched in late 2016), but she’s not new to the world of working for herself. Early in career, she set up her own landscape design company operating in the San Francisco Bay Area. Hear Clara discuss everything from taking small steps to get her business started, what it’s like to balance her creative pursuits with life as the mom of two toddlers, and how she recognizes and moves past fear when it shows up. For anyone whose been itching to stop thinking about that passion project and just get started, prepare to be inspired by this remarkable woman. “I get so depressed thinking how much stuff is out there…that nobody wants…The thought that I could create and make something new not using new materials made me feel good.” – Clara Muggli-Toyloy Resources and

“Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.” So says Epictetus. In this encore episode Sharon discusses money, money, money. Learn about the difference between operating from a sufficiency (“there is enough”) vs. a scarcity (“there isn’t enough”) mindset and explore the 5 guiding steps to ensure that money isn’t what holds you back from going after what you really want. Money ultimately only has the value that we give it; learn how to make sure that your values and your spending are aligned.   Ideas Shared There is a lot of chatter out there on money. Here are some quotes that really struck me as I was doing research into this topic… “Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination.” ― Oscar Wilde “If you want to know what God thinks of money, just look at the people he gave it to.” ― Dorothy Parker “As much money and life as you could want! The two things most human beings would choose above all – the trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing pre

Today we meet adventurer-extraordinaire, Aimee Rowe. Learn about how she wended her way from being a humanities major in undergraduate (religious studies with an environmental studies concentration to be specific!) to completing her medical residency today – nearly 15 years later. Aimee’s path is filled with many unusual twists and turns from sailing tall ships on both the Atlantic and Pacific, teaching young students about the wilderness in Maine and water conservation along the Mississippi River, and somewhere along the way deciding that she was meant to be a doctor. And then going for it despite all odds. For anyone whose ever wanted to think beyond the conventional way to get things done, this episode is for you. “You have to not take things personally, which is hard.” – Aimee Rowe Resources and Links Dr. Ifeoma Ikenze inspired Aimee in her talk on healing  Learn about the tall ship Aimee worked on after graduating from Kenyon College(where she and Sharon met). She later worked on the Tabor Boy before

In today’s Design Yourself, we meet Catherine Orr and Elena Rue, the filmmakers and storytellers behind StoryMineMedia. Learn about how they launched a business that defied industry standards, created a unique perspective on how to tell stories that create impact, and pushed themselves to continue growing and learning along the way. This one is for anyone who has a story to tell. (Elena and Catherine would tell you that’s you. Yes, YOU!) “If we are going to do it, we are going to do it.” – Catherine Orr Resources and Links Elena and Catherine generously offered to share their Story Strategy Guide with Design Yourself listeners Independent film Overburden that Catherine and Elena edited and produced (directed by Chad A. Stevens) about coal mining Editor’s Note: This film was awarded Honorable Mention from the Nicholas School Environmental Award Jury at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival in 2015. Sharon misspoke in her intro saying that Overburden won the main award. The full list of 2015 winner’s can

In today’s Design Yourself, we meet Ericka Leighton-Spradlin, the artist and entrepreneur behind Continuum, an eclectic bazaar//concept shop in Cincinnati, OH. (This happens to be Sharon’s favorite place to shop!) Learn how Ericka created her vision for the space and then followed her instincts to make her dream a reality. From sourcing trips to Japan, an artist commune in Maine, and balancing the demands of a growing business, Ericka’ story weaves a beautiful mix of the creative spirit and entrepreneurial mindset.  Resources and Links Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts History of Over the Rhine Julia Lipovsky DAAP White Helmets for Aleppo Interview with Grace Bonney on the Young House Love Podcast (interview starts around minute 10):  Paula Greif ceramics (based in Hudson, NY) Learn More About Ericka continuumbazaar.com insta: continuumbazaar facebook: Continuum Bazaar Visit Continuum: 1407 Vine Street Cincinnati, OH

Thanks to those listeners who reached out to suggest that I share some Encore episodes while I am out on maternity leave. There will be a few of these episodes – all suggested by listeners – shared in the months ahead, starting with today’s throwback. In this encore episode of Design Yourself, Sharon discusses the importance of getting started. Career moves, life adventures, and creative projects can only begin from one place – the one you are in. The theme for today is: Stop waiting + start doing. Listen to hear some Sharon’s favorite tips for how to get over the delay game and start getting the job done.  IDEAS SHARED Eric Smucker of Smucker Farms is the visionary urban farmer and CSA pioneer who said yes to my podcast interview back in 2013. Fingers crossed I can get him on the show now that it exists. Here are the Erin Condren planners that my sister and I were using to capture our 2016 goals and intentions. I’ve had fun using my planner this year, though ultimately think I prefer something a little s

There is nothing like a little life adventure to teach. Sharon seized the opportunity to walk the ancient pilgrimage path through Spain, the Camino de Santiago, back in 2012. She hadn’t intended to be 6 months pregnant when starting this 500 mile walk, but the Camino - like life - doesn’t always follow our plans. Today Sharon shares 5 lessons that have stuck with her since this magical experience that she believes will resonate for pilgrims and non-pilgrims alike. GIVEAWAY To celebrate the launch of the new pointroadstudios.com we are doing a special giveaway. Subscribe to join our community by February 15th and you’ll be entered into our raffle for a chance to win a limited edition screen print with the phrase there is nothing stopping you. If you are curious, you can get an inside-the-studio look at the making of this print over on the blog. IDEAS SHARED Key Lessons Learned on the Camino Be clear on your declarations and requests Take the leap Honor your values  The path begins at home There is no end dest

Hate the feeling of being caged in? Me too. It may seem counterintuitive, but boundaries are a hugely impactful way to open yourself up to greater possibility. In today’s episode, Sharon discusses boundary setting using her three maternity leaves as examples for how her boundaries around this special time shape-shifted over time. While this episode will likely peak the interest of anyone preparing for their own maternity leave or supporting someone in this process, Sharon promises the 6 lessons shared on boundary setting extend far beyond this context.  GIVEAWAY To celebrate the launch of the new pointroadstudios.com we are doing a special giveaway. Subscribe to join our community by February 15th and you’ll be entered into our raffle for a chance to win a limited edition screen print with the phrase there is nothing stopping you. If you are curious, you can get an inside-the-studio look at the making of this print over on the blog. IDEAS SHARED Key Lessons on Setting Boundaries DO set clear boundaries – be

We all experience transitions on a regular basis. Sometimes they are big - e.g. getting married, starting a new job, grieving a loss, moving to a new place. Sometimes they are little - e.g. commuting across town to work, finishing writing a proposal, integrating a new member on our team. Transitions often seem like something to rush through as quickly as possible on our way to get from the present to where we want to be. Unfortunately life doesn’t usually work this way. We spend the majority of our time in this act of moving from here to there , but we often gloss over this experience unto itself. But it doesn't have to be this way. This week, Sharon is investigating what it means to be in transition. Learn key insights about transitions in general as well as tips for how to move through them effectively.  GIVEAWAY To celebrate the launch of the new pointroadstudios.com we are doing a special giveaway. Subscribe to join our community by February 15th and you’ll be entered into our raffle for a chance to win a

You’ve heard Sharon close each podcast with this phrase: There is nothing stopping you. But where did that come from and what exactly does it mean? Learn how this tagline came to be and work through some reflection questions for getting deeper on your own beliefs. Your intentions really can change the world, but first you have to discover what they are. GIVEAWAY We shared this week that we are doing a special giveaway this month for early subscribers to our community. The full details of the giveaway will be posted over on the blog tomorrow January 24th, but in the meantime subscribe here to get your name entered in the raffle. (And yes, if you’ve already subscribed, we’ve got you covered. And thanks!) IDEAS SHARED There is nothing stopping you There is nothing stopping you is an intention that Sharon holds in everything that she does and creates. In this episode you’ll learn about Where this phrase comes from How it is informed by Sharon’s own growing up experience How your intentions can change the world H

One of the many great legacies of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is that real, transformational change is possible when you stand up for what you believe. The first step in being able to emulate this kind of leadership? You have to know what you stand for. Today Sharon draws inspiration from this visionary leader and offers up questions for you to consider as you hone in on what it is that you believe and how you might best drive that forward. IDEAS SHARED Today we celebrate the profound leadership and long-lasting impact of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. May the questions and quotes offered below inspire you to chase after your own dreams. Questions and Quotes What do you stand for? What are your core beliefs? What are you willing to stand up and fight for? “I have a dream that one day little black boys and girls will be holding hands with little white boys and girls.” – MLK * If you could offer one gift to the world before you die, what would it be? “No one really knows why they are alive until they know what th

What do you want? This question is the core inspiration for setting and moving towards a vision. Sharon believes that the greatest gift we can offer the world is to let our inner lights shine out brightly. To be our own unique selves. Visioning is an amazing resource for stewarding us on this path. Today Sharon shares Point Road Studios’ vision process, the Go Beyond Vision Cycle. Learn about how this process came to be, why visioning isn’t a linear but a cyclical process, and exercises for how you can begin playing with this tool on your own.  Ideas Shared: Sharon distilled her vision process out of a desire to make this resource accessible to those in her community who might not have access to a resource like one-on-one coaching. The PRS Vision Cycle* There are 5 different access points for setting your vision. While you can follow these steps in order, it is not necessary. As you create – and continue to evolve – your vision, the key is going to the access point where your energy is at that point in time.

Happy New Year and welcome to 2017! Today’s show is all about embracing who you are and what you want for the new year. Sharon offers alternatives to setting a New Year’s resolution - because let’s face it, most of us don’t follow through on those anyway! She also shares guidance for how you can focus less on trying to reinvent yourself and more on tapping into what's awesome about you right now - and build from there. Our wish for each listener this year is that you can let go of what’s not needed in order to focus on what makes you uniquely you. There is no greater gift to the world than to be yourself. Ideas Shared: A few questions to consider as you step into the new year Notice if you have been eagerly awaiting the new year (i.e. can’t wait to put 2016 behind you) or if the shift into January from December was a non-event for you? What do you wish that this year ahead holds for you? What do you hope will be different? What do you hope will remain the same? * 3 alternatives to the new year’s resolution: g

Maybe you, like Sharon, love this last week of the year for the quiet inspiration that it inspires in you. Or maybe you are thinking, “what quiet?!?!!” as you wend your way through the transition from 2016 to 2017. Today’s podcast will meet you wherever you may find yourself. In this last episode of our inaugural season, Sharon shares the importance of finding and exploring quiet moments - with a special emphasis on how we can embrace them when they show up naturally and create them on our own when they don’t. Here’s hoping that you will find some magic in them, whenever they do show up. Ideas Shared: Quiet is a gift. It allows the distractions of the everyday to melt away and we can center in on what matters most. To fully appreciate quiet, we must be mindful. And to be mindful is to be present, in the here and now. There are two ways that we might find ourselves spurred on to quiet: 1) A natural prompt like a major life milestone, or 2) An intentional move towards quiet. Quiet Prompted by a Major Milestone

Can it be that the holidays and end of year are really here? Tis so! If you, like Sharon, are finding yourself not yet fully in the holiday spirit, fear not. Today’s episode is designed to help you find just that. Sharon shares 10 questions to get you reflecting on how you’d like to move through the coming weeks. Explore your own answers and see what Sharon’s personal reflections might spark for you. Wishing that the holidays this year bring you just what you hoped for - and a few fun surprises too. Ideas Shared:  Here are 10 questions to help you find your holiday spirit: What are some of your fondest holiday memories? Are there any old traditions that you want to let go of or new ones that you want to start? What’s most important to you this holiday season? What are you most excited about? How can you soak those moment up? What emotion or emotions will serve you as you move through the next week? What 2-3 experiences do you want to sit back and enjoy? What MUST DOs are draining your energy? What opportunit

This week we are celebrating the 4th birthday of Point Road Studios with the launch of our new website (www.pointroadstudios.com) and some reflections on key lessons learned in our first 4 years. Come reminisce and learn with Sharon as she reflects on topics like quitting your day job, demanding your worth, taking a stand, and more. Ideas Shared: Celebrating our 4th birthday at Point Road this past week was a real milestone. There is something about 4 years that feels a little like a “graduation.” I took the time to pause and reflect on some of my key lessons learned. Hope you will enjoy! 10 Lessons Learned from My First 4 Years as an Entrepreneur Quitting Can Be A Great Start Entrepreneurship Can Meet Your Professional AND Personal Goals Build Your Energy as You Go Identify Your Ideal Client Demand Your Worth (!) Experiment Boundaries are Expansive (Not Limiting) Don’t Go It Alone Stand for Something Change is the Only Constant Resources and Links: Louis Barajas is the financial planner with a holistic ap

You know what’s not possible? Being perfect. But man does it still have a magnetic force that draws us towards it. In today’s episode Sharon shares some of her favorite resources for countering this pull as she discusses how to embrace imperfection. You’ll learn also about some of the many imperfect things Sharon’s experiencing right now (hint: it involves a lot of home renovations) and get a sneak peak into the launch of the new pointroadstudios.com which goes live at the end of this week. Enjoy! Ideas Shared: None of us are perfect. We are human. Perfectly imperfect in our humanness. And even though we can “know” this intellectually, it’s still hard to accept. ADVICE FOR EMBRACING YOUR OWN IMPERFECTION: Choose your focus for this season Do C-level work Get better with time See the gifts in your vulnerability Learn from the missteps Resources and Links: Brene Brown’s TED Talk on The Power of Vulnerability and her book The Gifts of Imperfection Interest in learning more about how multitasking doesn’t exi

This week Sharon shares one of the most helpful pieces of wisdom she’s ever received: “It’s more important to be present than prepared.” Learn how she has come to understand this adage over the years and how she’s added on to it as well. As part of this process, Sharon shares some questions you might consider if you find yourself holding on tightly to a desire to be in control and tips for bringing yourself back to centered awareness. May today’s episode steward you in stepping into your full presence, regardless of how well prepared you might feel. Ideas Shared: Today’s show really focuses in on two core ideas: It is more important to be present than prepared. Everyone requires a different level of preparation to be present. As we discussed it is more important to be present than prepared, we also looked at two ways of stewarding this mindset: A) Letting go of control To aid this process, you might try and understand your impulse to control, but reflecting on questions like: What’s important to me

The Thanksgiving season is upon us! Whether you are hitting the roads to travel to loved ones or embracing the opportunity to stay put, this week is often the start of a frenetic holiday pace. But it doesn’t have to be. In today’s episode, Sharon offers listeners a chance to settle into a spirit of peace and gratitude for the holiday season. Take in the 10 questions she shares to build up your own spirit of gratitude and hear her share how she is answering these prompts herself. Ideas Shared: 10 Questions to Get into the Thanksgiving Spirit As you reflect upon the 2016 year, consider… What makes you happy? What have you overcome this past year? What are you most proud of professionally and personally? Consider something that has been difficult for you this year…what have you learned from this situation? What’s one thing that you could let go of that would bring you a greater sense of peace and gratitude? What are your greatest gifts? If you could give one gift to the world, what would you want it to be? If y