Listen in as we talk with the versatile and creative freelancer, Eva Foussat, who shares her fascinating journey from being a poetry-writing teenager to becoming a sought-after freelance designer. She tells us all about how she started her freelance career after a successful run as an in-house designer. She also gives us a peek into how she managed to stay afloat during the 2020 pandemic despite not qualifying for small business loans, a testament to her resilience and adaptability.
In the second part of our discussion, Eva, who also serves as the president of AAF of the Midlands, speaks candidly about her efforts in promoting diversity and inclusion within creative professions. She highlights her mission to incorporate a diverse range of people and subjects in their programs. She gives us an insight into the challenges and joys of balancing work and family responsibilities while running a business. Sharing from her personal experiences, she discusses the significance of setting boundaries, managing schedules, and staying disciplined. She also talks about navigating through busy seasons and the pros and cons of taking on retainer work.
Eva is an award-winning creative director who has been working in the Columbia, SC area for more than 20 years. From brand launches to copy editing, healthcare to roller derby, on the web and etched (literally) in stone, she has worked on it all!
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Chapter Summaries:
(0:00:10) – Transitioning to Freelancing (0:06:53) – Navigating Freelancing and Parenthood in 2020 (0:16:38) – Diversity and Inclusion in Creative Professions (0:26:17) – Partnerships and Diversity in Advertising (0:37:52) – Balancing Work and Family Responsibilities (0:44:59) – Insights on Freelancing and Non-Profit Work
Fiona Martin, the triathlete, marketer, environmentalist, and farmer is this episode’s focus. She shares her entrepreneurial journey into the digital marketing world and her zeal for sustainable farming, get prepared to be engulfed with inspiration from each word. Her Scottish-American upbringing and the influence of her family, not only add a unique flavor to her story but become the cornerstone of her life decisions.
We couldn’t help but delve into the captivating concept of a worker’s own cooperative, a business model that allows people to pool their resources for growth. As we unravel the critiques of capitalism, we discover how cooperatives have often come to the rescue. Fiona throws light on how to create cooperatives that can outlive their creators and serve as exit strategies for business owners. Be ready to have your thoughts stimulated by the insightful discussions surrounding the incorporation, benefits, and challenges of this model.
Fiona’s life as a competitive triathlete is nothing short of awe-inspiring. The motivation, the intense regimen, and the effect on her personal life- Fiona spills it all. She embodies the power of prioritizing goals and balancing life. These conversations about goal commitment, trade-offs, and the mental strength required for ambitious pursuits like long-distance events will make you rethink your own life choices. Fiona’s perspective on creating and breaking habits and making sustainable changes in life is an eye-opener. Get ready for an enriching ride into Fiona Martin’s world!
(0:00:10) – Fiona Martin Fiona Martin’s story of becoming a digital marketer, growing up in Scotland and the US, competing in triathlons and micro farming, and her experience in email marketing for Scotland’s tourism board is discussed.
(0:10:42) – Cooperative Models in Capitalist Economies Cooperatives, critiques of capitalism, and why they’re not popular are discussed.
(0:19:27) – Creating a Workers’ Own Cooperative We discuss incorporating a worker’s cooperative, capital accounts, health insurance, pro-bono work, and exit strategies.
(0:33:50) – Prioritizing Goals and Balancing Life Fiona’s journey as a competitive triathlete is explored, focusing on motivation, training, team dynamics, intensity, and family life.
(0:40:45) – Trade-Offs and Commitment in Pursuing Goals Fiona is a passionate, logical triathlete who needs strong commitment to succeed in long-distance events.
(0:44:59) – The Importance of Sustainable Change Fiona’s journey as a competitive triathlete is discussed, exploring lasting habits, breaking bad habits, and the benefits of having a coach.
Fiona Martin
Fiona is a competitive age group triathlete (DOB: 9/10/1982) who resides close to Columbia in Lugoff, SC. She is driven to “always to her best”, which translates into her drive to compete at the highest level in triathlon, her decision to convert to a whole foods, plant-based diet (vegan), doing her part for the environment by growing her own food and reducing her consumer waste, promoting a healthy lifestyle, and praising and promoting strong women near and far. Outside of triathlon, Fiona runs her own digital marketing consulting firm, FGM Internet Marketing, and hosts the podcast The Eco-Interviews. Fiona’s time on the podium puts her front and center at many events in South Carolina, Georgia, and further afield, and she’d love the opportunity to use and promote brands that align with these values. Fiona and husband Lance also travel abroad to compete, visiting Havana, Cuba in 2017 for the Gran Fondo Tour de Cuba; Edinburgh, Scotland in 2015 for the Edinburgh Half Marathon; and Lausanne, Switzerland in Aug/Sep 2019 to represent Team USA in the ITU Age Group World Championships.
The Power of Essentialism in Pursuing a Focused and Fulfilling Life
In this episode, we dive into the book “Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less” by Greg McKeown, exploring its principles and how they can help individuals struggling with burnout or feeling overwhelmed. We discuss the importance of focusing on doing less but better and giving full attention to what truly matters in both our professional and personal lives. By examining the framework of essence, explore, eliminate, and execute, we consider how to shift our priorities and create a more fulfilling and balanced experience. We also discuss the pervasive issue of burnout and the importance of identifying what is truly essential in our lives to combat it. We explore the concept of “less but better” and how it can impact our lives positively by focusing on the things that truly matter to us and learning to say no to requests that don’t align with our priorities.
Additionally, we delve into the importance of routines and the idea of starting small to generate big results, emphasizing that continuous improvement is more valuable than attempting to achieve perfection. Throughout the episode, we touch on tools and approaches to better understand and apply the concepts of essentialism, highlighting the importance of context when forming and building better habits. We also emphasize the importance of discipline in implementing these concepts and maintaining progress over time. Join us as we unpack the principles of essentialism and share insights on how to create a more focused, fulfilling, and efficient life.
(0:00:01) – The Pursuit of Less (6 Minutes) In this episode, we dive into the book “Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less” by Greg McKeown and explore how it can help individuals struggling with burnout or feeling overwhelmed. We discuss the importance of focusing on doing less but better and giving full attention to what truly matters. This approach can be valuable for entrepreneurs, solo practitioners, and anyone feeling stuck in their work or personal life. By examining the framework of essence, explore, eliminate, and execute, we consider how to shift our priorities and create a more fulfilling and balanced experience in both professional and personal realms.
(0:05:57) – What Matters in Life? (5 Minutes) We discuss the pervasive issue of burnout and the importance of identifying what is truly essential in our lives to combat it. Recognizing what matters most can be a challenge, especially when feeling overwhelmed by chaos and disorganization. We emphasize the need to slow down and ask ourselves what matters, not just in specific tasks, but in life as a whole. By focusing on what is important and eliminating the rest, we can better manage our time and energy, ultimately reducing the risk of burnout’
(0:10:37) – What Matters When Nothing Matters (14 Minutes) We explore the concept of “less but better” from Greg McKeown’s book “Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less” and how it can impact our lives positively. By focusing on the things that truly matter to us and learning to say no to requests that don’t align with our priorities, we can achieve a sense of calm and feel more fulfilled. We also discuss the importance of creating momentum and building habits to accomplish our goals, even if it means starting with smaller tasks before tackling more significant challenges.
(0:24:09) – Protecting What Matters (5 Minutes) We delve into the idea of doing the hardest tasks first and the importance of building momentum in changing habits. Acknowledging that many people get stuck in their goals due to struggling with the first step, we discuss how the book “Essentialism” helps ease into these challenges. We also examine our own habits, such as checking emails during vacations or weekends, and question why we don’t adopt tools and approaches to prevent these intrusions. Lastly, we emphasize the importance of continually reinforcing good habits to focus on what truly matters and protect our valuable time’
(0:29:34) – Practicing Habits for Improved Efficiency (8 Minutes) We examine the challenges of maintaining focus and productivity amidst distractions and discuss the importance of blocking out time for dedicated work, creativity, and personal relationships. By committing to a goal, such as producing regular podcast episodes, we can prioritize our time and efforts more effectively. Additionally, we explore the concept of making vital tasks effortless and designing our routines to prioritize what truly matters. Recognizing that progress is incremental, we emphasize the importance of celebrating small victories and avoiding an all-or-nothing mindset’
(0:37:46) – Making Things Effortless (9 Minutes) We continue our exploration of essentialism, touching on tools and approaches to better understand and apply the concepts discussed. We talk about the importance of context when forming and building better habits and discuss the challenges faced by entrepreneurs in separating personal and professional lives. We also share a useful tool of taking a one-minute reset before entering the house, allowing ourselves to be present and positive with our loved ones. This idea of making the things that matter effortless is reinforced through various examples, including sports rituals and the importance of leaving distractions behind when focusing on specific tasks or activities’
(0:46:38) – Mindful Momentum (11 Minutes) We explore the importance of routines in both personal and professional lives, discussing how they can help create positive momentum and maintain focus. We also delve into the idea of starting small to generate big results, emphasizing that continuous improvement is more valuable than attempting to achieve perfection. Additionally, we discuss the stress and anxiety that can arise from trying to fix everything at once and the benefits of working on improvements slowly over time’
(0:57:17) – The Discipline of Essentialism (1 Minutes) I discuss the benefits of incorporating essentialism into daily life and how it can lead to a more fulfilling and focused existence. By cutting out the clutter and noise and honing in on the things that truly matter, we can create positive change and growth. This chapter also emphasizes the importance of discipline in implementing these concepts and maintaining progress over time’
In this episode, we dive deep into the world of time management and productivity, a challenge faced by many ambitious individuals and entrepreneurs.
We discuss the difficulties of balancing work and personal life, as well as the importance of leveraging tools, skills, and resources to make the most out of our limited time. Our guest, Starlight Miller, shares her experience as an entrepreneur in residence at Richland Library, where she provided mentorship and inspiration to aspiring business owners. We explore the importance of learning from others on similar journeys and the concept of doing more with less. As we discuss the creation of a new company centered around helping people make better decisions with limited information and disconnected systems, we delve into the complexities of optimizing time management and understanding oneself.
We emphasize the significance of ensuring that a process works before attempting to optimize or automate it, to avoid amplifying existing issues and inefficiencies. Throughout the conversation, we touch on the importance of self-awareness, finding one’s optimal “lane” in business, and navigating the challenges of transitioning from an employee to a business owner. By focusing on what brings you joy and conviction, you can build a sustainable business that aligns with your values and goals. Join us as we investigate the concept of connecting technology with human behavior and preferences for better time management and productivity, and explore the idea of building a for-profit community-based company.
We also reflect on the importance of considering our goals and aspirations in the early stages of entrepreneurship, especially when aiming to build a company bigger than ourselves. Tune in to this insightful and thought-provoking episode as we discuss our struggles with time management, learn from each other’s experiences, and share valuable insights to help you optimize your life and achieve success in your personal and professional endeavors.
Greg & Gene discuss tools and tactics for looking back at your year and setting goals for the next one. How it can be a helpful and rewarding process.
Here are some steps you can follow to make the most of this exercise:
Reflect on your year: Take some time to think about the events, experiences, and accomplishments of the past year. What went well? What didn’t go as planned? What did you learn from these experiences?
Identify your values and priorities: Consider what is most important to you in life. This could be things like family, career, personal growth, or health. Understanding your values and priorities will help you set goals that align with what matters most to you.
Set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals: To make your goals as effective as possible, try to make them specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. For example, instead of setting a goal to “exercise more,” you could set a goal to “exercise for 30 minutes, three times per week.”
Make a plan: Once you have identified your goals, think about what steps you need to take to achieve them. Break your goals down into smaller, more manageable tasks and create a plan of action.
Track your progress: As you work towards your goals, make sure to track your progress. This can help you stay motivated and see how far you’ve come.
Be flexible: While it’s important to have a plan, it’s also important to be flexible and adapt to changes that may come up. If you encounter challenges or setbacks, don’t be afraid to adjust your goals or your plan as needed.
Overall, the process of looking back at your year and setting goals for the next one can be a valuable opportunity to reflect on your past experiences and chart a path forward. By setting SMART goals and making a plan to achieve them, you can work towards a future that aligns with your values and priorities.
What is SOCO FORUMS?
Peer mentoring and coaching designed to help passionate, hard working entrepreneurs like you make a life and not just a living.
Forums was designed by SOCO, a thriving platform and community focused on supporting indie workers, creators and entrepreneurs JUST LIKE YOU. We’ve spent nearly a decade working with hundreds of entrepreneurs to help them build a life and not just a living. It’s our passion, our “zone of genius” and what gets us out of bed in the morning.
