176 hours to go!

 

ONE

 

WEEK

 

LEFT

 

!!!

 

So far he's made lifelong friends he clicked with instantly,

 

is trying to retain everything he's learning,

 

tried some really cool restaurants (I guess Columbus is a foodie city?),

 

hasn't fallen asleep in any classes yet,

 

keeps wearing the same pair of sweats to dinner every night because he didn't bring one pair of jeans (big LOL),

 

went to an Ohio State game,

 

has made the shuttle every morning at 6:30 ON TIME,

 

works out every night with his buds,

 

and aced his first test!

 

YOU

 

 GO

 

 BREN

 

(bones emoji here please)

My heart's been in better shape,

and I would totally KILL for a big hug right now.

 

See you in 176 hours

 

...and counting.
 

 xoxo



What I learned from my closet sale // tips + tricks

 

I just finished my very first closet sale, and I made it out alive! It was a LOT of work guys, but it was kind of fun work, and so so worth it. I think it's something every girl should do! One girl's trash is another girl's treasure. Let's put Plato's out of business one Instagram closet sale time, shall we?

 

When I was first debating doing a closet sale, I called up my girl Bella Baker, who had just done one, to ask if it was even worth it, because that's what we all want to know, right? Is it going to be worth it? She told me right away that it was 100% worth it, and gave me some great tips. Below are some that I learned from her and some that I learned along the way to make for a smooth closet sale experience.

 

TIPS + TRICKS

 

#1. Cleaning out your closet. As you go through and clean out your closet, make sure it is things you haven't worn in at least a year, or things you bought and wore once and then realized that it actually wasn't the smartest purchase, whether it be the fit of it, the size, or whatever it may be. Something to keep in mind is that if you just don't totally love it anymore, you gotta get rid of the old to make way for the new, or we'd all be hoarders! So sure, it was sad to get rid of my red Tory Burch Purse, but I want a Madewell tote really really bad, so I won't miss it much. I don't know about you, but my personal style is constantly changing, and it's ok if something you loved for a long time is no longer your favorite! It will be someone else's new favorite! Also, and Bella told me this-- if you are debating putting something up from F21, H+M, or Target, put it up (as long as it's in good shape, obviously)! It doesn't have to just be name brand things. Bella and I both agreed that we were both surprised at the things that got the most bids. They were things we almost didn't put on because we thought no one would think they were cute! But they loved it. So put EVERYTHING on. You never know.

 

#2. Make a realistic goal. After you clean out your closet, look at your items, brainstorm what you would like to get for them, and make a realistic goal. It will really put some fire in you that will keep you excited while you work all those hours getting your closet sale ready, knowing you could soon have that number in your bank account. Oddly enough, my grand total came exactly to my goal of what I wanted to make-- down to the dollar.

 

#3. Pictures. Now it's time to take the pictures. Pictures are so so important, if not the most important. Bella told me to use a nice camera as opposed to a phone camera, but I am just not confident using our camera yet and opted for my iPhone, but looking back, I think I may have sold even more things or gotten even more bids had I taken my pictures to that next level. Try to find a neutral colored wall in your place that has a picture hanging and a nail behind it that you can use to hang the hangers. Natural light is best, but I work all week until 5, so some of my pics were taken at night. Just do your best. Use a wood or nice hanger-- I used the same for every item just for a look of formality. Also, ironing something that is wrinkly will probably get you a few more bids. People are very visual. Take accessory pictures on a neutral colored table. You will have so much more respect for businesses that take pictures of clothing and product after doing this, it's not easy! Another option is having someone take the pictures of you modeling the items. I debated if this would look better and couldn't decide, and I wasn't patient enough to rely on Bren to take all the pics. I do think people can see fits better and may bid on something they might not have had it been on a hanger! Just something to consider.

 

#4. Editing. Edit every single picture. And don't edit it to make it look way cooler than it is, edit it to look like it's best self. The lighting in our apartment is really yellow so I adjusted the temperature on every picture to make it look how it really looks in real life. You get me? Then crop everything unnecessary out, and put a white background around it if necessary. If the item has a back that needs to shown, use Pic Stitch. 

 

#5. Captions. Captions are another opportunity to get the sale for the bid you want! Show lots of personality. Tell them your favorite way to wear the item. Tell them what else it would look good with! Also, be descriptive. Tell them the size, condition, how many times it's been worn, if it works for girlfriends with G's (people really appreciated that), colors and material if it's not clearly visible, why you are selling it (people might wonder if there's anything wrong with it so let them know you just aren't giving it enough love!)--the works. The more, the better!

 

#6. The beginning bidding price. This is the tough part, because I didn't even feel like I really knew what I was doing. I based it off of how new it was, if it had been worn and how much, the brand, how much I cared to get rid of it (some things I just wanted out of my closet), and what I would pay for it if I was on the other end of the sale! Also, while you are loading your pictures, writing your captions, and naming your starting bids, keep your Instagram account private. Oh, and yes, most definitely make a separate Instagram account for your sale, because boys and not all of your girl followers are going to be interested. Anyways, keep your separate account private while you load everything, and have your mom, husband, or a friend go look at it and let you know if they think an item is priced too high or low, and any other thoughts. It's great to have a second opinion! And right before you go live, make sure to take it off private! People aren't going to take the time to wait for you to accept them to then look at your things.

 

#7. Logo & Bio. I asked my friend Liv to make me a little logo because I don't have or know how to use Photoshop, but I promise you one day I will be a pro at it! It comes in handy so often. Anyways, this isn't 100% necessary, but it's nice to have something to put on your personal instagram when your shop opens, because that's where you get your followers. I also had her make a little image that said "20 minutes left to bid" and "Shop closed, thank you!". I think the "20 minutes left" one really helped and got people to get their bids in last second. Obviously, a "shop closed" one is pretty necessary. People will fight to the death on some items, and if they bid after you put the "shop closed" post up, you have to be fair. And if you say that the shop closes at 10 am, make sure to load the "shop closed" post right at 10 am. People will hold you to it! In your bio, make sure to put the most important facts. Mine said: "Every item is a bid. Pickup preferred or shipping for $5 plus $1 for every extra item. Venmo or cash preferred. All sales FINAL. Happy shopping!" I then posted my logo image with all the rules spelled out a bit more, including when the sale would end and that I would be adding more items if the sale was going well.

 

#8. 48 hours only. I think this is the perfect amount of time. It's long enough that everyone can look and bid, and also so you can load more items as the sell goes on, but short enough that people remain excited about what they are bidding on. I started at 10 am on Saturday morning and ended at 10 am Monday morning. I figured people were bored on Sundays and would have time to be on Instagram more.

 

#9. Build hype. Tweet or facebook something, write a blog post, tell your friends, anything to get people excited!

 

#10. Respond quickly. Once you go live, and if people comment questions, respond quickly! They won't bid if they don't feel like you don't care about them. Be accessible to people who want to come try things on- they only have 48 hours! Also-- if friends text you and ask if they can just buy it from you now instead of bidding, even if they are your bff and you love them to death, tell them that you promised you would be fair to everyone, and yourself! You deserve to get the most that someone will pay for your items-- it's a lot of work! Promise you will be so glad you had everyone bid. Your friends will understand.

 

#11. Add new items as the sale goes on. Save some items to put up as the sale is going on. People will follow you because they don't want to miss any new items! And it keeps your sale exciting.

 

#12. "New Low Prices***" Lower prices by $5 or $10 only for items that have gotten zero bids in the first 24 hours (and if you are comfortable with it. My MK boots? No way! I'd rather keep them). It may just be too expensive for some people, but they're all for it once the price has been lowered!

 

#13. If one of your favorite items isn't going for what you wanted it to... If you thought a certain item would go for $80 and the bid is at $24, and you'd rather just keep it then sell it for that price, have a friend go comment a significant amount higher on the item, and just keep the item instead. I thankfully didn't have to do this on my sale but don't see anything wrong with it. These are YOUR items, you own them, and you decide if you want to sell them.

 

#14. SHOP CLOSED. Within 10 minutes of the shop closing, comment back to all the highest bidders and tell them congrats on the amazing item they just won and to text you ASAP. Make sure you give them your number. Most people will be super on top of this but some will not. If you have not heard from them in 24 hours, comment back to them again, making sure to tag them, and let them know if you don't hear from them by the next day, the item will go to the next highest bidder. Also, some people will back out of their items, which is really unfortunate, because I can't imagine doing that to somebody, but we aren't all wired the same! Fortunately this only happened to me once, but it was a big purchase and a bummer. Although all sales are final there is no way to force someone to pay you, so just move on to the next highest bidder.

 

#15. COLOR CODED SPREADSHEET. Now it's time to make a spreadsheet. In each column: the item, the winner, the price it sold for, if they are paying with cash, Venmo, or a check, if they've paid, and if it's being picked up or shipped. I would highly recommend this to keep everything organized. What if one of the winners never texts you, or you don't know how much someone owes you, or if they've paid you yet? This was a lifesaver.

 

#16. A little fact about PayPal... PayPal charges you something like $3 if people send you money, and who wants that? If someone asks to pay with PayPal, kindly explain that you get charged and ask if they are opposed to getting Venmo! People are more accommodating than you think.

 

#17. Charge people on Venmo so they don't have to find you. Makes for quicker transactions and helps you keep track of who still needs to pay!

 

#18. Gift bags. No one wants to show up to pick up their item in a Target bag. Go to Walmart or Michaels and spend $15 on some cute white bags and tissue paper. Adds a nice touch. You could even go as far as printing something that says "Thank you for shopping my closet!" but I'm not that crafty... Take an hour and go through your spreadsheet and bag everyone up and write their names on their bag so when they come to pick it up it's as easy as pie!

 

#19. Shipping 411. I luckily only had to ship to 3 girls, but I don't go to the post office often, so I was a total fish out a water. Fortunately I had a nice guy that helped me find the boxes that were the cheapest prices. Flat rate is not always the cheapest! I learned that. Especially if you are shipping somewhere in Utah. I came out almost exactly even on what I charged for shipping, which was $5 plus $1 for every additional item (thanks Bella!) and it worked great. So remember that and ask for help. That's the only advice I have for you there ha!

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

WHAT I LEARNED

 

>> Don't listen to people! I had people that were trying not to laugh in my face when I told them I was putting together a closet sale. It made me question wanting to go through with it, but I had my husband telling me "who cares what anyone thinks!" If you believe in yourself, other people will believe in you too.

 

>> Would this just end up on my Instagram closet? Doing this sale taught me to stop with the impulse buying! So many items were bought on a whim, then it only took one time of wearing it to realize it really wasn't that smart of a purchase. I'm going to make sure to think about things I'm wanting for a few days to weeks to make sure I'll rrrrrreally love it. Because how amazing would it be to have a wardrobe where you were obsessed with every single piece? That's what I'm striving for.

 

>> Fewer, nicer pieces. (on sale of course!) I realized that my nicer pieces wear a lot better, last a lot longer, and I love them more. I think that is a better investment then dropping hundreds of dollars at Forever 21 or Target all the time. Quality over quantity.

 

>> The numbers add up! Don't be disappointed in a $5 or $10 sale, it adds up fast!

 

>> It's absolutely positively WORTH IT. Now go get started! I'll be your first customer. :)

 

 

 

xoxo!

 

 

 



My heart is in Ohio

You know that weird scream-o song called "Ohio is for Lovers" by Hawthorne Heights?

 

When I was in high school my friends and I would scream it in the car as a joke.

 

But who would have guessed that I was screaming my future anthem for the next two weeks?

 

And I can't make it on my own // Because my heart is in Ohio // So cut my wrists and black my eyes (this hasn't happened yet but won't be surprised if I get to this point) // So I can fall asleep tonight, or die.

 

HAHAHA. K it's funny, but it's also the truth. I promise you I am not being dramatic when I say that it feels like half of me is dead right now. It's a very odd, empty feeling. But I'm trying to stay as busy as I can with my closet sale (which I will post about next), touring hair schools, and applying for a new job. That seems to help, but already day 3 feels like day 20.

 

So just to explain, for whoever cares to know, Brennan is in Columbus, Ohio for commercial insurance training. Since he has been an independent agent he has mostly been doing property and casualty insurance, which is homes and cars, but commercial insurance is a lot more profitable if you can learn it. The program he is doing is called Pacesetter through State Auto insurance and lasts a whole year. Only 100 agents in the country are chosen each year. They fly out at the beginning of the year for two weeks to learn it all, and then the rest of the year he puts what he learned to use. He has to sell a certain amount of premium for State Auto by the end of the year, and if he follows the program, it will really build his book of business, aaaand they send you on a cruise! So overall, this is a very good thing for our future, and not a more perfect time to do it.

 

I am so beyond proud of him for taking this on. It won't be easy at all, but it will be worth it. The first day, the instructor told them: "Don't expect work/life balance, it doesn't exist in a sales position for the first couple of years. Expect 50-60 hour work weeks. Please advise your spouses." (INSERT BIG EYES EMOJI HERE) If I have to go knock doors with him or go sit in his office all night to spend time with him, I will. So anyways, ya Bren is a total rockstar. Please keep us and him (mostly him) in your prayers in 2015.

 

@ash_kae

 

If he had to go on a two week business trip, I was going to make sure he went out with a bang. For his last night, we stopped by a reception at the capital and then headed to City Creek to shop around and then to Cheesecake Factory for his final supper. We shared the kale salad (you MUST try this salad), Louisiana Chicken, and a slice of Adam's Peanut Butter Cup Fudge Ripple Cheesecake.

 

 

Then we headed home where I had a little surprise care package for him.

 

 

 

A Utah sweatshirt for something to remind him of home, my favorite book I've been pleading with him to read (with a little edit to make it more masculine: #BOYBOSS), his favorite deodorant and body wash, an inflatable heart for some insta-love, "bringing home the bacon" socks (came up with that all on my own, I was proud), some polaroids, some snacks (Have you tried that Brownie Brittle stuff?! Almost too good to be true), and then some little notes for when he needs some extra love (that's about as crafty as I get).

 

Then it was cuddling and tears until I dropped him off at the airport the next morning at 6 am.

 

Two and a half days down, and I'm not even going to say how many more to go.

 

Oh and note to self Ash: Spraying your husband's cologne on yourself will make you miss him MORE, not less.

 

xoxo



Some Thoughts on Parenthood

 

Remember in my last post how I mentioned that I am way behind when it comes to knowing about the coolest, latest things?

 

Well, here it applies again.

 

PARENTHOOD.

 

Now I know most of you are totally up to date, waiting for next week's not season but series finale,

 

but here I am, on season 3.

 

I debated starting this series for a bit because I got lots of warnings from people: that it's depressing, that it's like real life and who would want to watch that- life's hard enough!

 

But I kind of see it the exact opposite. Life is hard, so why not have something real and relatable, to know you're not the only one that goes through these things?

 

In my opinion, Parenthood is totally refreshing, especially in a time where I think people are feeling like their lives need to be perfect.

 

I know I'm only halfway through the series, but I have some thoughts I wanted to share.

 

When I first started the series, so many of the characters just bugged me.

 

"Why is she making those choices? Why the heck would he do that to his wife? Why is she more of a best friend than a mom?"

 

Certain things I didn't like about them.

 

But as the show has gone on, I have noticed that I have fallen in love with

 

every single character. Every single one!

 

Not because they're all the sudden doing exactly what I would do, or being less annoying,

 

but because I've gotten to know them.

 

I get them. I get why they do the things they do, why they handle certain things certain ways, and that the things they say and do don't always come across as they meant.

 

That got me thinking, that's just like REAL LIFE!

 

I think if we took the time to truly get to know people, we would understand them, and they would understand us.

 

We would have no enemies, no one who drives us up the wall, no one that we just can't stand.

There's probably even a Pinterest quote out there somewhere about this.

 

Anyways, something to think about.

 

My next thought is how much I have loved watching this show with my husband.

 

It has made for great discussion, because it's things we'll all go through!

 

"What would you do in that situation?"

"How are we going to teach our kids how to lose?"

"Would you let our daughter date him? How would you tell her no?"

"What would you do if you worked with this person?"

 

I have loved hearing Bren's insight on things.

 

And lastly, I have to give a shout out to my girl Christina.

 

The mom that does anything literally AN-Y-THING for her kids, and if that means approaching the kid at school that's been bullying her son, she ain't scared!

 

 I want to be a Christina Braverman kind of mom, she rocks.

 

And that is the end of my rant.

 

xoxo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



You can call me the newest #GIRLBOSS

Where has this book been all my life??!!

The author is the founder and CEO of the huge online clothing site Nasty Gal. She went from practically homeless to a millionaire businesswoman in less than 7 years and all before she was 30. Her story is 100% fascinating.

"I never intended to be a role model, but there are parts of my story, and the lessons I've learned from it, that I want to share. In the same way that for the past 7 years people have projected themselves into the looks I've sold through Nasty Gal, I want you to be able to use #GIRLBOSS to project yourself into an awesome life where you can do whatever you want. This book will teach you how to learn from your own mistakes and from other people's (like mine). It will teach you when to quit and when to ask for more. It will teach you to ask questions and take nothing at face value, to know when to follow the rules and when to rewrite them. It will help you to identify your weaknesses and to play your strengths. It will show you that there's a certain amount of irony to life. For example, I started an online business so I could work from home. . . alone. Now I speak to more people in one workday than I used to in an entire month. But I'm not complaining."

The entire thing is GOLD and I am asking you, actually beeeeegging you, to read it.

I HAVE to write down all the things I love from this book somewhere so I can remember them forever and ever, and I figured this is a good place to do it since I have no journal. And I don't know, maybe don't read the stuff below, it's not like it's going to ruin the book for you or anything, it may even get your really excited to read it (I also realize that most people have probably already read this because I'm really behind when it comes to hearing about cool things- ie: We just got Spotify last month), but if you want to read the whole thing knowing absolutely nothing STOP HERE. BUT, if you are being honest with yourself and don't think you'll ever read it, at least read these bits (ok maybe I wrote down half the book) - I promise it'll stick with you.

>> "So you want to be a #GIRLBOSS? I'm going to start by telling you two things. First: That's great! You've already taken the first step toward an awesome life by simply wanting one. Second: That's the only step that's going to be easy. See, here's the thing about being a #GIRLBOSS- it's not easy. It takes a lot of hard work to get there, and then once you arrive, it takes even more hard work to stay there. But then, who's scared of hard work? I'm not, and I'm sure you aren't either. Or, if you are, I'm sure this book will change your mind so by the end of the last chapter you'll be practically screaming, "Where is some work!?! I want some work and I want to do it now!"

>> "I tried the obvious route of hourly jobs and community college, and it just never worked for me. I'd been told for so long that the path to success was paved with a series of boxes you check off, starting with getting a degree and getting a job, and as I kept trying and failing at these, it sometimes seemed that I was destined for a life in the loser lane. But I always suspected that I was destined for, and that I was capable of, something bigger. That something turned out to be Nasty Gal, but you know what? I didn't find Nasty Gal, I created it."

>> "I'm not going to lie- it's insulting to be praised for being a woman with no college degree. But then, I'm aware that this is also to my advantage: I can just show up to a meeting and blow people away just by being my street-educated self. I, along with countless other #GIRLLBOSSes who are profiled in this book, girls who are reading this book, and the girls who are yet to become a #GIRLBOSS will do it not by whining- but by fighting. You don't get taken seriously by asking someone to take you seriously. You've got to show up and own it. If this is a man's world, who cares? I'm still really glad to be a girl in it."

>> "I think I always saw the world in a different way. My mom says that when I was five, I got a red string and ran across the playground with it trailing after me. All of the other kids asked what it was, and I told them that it was a kite. Soon everyone had red strings, and we all ran together, our kites high in the sky. If I, and this book. have anything to prove, it's that when you believe in yourself, other people will believe in you, too."

>> "I didn't know it at the time, but what I was doing here included two keys to running a successful business: knowing your customer and knowing how to get free marketing. I also responded to every single comment that anyone left on my page. It just seemed like the polite thing to do. Many companies were spending millions of dollars trying to nail social media, but I just went with my instincts and treated my customers like they were my friends. Even with no manager watching to give me a gold star, it was important to do my best. If you believe that what you're doing will have positive results, it will- even if it's not immediately obvious. When you hold yourself to the same standard in your work that you do as a friend, girlfriend, student, or otherwise, it pays off."

>> By the age of twenty-three, life felt surreal. At that moment, I was watching my eBay auctions close, totaling $2500. I was making more in a week than I'd ever had in a month at my hourly jobs. While my mother was writing me long emails imploring me to return to community college, all I had to do was look at my burgeoning bank balance to think that maybe this time she had it wrong."

>> "What I know now is that nothing is universally boring- what's boring to you could be totally engaging to someone else. If you're bored and hating it, it's a big sign that you're most likely just in the wrong place. There are some folks who just straight up hate work, no matter what kind of work it is. This book just isn't for those people. Unless you're born the child of a billionaire, work is something we all have to do. So make it something you enjoy, because bored is not a #GIRLBOSS's natural state. At all."

>> "My biggest weakness as an employee (and also as a friend) was my incurable inability to be on time. Time may be the one thing in the world I can't negotiate, no matter how hard I've tried. It plagues me to this day. Sometimes being late is unavoidable, but being repeatedly, predictably late is a wonderful way to let your boss know that you just don't care about your job. No one wants to hire, or continue to employ, someone who blatantly doesn't care."

>> "What all of my jobs taught me is that you have to be willing to tolerate some things you don't like- at least for a while. This is what my parents' generation would call 'character building', but I prefer to call it '#GIRLBOSS training'. I didn't expect to love any of these jobs, but I learned a lot because I worked hard and grew to love things about them. Admittedly, some were way below anyone's intelligence level. But no matter what, I approached them with a sense of tourism and experimentation. Rather than being tied to how it all worked out, I felt like I was just going to see where things went. When you approach everything as if it's a big, fun experiment, then it's not that big of a deal if things don't work out. If the plan changes, that can be even better. There are secret opportunities inside every failure, which I'll get into in another chapter, but start looking now- they are everywhere!"

>> "It's unfortunate that school is so often regarded as a one-size-fits-all kind of deal. And if it doesn't fit, you're treated as if there is something wrong with you; so it is you, not the system, which is failing. Now, I'm not trying to give every slacker a free pass to cut class and head straight to Burger King, but I do think we should acknowledge that school isn't for everyone. So, #GIRLBOSS, if you suck at school, don't let it kill your spirit. It does not mean that you are stupid and worthless, or that you are never going to succeed at anything. It just means that your talents lie elsewhere, so take the opportunity to seek out what you are good at, and find a place where you can flourish. Once you do, you're going to kill it."

>> "When you treat your possessions as emblems of your hard work, they inherit a meaning that transcends the objects themselves."

>> "There is no dignity quite so impressive, and no independence quite so important, as living within your means." -Calvin Coolidge

>> " Learning how to manage your money is one of the most important things you'll ever do. Being in a good spot financially can open so many doors. Being in a bad spot can slam them in your face. And being broke gets old, so start making smart decisions now to avoid paying for stupid ones later."

FAVORITE STORY >> "I was nineteen and at the mall buying a bra at Victoria's Secret because while it's possible to dumpster-dive for food and trawl the Salvation Army for clothes, even a freegan knows to invest in new underwear. At the register, the salesperson asked me if I wanted to sign up for a Victoria's Secret card and I said yes. I thought I was signing up for a rewards program, where I'd earn points toward a free bra or something. What I failed to realize at that moment was that I had unknowingly been bestowed my very first credit card. Because I moved so much, I rarely had a steady address, causing bills to miss me as I jumped from state to state. By the time my $28 lingerie charge caught up with me, my credit was wrecked, and I had learned the hard way that you can ruin your credit in one seemingly responsible afternoon, but rebuilding it takes years."

>> "When people write about Nasty Gal, the articles almost always note how I built the company with no debt, because that's a pretty unusual feat in the business world. And yes, once I finally got a job and started working for my money, I was extremely responsible with it. But what these stories usually leave out is that it wasn't by choice that I built that company debt-free. It simply wasn't an option, because no one would even give me a credit card, never mind a business loan. This was frustrating; however, it was also a blessing in disguise. As I had no financial cushion to support me while the business ramped up, I had to bust my a** and make it profitable from day one. In the end, this meant that I grew Nasty Gal to $28 million in revenue without borrowing a dime."

>> "Bills, sadly, are not an ignore-it-and-it-goes-away problem. If you've been getting an overdue notice from the cable company every two weeks for the past three months, and all of a sudden it stops coming, that does not mean they've gotten over you and moved on to someone else. Big companies are like the mob- they never forget, they never give up, and they always get their money. Get them before they get you: Pay up, and pay one time."

>> "Cash is king- it's so simple, yet so difficult for a lot of people to understand: Do not spend more money than you have. Sadly, doing that is not the norm for a lot of people, but also a signifier of success."

>> "In 2010, after Nasty Gal moved off eBay and was a full-fledged business, I had almost $1 million cash in the bank. When sales spiked around the holiday season, I kept taking screenshots every time the account balance would go up, because I never knew if I'd see more money than that in one place, at one time, ever again. I wanted to remember when that many zeros looked like, forever."

>> "Another big no-no is increasing your spending as soon as your income increases. I have always been careful to avoid this pitfall. For a long time I was so focused on growing the business that spending money on myself didn't even cross my mind. Even if I had wanted to drop $500 on a pair of shoes, I was just too busy. #GIRLBOSS, when your time spent making money is significantly greater than your time spent spending money, you will be amazed at how much you can save without really thinking about it."

>> "If you're tempted to buy something, just imagine that those new shoes were actually made out of crisp $20 bills. Do those $20 bills look good getting dirty on the sidewalks? No, they do not. That's because money looks better in the bank than on your feet."

FAVORITE STORY >> "Don't live like a CEO when you're still a sandwich artist. The first car I bought after the Volvo wasn't a Porsche- it was a used Nissan Murano. I loved this car. I put half down (around $10,000), financed the rest with an 11 percent interest rate (my first loan!) and was so excited about the horrible deal I had just gotten that I hugged the car salesman when he handed me the keys. I paid if off in full within the next year. Last year I decided it was time for an upgrade. When I went to buy the Porsche, I was ready to splurge. But me being me, I wanted to again put half down. The dealership, however, put a kind in my well-laid plans for a financially responsible splurge. They wouldn't give me a loan or lease. Who would have guessed that Porsche had stingier financing than Nissan? And, as it turned out, even though I was now running my own company and had enough money to put down a hefty deposit, my credit was still only mediocre. It was a WTF moment that drove home to me how screwy the credit system is. I was reminded again that the common way is not always the best way. Therefore, I paid cash for that Porsche. A #GIRLBOSS has gotta do what a #GIRLBOSS has gotta do. This time, when I got my keys, nobody got a hug. And no, it wasn't because I was bitter about the financing. It's that buying the Porsche, in all of it's German-engineered perfection, just wasn't as special. Nothing will ever compare to the first time I bought myself a car, because it simply can't be done again."

>> "We control our thoughts and our thoughts control our lives. This is an extremely simple, totally straightforward concept, but for a lot of people, it's so alien that it might as well be magic."

>> "Each time you make a good decision or do something nice or take care of yourself; each time you show up to work and work hard and do your best at everything you can do, you're planting seeds for a life that you only hope will grow beyond your wildest dreams. Take care of the little things- even the little things that you hate- and treat them as promises to your own future. Soon you'll see that fortune favors the bold who get sh*t done."

>> "It all goes back to the read string of my imaginary kite- if you believe something, other people will believe it, too. You can't convince someone else- whether it's a potential employers, a loan officer at the car dealership, or someone you've been crushing on- that you're amazing and terrific if you don't actually think you are. This isn't the false confidence that comes from getting a bunch of "likes" on your Instagram selfies, but a deep-down, unshakeable self-confidence that persists even when things aren't going all that great."

>> "While I truly believe that you must have intentions to fulfill your dreams, I also think you have to leave room for the universe to have its way and play around a big. Don't get so focused on one particular opportunity that you're blind to other ones that come up. If you think about one thing, and talk about it all the time, you're being too obsessive. You might ruin it. If you let yourself meander a bit, then the right things and the right people fall into place. Some things are worth fighting for- don't get me wrong, I'm definitely a fighter- but I really think that what is right should be easy. My dad has always said that the definition of crazy is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results, and it's so true. If something's not working out, but you keep hammering at it in the exact same way, go after something else for a while. That's not giving up, that's just letting the universe have its way."

>> "I also think you can end up ignoring, and even losing, the positive things in your life by focusing too much on the negative. That's a huge drain, as well as a waste of time. When you think about people, you give them power."

>> "I decided then that I don't want to spend time thinking about things that I don't want to have a place in my life. You have to kick someone out of your head as forcefully as you'd kick someone out of your house if you didn't want them to be there. Naturally, every boyfriend comes with an ex-girlfriend, every business comes with competitors, but it is entirely up to you to decide how much time you spend thinking about them. Frankly, even if that girl your boyfriend used to make out with suddenly gets hit by a car (like you're secretly hoping she will), who cares? You're still you. The same goes for business: There's no karmic law that dictates your business will succeed if others fail, so why not just wish them well and get on with it?"

>> "Focus on the positive things in your life and you'll be shocked at how many more positive things start happening. But before you start to think you just got lucky, remember that it's magic, and you made it yourself."

>> "No matter where you are in life, you'll save a lot of time by not worrying too much about what other people think about you. The earlier in your life that you can learn that, the earlier the rest of it will be. You is who you is, so get used to it."

>> "I didn't know anybody to turn to for business advice, and because of this, people ask me all the time how I figured it out. Well, I figured it out by doing what I think is one of the best strategies for learning anything anywhere: I Googled it. There is a whole wide world of free education out there for anyone who wishes to take advantage of it. Granted, a book might cost you $13, but that's pennies compared with college tuition. When I needed to know what kinds of shelving to buy for the warefouse, I Google-image searched 'warehouse shelving' and spent an afternoon looking at pictures of shelves until I figured out which ones would be best for our needs."

>> "All humans are entrepreneurs not because they should start companies but because the will to create is encoded in human DNA." -Reid Hoffman, founder of LinkedIn

>> "What are the chances? That's a good question. More than a half-million new businesses are started per month in the United States alone, but 80% of them will fail within the first year and a half. So what are the chances that mine would still be alive and thriving seven years later? ... I have a tattoo that reads "1%"... It's a reminder of how unlikely it was that I'd ever find myself seated in the corner office."

>> "In a 2011 Ted Talk in San Francisco, author and speaker Mel Robbins talked about how the chances that you are you are about 1 in 400 trillion. (Yes, that's a four hundred followed by twelve zeros.) This takes into account the change of your parents meeting out of all the people on the planet, the chance of them reproducing, the change of you being born at the exact moment that you were, and every other wildly improbable factor that goes into each individual person. The whole point of her crazy calculation was that we should take the sheer improbability of our own existence as a kick in the butt to get out of bed in the morning. If you hear this fact as discouraging- that you're only one in billions- then flip the script. You are one in billions! Someone has to succeed, so it might as well be you."

>> " I didn't stick around high school long enough to be voted "Most Likely to" anything, especially since my Subway polo, Dickies, and I looked about as far away from Most Likely to Succeed as you could possibly get. Anyone looking for a sure bet, in business or in life, would have never put their money on me. But that didn't dissuade me from betting on myself. In the end I beat the odds. Now, whenever I'm faced with improbably situations, I remind myself that if I really want something badly enough, I have it within myself to make it happen."

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Shop My Closet

 

After months of fighting the idea, I have finally given in and am going to do a closet sale on Instagram! The goal is to have it ready a week from today. It's a LOT of work! The closet clean out, the washing, the ironing, the picture taking, the cropping and editing, the posting and the description, and I haven't even gotten to the packaging and shipping yet--- it's quite the job.

 

But after finishing #GIRLBOSS a few days ago, I decided to pull the trigger, because she did go from homeless to a multi-millionaire in 7 years, and it all started with an eBay shop. ;)

 

I was almost embarrassed to do this, but I have some really cute things that I think deserve a better home than Plato's. Like this dress that I wore once? I think it would LOVE to be worn to a few more bachelorette parties or wedding dinners!

 

So if you're interested, keep your eye out for my closet sale! I think you'll find some gems.

 

xoxo

Snicks

This morning our very first family dog passed away in his sleep.

 

I was 10 and Ari was 7 when we got him.

 

My parents hated animals and the last thing they wanted was a dog, but Ari and I saved up $350 on our own to pay for one, and so to the breeder we went.

 

We came home with the cutest little Shih Tzu, and named him Snickers because he was colored chocolate brown and caramel just like the candy bar.

 

He was the sweetest dog for eleven and a half years- not a mean, yappy, troublemaking bone in his body.

 

He taught my parents to LOVE animals...maybe even more than they love humans now.

 

We found out he had cancer just as I was about to head to Utah State in 2011 and we thought his last days were near, but he kept kicking for another 3 years, that little fighter!

 

He truly was like a sibling in our little family, that is how much he was loved.

 

About a year ago he started having seizures in the night and there were so many times we almost put him down, but I'm so glad he lived a full life and got to pass peacefully on the bed right next to my mom.

 

I'm even more glad that all dogs go to heaven and know he will be waiting for us there! Well, at least my mom, his absolute favorite, that he would just follow around the house all day long.

 

Love you Snicks, I wish I could have given you one last belly scratch and a kiss. I owe you one, k?

 

 

 



New 'Do

Last night I went and got my hair done by my darling friend Devery at Salon O for the first time!  She had just taken a hair painting class from a stylist in NYC and I was so excited to try this method out.

 

The benefit of having your hair painted instead of foiled, especially for blondes, is that you don't get that horrible regrowth that gives a line that's straight as a ruler because you are hand painting the highlights, which gives a much more sunkissed look. When using foils, you work row by row, which makes the highlight pattern look very linear and grid-like. The hair painting gives more flexibility on where you want to place the highlights so the resulting pattern looks a lot more natural.  It lasts between 8-10 weeks, where foiling lasted me 5-6.

 

Dev did make we wait an extra 2 weeks do to my hair so that I would have enough regrowth to totally get rid of the harsh lines in my hair from foiling. She had me send her pictures of my regrowth and told me she needed about another 1/4th inch of roots to do it. It was a rough 2 weeks for my hair but SO worth it and I love that she waited so she could do it right.

 

The first thing we did when I got there was take before pictures. How cute is that darling wallpaper? Also, all of these pictures have zero editing, just so you can really see the true color.

 

Suuuuuuper cute picture of me

 

 

 

Next we took 2 inches off the bottom because my lob had become a soccer mom haircut from not having a hair appointment in so long and Dev wanted to get it out of the way before we started on the color.

 

 

 

Already feeling a little better.

 

And here are the harsh lines from foiling in all their glory:

 

 

 

YUCK. I had no idea how bleached out I was! What was happening is that my hair just kept getting lighter and lighter because we were weaving any strands of hair we felt like not doing the exact same pieces everytime, and it just got so blonde because we weren't putting any lowlights in or leaving any of my natural color that the regrowth kept getting worse and worse, and then I'd want to get my hair done more and more often, and it was making my hair less and less healthy! Not good my friends, not good. If you do get your hair foiled, make sure your hair girl is weaving the exact same strands of hair everytime!

 

So to get rid of all the harsh lines going on in my hair, we actually had to color the top 5 inches of my hair and the whole underneath a darker carmely color that matched my natural. (It looks like bleach but it's actually the dark carmel color!)

 

 

That sat for about 20 minutes and then we washed and dried me. Then Dev started to paint the blonde back in, as well as some lowlights. I didn't get any pictures of that step, dang it, it was the coolest part! Well, one of them.

 

After that processed, she washed me and then put a deep conditioner on and gave me an AMAZING scalp massage while it worked its magic.

 

Then she brought me back and the real haircut began. We took another inch off the back, a tad more off the front, and made it super A-lined.

 

Then she dried me and curled my hair WITH THE BLOWDRYER! She used a paddle brush and did twists away from the face as she dried. It was the most amazing thing I'd ever seen, and when I woke up today it still looked perfect! I literally touched up 2 pieces.

 

She then texturized my hair to give it some movement and thinned out my bangs a tad since they can get heavy. A little product and...

 

Walla!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Such a more natural blonde color that will have such better regrowth and the SHINE- I couldn't get over the shine the deep condition gave my hair!

 

 

No more lines and grids! Because there was so much color correction the whole thing took 6 hours, and Dev was such a perfectionist the entire time. I knew I was in the best hands. It is honestly one of the very best decisions I have ever made!

 

 

Because you know I'm all about that paint, bout that paint, no foil.

 

Hehe.

 

Thank you Dev, love you!

 

xoxo

 

 

 



2015 Resolutions

 

 

>> Get some muscles (and try to make it to the gym in the mornings before work with my overachiever husband)

 

>> Read a book a month, starting with #GIRLBOSS
 

>> Save money to use on experiences, not things

 

>> Have better posture

 

>> Learn how to take a non-blurry picture on Bren's camera

 

>> Push myself to DO HARD THINGS!

 

 

 

What are your New Years Resolutions?

xoxo