Morning lovelies and a very Happy New Year to you all!
So Christmas happened…….it went by in a bit of a whirl wind as usual. I got annoyed with myself that I didn’t make the time to write cards, let alone make them like some other clever crafty type people. Then I remembered that Christmas came at a very long year when I started by business and I gave myself a break instead!
One such amazing crafty type person is the subject of my final post in the ‘Creative and Marvellous’ blog series. Folks it is my great pleasure to introduce to you Carla Watkins!
What does she do?
It would probably be easier (not to mention shorter) to title this section what doesn’t she do! This girl runs more businesses, has more ideas and has more energy has anyone else I know.
Her day job is the very seriously titled ‘Web & Publicity Officer’ for a faculty at the University of Essex but what she actually does includes the following
- Blogger
- Co-owner of Ink Drops – add link
- Unicorn Believer – a full time job in itself really!
- Mermaid
- Founder of the Business Soloists Club and small business photographer
- Life and business coach
- Boudoir photographer
- Confidence catalyst and magical alter ego developer
- Burlesque dancer
- Website builder
- Crafter
Specifically for me, she encouraged me to leave my full time job in London and start my own business as a self employer VA and Administrator. She built my website, helped me establish my rates and just kept telling me that there was so much more to life than doing something that makes me stressed and unhappy. Those of you who have ever commuted will know how that feels I am sure.
Facts and figures
Established:
- 1986 as an amazing human
- 2004 as a blogger, creative business human
Website:
One is not enough for this girl!
Facebook:
Twitter:
Instagram:
- https://www.instagram.com/carlawatkinsphoto/
- https://www.instagram.com/duckingfabulous/
- https://www.instagram.com/unfurledwings/
Famous for: Being the first person to swim in the Sport Fitness Direct pool in Colchester in a Mermaid tail
And here is the evidence!
Oh and there is a video!
If I was her VA, I would love to………
Luckily for me I am! We are the skill sharing queens, paying with stuff with actual money is soooo 2015.
She built my website, look at how pretty it is here http://lccreativeadmin.co.uk/
I give her cat advice (we are both crazy cat ladies) and help her sort her receipts when it is tax return o’clock.
Mostly importantly, on a Monday afternoon we have a co-working session together. As any self employed person will tell you, running your own business is tough and it’s really easy to forget to make time to work on your own business (as opposed to working on other people’s), marketing, developing and even finance etc. It’s all very well being an amazing VA but if you forget to invoice your own clients, it becomes a tad pointless doesn’t it.
So on a Monday afternoon we both take the time, to work together in one space, separately on our own stuff. Together, apart as it were.
There is often lunch, there is sometimes swimming, there is always tea…….
Everyone needs a Carla in their life, if only to remind you than mermaids and unicorns are real and you can be who you want and do whatever makes you happy.
Carry on creating people…….
Next up, organisational systems I have used and loved………