Client Case Study Leah Noble - When I Grow Up

Client Case Study Leah Noble - When I Grow Up Um, do you know that Ive coached hundreds of women since I started offering dream career guidance in 2008? And that these women are freakin rock stars, leaving soul-sucking jobs and traveling the world and launching creative, grown-up businesses and simply doing work that fits their lifestyle goals? Well ya do now and youll hear their stories firsthand in my  Client Case Studies series!  Leah Noble was part of last years Its Business Time program, where she discovered and launched her design biz. The best! Why did you decide to enroll in  Its Business Time? I decided to apply because I couldnt NOT apply. That sounds dramatic, I know, but it was more like, even though I didnt have the money, I felt a huge pull towards the course, and towards Michelle and her partner-in-crime Tiffany Han. I read both their blogs voraciously, I listened to both their podcasts, I just loved them both. So when they were promoting the course, I would get excited, I would look at the application, start filling it out, then go Nahhh this is silly, I dont even have the money! and stop. Then, I posted a link to the course on my Facebook feed and jokingly asked if anyone wanted to sponsor me to take it. And thats how my crowdfunding campaign was born, which is how I ended up finding the money. But besides that pull that would not be ignored, the reason I decided to apply for Its Business Time was because it truly felt like it WAS Business Time, in my life. I had worked a variety of jobs in my life so far, but nothing felt like a career. And I had done some freelance design work while I was in school, but felt like I was just feeling my way in the dark towards a business I wanted guidance. I wanted light to show me the way. And I had total confidence that Michelle and Tiffany would provide that light! What were you doing work-wise when we started the program? I was and still am working with a non-profit organization that provides day programming to adults with intellectual disabilities. This means paid work like baking or printing, but also life enhancement services. I do a wide variety of things here: Im a trained graphic designer so I design pieces for the organizations social media page, as well as posters and other materials. But I also provide relief to the staff of other departments such as the bakery, and I do research, and also run some arts programs. What was your biggest takeaway from our work together? That its really all possible and that solutions are not black and white. I always thought my career had to be either/or EITHER the day job OR the creative career. Now Im more compassionate with myself, more flexible. Good things take time to build, but its totally possible to build a good thing! And I love Michelles concept of a bridge job that idea that you can work a job while youre building your client base or skill set or whatever you need to do to launch your creative career. That really changed the way I look at my j-o-b. What would you tell someone now that was in your shoes when we first started working together?  Whats your best tip to allow them to make a grown-up living doing what they love? Doubt will come. All the you got this!s in the world wont keep that at bay. Thats OK. You may feel like giving up or that its not all coming together quickly enough. Again, thats OK. But dont give up. Even if your progress is teeny tiny each day, still make a teeny tiny bit of progress. I promise you it will be worth it. It will add up, slowly, and surely. It will wear away at the doubt. The other thing is: be true to who you are. I know, I know, this is the most cliche thing to say, like, ever. But when youre in the weeds, and when you feel confused or uneasy about something you feel you SHOULD be doing because everyone else is doing it, but you really dont want to thats the best and also the hardest time to be true to yourself. Ive learned its also the time its the most worth it. Whats on the horizon for your  business? Right now my biz is small, while Im working my day job, so I take on a limited number of projects and clients. Im actually still working on projects that people paid for when they supported my crowdfunding campaign a year ago! But those will be done soon and then Ill be able to take on some new clients. Im also slow blogging actually writing and drawing in a sketchbook all month, and then posting it to my blog at the end of each month. I want to draw more and so this is helping with that. Id love to do more illustration clients and learn about that world a bit! Wanna learn more about Its Business Time?  Sign up here to get the deets, have the chance to register early, AND get the deets for our free webinar next month!