2008 Winds Down

As the year winds down I am amazed at all of the events that have happened, not only in my own life but also globally. I am very excited for 2009 to come, however not before I get to spend some RR with my family back in New Mexico for Christmas then come back to Phoenix and bring in the New Year with my sister!

Running a business is hard, lots of ups and downs. I am glad to have friends and acquaintances to get through it. I haven't totally found my balance yet between friends and work and might not ever - I love what I do for a living. I would rather work and design than go out - that's good, at least for now. The most shocking thing this has happened is people from my past popping back up - I guess some people never totally leave your life. I haven't decided if it's a good thing or a bad thing - maybe I need to stop analyzing.

I am very, very excited. 2009 is going to bring great things, even more great people and overall great projects. I have been blessed thus far with wonderful things since I began my business and things just keep getting better and better. Although there have been rough patches, sad patches, many sleepless nights and difficult decisions that had to be made, overall it's been GREAT! And I am very very excited.

-Angelina

Arizona Graphic Designer

"Always look at what you have left. Never look at what you have lost." -Robert Schuller

Thankful

As Thanksgiving has passed and other holidays loom near I reflect back on this year and just how thankful I am. I am thankful for all of the bad and tough times because that is what motivated me to become better. I am thankful for all of the good things that have happened because it makes me understand life just a little more. 

I am fortunate to have a loving family, wonderful friends and clients who have also become near and dear to me. I am fortunate to have a roof over my head and food on the table and I forget all too often that it is the little things that matter the most. I was reminded of that this weekend, when another bad time came about. But truly I have my friends here and my family near and a heart that knows how to heal. 

It is said that when the end of our life happens, we aren't judged by how much money we have in the bank, or how big of a house we lived in, but by the richness of our relationships.

Sometimes people are in our loves for a minute, an hour, a month, a year or a lifetime. No matter how short or long they are in our lives they affect it somehow just how we affect other's lives. 

I am grateful for everyone in my life even if it was for only a minute.

Best wishes to all,

Angelina

Balance

Balance. Balance. And more Balance.

My programmer and I had an interesting text conversation this past Saturday night. We both were left alone because our plans had fallen through. It had occurred to us that after a long week of work and providing our services we had neglected those that meant most to us - our friends. It's difficult to find that balance between project work, clients, networking events, phone calls, and problem solving. Within all of that, calling your friends is not always a priority, and it's very sad to say.

Most of my friends understand my schedule, what I am trying to build and accomplish and want to help me. But I need to help them too, be there too. My family understands even more, however that is difficult too, another balancing act - keeping in touch with my family. And what about "me" time, that doesn't exist.

Monday was another busy day and it's shaping up to be a busy week. However I have created a new challenge for myself. Take a time out for myself, for my friends and for my family. Everyone needs time to relax and decompress - I haven't had a vacation in 8 years.

So it's now my new work in progress. I'll let you know how it proceeds!

-Angelina
AZ Freelance Graphic Designer

Role Model?

I heard some of the strangest words from my sister the other day - "You're a Role Model." That actually freaked me out. I have many people that I look up to and look to for advice - never have I ever thought that others might do the same to me.

So I decided that it was time to take control! Absolute and total control of my life and business! Everyone has had an opinion of what I am doing right or wrong and I have continually followed advice after advice after advice. Some proving to be great and some proving to be horrible. And why have I followed every piece of advice? Lack of confidence, lack of control and lack of self worth that I have enough business sense to make this happen.

Well, no more!! I am capable of leading my company in the right direction and I have the solid portfolio to prove it. I have also be given many opportunities to work with some amazing companies as well as people. Not to mention some other opportunities I never thought possible.

I was asked if I could do a 45 minute training class at The Center for Women with Vision about graphic design - The good, the bad and the ugly. I am very honored and excited to have this opportunity. I also wrote a speech that I gave at my Toastmaster's meeting last week about women in business. One of my Toastmaster's asked me if I would be willing to be a speaker for a highschool class - again very willing and very honored to do so.

So, with three bad weeks in the past, one great week in the present and a fabulous week beginning for the future I can only hope that this is what everyone was talking about. I would be slow coming at first with my busines and then *BAM* busy, busy, busy and nothing but clear skies and opportunity ahead.

Have a wonderful week everyone!
-Angelina

"Life is thickly sown with thorns, and I know no other remedy than to pass quickly through them. The longer we dwell on our misfortunes, the greater is their power to harm us."
~Miguel de Cervantes

RE-Inspired

I have, thank goodness, been re-inspired. You have ups and you have downs and I have learned how to handle those ups and downs better and better. It was tough, especially last week. I decided to turn it around, I wrote a speech about it which I will give at my Toastmaster's meeting this Thursday morning. I am going to focus on some new ways to market my company and go get 'em once again! I like this, being re-inspired. I love what I do so much that I can't imagine doing anything else, and I like helping people. Lately, I have had people come to me who are having website troubles, and well, need some TLC. I enjoy helping people, showing them what is possible and fixing a mess someone left before me. Seeing the end result, it's a beautiful thing.

It's tough times right now and it's all about sticking together and helping people out. Learning from our mistakes and moving forward.

"How can I be useful, of what service can I be? There is something inside me, what can it be?" -Vincent Van Gogh

-Angelina
Phoenix Graphic Designer

NThreeQ Media, LLC

I had a dream about a spider.

I did. Truly. It actually freaked me out a little. I've been known for having wild dreams, I've been the occasional sleep walker when stress is getting the best of me but never nightmares.

My dream was pretty much me watching me sleep and someone yelling at me to get out of bed the spider was coming! It was crawling up my bed at me, and not some small spider - we are talking some giant, furry - fell out of a Harry Potter movie - spider. I found myself jumping out of bed and dashing to turn my light on before I knew what was happening. I feel like I am just al ittle too old to be having nightmares, I might add.

I get I am eccentric, and I am an artist and this is what creativity thrives on - but come on! So I googled what it meant to dream about spiders - and it was very enlightening.

• One, spiders can mean feminine empowerment - this is positive for me.



• Two, spiders mean you are fearful of something - it's been a tough 2 weeks, busy but not making any money, bills coming up and major stress on how I'm going to pay all my bills. It's been haunting me a bit lately. Makes me work that much harder but still, I fear I won't make my bills.



• Three, you are caught in a web of something you can't get out of. Oh, I feel this. It's tough right now in business, it's even harder being female in business. Sometimes business meetings are business meetings, sometimes they are a pathetic plot to have a "business meeting" then talk about dating. I'm serious, very serious about my work, my company and my clients. That's my focus, period. Forbes just published an article about this - Top 25 women CEO's of the world - one of their struggles, this same issue. At least I'm not alone.

My conclusions.

• Don't let anyone get the best of me, especially those that don't deserve it.


• Embrace being female, talented and a business owner.


• Learn the Art of Patience - even if it's the last thing I do. Everything will come in due time


• Thank everyone special in my life - my biggest supporters for my company, my family, my friends and Mr. Dj who helps me be creative and funny even when times get tough.

"Today is the tomorrow I worried about yesterday" Thanks Jason,

- Angelina
(Thank you: www.bjorn3d.com for the spider image)

NThreeQ Media, LLC

Is it hard?
Yes!

Is it worth it?
Yes!

I get these questions fairly frequently ever since I went on my own to start my company, NThreeQ. For starters, my dad named my company. I graduated from college and he gave me a card telling me to always remember N3Q. Created from the Winston Churchill quote "Never, never, never, quit." Three N's and a Q. When I was creating the logo and needed a name, it just made sense.

I've had the company for over a year now. Moonlighting in the beginning then moving to full time. It's a journey, a test of strength, it gets hard and frustrating, my skin grows thick daily however, it's very much worth it. I have met extraordinary people, made new friends and business contacts, joining various groups, was introduced to new types of marketing - it's amazing.

So welcome to my blog, stay tuned for updates, stories, bad days and good days - it's an adventure for sure and well worth the effort.

-Angelina