Real Talk…

In an online world full of highlight reels, let’s get real and dive into the authentic, unfiltered realities of entrepreneurship and being a founder. Here are some behind-the-scenes musings and reflections from my past week… ⬇️

I’ve been buzzing to share my thoughts on this! This past week, I hit a major slump. A big part of it was figuring out how I wanted to approach social media after my break and pivot.

With so much content out there, I want to be intentional — creating posts that are helpful, candid, and truly me. So, I’ve been figuring it out!

At the peak of my creativity rut, Richard and I went to see Swan Lake at the iconic London Coliseum (pics below — it’s stunning!!). It was magical. Usually, we see musicals or plays, so watching a show with no words, just raw emotion and beautiful dancing, was a change. The principal ballerina gave me chills. Everything—the swans, costumes, lighting, set—was perfection. It made me realize: if they can remake Swan Lake so beautifully, I can figure out my social media 😂

I did an intentional Instagram scroll (on desktop, not my phone 👀) to find inspiration from outside my niche. I stumbled on some cinematic AF posts (examples here, here, here, and here). Normally, I’d compare myself and think, “Wow, their storytelling is next level, I could never,” but this time, I saw it as pure inspiration — just like Swan Lake 🩰

It reminded me not to force myself into social media formulas but to create something authentic. Sooo all this to say, I’m still figuring things out, but I am feeling ✨ inspired ✨ But if you’re stuck in a creative rut, know that finding your voice is a process — and being intentional is key.

Do you have any creativity tips? I’m all ears! And if there’s something you want to see or hear more of, let me know. It would mean a lot 🫶🏻

Real Business Updates

Let’s skip the fluff and get straight to actionable business insights that spark inspiration, ignite creativity, and solve problems. Check out some interesting trends and insights I found this week... ⬇️

This week on IG Stories, I talked a lot about building a business that works for YOU. I put up a question box and answered some amazing questions from you all! In case you missed it, I’m sharing some of my responses here. It was so fun, and I got a lot of DMs saying it was helpful, so I’m thinking of making it a weekly thing!

Don’t miss the next one! You can follow me @selinajho on IG to submit any questions 🫶🏻

Real Growth…

To be the best founder possible, continuous learning and growth are essential. Don’t let yourself become the bottleneck in your business! Here are some self-development resources I found valuable this past week... ⬇️

YouTube Videos: If you liked my reflections on turning 30 and the visual diary/vlog I posted last week, check out my new mukbang collab with my friend Monica! We answered 30 Questions About Our 20s + Turning 30 while eating British Asian food (basically Chinese fast food…) and 30 Deep Questions About Our 30s while trying British Asian snacks 🤤 It’s a bit different from my usual content, but we had so much fun filming it—and it was a great way to hang out with my friend! #WorkLifeIntegration

Podcast Episode: I loved this interview my social media business coach Xanthe did on the better: the brand designer podcast! They talk about how Xanthe pivoted her business from being an agency to what it is now and helpful content marketing strategies.

Book: Venture Deals — As I mentioned in my career pivot video, I’m actively learning more about venture capital and this book is chefs kiss. It’s basically a VC textbook so I’m treating it like I’m going back to school and taking notes on Notion. Pro-Tip: I also put some equations and questions I have about certain concepts into ChatGPT and ask it to “explain” or “simplify” for me and it’s been super helpful. If only ChatGPT existed when I was in uni… 😂

Real Self-Care…

Sustainable success can only happen if you take care of yourself. Self-care is not selfish — it’s necessary. Here are some self-care tools to recharge and stay balanced this week... ⬇️

Self-Care Challenge: This week, do something purely for the joy of it—no need to be “good” at it, just have fun!

Yesterday, I played tennis with a friend and had such a great time 🎾

My dad was a tennis coach, so growing up, playing was always stressful with lots of critiquing, yelling, and tears lol. High school matches were all about winning, which added to the pressure.

But after nine years off, I’m falling in love with tennis again. Now, it’s about moving my body and catching up with friends. Without the pressure to win or “impress my dad,” I’m actually enjoying it! So, here’s your sign to do something that brings you joy — even if you’re not good at it!

Take an IG story completing this self-care challenge and tag me @selinajho so we can keep each other accountable!

P.S. Last week’s challenge was to take a walk without any distractions (music, podcasts, etc.), but I couldn’t do it. I was feeling anxious, so I needed some mellow tunes to get in the mood—and that’s okay! It’s all about listening to yourself. Alsooo, if you saw my IG story, you know I got DRENCHED in a random rainstorm, which didn’t help my mood 😅 But I bounced back and went for a run the next day!

Journal Prompt: What uncomfortable truths am I avoiding right now?

Take a moment to check in with yourself ✨

Quote / Affirmation: “The truth is that if we want to make a big leap forward, we are often first asked to first take a small step back. If we carried on undisrupted, there would be no impetus for change. There would be nothing to make us stop and second guess where we’re headed. There would be nothing to direct us off the familiar path. There would be nothing to spark the unraveling of what we’ve been, and the becoming of what we will be. There would be nothing to initiate progress. If somewhere deep within you, you are asking life to rise up to the next level, you will often first be asked to sink down into what’s holding you within this one.” — Brianna Wiest

This quote from Brianna always hits me so hard! It’s a reminder that progress isn’t linear — there are ebbs and flows, and that’s okay. Let’s sink down into what’s holding us back and rise up together 🤍