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'm all too familiar with falling victim to the “self-imposed deadline” phenomenon. If you’re not, well, lucky you!!! As entrepreneurs, we theoretically have more control over our schedules — deciding when to release content, launch products, or schedule campaigns. But for some reason, I always underestimate how long things take, overestimate how much I can handle, and get so excited that I try to release or launch things like… yesterday. Then I talk about it publicly and feel pressured to stick to those overly ambitious timelines. After doing this for 5+ years, I really should know better but last week, I fell into the trap again… 🫠

If you follow me @selinajho on Instagram, you’ve probably seen me talk about the amazing (if I do say so myself) freebie I’m putting together called ✨ Build a Sustaining Business ✨

It’s a free 6-week program designed to build a business that works for your lifestyle, bank account, and planet. The program includes 15 lesson videos, a Notion workbook, and post-lesson email support. I’m incredibly proud of it because it’s exactly what I needed when I started my first business and what I wish I had during my recent business and career pivot. I cannot wait for you all to dive into it 🥺

I’ve been sharing the behind-the-scenes of creating this freebie on my IG stories and mentioned last week that it would be launching soon (I had planned for tomorrow…) But as you’ve probably guessed from this email, that’s not going to happen 🙃

I underestimated how long it would take to edit all the videos, assemble the Notion workbook, write the emails, and package everything. So, instead of pulling all-nighters and dealing with the inevitable breakdowns (which, let’s be honest, is what I would’ve done three years ago…), I’m giving myself grace and compassion and extending the self-imposed deadline. I’m giving myself an extra week and honestly, it feels like a breath of fresh air.

I know pushing it back a week won’t be a big deal for you, but it’s a huge deal for me — it’ll allow me to make this program an incredible resource for years to come.

In this new era of business, here are some rules I’m committing to for “self-imposed deadlines”:

• When I come up with a new project, product, or campaign idea, I’ll list every single task required to bring it to life — from strategy and curriculum creation to scripting, video editing, scheduling, and marketing

• Then, I’ll estimate how long each task will take and multiply those estimates by 2-3 times (because, let’s be real, we all tend to underestimate how long things actually take)

• I’ll assign those tasks to specific days, making sure to block out time for each, and I’ll build in an extra week as a buffer

• After doing all of that, THEN I will set an official launch date.

• If I end up with extra time before the launch, I’ll use that time to celebrate, relax, and maybe even work on other parts of the biz ✨

Sooo all this to say, look out for an email from me next week about how you can get your hands on the Build a Sustaining Business program… 👀

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 Video: I don’t want to leave you hanging before the Build the Sustaining Business program comes out next week, so if you want to start your own biz or create some side income… watch this recent YouTube video I did outlining how starting my previous business Recloseted changed my life and then watch this video on what I would do differently if I was restarting my business

Podcast Episode: As a pilates + lagree girlie AND someone that’s a huge fan of the My First Million podcast, this interview they did with Anne Mahlum, the Founder of solidcore was right up my alley. Anne talked about her first business which was starting a non-profit run club for homeless men in LA, starting solidcore, and turning it into a $300M business. There are so many good takeaways on building businesses that help/fulfill you, recognizing white spaces in the market, questioning things, negotiating, and so much more.

Book: Off the back of listening to Anne’s podcast interview, it inspired me to re-read Never Split the Difference, the book on negotiating that everyone recommends — for good reason.

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: Catch up on sleep this week! As summer comes to a close and it gets darker earlier, embrace the change in seasons by giving yourself some much deserved rest.

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

Journal Prompt: “What can I do this week to honor myself and what I need in this new season?”

Quote / Affirmation: “It is not impermanence that makes us suffer. What makes us suffer is wanting things to be permanent, when they are not.” — Thich Nhat Hanh