July Favs and Finds
For many, July marks the beginning of a new quarter and a fresh start for the back half of the year. For me, it certainly does! I don’t know about you, but a fresh quarter always feels like a good reset for me. I take time to do my retro, to update my board deck, and to just spend some time thinking about my goals, including where I am now and where I want to be in 90 days: how I get there, what support I may need in order to get there, and what my calendar looks like between now and then, so I can allocate adequate time to get there.
Today’s article is all about July. What I read, watched, made, fell in love with, and some of the spots we traveled to. It’s a July-goodness-round-up for ya!
What I Read:
I started the month with Martha’s Rules (book), by Martha Stewart, which she wrote after becoming a mentor to many women while she was in prison. I actually really loved this. During one part she suggests that all entrepreneurs need to keep three perspectives in mind when building a business:
the telescope — long term strategic point of view;
the binoculars — mid term economic, competitive and cultural point of view, and finally;
the microscope — the extremely tactical, customer-obsessed, product-obsessed, team-obsessed point of view.
She has a habit of taking the complexities of being a self-made billionaire and making it remarkingly relatable in terms of business advice that you can apply no matter where you are in your life and career. I loved it!
Hot, Smart, Rich by Maggie Sellers (newsletter), Maggie Sellers is an x-consumer-operator turned angel and syndicate investor. She seems pretty connected across the consumer industry and I love how everything she sells on her site is $22.22 or $44.44 or other double numbers. It makes me feel like I found my community of badass businesswomen, meets manifesthers, meets angel-number-loving-woo-woo girls!
(In progress) 48 Laws of Power (book) this is an oldie but a goodie, lots of strategy here. It’s an older, more classic, business/strategy book, but there’s timeless lessons. It’s a dense one, so I go chapter by chapter, taking a break between each. I’m about halfway through.
What I Watched:
Blue Zones (docuseries) this documentary series is all about the zones in the world where people live to >100 yrs old more often than any other places on planet earth. It studies what it is that they do. Hint: some of it is diet, but far more is community, laughter, partnership, and purpose. It’s heart-warming, perspective-giving, and there are many practical takeaways.
Hannah Berner’s We Ride At Dawn (standup special) ya’ll know I love Giggly Squad, so I was first in line (on Netflix) to watch Hannah’s standup, despite the fact that I’d already seen the content back in March when I saw her live show with my bestie, over my bday weekend.
Fly Me To The Moon (movie) starring Scarlett Johansen and Channing Tatum. RUN, don’t walk, to see this! It’s SO much fun and such a wonderful new look at the conspiracy theories connected to the Apollo 11 mission to the moon. I am obsessed with Scarlett J’s character. She’s a badass.
What I Made:
Justin’s Guac — you’ll never need another guac recipe in your life.
Vanessa's Lemongrass BBQ Pork — holy crap so delicious, I had lots of leftover noodles, so I will be making it a few more times in the near future.
Sarah’s Chorizo Breakfast Taco — these are unbelievably good.
Scout’s Cauliflower Taco — so are these, Ronnie has shockingly requested them multiple times since first trying, I have obliged!
Alison’s Biscuits and Jam — my parents said these were the best homemade biscuits they’d ever had.
Karen’s Dirty Martini — someone on Instagram told me this was the best at home dirty martini she’s ever made and that it was neck and neck with her favorite dirty from her favorite restaurant.
Macro Bowl — Stef’s Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl — I’m counting macros these days, and this bowl is a total macro hack!
Macro Bowl — Stef’s Chicken Macro Bowl, Priya’s Ground Beef and Sweet Potato Bowl — same can be said for these bowls!
Where I Went:
Paris, France (article coming soon)
What I Wrote About:
Trusting the Timing of Your Life and Career inspired by Sarah Jahnke, CEO of Homecourt
How to Make Career Moves with Confidence inspired by Roisin Branch, CMO of Blade (xSoul Cycle)
Leadership Advice inspired by Vanessa Pham, Co-Founder of Omsom
The products I fell in love with:
Kroma Wellness Elixir — this might just be my favorite discovery of the summer, its got cayenne in it, which gives this hint of spicy that’s so freaking good.
Fiesta Grande Tortilla Chips — long time lover of these, but I’ve never been able to buy them outside of Michigan before, they are now available in Meijer, in Illinois, in the ethnic aisle… run, don’t walk to get these! Bonus points if you make Justin’s Guac to go with them!
