As any small business owner knows, running a company isn’t always pretty. Yet blogs and social media tend to gloss over a lot of the most unflattering aspects.

Back in December, I picked up The Ultimate Small Business Guide, hellbent on brushing up on the basics before the new year hit. I had good intentions but as projects began to pile up, I pushed it off to the side…until this week.

In truth, this was partly because I tend to gravitate towards more light-hearted, philosophical quick reads when it comes to business and productivity (my favorites are Whatever You Think, Think the Opposite and It’s Not How Good You Are, Its How Good You Want to Be, both by Paul Arden). But I kicked myself into gear because I realized that I was lacking a solid book of business basics in my personal library. I wanted a source I could depend on outside of endless googling (and questionable results).

I ain’t gonna lie, this book is a heavy read; it’s solidly informational and not something you can just fly right through. But if you’re wondering if you have what really it takes to run a business, if you already have a business but need to create brand awareness, if you are curious about the basics when it comes to staff planning and employment law, if you’re weighing the pros and cons of working from home and if you’re interested in brushing up on trademarks and intellectual property, this is just the tip of the iceberg of what’s covered in fine detail in this book.

Too often, we get excited and jump too quickly into a new business without really stepping back and doing the proper research so I particularly loved that this book starts out with a chapter quizzing you on if you really have what it takes to be an entrepreneur. Instead of building you up, this book makes sure you’re faced with the cold, hard truth and then takes you through the process of understanding everything you’ll be responsible for. It’s all this un-fun stuff that often gets overlooked in the pursuit of the perceived glamour of being your own boss.

At the end of each section, there’s a column dedicated to what to avoid. Once again, it digs into the sticky situations we can find ourselves in if we’re uniformed. It’s important to keep it real, even when the real can be scary.

The book ends with something we’d rather not think about: how to properly wind up a business and put it to bed. Once again, not on a lot of small business owners’ minds when they’re full of passion in the beginning.

The Ultimate Small Business Guide won’t be for everyone but it’s an enlightening look into what it takes to be a responsible business owner. I’m so glad this book covers the good, the bad and the ugly. It’s good to know what you’re in for and how to handle difficult decisions. Because the more informed you are moving forward, the easier the whole process will feel.

I’m on the hunt for some more solidly informative business books. Any favorites you’d recommend?

The more time we spend camped out in front of computers, the more obsessed we get with the tangible. Or, at least I do. I’ve confessed my undying love for magazine subscriptions (even when they pile up on the corner of my office), I love piecing together a real life mood board and I also have a little obsession with paper sample books.

Books of paper samples used to be lurking everywhere…they still are if you look hard enough but not in the same quantity they once were. So when I see a really well designed one, want to absorb every little detail. And Neenah Paper has taken it to a whole new level with their latest batch.

Handed out as a “brick” that then snapped into four smaller sample books (!!!), each page is meticulously designed over their different paper offerings. A lot of the designs have a throwback 90s feel (the best of the 90s, not the garish, pixelated stuff) and it’s really inspiring. I didn’t want to keep this goodness only to myself so I sat on the floor scanning tiny page after page to give you a glimpse of the awesomeness covering these books.

Inspiration is everywhere. Even in paper sample books. Bravo to Neenah Paper for taking it to a whole new level.

View even more Typofiles columns here.

Coffee at home. What a novel idea! Not. Sadly, for me it was. I knew how expensive espresso machines were and I kept using that as an excuse to not own one. Yet, when I looked at my bank statement every month and realized how much I was forking over at local coffee shops, I knew that in a few short months, the machine and accessories would come close to the same cost. It was time to take the leap, once and for all.

Growing up, my parents were early adopters of at-home espresso machines. In the late 80s, at least in Portland, they weren’t common at all but my mom just happened to be a gourmet food buyer and had some connections (I think their original Gaggia is still buried in my dad’s shed somewhere!) but their at-home routine never rubbed off on me.

I never liked espresso, or coffee at all. Maybe that’s because the first time I had the chance to drink coffee as a legit adult was at my suburban office job where I’d spend my summer breaks from college in the accounting department, catching up their very lax filing (the worst!). The coffee maker was in the warehouse and I’d watch my coworkers, 30 years my senior, chain smoking and guzzling their black coffee every morning. It had that terrible burnt smell and was so unappealing.

Things slowly shifted for me at my first agency job. When you have a delivery of fresh Stumptown beans every week and often work late into the night, coffee quickly becomes your new best friend, whether you really like it or not. Over time, I got used to the taste. And walking to coffee shops with friends became a nice social activity and an excuse to take a break from the computer. Still, I was aware that I was racking up a small fortune with every swipe of my debit card (it’s mildly funny when you log into your checking account and realize half of the expenses are for coffees shops).

Over the holidays, I started researching espresso machines and landed on the DeLonghi KMix ones. I’ve been around cheaply made, mostly plastic machines and they never held up for more than a year of regular use. I am a fan of saving up and buying what you want in the first place and being really satisfied versus buying something cheaper and then pining away, wishing you’d bought your first choice…and then getting it down the road anyway.

The Delonghi model I settled on had solid reviews overall (realistically, I don’t think any espresso machine under a grand has perfect reviews — crazy but true) and appealingly came in a selection of bright colors. Joey loves making espresso (I got really lucky in the dude department!) so I put him in charge and surprisingly, I actually like his coffee better than almost all the shops around town.

We keep Torani vanilla syrup on hand and usually pick up a bag of pre-ground beans at Trader Joe’s that easily lasts us two weeks. I like either skim or vanilla soy milk in my coffee and really, the whole process couldn’t be simpler.

These are a few of my favorite things in our little setup: 1. Avril Paint Chip Table Runner in blue or green (mine is sold out), 2. Torani Vanilly Syrup, 3. Saturday Morning Mug in Windowpane, 4. Saturday Morning Mug in Yellow, 5. DeLonghi Espresso Maker, 6. KRUPS Frothing Pitcher, 7. Coffee Mug Holder and 8. Crate & Barrel Espresso Cups (sadly out of stock!).

I still like the social aspect of going out for coffee but overall, I’ve cut those trips down to less than half. That’s not only a huge savings but it’s good for the environment (coffee cups mugs versus to-go cups). I’d like to continue to make a conscious effort to cut back on going out for coffee and two months in, we’re still using the machine every day….so far so good!

I want to know, do you make coffee at home?

This desktop clutter is fairly representative of my life lately — I’ve been gathering up a lot of fun print materials here, there and well, everywhere as I work through a few big editorial projects. What does your desktop clutter say about you? Haha. Really though, this week has been about tough love of the best possible kind. I’ve become a better listener over time and instead of getting defensive about feedback on business endeavors and projects, I can step back and ask myself what I can do better. There’s always room to do better. Maybe that’s something that’s easier learned with age.

As I was strolling through the West Hills over the weekend, I spotted what appeared to be spiderweb windows from a block away. How had I never seen this house before?! As I got closer, there were many webbed windows on one of the most oddly beautiful houses I’d ever seen. I couldn’t get the house out of my mind and after doing a little research, realized it’s the famed JO Frye House, by the very very eccentric architect of the same name who also built the Canterbury Castle right down the road (now sadly demolished). I have a soft spot for eccentric old houses…probably because my house is one of them. It has some major quirks as well and sat vacant for a full year before we bought it.

I am still totally head over heels (ha) for this duo of vases which now welcome visitors in our living room window. Inviting, huh?

A little while back, Joey put in our new front lawn and it’s so lush and thick now it’s bordering on carpet-like. Rocky would lay in it all day if he could. And as you know, I am all for eccentric shoes. Sometimes you need that extra kick in your step. That extra boost of confidence. I remember the time I found these, lonely and hanging out on the sale rack at 70% off and thought, “ahhh, why not?” They’ve served me well since.

Another peek at the stunning JO Frye house….I imagine someone like Gala being right at home here with that intriguing mix of beauty and spookiness.

I hope you have a weekend full of exploration and relaxation — we’re still in full home repair mode over here (does it ever end???) and in between that, I’ll be knocking out those previously mentioned editorial projects and booking some plane tickets. Have a great one!

Source: Chen Man

• If you’re self-employed and accounting scares you to death, you MUST read this post. By the time you get to the end, it won’t seem so bad at all! Promise.

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• Author Maureen Johnson kept hearing from male readers asking for less “girly” covers on her books, so that they could read them in public. She issued a challenge on Twitter and asked people to submit new versions and here are some of the results.

• Kandee Johnson has 3 reasons to not be so hard on yourself.

• I love this umbrella customization DIY. So much fun!

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• What exactly does it mean to be part of the so-called privileged poor?

• I love these cookie cutters by Printmeer. They’re all made with a 3D printing machine!

• Anna just saw Peter Murphy perform last week and has some great concert-going tips.

• Learn how to make your own coffee shop oatmeal. Yum!

• I’m totally blown away by these New York and London double exposures.

• When singing a lease, here’s what to consider.

Up until The Noun Project came along, finding high quality icons more often than not felt like searching for a needle in a haystack. I know that when I was on the hunt, I’d inevitably find myself on spam-filled sites or in a jumble of low quality stock images.

The Noun Project is an open-source project dedicated to building a global visual language we can all understand regardless of cultural and language barriers. The site welcomes icon contributions from around the world and a large portion of them are available for use under the Creative Commons license.

Search for those random icons that pop into your head. The library is massive and chances are, they have it. Need an alarm clock? A flower? A croissant? How about sunglasses? Yep, they’re covered.

Top Photo: Made U Look

I’ve got that nervously excited feeling in the pit of my stomach this morning because we’re announcing two new workshop dates for The Blogcademy!

New Additions

First off, you crazy cats in Melbourne completely blew us away — our workshop there isn’t until November, yet you snapped up tickets in a record amount of time. Countless emails later, we realized a second date needed to happen and have booked the same event space, Lightdrop Studios over November 14th and 15th.

Next up, many of you requested a southern date and we didn’t want to leave you out! I am so beyond excited that we’ll be visiting Austin over August 17th and 18th and hosting our workshop at the stunning Vuka. The last time I was in Austin was all the way back in 2007 and I have such fond memories of that trip. There’s such a warm, inviting sense of community and a sense of hospitality in a way that only the south can offer up.

Both cities have an earlybird special if you book before midnight Wednesday, May 15th.

Tour Dates

Hosting workshops is a huge dream come true for me and I want to say thank you to everyone that’s made it possible. If you’d like to join us for either date, please head on over to the registration page. And if you’re thinking about joining us at another stop on our tour, here’s an update of the cities we’re visiting in 2013:

New York (limited spaces remaining)
Pantina, June 22nd & 23rd

Minneapolis (limited spaces remaining)
Public Functionary, June 29th & 30th

Austin (just launched!)
Vuka, August 17th & 18th

London
Curtain Road Studios, September 7th & 8th

Brisbane
Proudly presented by Tourism & Events Queensland
Bleeding Heart Gallery, November 2nd & 3rd

Melbourne (sold out!)
Lightdrop Studios, November 6th & 7th

Auckland
Generator, November 9th & 10th

Melbourne (just launched!)
Lightdrop Studios, November 14th & 15th

As always, one scholarship spot is offered per class. Please make sure to submit your entries at least once month before the workshop date. I’m looking forward to seeing ya on the road! It’s gonna be a blast. And we promise to keep you entertained!

For Mother’s Day, I took some time away with Joey and Rocky and we headed up high into the West Hills for a long Sunday walk. Everything is so beautiful right now, in bloom with the most intense colors.

I wished my mom a long distance Happy Mother’s Day (she lives in Phoenix) and then instagrammed one of my all-time favorite photos of us. She’s put up with a lot from me over the last three decades and I wasn’t the easiest kid to deal with, that’s for sure. I was very stubborn and particular and I demanded that all my outfits had to be color coordinated! Haha. So I’m glad (and thankful) we’ve always shared a tight bond.

I Wore:
Asos Floral Skater Dress
Dries Van Noten Boots
Gold Door Woven Plastic Bracelets

I love wearing dresses like this in the warmer weather where you don’t have to think too hard — throw ‘em on, grab some shoes and you’re dressed and ready to go!

When I get outside, the stress just dissipates. Once again, I didn’t want to head home. I don’t think Rocky did, either. I hope your week is off to a great start!

The big news this week is that our backyard bar is getting a lot closer to being finished. I’ve been pretty antsy to get it together and that can mostly be attributed to the fact that once we get it done (and the rest of the backyard landscaped), we’re finally going to have a legit party. The housewarming party we never had.

In the summer of 2009 when my brother and I bought our house, we were faced with barren rooms (we had no money to quickly “furnish” the place) and more repairs than we knew what to do with. When Joey moved in during the spring of 2010, it quickly became apparent that he not only knew how to do construction but also electrical and plumbing. Joey’s handiwork around the house including transforming a poorly framed gazebo into a soon-to-be bar has blown us away. I really wish I had proper “before” photos. There was literally a cement slab, 4 posts and the roof. More details shots soon — he’s made a lot more progress since this photo!

I always like to pick up a nice bunch of flowers for the dining room since it’s one of the first rooms you see when you walk in our house. I’ve become completely enamored with Gladiolus over the last few weeks because they’re massive and live for quite long. I like this bunch even better than our last.

After a mini break, we’ve been hitting The Blogcademy to-do list hard again just in time for a big announcement next week. I spent some time adding in a spread to our media kit featuring our Portland class by Made U Look.

I’ve been on a huge kick of drinking coffee at home. Joey is a pro with our new espresso maker and it’s true, I like his coffee better than most places in town now. More on this topic next week — working on a full post!

I wish I had a chance to visit Washington Park more often. I was just there on Sunday and it takes a little work to get there, driving down tiny, windy roads that feel like they’ll never end but then, you park and this is the view as you enter the park. Best way to start your day!

Have a fantastic weekend, everyone! It’s beautiful out today and the Dalai Lama is visiting S.E. Portland. I’m looking forward to balancing business and pleasure a little better this weekend —hitting the freelance but also taking lots of long walks and enjoying our improved back yard.

Any fun plans you’re looking forward to this weekend?

Source: Arseniy Semyonov

• Could you quit the internet for an entire year? Paul Miller did just that and the results weren’t what he expected.

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• I’ve been begging Kat and Gala to visit Tulum with me and seeing Kathleen’s photo diary makes me want to go even more.

• Emma carved her own rubber stamp and it is oh so cool.

• I love these DIY tree stump side tables! They’d be perfect for my (in-progress) backyard bar…

• If you’re wondering how historical figures would have looked today, here’s a whole gallery!

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• If my kitchen suddenly looked like this, I might actually take up cooking!