IT’S BEEN 40+ DAYS

What we accomplished:

Putting clothes on daily
Instagram live everyday
Learning to interview, IG live as a new tool, it’s not scary.
New side gig
Financial assists
Helping where we could

Other things to note:

Keeping busy roaming the neighborhood and watching/bothering the wildlife
Enjoying the social time, reconnect
Overwhelmed with too much attention
Playing games thru Zoom
FaceTime with England
Deep sadness, fear, anxiety
A new drinking habit
A baking habit
A bread addiction
A cinnamon roll addiction
Piano Playing
Date Nights
Not caring about the state of our hair

SUPPORTING OUR LOCAL BUSINESSES:

Piedmont Grocery

Jessica Lasky Catering

The Fifth/Quarter Charcuterie

Batch Pastries

Farmstead Cheeses & Wines

Oakland Yard Wine Shop

Date Night

Jessica Laskey pick up

Typical Meal

TODAY, IT FEELS LIKE WE ARE HALF WAY THROUGH COVID-19 SHELTER IN PLACE.

However, we have done all we can now to save our business to stay afloat, we have moved most of the dates for our clients. We kept a regular schedule, we worked despite the struggles of being productive. Pushing ourselves through the anxiety and sadness.

Our photo projects and small web changes have been delivered.

WE UPDATED OUR STORE AND ARE CURRENTLY RUNNING A MOTHER’S DAY SALE THAT GOES UNTIL MAY 3RD.

Reminder: Mother’s Day is May 10th

It’s now time for us to go inward and release, and try to relax.

Maybe our photography burnout was real last year, it happens. In a lot of our Instagram live discussions, we talked about being business owners and being a creative, being artists. It is very important to get rest and reprieve from the environment of which you are to be creative within. Reflect, celebrate what you have achieved and then decompress to allow for a new flow of inspiration.

SPEAKING OF GOING LIVE ON INSTAGRAM …

Let’s talk about the glorious humans we interviewed.

First, the biggest things we learned were:

~IG cuts you off after 1- Hour

~If your live was less than 20 minutes, you could save it to your device, longer- nope!

~Only streams for 24 hrs

~Will not automatically post to FaceBook.

~Playing music with a guest messes with the sound. If we continue, I think a sound device is helpful. But HEY, part of the charm is having something go wrong or it to be very Johnny on the Spot. Right?

~Wearing glasses helps to lessen your puffy eyes. Wearing a beanie hides bed head.

~Wearing makeup and good lighting is helpful. Duh.

~A few times we did a hack of using an iPad a phone while simultaneously streaming IG LIVE on one device / FB LIVE on the other. It sort of worked. Did NOT work for having guests on… obviously.

~A lesson was learned about the different audiences we reach on each social platform. From a business standpoint, that was interesting to see.

BACK TO THE PEOPLES…

We first came up with the idea of having people join us when we discovered that was actually a thing you could do – our dear friend and accountant ( also financial advisor) Debbi “Asked to join us” and so it began. We talked about how we were heading up the financial aspects of the SBA and EDD. Then it was an Aha! Moment… let’s just talk to our very intelligent friends, and community.

So that’s what we did. We started each set with spinning vinyl from my dad and mother-in-law’s record collection. Discovering some of the recordings was a fun adventure in itself. Then we toast our coffees and get started about morning rituals, how we are dealing, how are we feeling. Everyone we spoke with is an entrepreneur and rooted in positivity and opportunity.

How can we make the best of this COVID-19 situation? How are we coming out of this on top? We also discussed any business pivots, and thoughts on the future. We would have them end with a quote or affirmation. All in all, it was mostly like having a mini therapy session. Quarantine Coffee Talk.

“Now is the time to get rid of the ego and do things different from how you have always done them.”

— Tatum Taylor, Crown Salon

WE ARE ETERNALLY GRATEFUL FOR THESE HUMANS:

Chloe – Chloe Jackman Photography

Heather – Somm – Wine Tasting – tour of our apt

Tatum – Crown Salon

Liza – Studio DBI design

Andria – Andria Leigh Events

Carrie – Carrie Aldous Makeup & Hair

Enrico – Rivetto Winery in Barolo Italy

Eileen – Arbonne / Healthcare worker

Stephanie – Bowerbird Atelier / Fleurot Deck (tarot for small business)

Morgan – Hustle & Play – Lifecoach

Anastasia – Anastasia Andenmatte Floral Designs

Ricci – Rust & Flourish Floral Design

Eury – J Bodyworks – Coach

Michelle – Michelle Walker Photography

On Easter, we talked with my parents. They discussed the roots of turning into a photographer. And how much our family values printed photos. Those memory lanes are traveled down more now than ever. Thanks coronavirus, I guess?

HERE ARE A SMATTERING OF SCREENSHOTS FROM OUR IG STORIES

Right now we are delighted to be forced to do nothing. I want to do nothing, and not feel badly about it.

Owning a business feels like having a child. Hold on hold on… We know NOTHING about what it’s like to be parents. But I do feel as though owning a creative business evokes similar qualities of value and emotion. I am OBSESSED with our business. It will consume my every waking moment if I do not let myself become distracted by something else. I take it seriously, feed and nurture it for growth. So when we take a “vacation” it’s not really a full vacation unless I know there is not anything on the back burner or any one who needs our attention. Someone is “business-sitting”, if you will. (Get it?)

Now is a little different. Nothing is happening. The coronavirus pandemic has forced a sabbatical. And I’ll take it -please and thank you.

The last time we were able to completely unplug was on our pre-wedding honeymoon when we both moved, quit our other jobs and went to Europe for 3 months. We decompressed then, and it was glorious. Full disclosure, this was before MJP was a full time career. Although I was ready to go back to work- I got antsy.

WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO THEN?

Not entirely sure! YAAAAAS. Tim gives a fist pump. No plans, no To-Do lists (let’s be real, there will be a daily task list ), no late nights wondering if we should have done another IG post today.

We do plan to paint our apartment and put up wallpaper that has plants on it, because it’s too dark for any actual plants to survive in here. WE are also getting more musical, plan to break out the watercolor paints, or stay in bed all day and re-watch Westworld.

Maybe we go out in the wilderness for a few days? One of our clients informed us of a retreat center. Thinking that sounds good too Just have to convince Timmy that aligning his Chakras is very masculine.

Feeling incredibly blessed to have our assistant Libby who has agreed to take over our IG feed for a couple of weeks so that we do not lose all the INSTAGRAM momentum we just cultivated, and to keep fresh content.

Libby and her family Pup Bogey!

IN THE END, WE ARE FEELING INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR EACH OTHER, OUR HEALTH, OUR FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY.

Keep the positive outlook, this too shall pass. Thank you for reading.

xo, M.

What We Learned During The Covid-19 Shelter In Place & Instagram Live