I know you have BIG plans for 2012.

I'm not even exaggerating. Just take a look at what my twitter family's been scheming:

But, like I've said many times before. Good intentions don't pay the bills or get you that brand new cupcake recipe book you have your heart set on. Action do!

That's why in the spirit of getting massive things done + growing your game, I'm going to share with you one tangible way you can make a big income jumps this year + beyond - through expanding + innovating your existing product line.

Now, if you're like most creative entrepreneurs I know, you probably struggle to some degree with information overload + get distracted fairly easy with shiny objects. I know the feeling. That's why this week's episode is designed to give you 4 tangible ways you can come up with a pool of awesome products that you're proud of + will fly off the shelves.

tip recap

1. Talk to customers, not fans.

2. Spy on your perceived competitors.

3. Go outside your radar.

4. Look at your current stock.

your turn

What action steps are you taking to grow your line of products + shape up those future best sellers?

You know the drill. Share your insights down below.

Yay!

xo,

Mayi Carles

Mayi Carles

Thank you so much for all who entered the Win a FREE Coaching Session with Me Giveaway. I had so much fun reading + watching all your entries + felt so crazy energized by all your accomplishments + larger than Jupiter dreams. 

Meli Quintero, I'll be contacting you shortly to schedule our jamming session so you can get rolling on those world domination plans. Congratulations!

xo,

Mayi Carles

Well hello hello first post of 2012!

And howdy new you!

Aren't you excited about all the abundance + potential that's coming your way in 2012? It sure feels freaking-amazing to have a calendar-catalyzed opportunity to pause + recharge + start over, isn't it?

Control + Alt + Delete. Let's try again.

I like the sound of that every 365 days.

But before restarting the engine, I want to give 2011 it's proper Hasta La Vista Baby ceremony.

Here I go! 

I want to say goodbye to worrying about the future, knowing that worrying is as effective as trying to drive while twitting + applying lip gloss + eating a cupcake all at once. 

I say hello to the beautiful messiness that results from letting go + becoming vulnerable + accepting change. 

I want to say goodbye to giving haters the time of day, knowing that they're just secretly oh so jealous. Buahaha ha!

I say hello to deliberately choosing to focus all of my energy on staying creative + positive + focused on the projects that make me happy.

I want to say goodbye to jealousy, knowing that jealousy is only a reflection of my own insecurities.

I say hello to my own personal race. Sometimes I'm ahead. Sometimes I'm behind. The race is long, but at the end the competition it's only with myself.

I want to say goodbye to whining, knowing that it’s easy to get overwhelmed + feel victimized by a crazy schedule. 

I say hello to being an artist + embracing the career path I’ve chosen. 

I want to say goodbye to suffering, knowing that suffering is completely optional.

I say hello to happiness instead + want to choose it every time.

With that being said + the ceremonial orchestra cueing my finale, I'll share sneak bits of what's coming your way this first month of 2012:

1. A T-Rex size project that goes by the names of Life is Messy Bootcamp, inspired by my famous Life is Messy Planners (ahem ahem, with more than 5 thousand copies sold to date + counting) designed to take your for your 2012 goals from "to do more" to "action gear". The official launch is in just a few days, so please hold on tight! In the meantime, Life is Messy Planners 2.0 are temporarily available through this link for your organizational obsessive compulsive pleasures.

2. A brand new Mayi Carles e-commerce website. No more commission fees hip hip hooray! 

3. A new line of personalized stationary with characters lovingly hand-drawn + painted by yours truly. This project has officially departed to the moon as we speak. Stay tuned as I gradually introduce more products in the coming weeks.

4. A design studio, where I'll get to work with you one-on-one to make your super duper special projects a reality. A custom invitation + a personalized whimsical illustration + a one of a kind hair piece + or heck, your entire wedding court accessories, your pick. I'm so happy I finally made some space in my calendar to take on more elaborate + unique adventures.

5. Organizational note pads (that you can actually hug, I mean touch) are also making a grand entrance, just cuz I have so much fun making em'. Watch closely.

It's all happening + I'm so excited to be sharing it all with you!

What projects, big or small have your heart racing like a speed car on turbo? What do you feel super inspired to create this year? Oh I'm dying to know. Tell me everything in the comments below!

xo,

Mayi Carles

I've been debating all morning what party prop to wear for my 2011 countdown. Oh boy, decisions… decisions a girl's gotta make!

But I'm sure I'm not the only one wanting to make a grand entrance in 2012 + start the year with a BAM!

I already have more than a handful of resolutions lined up that I'm super excited about, including:

- Lose my honeymoon pounds with Sir Billy Blanks.

- Start a line of organizational notepads.

- Visit at least 3 new places. I'm hoping for Alaska + Spain + Hawaii.

- Do an art exhibition. It's about time for a comeback.

- Get out of my paint stained pajamas by the time David gets home for lunch. 

What's on your overachieving mind? Whatever it is, I bet you have plans that are making your heart shine like a twinkle twinkle little star.

That's why this week's video is all about preparing you for the big stage + fool-proofing your grandiose dreams, cuz there's nothing more frustrating than good intentions that never make it past "to do mode", am I right?

Don't sabotage 2012. Make room for epic. Can you hear the castle trumpets?

And so I ask again, what's on your world domination scheming mind? Tell me everything!

xo,

Mayi Carles

I think all this non-stop listening to Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer + Frosty the Snow Man has my head coo coo for Christmas. 

My heart is literally racing like if Santa was really coming to bring me presents. Or might it be the anticipation of my granny's homemade egg nog. I can't tell for sure. What I do know for certain is that I'm feeling merrier than ever, even for this time of year + to celebrate I want to give you a FREE coaching session with me, your personal pocket size creative business fairy. 

Oh yeah, I like the sound of that.

Watch this week's Friday Video Time clip for details.

let's recap

- I'm gifting one lucky reader a one-on-one tailored made coaching session, valued at $150. Click here to learn more about my Make Your Own jams. 

- To win all you have to do is leave your name + valid e-mail + a written or video response sharing your proudest accomplishments to date + why you feel ready to take things up a notch in 2012.

- Written responses must be under 500 words + submitted in the comments below.

- Video responses must be under 2 minutes + uploaded to YouTube or Vimeo + linked to below in the comments.

- To qualify you must be subscribed to the newsletter. 

- Bonus points for spreading the word about this giveaway. And I mean it. 

- You have until Saturday, December 31st, 2011 at midnight EST to enter this contest. The winner will be announced shortly after on the blog. 

- There will be no sorting rabbit magic hat to pick the winner. I'll be the judge who carefully gets to hand pick the winner based on heart + creativity + ability to follow instructions.

I really can't wait to see your aw-mazing entries.

Good luck + let the finger crossing begin!

xo,

Mayi Carles

As promised I'm sharing a little scoop of my surprise honeymoon. I still can't believe David was able to pull this off + keep it a secret for so so long. Makes me want to kiss him like there's no tomorrow.

Wanna know the surprise destination? Take a look at the pictures + take a wild guess.

Yes, it's an island in the Caribbean.

No, it's not Jamaica.

We actually went to Saint Martin!!!

I loved the pristine beaches that we basically had all to ourselves. So romantic!

I loved cuddling all morning with no alarm clock to snooze.

I loved the food, specially the "nocciola" (hazelnut) authentic Italian gelatos + freshly baked pastries. Yummy! With the island being half French-half Dutch, it was really a gastronomic paradise in the middle of the Caribbean. 

I loved our pocket size road trip car.

I loved getting lost + finding our way.

I loved listing to Christmas songs with a reggae twist on the radio. Except Frosty the Snow Man, that was just weird.

I loved losing track of time + not ever having to worry about what day of the week it was.

I loved being able to wear bathing suit all day, everyday.

I loved having wine at noon, without ever feeling guilty.

I loved waking up each day with no plan on my to do list + winging it all the way to dinner's dessert.

Honeymoon, you'll be missed. A lot!

Luckily for me, I have such a happy place to come home too + Friday Video Time episodes to look forward to sharing. I think I'll survive LOL.

xo,

Mayi Carles 

The other day I made a video about often overlooked placed to market your business. I really enjoyed sharing some of my secret spots for collecting leads + generating sales, but I was even more thrilled to see the amount of response the post received + your oh so clever strategies for marketing. You are such a smarty one!

Anyhoo, to put the cherry on top of the fruitcake, I brought on my gal pal April Bowles for a mini interview to share her wisest marketing magic tricks. Be alerted, this ain't your granny's marketing talk. April always makes the dullest topics fun + insanely practical for all. Gotta love her for it.

Here is some of what you're learn: 

- Two marketing no no's you really wanna stay away from.

- How to know when you're ready for marketing.

- How to market with zero dollars in your bank account.

Now, if you want to take things up a million notches, you have got to get your hands on April'' Marketing for Creatives digital guide. It's a top 5 on my list of best resources of 2011. 

Oh + be sure to let us know in the comments what your biggest takeaway was from this interview. Any light bulb moment? We'd love to know.

xo,

Mayi Carles

It's been a little while since my last broadcast. I've missed our conversations so so much. And if you're here, I suspect it's cuz you did too, you sweet thang!

So, let me briefly catch you up to speed on what's going on in da' house - I've finally responded to all 483 e-mails in inbox (booyah!) + unpacked my honeymoon bags + dragged my romantic self back to planet Earth. I finally feel ready to rumble. Phew!

Getting back on track has been a little painful, to put it lightly. Transitioning from freshly baked French croissants with artisanal orange marmalade for breakfast to my usual daily shot of wheatgrass followed by an excruciating Billy Blanks routine has been pure torture.  

It ain't easy getting back into the loop of thing. I know it first hand. Luckily I've learned over the years how to cut some corners here + there to make the experience less painful. Wanna know what I do when I get side tracked? Well, today's episode shares my top 3 foolproof strategies, plus features Pigelina in the background all dressed up + ready for Christmas.

Be sure to share your kick-in-the-pajamas tips for getting back in the grove before you head out. Thank you!

I'll catch you in comment-verse.

xo,

Mayi Carles

While I decend from the happy clouds + gradually make the transition from oh so relaxing gadget-free wedding la la land to I mean business Mayi mode, I wanted to share a few pictures of the big day.

Thanks, from the bottom of my heart, for all of your genuinely kind words + blessings throughout this entire wedding period. I'm also so grateful for your patience + understanding with the blog programing pause. You rock.

On Thursday I will be back to share some fun pictures of our honeymoon + the sweetest highlights.

Till then much missed friend.

xo,

Mayi Carles

Photos by Ruben Parra / Monsignor Jose Domingo Ulloa / Decoration + Planning by Rolando Domingo / Food by Chef Cuquita Arias de Calvo / Stylist by Armando Quintero / Wedding Cake by Melissa Chen / Wedding Cake Topper by Milk Tea Co. / Wedding Dress by Rosa Clara / Wedding Hair Piece by Twigs & Honey / Bridesmaid Dresses by Lana Stepul / Party Props by Enna de Carles (aka my mom) / Music by Truenos y Relampagos.

Post Update: Honeymoon pictures + highlights will have to wait till next Thusday cuz hubby is helping me put it together + the collaboration is taking a little longer than anticipating. Hold on tight. It will be awesome. Pinky promise.

It's finally here. This is the week when I get married WOOHOOOO!

By doctor's orders (and by doctor I really mean my mom), I'm taking a mini sabbatical to truly soak in every nanosecond of this once in a life time magical moment.

As promised, I will do no e-mail + no blog + no Etsy shop + no MacBookPro + no Twitter parties + no BlackBerry. I'm a bit nervous to follow through, but oh so excited to not let anything distract this wonderful memory in the making.

Now, I'm anticipating some withdrawal symptoms coming both ways LOL, so during my absence I will be broadcasting two very special Friday Video Time editions, exclusive to subscribers. It's a little bit like cheating but not really, right? Here's the sneak peek:

On Friday December 2, I will share some insanely practical action steps to streamline your holiday's + give you some creative chaos-free gift gifting ideas.

On Friday December 9, I will teach you how to manage the new + perhaps unexpected demands on your work schedule due to end-of-the-year business madness.

Sign up + get creative biz goodies. It's a piece of cupcake, no brainer really!

So, I guess I'll see you soon.

I wish I could tell you the exact date, but David is keeping our honeymoon a secret. So much so that he's blindfolding me at the airport + having me wear some ugly looking ginormous headphones so that I won't find out where we're going until we land at our destination. Gotta love him!

Oh man! I hate good-byes. Even short + sweet ones.

So, to make this less painful, I'll just strip off the band-aid quickly by saying: I pinky promise to show you lots of pictures of our handmade wedding + the surprise honeymoon + of course the stories upon arrival.

I will be back before you can say heartmade (wink) + I know I'll return even happier + more energized to be of even greater service to you.

Until then my friend!

xo,

Mayi Carles