Blog - Karen L Reyburn

KAREN’s

Notes

KLR note buddha in me buddha in you book 11-03-23

BOOK Notes: The Buddha in me, the Buddha in you

I read. A lot. My list of “books to read” has over 100 titles listed, and every time I mention a book I’ve appreciated, I get another recommendation of a new one and the list gets longer. One of the books recommended to me years ago was “The Buddha in Me the Buddha in You”,

KLR note dustbuster shark sketch

The DustBuster and the Shark; or, a sales story

Once upon a time there was a human who owned a hoover. It wasn’t a particularly amazing hoover, but it more or less did the job. She’d run it round the house from time to time and it would pick up most of the dirt and mess, and sometimes she had to run it back

KLR note get too excited 18-02-23

Go ahead, get TOO excited

I’m willing to bet you’ve done this as often as I have – something comes up which is making progress, which could be momentous (in a small or great way), and you tell someone about it and they get really excited for and with you. “That’s so great! Oh my word! Amazing!” And then the

brick wall sketch with hole and blue sky visible

The breakthroughs don’t always come when you think they will

Okay I’m going to use my broken ankle as an example, again. Because it turns out this has become one of the most significant healing situations I’ve ever had to go through, so the analogies just keep coming. And part of how I process things is to relate them to what they mean and how

one step at a time sketchnote KLR

In healing, like in marketing, growth must take time into account

At my last visit to the fracture clinic, the doctor was telling me the things I could be doing to help stretch my ankle as it healed. I could move it forward and back. I could start walking without the big boot. There were exercises, and physio, and slow steps. “But no matter how much

Sales training workshop daniel priestley

Sales doesn’t come naturally: it requires continuous work

Sales. Love it or hate it? I was on a half day sales training workshop run by Daniel Priestley this week, and that was one of the first questions he asked us. He said if you HAVE to choose, would you say love it or hate it? I said if I really, really had to

book writing

On book writing: it’s not for me, and it’s an identity crisis for me

Oh hey. Nice to see you again! A while back, I took a breather from writing these "Karen's Notes" so I could focus my writing energies on finishing the content for my book, The Accountant Marketer. I meant to be intentional about it, explain what was happening, set some time frames. Maybe I'd take three

Good marketing, like good whisky, takes time

Good marketing, like good whisky, takes time

The making of Scottish whisky has long fascinated me. The simplicity of the ingredients, the patience required at every stage of the process, the hundreds of years of doing something the same way. Nothing churned out, nothing rushed. Good things take time. Conceptually, it makes sense. Better done right than done rushed. Invest well at

planning

Planning is everything (and then it’s easy)

This week I finished the DIY project of my downstairs bathroom. When I say “DIY”, this means “I hired a joiner to completely renovate the entire room and then I painted it”, which I say counts. But actually that was part of the problem. I figured once the joiner had come in to strip the

The (un)awkward silence: leaving space for people to think

The (un)awkward silence: leaving space for people to think

We had a training session at PF this week on using more “definitive language”. Examples included “We believe” or “I get it” or “This works because…” You use them in place of vague, rambly language. The kind which expresses uncertainty: “I think” “I”m not sure if that’s the best” “Here’s what worries me” “Just” “Sort

Green flags and gold flags: looking for the good qualities, too

Green flags and gold flags: looking for the good qualities, too

You know how to spot red flags. You’re not always sure how to define them, and you’re working on defining it, but when the flag starts waving, you know things aren’t going to be good. The client who doesn’t show up to meetings. The prospect who asks about price first. The applicant who doesn’t want

I don’t actually want to be polarising

I don’t actually want to be polarising

The best way to get engagement is to make strong, polarising, even outrageous statements. You’ll get more likes. More views. More haters too, but then that counts as engagement cos you can respond to them and then more people see it and that’s the point, isn’t it? More people, more comments, more visibility? Maybe. Maybe for

The comparison game may kick in over the holidays

The comparison game may kick in over the holidays

It’s nearly Christmas, so I’ll be signing off for a few weeks and writing my Notes again in January. Before I go, I wanted to send a reminder that taking a break at the holidays always opens up more of your mind to what “everyone else” is doing. The comparison game. For me it can get stronger

Pink flags: Not quite red flags, but...

Pink flags: Not quite red flags, but…

You know what a red flag is. Warning, danger, “bad gut feeling”, something was said or done which is an indicator this (whatever ‘this’ is) will not go well. Prospective client or team member, new client relationship, business opportunity such as a merger or sale. In any of these (and many other) situations we stay

The right way is the long way: in whisky and marketing

The right way is the long way: in whisky and marketing

Glengoyne Whisky Distillery prides itself on having the slowest stills in Scotland. My sister and I visited a few months ago, and in huge letters on the doors to the building holding the stills and the washbacks, it reads: THE RIGHT WAY IS THE LONG WAY Everywhere at the distillery and on their website and

“Target audience”? You’re not shooting at them. You’re inviting them.

“Target audience”? You’re not shooting at them. You’re inviting them.

‘Target audience’ is one of those marketing phrases which gets used without a great deal of thought. Yes, you could also say ‘ideal audience’ or ‘client avatar’ or some other official sounding phrase, but as with all marketing terminology I prefer to question everything. Target. Why target? Where does that come from? A target is

Listen to that “little voice” which reminds you to do (or say) something

Listen to that “little voice” which reminds you to do (or say) something

You know when you think, “Oh, I meant to message that person for…” (whatever it was), and you don’t, and then later on that day they message you to ask about the thing? You think (or say) “Ahhh, I was literally just thinking of you today and meant to get in touch!” And sort of

Just get started, and just keep going

Just get started, and just keep going

I took a break from writing these Note blog posts because I really needed to finish the content for my book. I meant to write a Note to explain, but I didn’t even manage to do that. You can tell I got serious about it because I even cancelled Netflix, and Disney+, and a few

The #pf100days video challenge: why we avoid video & what to do about it

The #pf100days video challenge: why we avoid video & what to do about it

As you may have noticed, we’re doing a 100 days video challenge for accountants who want to get better at video. And the best video coach is….you, doing more video. Think of a child learning about how video works. They see you on your phone, and they want to hold it. If you let them hold

All the things, and your one thing

All the things, and your one thing

“We’re doing all the things right now, so I guess my question is…what do I focus on?” Had a one to one Momentum session with a client last week, and when I asked what particularly she wanted to cover, this was it. This is for those of you who ARE actually doing things. Loads of

There are no shoulds in this room: How

There are no shoulds in this room: How “should” equals ‘could’ + shame

I’ve got a personal vendetta against the word “should”. It’s a shame word, a guilt word. And an unnecessary one. I started this change over six years ago. I’d never loved the word, but there was a final kicker when my dad was terminal, and on hospice. It had been a long road, as cancer

Swearing in marketing (a brand decision)

As we keep hearing about being “real” and “authentic” in marketing, and being “more human” in the content we create and share, we have to have the swearing conversation. Swearing has historically been considered “unprofessional”. Along with tattoos, drinking (alcohol, obvs) during working hours, and comfortable clothes which are unstarched and without collars or ties or jackets.

KLR notes sword of gryffindor 26-06-21

Only take in that which makes you stronger

As we read No Rules Rules, or watch a business documentary, or consider applicants who want to work with PF, or think about the changes we will or won’t make: we need to be the sword of Gryffindor. We take in that which makes us stronger.

Going entirely off sugar (and how it's not impossible)

Going entirely off sugar (and how it’s not impossible)

A few years ago I cut sugar out of my diet entirely. I remember the day I decided. I stood on a scale in my bathroom, me and only me, and stared at the number that stared back with its digital seriousness. 199.2 pounds. I’d always been thin – even “skinny”, when I was growing

Keep going...and the breakthrough may not look like you expect

Keep going…and the breakthrough may not look like you expect

We are not yet “post pandemic”. Yes, most of us can…. do things now. Visit places which were closed before. See people live and in person. Go to restaurants, museums, parks. Book a holiday cottage and stay there with family. Even hug people! It’s so exciting. But the last year to 18 months has taken

KLR notes learn system 22-05-21

What will you LEARN? What SYSTEM needs to change?

When you fail. When something goes wrong. When the conversation was difficult, or the client left, or got angry at you. When the applicant or team member didn’t work out. When you screwed up, when it broke, when you missed the deadline. When someone complains, or is upset, or doesn’t understand. There are two questions

What’s your “puffin” thing? The big thing you must do?

What’s your “puffin” thing? The big thing you must do?

As you are reading this, hopefully I am on my way to, or landed on, the Isle of Mull. It’s my favourite place of them all. A few hours’ drive from my house, a 45 minute ferry, and…I’m literally a world away. It’s quiet. There are single track roads and few people. “Traffic” consists of

KLR notes backpack load 08-05-21

Is your problem a backpack, or a load?

Many problems we shoulder are heavy. Difficult conversations, hard truths, issues with clients, differences of opinion. The burden you have to carry – only you, and no one can carry it for you – is like a backpack. A load is like a boulder. Something you literally can not (and are not supposed to) carry alone.

KLR notes marathon 01-05-21

The accidental marathon: you are capable of more than you know

I walked a literal marathon last Saturday. I wanted to go walking and exploring – i have a list on my phone of places I want to explore, which I haven’t been able to travel to for the past year. And now the travel ban has been lifted I’m heading out as often as I can.

KLR notes invisible work 17-04-21

Keep doing the invisible work

I got distracted this week. I had brilliant new ideas about how to help our clients and a message I wanted to make sure we get across, and ended up spending most of a day working on a video and some content on this topic and all the new ideas when really…I would have done better to just keep going on the projects I’ve got before me.

Stay in your lane

Stay in your lane

When I was growing up in Arizona, we had a swimming pool in our back garden (our “backyard”, to use the American term). I remember well the day we moved into that particular house – we’d just moved from California, and it was the height of summer in Arizona – July or August. Even hotter

KLR notes 2 levels of work 03-04-21

The two levels of success in work: hard work + yes, to creativity + rest

At the beginning it’s “hard work, and saying yes to just about everything”. This is how you succeed.

You move to working less, and saying no to almost everything. Hard work you replace with creativity (the ability to see opportunity) plus risk (the willingness to go for it). And instead of saying yes to almost everything, you work on saying no to almost everything.

KLR notes Art of asking questions

The art of asking questions

There is SO much more to question asking (and answering) than we realise. As the owner of a creative agency whose purpose involves understanding our clients better so we can help them create better marketing…asking questions is one of the most important skills we have.

How we ask questions and how we listen, can entirely change the answers we receive.

KLR notes creativity rest

Creativity requires structure. Rest takes work.

Last week we had a 3 day team retreat, and it was amazing and inspiring and difficult and challenging and we did things wrong and we did things right. As a team, we read the book Creativity Inc by Ed Catmull, co-founder of Pixar…

KLR notes listen gut

Listen to your gut…and dig deeper

“I just trust my gut”, you think. You hire someone you feel right about, and reject to the ones you don’t. A new prospect says and does a few things which feel dodgy, but seems like a nice guy, so you take him on as a client anyway. Many weeks or months later something happens and you think, “I knew it. I KNEW IT.”

“They’re a really nice person, but….”

When you hear yourself (or someone else) say this phrase, it’s actually all over. The supplier. The company you hired. The employee. The strategic partner. The accountant. The client. The advisor. The minister. The author. The influencer. The lecturer. The date. The….whoever. I have heard this phrase used by so many people for so long,

No self sabotage: Go all the way to the end

No self sabotage: Go all the way to the end

This image is me. In every major achievement in my life, I’ve gotten cold feet or slowed down or hesitated or got sick or something, right before the end. Depending on how significant the achievement is, it might be a day or a week before I get there, or it might be a few months.

100 days, no shortcuts

100 days, no shortcuts

Want to get better at something? Do it every day for 100 days. That’s it, that’s the Note. Okay…you know me, that’s not completely it. Naturally I have more to say. But if you read nothing else, grasp that. If you’re going to get better at something – writing or recording video or posting on

Red lights, greenlights

Red lights, greenlights

When I was younger, in America, we used to play a game called “red light green light”. Everyone would line up at one end of the field, or the room, or a wide open space. One person would stand at the front, staring ahead and not able to see those behind them, and shout “green

Are you off, or

Are you off, or “off off”?

You’re exhausted. Some of you have literally taken only a few days’ holiday in the entire year (or since March anyway). It’s time for a rest – a real one. An honest to goodness, don’t check emails or Slack or messages or even social media or your phone, rest. It’s the difference between being “off”…

KLR notes block out day 12-12-20

Do I need to block out a full day at a time to get marketing done?

Right, you’re going to be serious now. You’re going to focus your energy and attention on marketing a bit more (maybe this is your 2021 plan). But you know marketing always gets put off. You plan an hour or some time to “do marketing” and then you get emails and messages and phone calls and

The creative child within (and the fears that go with them)

The creative child within (and the fears that go with them)

When you tap into the creativity within, you tap into the child you….and sometimes the fears and resistances which come along with them. I was a guest on a podcast recently called “What’s your ‘and’?”. Everyone has an ‘and’, something they do or enjoy or create when they’re not working, and the podcast host, John Garrett,

KLR notes give thanks 28-11-20

Choose to give thanks. Always

This week is the American holiday of Thanksgiving. As a dual British-American citizen, it’s still a holiday I celebrate here in Scotland, and it really is one of my favourite holidays of all. Because the premise is: things are (or have been) very hard, so you gather together with family, eat good food and lots of it, and you give thanks for it all. For the food, the family and friends and tribe, and all the good things you’ve received or experienced even through the hard times.

long way no shortcuts

Long way only (no shortcuts)

I’ve been having various levels of back pain for the past seven weeks. (Just in case you don’t read the full note: don’t worry. I’ve seen a doctor, several physios, and am doing the work, and it is getting better. It’s just slow. That’s sort of the point of the note.) When it first started,

KLR pillars whisky walking coffee faith potter

Choosing personal pillars and values (and how this helps a team)

Not long after I set up PF, I identified what I saw as the core foundational “pillars” of the company. Things I personally stood for and what I wanted the agency to stand for, too. Those are creativity, integrity, generosity, and rest. (For a while there was one called “service”, but I decided that was less of

accountants creative too KLR notes

Accountants, you are creative too

I believe all humans are creative. It’s a quality we all have – innately from being humans – no matter what our role or job or how we perceive our fit into society. I believe a creative God created humans, and we reflect that creativity and have these creative qualities from long before we even know anything about ourselves. And as a qualified accountant myself, who then set up a creative agency to support and help accountants, it took me many years to realise those two things were the beauty – and conflict – of this agency I run.

The story I'm telling myself (and how easily it can be the wrong story)

The story I’m telling myself (and how easily it can be the wrong story)

We have to make sense of things. Somehow. And if things don’t make sense, or don’t fit, our brain will work on putting together the reason, the intentions, the story. We will literally make up a story in our own head to help us understand. We’ll say “oh, I see, they wrote that email in that

Hard things and good things work together

Hard things and good things work together

I’ve been thinking this week about the good things we receive through an experience of hard things. No matter how good the good thing is we receive through what’s hard…it doesn’t magically make the hard things good. Or transform them. Sometimes (most times) they’re bad in and of themselves. Things like Covid. And lockdown. And back

How to introduce change: the skanky blanket story

How to introduce change: the skanky blanket story

We don’t like change. No matter how we dress it up, even when sometimes it can feel adventurous or exciting or bold or brave, there’s still a part of us which is uncomfortable with any change, and therefore resists it. Some of us are more like that than others. Or perhaps what I mean is,

There's more happening while we wait than waiting

There’s more happening while we wait than waiting

I read this sentence today and needed to pause to think about it for a little while. “There is more happening while we wait than just waiting.” The author was talking about how frustrating it is to wait. How weary we get, how cranky and frustrated and wishing it would be over – so we

Consecutive time off > time off in pieces

Consecutive time off > time off in pieces

Hello everyone! I’m back! Really actually missed writing these Notes, come to think of it. I like the routine and pattern, and I love the thoughtful replies I get and the good conversations it starts. Being off for three whole weeks, consecutively, has shown me a few things. Chief of which is that taking time

The books you read

The books you read

When ‘everything’ started back in March, I sort of naively imagined I’d get lots of reading done. I’d have all this time, I thought. I wouldn’t be traveling, I’d still get my work done at home and then I could just read and read and read. Didn’t happen that way, at all. Matter of fact

What's your thing?

What’s your thing?

A few months ago I was listening to a podcast called “Do The Thing”, and it stopped me in my tracks within the first few minutes, before she even got to the actual topic. She did a little intro, welcomed her guest, and then said, “Before we get into it, the first question I ask

The movie montage (and why you can't skip it)

The movie montage (and why you can’t skip it)

You know that part of a film, usually in the middle or about two thirds of the way through, where a lot of hard stuff happens really fast with music playing the whole time? There is laughing and crying and falling and getting up again and working out and cutting hair and falling over and

red kitchen knife sketch

Be the sharp knife

You know what’s more dangerous than a really sharp knife? A dull one. This week I was chopping walnuts with my favourite red kitchen knife, which my sister gave me for Christmas years ago. Probably more years than I even realise, because lately it hasn’t been chopping as cleanly and I kept thinking, “I’ll need

There is no normal (is there?)

There is no normal (is there?)

I started this sketch with the words: “There is no normal. We are not going back to normal. We never had normal.” And then I thought about it, and realised making sweeping statements isn’t quite what I want to do here. After all, some people really do want to “go back to normal”. Maybe you’ve

Head. Space.

Head. Space.

On Monday, for the first time in four months I was able to go somewhere besides my local walks. Those local walking paths have served me well during lockdown. I got the fresh air, some space, daily processing of all the thoughts. But I missed the freedom to get in the car and go far

On starting things and swearing and taking MY time

On starting things and swearing and taking MY time

I listened to episode one of Brene Brown’s podcast, Unlocking Us, yesterday. It has taken me – literally, exactly – three months to click play. (The episode is dated 20th March.) I knew it was going to be good. I have read several of Brene’s books (and watched her TED talks and netflix documentary) and

Distancing from my own head

Distancing from my own head

Last weekend a friend came round and we just sat out on the back deck all afternoon. Talking, watching the breezes move the trees, eating lunch, listening to music. We were talking about things we miss, and one of my greatest ones is travel. Not the constant travel – I’m getting my eyes opened to

The comparison game: do I ever win it?

The comparison game: do I ever win it?

The comparison game. Sort of the least-fun game ever. It has become very real to me in the past few weeks and months. It’s always been real: I’ve always struggled with feeling ‘less than’ in my areas of perceived weakness. Or fear. Or confusion. But at this time all our fears and confusions and weaknesses

I'll do it when I have ... time?

I’ll do it when I have … time?

“I’ll do it when I have time.” Okay so we’ve all had THIS excuse blown out of the water and revealed for the excuse it always was. Because unless you’re a care worker for your country’s health service, the fact is we all have a little more time here and there (and some people have

KLR note Austin Kleon3 try sitting 16-05-20

Try sitting in the same place at the same time every day

The most significant change happens in small increments, day after day. Month after month, year after year. In the past year, I’ve lost over 52 pounds (almost 4 stone) by counting calories every single day. Walking, every single day. Cutting out sugar, and choosing not to eat it every single day. In the past 6

It may not be okay: but comfort is coming

It may not be okay: but comfort is coming

There’s a lot of “it’s going to be okay” messages going around. In one sense, there’s truth in it. There have been crises before – of differing natures and time periods than this one, with different repercussions – and the world and its humanity are still here. So it’s very likely we – the communal,

the 2020 club

the 2020 club

Dear Covid-19, We accept the fact that we’ve had to sacrifice a whole month in lockdown for whatever it is we did wrong, but we think you’re crazy for making us believe who you think we are. You see us as you want to see us, in the simplest terms, in the most convenient

Put on your own mask first

Put on your own mask first

“Please remember to put on your own oxygen mask before assisting others.” I’ve heard that when flying (back in THOSE days) more times than I can count. It makes good sense. No point trying to save others (particularly those smaller or younger than you, or who might be in trouble in some way) if you’re

True positives and false positives

True positives and false positives

Positivity is a good thing. It’s a beautiful thing, and it’s something I seek to live out. It’s even one of the six internal values of my company. In the midst of a really difficult time, staying positive can be even harder…not simply because of the tough things in life. (It requires discipline, even in

I don't know.

I don’t know.

I was trying to think of what to share with my Karen’s Notes list today. And the truth is, i don’t know. I’ve never pretended to have all the answers – these notes simply share what I’m thinking and how I’m feeling and I hope they help encourage a few. But after considering this topic

power of rest in temporary normal

On the power of rest in the new temporary-normal

There’s a lot out there about how to “use” your coronavirus time. Or your quarantine time. To rise to the challenge, be strong and valiant, own this and crush this and win win win. Last week I was feeling that a bit. I thought “My business is already remote, so this is business as usual”.

KLR notes #coronavirus

Who do you want to be when this is over?

Okay so, the world has gone a bit mad. I had some fears too, and they’ve gone up and down a bit as shown by this handy graph. Here’s the things I’ve been telling myself, my team, and pretty much anyone I ended up talking to this week about the coronavirus (so, everyone). On levels

quickbooks cancelled

What do you do when your plans are changed for you?

This week (as you’ll know unless you were living under a rock or not using the internet), QBC London was cancelled out of “an over abundance of caution” with the current #coronavirus situation. Protecting people, just in case. Making that kind of decision in the first place has to be really hard. I’m sure they were discussing

values, sketchnote, Karen's notes, team

Values: Have them AND live them

Last year I was asked to sketchnote the five values for a company called Diagnostax. I got to know them through one of the owners, Gwil, who I met at an accounting conference. I was walking through the hordes of people and Gwil literally stopped me and said “You’re Karen Reyburn, right? The one who

So, how's YOUR day?

So, how’s YOUR day?

On Friday, my nephew went into emergency brain surgery for fluid on the brain. It’s been an exhausting, difficult, confusing, emotional time so far (for the family there by his side and for me being far away). There’s tons we don’t know yet and very likely a long road ahead: but here’s the point. In

brene brown dare to lead sketchnote KLR

Dare to Lead: hard-but-good reading

Recently in an Insta story I mentioned I was reading the book “Dare to Lead” by Brene Brown, and said it was “hard but good”. I had several messages almost instantly from a variety of people asking, Why is it hard? Whenever that happens it’s an indicator to me that I’ve hit on something that

I will not let the dark days (of winter) bring me down

I will not let the dark days (of winter) bring me down

It’s winter, and that means darkness. I live in Scotland, and in the summer it’s almost never dark at all. The sun comes up so early (and so calmly) that you hardly even notice – even if you stay up or get up to watch it, there’s just sort of a general lightening of the

Handel’s Messiah: sketchnoted

Handel’s Messiah: sketchnoted

It’s coming on towards Christmas, and one of the traditions I’ve always loved is listening to Handel’s Messiah. Beautiful music. Meaningful music, drawn from the oldest Book of them all. And a feeling of being swept into glory. My family would often go together to listen to it sometime before Christmas. My parents found this

KLR note Nice problem

It’s a nice problem to have…but it’s still a problem.

Has this ever been said to you? When you tell someone about a problem you’re facing right now, something like…. …you’ve got too many prospects to follow up on, and they’re all good. …your offices are getting too small, because you’ve been growing so fast and there are too many team members now. …you’ve been

karen reyburn sketchnotes go deep

Deep work: it’s hard (and I didn’t even do very much of it)

When I buy a book, I do this very odd thing where for a good few months (or even a year or more) I talk about the concept as if I know what I’m talking about….before I read the book. I’m not sure why I do that. Maybe it’s preparing my mind to read. No

greatest showman dont need everyone

You don’t need everyone to love you. Just a few good people

The Greatest Showman is one of my favourite films. It’s got catchy music, a great cast, and a solid message about not letting business and money take over. And it’s got some good solid quotes that made me stop and think, especially this one when Hugh Jackman’s character is rushing off to yet another round

But what if you could? Or what if you did know?

But what if you could? Or what if you did know?

Sometimes you just don’t know. Or you feel like you can’t. What moves you from that, to exploring whether you could? Or to a place of knowing you can, and doing it? Earlier this week my sister and I were hiking Lookout Mountain in Phoenix, at sunrise. I’m in Arizona in between conferences in the

karens sketchnotes

The travel list: how to get things done when you’re out of pattern

I do enjoy travel, and sometimes get a good bit of work done when doing so. But I used to find there were all these things i wanted to get done…but I wasn’t at my iMac with the nice Yeti microphone and the webcam and the camtasia video editing software and the faster speeds and

KLR notes

Maybe it’s not working…because it’s a new phase

On Monday, for the first time in 28 weeks, i stepped on the scale and had a gain of 1.4 pounds…and absolutely no idea why. I have only gained twice in that time period, and both times I had specific reasons that helped it make sense, and both were under 0.6 pounds each time. But

24 series blank time

You’re not “just tired”. There’s always something else.

Some days, or parts of days, you’re just not productive. You’re not targeting your goals or firing on all cylinders or crushing it. You’re not reading impactful books or watching helpful documentaries. You’re not going to the gym or cooking a healthy meal or having insightful conversations. You’re just…tired. Or are you? Are you ever

Marketing manager needed

Marketing manager needed

My company needs a marketing manager. I’m hijacking my Karen’s notes this week to ask for your help. No matter how much we do in terms of recruitment, the best hires often come from someone knowing someone else. We’re firm on what we want (and don’t want) at PF, we have a fairly intensive hiring

KLR note All the emotions

What to do when you get one of those heart-racing emails

You know when you get one of those emails or texts that gets your heart really racing? Something has gone wrong or has been difficult with someone (from a friend to a client to a supplier or whoever), and you’ve been communicating with them for a little while. And at first you were okay, just

swirling thoughts

Go for a walk: Let all the thoughts swirl around and get outside of your head

Some mornings, I wake up with a lot of thoughts already swirling around in my head. It’s like I put them to the side when I went to bed, and the second I open my eyes (or before) they leap upon me again and fill my head before I even have time to grab coffee.

island mentality rest

Island Rules: Not everything will go your way (and that’s okay)

“I like this island, because it slows you down whether you want to or not. The island itself literally won’t allow you to rush.” My brother in law said this as we were driving along the winding, rutted, curving roads of Mull. The sea was crashing on our right, the sun glowing through the clouds

Be brave, be brave, be brave: If you’re not sure you can do it, do it.

Be brave, be brave, be brave: If you’re not sure you can do it, do it.

Still on holiday this week (now I’m on the Isle of Skye). So instead of a full Note, here’s a sketchnote from an event I went to, which gave me a great deal to think about as a business owner. The topic was “strategy”, which can sound really boring. It’s been used and overused until

Vulnerability: showing up in weakness when you can’t control the outcome

Vulnerability: showing up in weakness when you can’t control the outcome

I’m on holiday on the Isle of Mull (my favourite island of them all). So, instead of a Note this week, I’m going to suggest you watch the “Call to Courage” by Brene Brown, on Netflix. I watched it last week – and I tried to watch it whilst doing other things. Ironing, sketchnoting, emails,

I need both accountability AND deadlines to get stuff done (and relationship)

I need both accountability AND deadlines to get stuff done (and relationship)

I get stuff done on deadline. But only when the deadline involves other people. Deadlines work for me because I care about other people. Sometimes to the exclusion of myself, which i’m working on, but I really hate letting people down. If I say I’ll send something Friday, it may be midnight, but I’ll get

A story about great leggings, and how simply having a good product isn’t enough

A story about great leggings, and how simply having a good product isn’t enough

My new favourite leggings are from a company called Sweaty Betty. I like what they make, but that isn’t all, and it’s not enough. I like what they say in their marketing, and who they are, and the way they interact with me as a human (not simply a “buyer”). A few weeks ago they

They ask you answer marcus sheridan

I’ve been talking about this for ages. How could they not know about it?

People hear things when they are ready to hear them. This is a little story about someone who recommended a book to me….which I’ve been recommending to, like, everyone all the time everywhere. I thought. It’s Saturday morning. My friend James texts me something he’s been thinking about, so i ring him and we chat

Accountants are creative too (no, not the illegal kind)

Accountants are creative too (no, not the illegal kind)

I’ve been thinking for a long time about the creativity of accountants (the good kind). In the past, i would say most accountants wouldn’t consider themselves creative. That word is for artists, photographers, writers, graphic designers. People who do creative-y things. But where does that impression come from? Why is it we think some people

Crush it? Hustle? Work harder? Rest.

Crush it? Hustle? Work harder? Rest.

The answer to being more productive may not be more work. It may be rest. I know the value of hard work: and I really enjoy it. I love being a business owner and I’m even grateful for finding the line between business and personal to be rather blurry. That’s ok by me. There are

The more healthy i am, the more healthy my business is.

The more healthy i am, the more healthy my business is.

The more healthy i am, the more healthy my business is. Last week i met with my accountant and we looked at the numbers for june (and July so far). It was notable the increase in sales (and related profitability) of the business for the past few months. Specifically the last 14 weeks. For those

Holiday Expectations: Will you “use” the time, or let it go by?

Holiday Expectations: Will you “use” the time, or let it go by?

Holiday can be hard to think about when you’re feeling a bit swamped. You want it and are excited about it; you need it; but you may also be tempted to make sure you “use” your holiday time for thinking about the business. Planning. Writing some content. Actually having headspace seems like a huge opportunity.

When you meet people “in person”, the conversation changes

When you meet people “in person”, the conversation changes

I set up my business as a 100% remote, virtual business. I did this for efficiency reasons, for a lifestyle choice. I wanted to work from home. Have flexibility. Be able to go where I wanted to go and not be bound by an office. Also, I don’t really work well in an office (I

The personal element has the greatest impact

The personal element has the greatest impact

“You need to have the machine, and you also need the human element.” My friend and fellow business owner Paul said that to me when we were meeting over breakfast. We were talking about the Accelerator course we deliver for accountants. I created it several years ago and it’s gone through a few iterations, but

But what if I get TOO inspired?

But what if I get TOO inspired?

Sometimes I put off reading (or watching, or attending, or doing) something…and when I evaluate it, my avoidance is because I’m actually worried about how inspired I will be. Yes, I know it sounds ridiculous. Don’t I WANT to be inspired? Isn’t inspiration a great thing? It is a great thing….but it can also feel

Now it is time to finish (your writing).

Now it is time to finish (your writing).

Waiting to publish is the killer. It’s the killer of new business, of great conversations with prospects, of enthusiasm and progress and the change you’re trying to make in your business. It’s a killer because the potential is there – it’s right there!! But those who need to see it aren’t seeing it, because you’re….waiting.

You don’t have to wait for the time to write. You already have it.

You don’t have to wait for the time to write. You already have it.

You have the time to write. You just don’t recognise it for what it is. Perhaps in your mind, you expect it to look a certain way: quiet, comfortable, in a soft chair looking out to the sea with birds chirping outside… when in reality it’s probably more like typing with two thumbs while walking

What makes one tweet better than another?

What makes one tweet better than another?

This week I shared a tweet which got (so far) 62 likes and 18 retweets, which for me puts it as the second most popular tweet I’ve ever put out there. The front runner still (and possibly always) is the famous Harry Potter tweet which I shared from Kings Cross (with over 202k views, 1042

On rebranding: You can integrate a rebrand slowly, over time

Rebranding: You can integrate a rebrand slowly, over time

Here’s a real life example of how you can slowly change your branding in line with a re-brand. Last week my sister and i stayed at a B&B up north in the Scottish Highlands, and in the process of finding it I noticed they had two signs on display. One was a fairly old fashioned,

Steve jobs

Steve Jobs: good business, bad humanity.

This week I finished “Steve Jobs” by Walter Isaacson. It’s quite an easy read for such a big book – and as a major Apple fan, I’ve always been fascinated by the man who created Apple, and was part of changing the world as we know it. I’m extremely grateful for all Steve Jobs (and

Tell the story (disasters and failures and all)

Tell the story (disasters and failures and all)

I’m so tired of hearing success stories with a little one-liner to hard times. “I lost three businesses, was 100k in debt, and THEN I TRIUMPHED and am the raving success you see now.” That’s not a story: it’s an ending. (And it’s not even a true ending, because they’re still going.) This week I

Keep going. (The little things matter.)

Keep going. (The little things matter.)

There’s a lot of talk about how you have to love what you do. How you can wake up every morning full of enthusiasm and joy and sparkle, and every moment is a winning moment. Sure, okay, you have a few instances that are tough, but you leap up from the ground, dust yourself off,

How people referred to you behave (and how many you might be missing)

How people referred to you behave (and how many you might be missing)

People who are recommended to you almost never simply pick up the phone and call you. They do research. They think. They go through a lot of pain. They wonder and worry. They put it off. They go to your website. They follow you on social. They ask for recommendations. They think about it longer.

Defend or dive deeper

Defend or dive deeper

When you identify something about yourself that’s different, something that tempts you to feel is “not as” (not as good , not the same as others), what do you do with that? Do you… …defend or …dive deeper? For the past year or so we’ve been talking within the PF team about the concept of

Show your work: Who are your influences? What are you learning?

Show your work: Who are your influences? What are you learning?

I’ve been avoiding reading this book for months. It’s been in my book stack, reminding me with its bright yellow cover that it’s there, ready to be read, ready to encourage me and give me new ideas. Actually, that’s why i was avoiding it. I knew this book is about sharing what you’re working on,

The 1-minute and 5-minute social media tactic

The 1-minute and 5-minute social media tactic

You don’t have time for social media. You’re already swamped with emails, client meetings, team issues, events, new apps to check out, and on, and on. Fitting in more marketing time to look at social media – to learn it, figure out how all the different platforms work, know what works best and what doesn’t….that

Victories and questions: your fallback for content

Victories and questions: your fallback for content

Struggling to find what to write about? Not sure where to start, how to direct your team, feeling blank? There are two categories which will never fail you (unless of course you’re not talking to your clients, in which case, sort that out!). Victories and Questions. I’m talking particularly about your clients’ victories, and your

What are your inner marketing voices saying to you?

What are your inner marketing voices saying to you?

I’m on a train right now, as I write this, going into Edinburgh for our in-person PF team get together. It’s always good fun to get together with the team (who are usually remote and communicating via Slack and video), and the sun is shining, and the skies are blue. A nice change from Storm

Karens sketchnotes

“…I wanted to know the story those numbers were telling me.”

Last week my accountant said something that has stuck with me – and come back to me – every day since he said it. I traveled, attended a lot of events, met amazing people and re-connected with ones i knew already, had new business opportunities… and yet the one thing that stands out in my

Brainstorm all your ideas

Failed marketing ideas that were never used

This week, I remembered something we brainstormed at PF about five years ago. Something that never got off the ground. An idea that seemed incredibly brilliant at the time, but didn’t happen. Looking back at it now I’m so grateful we didn’t go this route. (I admit this has been responsible for a LOT of

Rushing? Look up. Look out.

Rushing? Look up. Look out.

Everything rushes by so fast. The train. The cars. The meetings. The emails. The slack messages. The cities. All the people. The queue for coffee. (Okay that one maybe doesn’t move so fast cos we don’t have our coffee yet.) In the past week I’ve had a lot of opportunities to rush. Today, I was

Karens notes sketchnote

Sometimes you need to just get started.

Sometimes you need to just get started. And sometimes you need to just stop. Last week I spent five days on the Isle of Mull. It’s my favourite place of rest, of beauty, of refreshment, of quiet and peace. And although I told myself I would simply sit by the fire and read books and

Rest takes practice

Rest takes practice

Whether you’ve never been a person who rests well, or you have gotten out of the habit, being comfortable with rest will not come easily. It involves silence. And solitude. And quiet. And perhaps some introspection. None of which come easily to most of us. But the main reason is that we have built ourselves a

Rest: Start with solitude, discipline, and boredom

Rest: Start with solitude, discipline, and boredom

One of the elements of true rest is solitude – because rest at its heart sees us at our heart, and meets God in His. But one of the results of the modern world, modern technology, and our instant-response generation is that we are not used to solitude. We don’t like it, and we don’t

Rest: Rooted in thankfulness

Rest: Rooted in thankfulness

A restful heart is a thankful heart. The person who is truly at rest, and also continues to seek it, is full of gratitude and thankfulness for the situation they find themselves in. This is because true rest is rooted in Jesus Christ Himself, and in an understanding that He is a sovereign King who

Rest: Why it's not Godly to wear yourself out for God

Rest: Why it’s not Godly to wear yourself out for God

There is nothing honouring about wearing yourself out – for whatever noble reason you’ve set. For God, for your church, for your business, for your family. There will be times when you need to do more, sleep less, push past every boundary you feel you have. There are even seasons of life when that needs

Rest is always possible.

Rest is always possible.

Rest is always possible. It’s always a choice. And it’s always an act of faith. Telling ourselves that we “can’t” rest simply means we won’t. There’s too much on. The baby is crying. The house needs to be viewed today or someone else will buy it. An employee just put in his notice and you

A passion for rest

A passion for rest

I’m passionate about rest. It’s also the one thing I struggle with above all others, and which I many times despair of ever ‘achieving’ in my life. But that’s the trouble with rest. How do you ‘achieve’ something that is all about slowing down? Doing less. Trusting. Being patient and quiet. Listening. Being at peace.

Travels in photography: Vienna, Austria

Travels in photography: Vienna, Austria

Austria at Christmas time. It conjures up the idea of mountains, snow, grey skies, brightly-lit Christmas markets with all sorts of wares, carols sung in front of a cathedral, and the beauty of old European cities. We were thrilled to discover that Vienna met our expectations in all of these areas. It was cold, but

Yet another website? Why?

My usual advice to anyone about multiple websites is: don’t have them. Focus on one website, one domain, one URL. Drive everything to that site, because you’ll get more traffic and more focused business that way. I still stand by that advice, but if you know me at all you may be wondering then why I’ve got the

Sign up for Karen’s Notes

RECEIVE THESE BY EMAIL EVERY SATURDAY MORNING

Karen writes notes on marketing (and other business & life topics) accompanied by a sketch drawn by her own hand!

Get Karen's Notes

GET ON THE WAITING LIST FOR THE BOOK

Get on the waiting list for the book

Follow me

ON THE GRAM

Mar 18

Popped into a fave local coffee shop in York this week and this was the mug they gave me. ❤️✨

Wasn’t feeling so superwomanny when I got it - this week was very full, plus period cramps and multiple migraines and my ankle being wonky and more travel than I’ve done in a while. I had intended to get coffee but the cramps were so bad I had to go for mint tea and just sit until they faded enough for me to walk again.

At the same time, I also had an amazing time during this week with the @weare_pf Board meeting in person for the first time. Getting to know each other better as humans and sharing ideas and making plans and most of all appreciating that the weight of all the business decisions doesn’t rest solely on my shoulders.

This is just one of your reminders that being a superwoman looks different at different times, and whether you’re striding along strongly or sitting weakly with mint tea, your superwoman status still applies.

#justkeepgoing #superwoman #muglife #wegotthis #onedayatatime

Mar 11

Every single time I go sailing past this lighthouse on the mull-to-Oban ferry I think “this time I’ll just watch it and not take any pictures”

And then something wild happens like A SAILBOAT GOES BY and of course I have to capture that, surely I haven’t taken that photo before (spoiler: I have), and then I have about seventeen lighthouse photos to add to my collection of seven thousand lighthouse photos from the last twenty years.

But, I figure, what’s the harm anyway. It’s my photos and my memories and it brings me joy. I love the lighthouse as a visual of my journey from the mainland to the island (or a reminder I’ll be back soon).

So, see you soon lighthouse. Thanks for standing there.

#lismorelighthouse #eileanmusdile #lighthouse #lighthousesofinstagram #oban #ferry #calmac #isleofmull #sailaway #sailboat #scotland #travelscotland

Mar 11

I read. A lot. My list of “books to read” has over 100 titles listed, and every time I mention a book I’ve appreciated, I get another recommendation of a new one and the list gets longer.

One of the books recommended to me years ago was “The Buddha in Me the Buddha in You”. She mentioned it had some helpful principles about how we navigate life - and whether you’re a buddhist or not, there are principles you can learn from and apply in life.

I wrote it down, forgot about it, and moved on with life. Read lots of other books.

And then when I broke my ankle, and was sitting and resting a LOT, with loads of time for reading, I went back to my list and started reconsidering some of the titles on it.

When I looked up “The Buddha in Me the Buddha in You”, the subtitle was “A Handbook for Happiness”, and that struck me.

Dealing with an injury is difficult. Sad. Wearying. It can be hard to find happiness and every day feels about the same. (Very Groundhog Day.)

So I bought the book, and put it by my bed. I started getting into a pattern of reading a chapter every morning with my coffee.

I thought I’d share some of the principles I appreciated and which are already helping me as I continue to navigate my life right now:

[the full post on these is too long for an Insta post so click the link in bio or story if u want to read more!]

Thank the spoon - a spoon stirs up the mud in what had appeared to be clear water. Same with life: hard things stir up what you haven’t dealt with yet. So you thank them. “Thank you, spoon”

The Fundamental darkness (FD) - the “Survival Obsessed Self” who responds in a way based on survival but not growth

There’s a gift in the struggle - He describes it visually as “the lotus flower in the muddy pond”. You can focus on the mud, or on the flower, but they’re both there.

Nam - myo - ho - renge - kyo : The happiness soundtrack - I pulled out the core concepts of each of these words as they applied to me, and they are:

Purpose
Mystery
Potential
Bloom in the struggle
Flow of life

#karensnotes #buddhainmebuddhainyou #books #reading #happysaturday

[full note link in bio!]

Mar 9

The snow is swirling the wind is howling IT’S FROZEN OUT THERE
#snowing #happyspringeveryone #inlikealion