215: Hardship is a Great Teacher in Your Business
Michele 00:00
Hello, my name is Michele and you're listening to Profit is a Choice. On the podcast for our yearly review and process session is Ceil DiGuglielmo of the Sew Much More podcast. This is a joint podcast that we love, and we look forward to doing it each year. This year, we seem to really look at our personal lives and how they intermixed with our business lives a bit more. Also listen in to see if you can catch the one thing that we both struggled with this year that we have in the past enjoyed so much. Every day, empowered entrepreneurs are taking ownership of their company financial health, and enjoying the rewards of reduced stress and more creativity. With my background, as a financial software developer, owner of multiple businesses in the interior design, industry, educator, and speaker, I coach women in the interior design industry to increase their profits, regain ownership of their bottom line, and to have fun again in their business. Welcome to Profit is a Choice. Hey, Ceil, I am excited to share this podcast with you, again, our double whammy that we do every year.
Ceil DiGuglielmo 01:18
I am too Michele, it's really good to see you. And I look forward to this. And it's sort of like, are we going to do this? Well, yes, of course we are. If nothing else, you and I get to visit with each other. I'm always happy about that.
Michele 01:32
So, we were just at CWC the custom work room conference a couple of weeks ago, and I had multiple people tell me that they looked forward to this particular episode every year. And I think one of the things for me, we talked about this before, because this is like what the fourth or fifth year that we've been doing this.
Ceil DiGuglielmo 01:42
Fourth year.
Michele 01:46
I think for me, it's it's that I get to reflect on my prior on the year that we've just had, and kind of parse it out with somebody and see see where there was an overlap in, you know, what we were working on, or what we were learning, and then also seeing the differences and how we are interpreting, right the year, and the economy and all the things. So I really appreciate you being willing to dig into that.
Ceil DiGuglielmo 02:26
I'm right back at you. Because I find that you and I laugh a lot about our similarities and our differences. And there are things that we do very similarly. And then there are things we do very differently. It's who each of us are, but sometimes just having the accountability for me and knowing that we're going to do this kind of forces me to do some of it, which is never a bad thing for me personally. But it also is that opportunity and to be able to talk about it like you know, it's therapy. Yes, yes. The voices in my head, don't help me with the, voices outside my head are so much better.
Michele 03:04
Yeah. And we all have voices. And if we don't have voices, we should be worried that we don't know. Right? Like nobody's talking? Well, I would love to jump in. And just unless you have a different plan, I'd love to just kind of hear a little bit of the highlights of the year for you.
Ceil DiGuglielmo 03:24
Yeah, we've both done that each podcast, each wrap up podcast. And I think that's part of what I've enjoyed is spending a little bit of time thinking about that. For me, the curtains and soft furnishings resource library. I've now had a full year of the new website. I have grown the forum interaction, I've grown it the the interaction in the forum has grown. And that's due to people being willing to jump in answer questions, asked questions even when they're a little afraid. And that community has been built a little bit better. And I'm really that's been a highlight for me this year. I purchased learn to choose Window Coverings from Linda Erlam. It's a really well thoughtout, well written course, on choosing window treatments. It's the nitty gritty. And Linda is a really great writer and she did a terrific job with it and she was ready to let go of it. And I thought it was a resource that should still be valuable. It's been on my backburner. It's not had the attention it needs and deserves. But that's in my plan for the next couple of months to work on that. And I think a highlight for me is also a low light. I have had to learn patience this year. I have an injury to my foot and it has been very challenging. But it has taught me that I have to slow down a little bit. Not forever. It's not an age thing. It will be fixed and I will be okay. but it has taught me also to ask for help, which not easy for me. And we're recording this prior to my surgery. So I will be asking for a lot more help and a few weeks. And that I'm, I feel better prepared to accept it. And that for me is something that I think I'm proud of that I'm able to do it and not be cranky about it. Check in with my husband in a few weeks.
Michele 05:30
Yeah, I'll text you in a week to go. Still not cranky. Yeah.
Ceil DiGuglielmo 05:37
So how about you what highlight has happened for you this year?
Michele 05:40
Yes. So this has been I'm not gonna lie. This has been a year. I'm just gonna say that. Yes, it has. It has been an amazing year. But it has been a year full of twists and turns and challenges not only for my business, but for my life. And so we started off the year with a cancer diagnosis that my husband, that we, were not necessarily expecting, because we had no symptoms. And so January, the fourth, here we go. And, you know, within a week or so we're in major surgery, and then supporting him and recovery. And he was out for about eight weeks. And so I think the part for me, that was so difficult is we had certain plans for Metrique, to launch earlier in the year. And I was doing calls, sitting in his hospital room, because when, because of COVID, when he went into the hospital, I had to go in with him for a week. And they didn't want you leaving and going in and out just under a year to get in, they kind of wanted you to stay there. And so you know, I slept for a week in a chair that was not meant to sleep in heck, it probably wasn't even meant to sit in it was so uncomfortable. And I'm so thankful that I was able to craft my business in a way that I could say, within me, by the time we found out we had like one week to get all of our everything together to get into the hospital. And so, you know, it's kind of like you with your foot, there's the blessing and then the curse piece of it. And I think that dealing with that at the beginning of the year it got well, number one, cancer always gets your attention. But I think it also made us realize what's most important in our life. And in our family. It's just always that recycle reset button, right. And then it also made me thankful for the business that I've built, and the processes that I have that I could take a step away for a week or so. And then I'm not gonna lie, it was hard. Like I'm thinking about where Bill's going to be. It was hard for me to have two companies that I'm running, my husband works in Metrique, but he couldn't work. And so I'm picking up all of that, and the house and him trying to keep things moving. Our kids don't live here anymore. We certainly had different help come in, but
Ceil DiGuglielmo 08:13
Right, but it's not the same. And it's interesting that you said that because I have an acquaintance who is being a caregiver right now for someone who has a foot injury. And I've heard her side of it. And I know that it has been very challenging for her and I'm I'm stockpiling that information and going okay, don't be difficult.
Michele 08:33
Yes, it's stressful. And it is stressful to be a caregiver. Yeah, it really is. And it, it takes a lot because you want to be emotionally available. And then you also have work and you also have, you know, a home to keep up with and two little dogs that we had to walk. So every single thing was mine for about three months. Right. And that's a lot and that's a lot because he could only lift five pounds after the surgery that he had.
Ceil DiGuglielmo 08:59
I was gonna say and you and Joel really share schedules, empty nesters, you you've done a lot together. So that's a lot.
Michele 09:08
And so it was hard for him. It was difficult for me, but it was it was a sweet time. And I I'm thankful for that time. And I'm thankful what I had to learn in that was to hit pause. So you know, what did they say they're your best laid plans, right? We had plans, we had schedules. And we realized in the grand scheme of things, if something were to go out in May or June or if we have to push it off until after the summer, so that we can breathe without creating another level of undue stress on our family. Focus on us as people. That's okay. And that's what we did. So we had to make some, some calls to say our mental health or physical health or emotional health is more important. So there was just a lot of sweetness, but difficulty and all of that out. Fast forward, he just got his all clear from his cancer and got that's good discharged from the oncologist a couple of weeks ago. So we are super excited, still some healing to do. But he's, he's doing really well, I'm really happy to hear that. And you know, right after that our son, our oldest son got engaged over the summer. So we just had a lot in our family, that that was happening, that also impacts work. I mean, we've talked about I know I talked about on the podcast, we've talked about it, we've all talked about, we're building these businesses that we love, doing what we love to do, right? We love the business, we love what we're doing what we should, if we're building it, but at the same time, our business isn't our entire life. And so knowing how it fits into the overall plan for us, right, that's what's giving you the freedom to take a step back and have your foot surgery, like you've had to plan the business, to be able to have that time out of the work room, or, you know, sitting behind a computer or whatever it is. And so it just made me again, very thankful for the business that I've built for the operating procedures that I have in place so that other people could just step in, and help me keep things moving. without it looking like I dropped the ball. And I have to say, it made me very aware of the people that I have chosen to work with as my clients. Yes. And they have chosen to work with me, because they were so understanding. I mean, they were sending us meals, they were jumping in and saying how could they help me? I mean, that that's just amazing. You know, not one person was upset if I had to move a meeting or, or change anything, everybody was just very thoughtful and kind and asking if we were okay. And it made me again, realize the importance of choosing your ideal client, like I didn't have anybody who thought that their business challenge was bigger than my husband's life, right. And you hear that I've worked with people that you know, their clients, they would have somebody who would get upset, their kid had like the flu, or COVID, or their child had a seizure, and the person is upset that you didn't show up at my house at x time. And you're like, what, exactly are humans here? What are you talking about? So that was just a big deal.
Ceil DiGuglielmo 12:35
I love that that's something that you recognized, or that happened for you in your business, because that's who you've surrounded yourself with. And I know that you speak a lot about who your ideal client is. And when we talked last year, I said that I was going to be cutting back on the number of window treatments that I was actually making, I am still running my work room, much smaller scale, still very profitable this year. So I'm really excited about that. But the designers that I'm working with are amazingly understanding. They have their own challenges in their lives. And that does not, by definition, make people understanding when somebody else has a problem. There's a designer who I've only worked with a couple of times, and she had a very unique and large job for me to do. And we started talking and we were setting up dates for me to measure and we were setting things up. And she had already done a large part of the job. And she said, Oh, and the photographer will be there on such and such a day to do the pictures. And I immediately start doing the math in my head and going, oh, there is no way there will be window treatments. So I explained my process, because we've only worked together a couple times. And I said there isn't any chance that there will be window treatments. She goes, Okay, then she'll come back again. And like my head kind of spun for a second. I'm like, this is not what people hear. She understood the reality of the situation and said fine, another designer that I work with a couple times because of my foot. I will bring everything to you and no no, no don't come to she has a store. So I like going to her store because a shop. But she brought everything to me and these are the people that I'm surrounding myself with from work. And you know, family and friends are all really supportive and will be a big help to me when I have the surgery. But my job is not my whole life. That's right. Most of us started our businesses for that reason we wanted to work it around our lives. So where did we lose our way that it's controlling our life?
Michele 14:42
Right? It's just you know, the other thing that's been interesting this year is we've launched Metrique Solutions. So that's been a long
Ceil DiGuglielmo 14:49
waiting for you to say that.
Michele 14:52
It Yeah, that's been that's been amazing and amazing journey, because it's different.
Ceil DiGuglielmo 14:58
So I know So, you and I did a podcast about it. But and I'm sure that everyone who's listening to your version of this podcast already knows what Metrique is. But in case there are some people listening to my version of the podcast, tell them what Metrique is, because I'm really excited for you about this.
Michele 15:18
Yeah, Metrique Solutions is a Financial Dashboard. So it is a visual representation of your financial data that allows you a quick view in one place, instead of 15 reports that you're trying to combine. It is one place that you can look at your data, analyze it and make quick decisions. It's meant to number one, be fast and quick, is meant to be visual and easy to understand. And then it's also meant to be a place that helps you analyze for decision making. Okay, without having to stop and, you know, have put 15 pages of black and white in front of you and understand where's
Ceil DiGuglielmo 15:58
the line on that one? And where's the line on that?
Michele 16:00
Yeah, yeah. So yeah, I mean, that's what I say it's been one of those weird years, you know, we had cancer, we've had an engagement, we've had our, our youngest son and his wife bought a house. And so we've had all of these just like life, things happen and business things happen. But I think in some ways, it has made it a beautifully rich year, because what's bubbled to the top for all of us, has been family, it's been taking a step back for what our own needs are to be able to step in for the needs of somebody else in our family, over and over and with our clients and with our friend group. And so that's just been a, it's been a different type of growth. And I think I even mentioned it on your podcast. So but there are three words this year that have just been top of mind for me. And it was kind of soft and curious. Yes. And I think sometimes when all of the stress comes in for things that you cannot control, and we had a lot we could not control. Here, it's easy to for me to get frustrated or irritated. I'm a planner and an organizer. And I can tell you this year did not go to Michele's plan.
Ceil DiGuglielmo 17:23
Michele was not consulted on some of these things.
Michele 17:27
And I had to and still am having to learn how to navigate that with joy, and with calm and even when it doesn't feel calm. But how to be curious, and how to be kind and soft, not hard hearted, and irritated and angry and frustrated when my plans keep getting disrupted.
Ceil DiGuglielmo 17:51
And it's interesting, because again, I think we're coming at it from with the similarities once again, but we're coming at it from a different perspective, you are the caregiver, and I will be the care receiver coming up. And I've mentioned many times about my meditation practice. And I have been doing this for a number of years. And I found, especially this year, there were a few things that are not in my control. And that I was learning to take a breath and say, Okay, this is what it is one of my least favorite lines, by the way. But it is and trying to deny the reality is not making things better for me, my older daughter and her boyfriend bought a house this year. And I remember when they called to tell us, we had gone to look at a couple houses with them. And there were houses they were showing us. And as you know, the market was just crazy. And all of a sudden we get a text, we're homeowners. Mike, I didn't see this house. What are we talking about? And I had this big ad on the phone with us. And I had this vivid reminder of when my husband and I bought our first house and the amount of money that it was that it was and our parents, like literally having heart attacks in front of us like, how are you going to afford that? How are you going to afford that? And the minute my daughter told me, like, send us the link to the house. I was I looked at my husband, I said how are they going to afford this? Oh my god, this is such an expensive assets. And the really funny thing is it's almost the same square footage as our first house. And my it's really small, blah, blah, blah. How are they going to how are they going? It's not really small. It's a perfect house for them. It's beautiful. Yes, it's expensive, but they can afford it. And I again after my initial, I took a breath and I went they are adults. They know what they're doing. They asked for help when it was appropriate. But they made a decision on their own and it was a good decision because they bought before the interest rates went up. So it's all of these things that I just have to go this is all gonna work out? This is going to be okay. And just taking that deep breath and saying, we'll figure it out. And and I've noticed that there have been a couple times recently that I've been able to go to that first and not to freak out. And that's always been my goal with meditation was to respond instead of react. And I think I did a much better job this year, despite, despite the 12 year old doctor telling me I needed surgery, despite some of the other things I just went, Okay, how do we make this work?
Michele 20:35
So, you know, I'm a type one diabetic. And with all of the stress this year, my blood sugar numbers were not in a healthy place, and I needed to do some other things. And so I started with the insulin pump and all of that new setup took them out. My whole third job is just my blood sugar between the ditches. But one of the things that I think and I've mentioned this before Ceil, but I think it's a good reminder in this conversation, is I have asked myself over and over and over. Michele, is this something you can control? Or is this something you can manage? Because there are two different things? Yes. And sometimes we try to control things when we need to manage things. And diabetes has been a teacher for me in that in that I can do the same thing today that I did yesterday. And my blood sugar's respond differently, I can give the same amount of insulin I can eat at the same time. But based on what my body is going through in any given day, I go to Pilates a few times a week, and I love how our Pilates instructor makes the comment. Let's work with the body that you came in with today. And she says like every day, when you come in your body can be in a different place. You could have a crick in your neck, you could have, you know, a hurt knee, whatever it is. But this is the body that you have today. Yeah. And so I think some of these reminders, this is the business I have today. This is you know, and it might look differently than it did yesterday.
Ceil DiGuglielmo 22:07
and these are my
Michele 22:08
circumstances, my circumstances. And can I control that? Or can I manage that? And I think sometimes, at least for me, and my personality type, I like to control things. I like to have organization and clarity. And I don't always get that. And I think age is also a teacher in that you realize how much you cannot control? Yes, right. Yeah, so honestly, letting go and just leaning into it, I could not control my husband's cancer diagnosis. But I can manage his pain, I can manage how we're going to get through the days, I could manage my emotions and reactions and his emotions and reactions. I can manage it, but I can't control.
Ceil DiGuglielmo 22:47
Right. And I really love that Michele, because I think it goes to the respond versus react situation to if we take a breath and say what can I do? As opposed to what didn't go the way I wanted it to? And listen, I love a good recap, what what have I learned? What could I do better? All of that is really important. But in the moment, sometimes nothing there is nothing you could have done differently.
Michele 23:14
And then it is what it is. Yeah, the best you can do is like you've talked about with your your meditation practice is I can manage my my own emotions, I can manage how I move forward, I can manage how I respond and how I react and what I do or what I don't do. And I think that is a lesson that's true for business and true for a life and certainly true within our family dynamics. I think just seeing that inner woven thread through all of those this year has been a huge teacher for me.
Ceil DiGuglielmo 23:47
You know, Michele, I also think we have a lot of new and younger people in the industry who have young families. But there are also a lot of us who are the parents of adult children. And I think that there's this time that we have to stop everything being a teachable moment because our children have become adults. But I also think that our children learn from us when they see us in difficult circumstances. So your boys learned a lot about what a marriage truly means by watching you and Joel in a really difficult time. And by putting Joel's needs first, and taking care of him, it didn't mean stop taking care of Michele especially because you needed to. And the noting that it's a gift to have been able to stay in a really uncomfortable chair for a week, because it meant you could be with your husband. So Right. And I think those are less lessons that our children can learn from us if they choose. Again, we can't control what they take from our example. But I do think that it's important that they see that and see it's not, you know, as as our children are embarking into their true adulthood, and especially when one son married another son getting married. This is not just the fun and the parties and the wedding this, this is what it means.
Michele 25:17
Yeah. But you know, What's also been interesting is my team saw. Think about this, right? So we both Well, I've got quite quite large teams, but two of the people that I worked with very, very closely had their own challenges in their families. And so by me modeling, how we could do this and keep the company going and respond, it gave them the freedom to take a step back and do what they needed to do as well, if I had been very much that, you know, no emotion, just get it done, just driving, driving, driving, instead of letting some of these things play out. And, and being able to voice both sides of the emotion, right, like, like we've shared the high and the low of the same thing, right. And I think both of them have made comment to me that they love working with a company and with with a team that allows us to take a step back, that allows us to deal with what we need to deal with and to understand that our health is our mental health, our emotional health, our physical health is so important. We don't get another do over on a lot of that. And so I really liked that I've been able to have a team that has that sees that and has those same values, not just my clients, but but my team members. All right, I love that.
Ceil DiGuglielmo 26:45
What would you say has been your biggest challenge this year? Outside of all that, that was gonna say, obviously, the first challenge was Joe's cancer divers
Michele 26:55
Challenge was was my husband.
Ceil DiGuglielmo 26:57
So I asked that as our we know, that's the worst No,
Michele 27:00
that yeah, I would say the next challenge, the biggest challenge was getting the Metrique out the door. That I mean, that was just a lot of work. That's been, you know, 10 years in the making from all of my spreadsheets, and you have been privy to those spreadsheets for years. But two concentrated years, I'm we're coming into the second concentrated year of paying developers to build this. And then the marketing of it, like it's a whole thing. And so that has been a challenge. It's been a delight. And it's been hard. But it's been good. Okay, how about you? What is your biggest challenge aside
Ceil DiGuglielmo 27:37
from my foot in trying to get around? For me, it has been learning to say no, that by every time I say yes to a work room job, it takes me away from developing the library and building the things into it that I want. I've said no a number of times, and was happy every time I did but but really getting to that know was a challenge for me. I've also noticed that my concentration has been harder to wrangle this year. I don't know whether it's the two to three years of upheaval that we've had between COVID and then the shutdown, and then the supply chain issues, I just found that my concentration was something I really needed to work on and focus and I was very easily distracted, more so than normal. I mean, we all joke about the squirrels and everything else. But I really found I know, each year we talk about what books we've read. And I sat down to look at what books I've read. And I realized I did not read any business boxes here. I started several, and I was unable to concentrate on them. And so I decided to make reading a luxury event for me and just read things that I was going to enjoy and not try to study and learn. Because I just my brain was just not focusing on things I realized I had read the same page twice and didn't absorb a single word of it. And so with with one exception, I one of my goals this year was to start a book club in the library. And we did and it's pressure work with confidence by Katie Stein. So if I'm going to have a difficult book, that is one, but any business books I picked up, I just was not able to concentrate the way I wanted to. And so that was a bit of a challenge for me this year because that's something I enjoy. I love reading new ideas. I love implementing new ideas. It just was not happening for me this year. And so I had to just say, Okay, I can't do that this year. So I concentrated on learning a few things by watching some YouTubes by looking for there's a A guy who does short videos on just some, they're they're more computer productivity, things like adding, you know, Chrome widgets and things like that. And it would be a 20 minute YouTube and I would watch it and try it and do it, or I would watch a half hour good notes tutorial. And that was what my level of concentration can handle this year. But it was it was challenging to not have those books as my companions this year.
Michele 30:30
It's so interesting that you say that I found myself reading a lot less this year than or half, both from my escapism and fiction to my business books. I mean, I normally would go through a business book a month, if not multiples and then probably two or three fiction books a month. And on vacation, I would read one a day so I didn't do all that this year I could not write now. scarlet thread is my all day Metrique is my all night there was no other time. My brain was so overstimulated that it was like, I don't even want any of that. I think that's
Ceil DiGuglielmo 31:10
it. I think it's the it was the overstimulation of all the things I was trying to accomplish. That there just wasn't room for anything additional. And, you know, we mentioned the custom work room conference, you and I both taught there this year, and we haven't had it in a couple years. And while I may have had three years to get my class together, I did not take advantage of all three years. So I had to prepare for that. You and I were both there as vendors as well. You with matric and me with the library. And and it was, again, it took up a lot of my brain power to get ready for that. And it was so wonderful to see people in person for the first time and a couple of years. And I so thoroughly enjoyed it. But again, the activity and the amount of input that was coming into my brain, there just wasn't room leftover for any more I looked at the books that we talked about last year, and they were all on my list. I didn't get to any of them.
Michele 32:17
Not a one, I'll tell you for that. I'm either in the middle of or have just finished. And I'm still reading them into next year. So they're gonna carry me over. Okay, you know what I mean? So, just real quickly, one is the four disciplines of execution, okay? by Chris Smith, Chesney, Sean Covey, Kobe and Jim healing, achieving your wildly important goals. That was one, the other one which I know you love him, too is Adam Brown. Yes, I learned, okay. And I just I've got a lot of, you know, get my flags and stuff in here. But he just the way that he responds and says things just helps you think about it differently. This has been a phenomenal book that we've used in my coaching a lot this year. And it's by Patrick Lencioni. And it's The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. Okay. And so in my Elite Coaching, we're working through this book, where we're really digging into what are the five dysfunctions of a team because we're all building teams and how do we work around those and how do we solve the problem that everybody's been talking about how awesome this is. And then the last one that I am at is scale or fail by Alison Maslin. Okay, so those are kind of where I am either digging in or on my list of Diggins when my brain can process more information again. But I actually am appreciative that you said that because I had started to feel really even badly just like, why am I not reading like, Yeah, almost as if it was a checklist item. But it had always been a desire and just something that I love doing. And then all of a sudden, I looked at it as something I had to do. And you know how that goes. We've talked about that for four years when it's a have to do versus a get to do exactly changes your relationship with the fat. And I want to get back to the I have brain power. And okay, some of the books I've been reading that nobody else but me would be interested in is storytelling with numbers or with data, and charts and how all these things go together and how to interpret data like this and buy stuff that other people would be like knocking their head against the wall, but for me, it was important for Metrique.
Ceil DiGuglielmo 34:45
But those are the kinds of books I wouldn't necessarily pick up on that book. But you and I both. Sorry, I've been honest here, but you and I both always loved both because it required the attention and the analysis of why it intrigues us to be able to process exactly and and you hit it right on the head, I was picking books up and feeling like I had to read them, and not, I get to read them. And so I, I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one, I am hoping that while I'm recovering, I'll either be bored enough that I will be looking forward to picking up one of these books, or it'll be I'm I'm relaxing enough. And there's not enough, there's not so much other input coming in that I will be able to concentrate on some of the books that I've had on my list. But I did have to just forgive myself and say, Okay, this is not the season for me to be doing this. I will say Michel, there's a certain point where you start questioning if things are your age, and I'm using quotation marks, because I've heard this a couple times recently, when I saw my doctor about the foot, my foot, and I said what I tore a ligament is what happened in the bottom of my foot. And I said what caused it, I am a runner, and I have not been able to run or exercise walk or walk since June. And he said, Well, he said you may have injured it running. And then he said, It might also be your age. And no one wants to hear that. But that is the reality. And I went, I had to have a physical so that I can have the surgery and that my regular doctor is my age. And I said, don't say this to your patients. And he said, Oh, he said I get it said to me all the time. The reality is, I m my age. And there are things that are not going to work the way they used to I'm not falling apart. But I have to accept some of that. Some of it, I'm going to fight against tooth and nail all the way to the end. But some things are affecting me that way. And I have to be a little bit gracious and say, Okay, this is what it is. And so So at a certain point this year, I went, Okay, I don't have the processing available in my brain for these books right now. I'm just going to stop trying to read them, because I was frustrated and beating myself up about it. So I just set them aside and said that's for later. This is not the seat.
Michele 37:24
And I think that goes back to that manage versus control conversation. Great. And I think that it listen the last three years 2020 2021 and 2022. Number one, I can't even believe that we're all what, three years of this. But every year has been weird. And every year has been different. So what we've covered that each year, yes, right. So what happened in 20 did not get repeated in 21. The same way it certainly wasn't repeated in 22 the same way and 23 is going to be different again. Yeah. And I think that adaptation has been so important for us. And that adaptation is sometimes we are spending our energy just on trying to get through the moment or get through the day or get through these new sets of circumstances, or meet the needs of our clients and our team in a different way. There's no more energy, like right there's there's there's a limited amount of energy that we have. That's what I found between scarlet thread retreat solutions, planning and engagement surprise party, taking care of a husband that needed my assistance, just all the things, my energy was so depleted. That the thought of why don't I sit down and go read something, even if it would help me, I could not do it. And being able to say, if I can't do it, then clearly that's not what I most need at this time. Because if I if I needed it so terribly, like it was like the thing, I would find a way to make room for just like we tell people if they want it badly enough, they're gonna come up with a budget to pay for that. I was hoping to be able to budget my time to do it. I did make sure that I continued with my Pilates I didn't make sure that I continued with stretching and making sure that I was physically taking care of myself. I did make all the doctor's appointments and do all the things that needed to be done. But but just even recognizing that our energy is not infinite. It's finite. Yes. And so I think that gave me the freedom to say like you said in this season, reading these books, number one, it's going to be just a task, not a love and an enjoyment. I'm not in a place where I can really process the information. So then that's going to heat another set of of challenges on top of me because I want to do something with the information and I can't, it was going to put me into a different spiral, right? And that's why I was I told myself, if I have a question, I'm going to go to the book, I'm going to look it up, I'll read it, I'll put a flag in it. But I'm not going to hold myself responsible for sitting down and reading the whole dang thing. And implementing or processing or analyzing, I just, I just didn't have the bandwidth. And you know what, I'm actually totally okay with it. Now. It took me a bit. Yeah. Like I was losing a piece of me. Because that's just been, that's always been my escapism, it's on, it's been a joy for me, right. And I just haven't had it the same this year.
Ceil DiGuglielmo 40:42
I don't think I think I interrupted myself, I don't think I made my point complete, I started to think of some of the things that I was not doing, especially in relation to reading the business books. Maybe it's my age, maybe I'm starting to wind down maybe I don't have the energy that a 50 year old has, maybe I don't. And so I was starting to internalize that and feel like I wasn't ready to be saying, I'm ready to retire or ready to move on to a different faiths are ready. And I kept thinking there was there was a little bit of fear involved there. Like if, if, if this is where I am, what does that mean? I'm not there. It was this season, and the things that I'm that are happening to me in my life right now. And then next year will be a different year. And so I was after a little while I was okay with it. But my age, definitely the worry about my age definitely played into it.
Michele 41:40
And I think it plays it into it for all of us. If we if we really think about it. I mean, you know, I'm a few years behind you and age. But I mean, I'm going to be double nickels by the time this comes out. And my capacity is different. In some ways. It's broader and larger. And in other ways, it's smaller. And that goes back to that managing control. I mean, everything just keeps kind of going back to kind of having the freedom for what is this season? What like, what is this season look like? And knowing I even I can remember when I had young children, and I tell a lot of the people that I work with, you're in a stage where your young kids are at home, and they need you. And if that's where you need to spend your time and your energy, you don't need to feel guilty about that. Do it trust me, they're going to leave at some point. Yes, right, and mine are gone. And then I'm probably getting ready in the next couple of years, I'm going to be sandwiched between my children and their children. So my grandchildren, and my aging parents and in laws. And so I know that my husband and I, we feel like we have a very short window where the kids are taking care of the kids and the parents are still able to take care of themselves. But I know that that season's coming, like I'm watching it. And I know that it's going to happen and I want to be positioned. So I think this season is a huge teacher, and how to get myself ready for that season.
Ceil DiGuglielmo 43:10
Yes. And you mentioned when you were reading some of these books that you then had to add the processing part to the to do list what I was thinking Michele was and that's time you could be spending doing something you were actually enjoying. And you put a you made a key point about you are in a small window where no one needs you quite the way they used to. And Jolles recovery aside, your children don't have children, your parents and in laws are still and Bill and I unfortunately don't have parents any longer our parents all died. Some young, some not so young. But before we had to deal with any of this, but I'm watching my friends. And I'm also watching what burdens we might be putting on our children in the future long, long, long time away, hopefully, but it is and we don't have grandchildren yet. And my husband has been very verbal about how much he wants some. And I keep teasing him and saying it will change our lives. Because then we will want to be a part of that. And right now we have some freedoms that we will not have when that happens, we'll be joyful, and it'll be wonderful, but we will not have the same freedoms.
Michele 44:32
And I think you know, just even for those listening, going, I didn't know we're talking about our family, but we're gonna talk about business, but they're all interconnect they are so truthfully, if I were to think about one of the things that Joel and I we just went to Sedona to celebrate his cancer free and our 32nd wedding anniversary, so we just got back a couple of days ago when we're recording this. But one of the things that it's made as to talk about is what do we want the next season of our life to look like? And then what does our business need to look like to fit into that? Right? Not? How do we just go run after the business business business? But how do we both do because he's got, you know, a few more years in corporate and I've got more years, I'm not ready to write. I mean, heck, I just launched another company. So we're not ready to go on anywhere, not going anywhere. But we also don't want to be slaves to business, and go through a season where we have some freedom and not even use it. And so it's very much the conversation of what do we want this dynamic to look like? And then how do we, how do we make the best use of our time? How do I make the best use of scarlet thread consulting? And what I'm doing and who, you know, how do I serve those people that I am most meant to serve? And how do I if I'm, if I'm even thinking, when I you know, I'm a fixed this next certified coach, and one of the things that we talked about, there's building businesses with impact and legacy. And I'm thinking a lot now of what is best, the whole reason that retreat is that I put it out and I'm continuing to work on it. What is the impact and the legacy that I want to leave the way that we look at Kitty's book, you know, I'm pretty much trying to create software that gives us like an add on to her body of work, so that we then have the ability to analyze all of the pricing. She's teaching Mr. Bryson. And then I'm over here trying to say, Now, how do we use those numbers to run?
Ceil DiGuglielmo 46:34
What do you do with that information? Right,
Michele 46:36
you do with that information? And so I think that has been a shift for us over the last year, is not just thinking about the work that we're doing now. But really thinking about longer term. You think that way? A lot. Whether you I'm sure you recognize it, but even the library, like you're looking at that for posterity, how does that people are all over Facebook, and all over all these other places, but I know that I owned a piece of that at one time and you've owned a piece of it. Janelle is on it Margies on it, you know, Cheryl, like it's gone through a lot of hands. Yes. But the whole goal with this has been for every one of us that jumped in, that had some level of ownership or touch at any point in time. The whole goal was to preserve it, yes. For the legacy for the impact. It has information in there. That is amazing. And so I am certain that as you are aging, I am aging, I asked my chiropractor. And I said to him, why am I having trouble? When I sit this way? My hip flexors do the I like to sit like criss cross applesauce. He's like, Michele, you don't need to sit that way. You're too old. I'm like, What do you say your age? You're too old. I said, Wait, wait, that's not that's not even cool. Give me some exercise to do. So it doesn't hurt too bad.
Ceil DiGuglielmo 47:52
Because I want to sit on the floor with my grandchildren like this.
Michele 47:57
My problem is that can sit like that for hours at a time, not for a few minutes. And so it kind of splays and he was just like, Michele it's your age. And so you know, just to let you know, you're being told that. But I think leaning into our age instead of looking at it as something that we don't want to have happen. I'm actually doing everything I know to do. And I'm constantly looking at how do I age gracefully? How does my business mature gracefully? How does Michele as a person age and mature gracefully? What does it mean to parent and in that different space? Like you talked about parenting your children? One of the things I read one time is when your children become adults, if they load the dishwasher, you keep your mouth shut the same way that you would if your best friend loaded the dishwasher. You don't you don't have to parent them and tell them that they didn't put it in correctly. If you wouldn't say it to your best friend. Don't say it to your adult children.
Ceil DiGuglielmo 48:54
That is good. Yes, it is.
Michele 48:59
But I think I think the underlying thing that I want to stress here is the businesses that we started with or not the businesses that we're going to end up with my business journey in 2000 is way different than where I am right now. And even way different than what I'm building. Yeah.
Ceil DiGuglielmo 49:17
Yeah. And same for me. I also think, Michele, that one of the things you mentioned, planning, we met with our financial planner, recently just to discuss our retirement, and Bill is 65. So we has to go through the whole Medicare thing this year, much to his dismay, we went to get our flu shots, and they came out and they said Mr. DiGuglielmo, since you're 65 We recommend that you get the stronger flu shot and he just looked at me like really, really is it's where we're going. But in sitting with our financial advisor yesterday, we gave her some goals that we want to work towards, you know, we will possibly have two weddings to pay for and all of that. What do we want our retirement to look like? How long do we want to work? And we had to do a lot of preparation for this ahead of time. This wasn't just to sit down and do it. But when she brought up the report yesterday, and she she can play all kinds of games with, you know, we've probably had, I'm sure you have cut down the expenses, increase the income, all these different things. And somewhere on there, there was a line that said first death. And we were our meeting was on Zoom. And I literally felt when Bill saw it. And when was all done, we have some more homework for the next step in this. And he looked at me says that was really a sobering meeting this time I said it was. And I said, I understand because I, it was a visceral reaction for both of us. I said, What did you see all that stuff in between? Did you see like, what we can be doing? And and it was a good shift for both of us, because I was a little distressed when I saw that too. But here's the thing. It was in the 80s. And we don't know that that's the truth. We don't know if we have tomorrow. And that's you and I have had many discussions about that. But it was it was sobering, but it was also Okay, let's we're doing the work we need to do. We're doing the plans, we need to plan now let's have our life lives. And let's do what we want to do right now. In our she calls it the Go Go the slow go and the no go. And we are in the gogo portion of our lives. And we want to keep it that way. Yeah, I
Michele 51:41
said to Joel, when we were touring around Sedona and all that I said to him, I said, we have got to continue to travel and go while we can. Because the day is coming. Like I can watch my parents and law slowing down. They are most comfortable in their own home with their own things. So I know that that is coming. And I honestly I think the same thing for my business, like what is it that it looks like and I'm still in the gogo phase of my business. I'm not in logo, but I'm planning for the slow go. I'm already planning now for the wedding next July, like all of my time off, it's all on my calendar, everything is put out there. I've managed all of my inner circle calls around it. Like I'm trying to plan moments of slow go in the middle of my Gogo.
Ceil DiGuglielmo 52:27
That's a good way to put that I like that
Michele 52:29
I like, Hey, I've got a question for you. What are you most proud of this year?
Ceil DiGuglielmo 52:34
Oh, that's a good one. We never practiced this ahead of time in case anyone can tell. I think I am most proud of the patience that I have learned with myself. And and what I had to deal with this year. Literally, I have not been able to walk more than a few feet without a boot on my foot. And even walking with it on tired me out. When we were at TWC. I loved that I got to see people but at the end of every day, I was exhausted. And I was teaching my class on class on the last day. So I had to conserve my energy. And it killed me to go back to my room and not socialize and not stay up till 1130 At night seeing everyone, but it's what I had to do. I was patient with myself, you were kind to yourself? Well, I'm not always so that that's a good reminder.
Michele 53:29
Yeah. And if we don't like the kind, the soft and the curious that I've told you are kind of my words for 22. And I think I'll carry them into 23. I've been trying to be more mindful of offering those three things to myself. Because it's easy for me to offer kindness towards you. And whatever trouble or challenge you're having. It's easier for me to be curious on why you think that or why you feel that I mean, that's part of what I do all day, every day. I'm curious, what do you think I'm curious, what do you think, are being soft, which just means not being hardened? Being like, Okay, let's go. I think about that a tree. You know, if it doesn't bend, it's going to break. So that kind of a softness. It's easier for me to do that for other people. We don't give ourselves the same grace. We do not wear that. And so I think that has been a bit growing for me, which sounds like is for you. I'm just kind of tying those together. And if it's not the way it feels, oh, that's absolutely, yeah. But even being patient with yourself as being tied to your body. Right and being kind to what's coming for you and soft for you instead of being angry about it. You let it teaches you. That's a softness.
Ceil DiGuglielmo 54:50
Yeah. And that's I think what it's taught me is also something that I'm proud of. I have pushed through things in the past that needed to be pushed through, this was not something I could push through. And as a runner, having to stop running, having to not even be able to take walks around my neighborhood was difficult. But I found some other physical activities that did not keep me on my feet. And that would would make me feel like I was taking care of my body and my health. So there was a lot of pivoting that went on. But there was also a lot of, okay, I can't do anything about this. And this is what it is. I also really pushed myself on a couple of jobs this year. From the workroom standpoint, that I said yes to because they would be a different kind of challenge. And I wanted to see if I knew I could do them. I wanted to see how I would do them and see what I would do with them. And so that was really something to be proud of. for me. I also didn't work as much in my work room, but it was still profitable. So I'm very proud of that. Yeah, I like that. And early this year, I noticed that because of the pandemic, or in spite of it, I don't know what I wasn't necessarily reaching out to people as much. I think, because you and I do a podcast, and we're talking to people, you do interviews, I do interviews, we both do solo podcasts, I still wasn't connecting with some of the people who mattered most to me. And I made more of an effort, I still think I can do better. But I am proud of the fact that I made an effort to make extra effort, and not wait for somebody to reach out to me. Again, this isn't all about our families, but having adult daughters, I try to be very careful about how much I expect from them in terms of our relationship, where each of us have a good relationship. Our family has a good relationship. But sometimes I realize I'm stepping back too much like I don't want to interfere in their lives. But there's a difference between interfering and being part of their lives. And so I've really worked on that.
Michele 57:19
That's a hard balance and really I'm trying to find it too.
Ceil DiGuglielmo 57:23
And I know people who like here's a good example, because you're talking about example, engagements. I have a an acquaintance who asked me if my older daughter was getting married yet. And I said, now they're talking about it, but they haven't gotten engaged yet we believe it will happen. And she looked at me and she said, Well, she better hurry up. You better tell her she has to hurry up, I said, I will do no such thing. They will get married when they're ready. If they're, if that's what they want. I'm it is not in my interest to tell my children how to live their lives. First of all, I don't want to take the responsibility for it. If it doesn't go well. Secondly, I trust them to do what they need to do for themselves. And so I think from that aspect, I've done a good job, but but I really had to work on knowing how to keep a close relationship without telling them what to do or being there without mothering them too much. And you know, because of the ages of your voice, it's not easy.
Michele 58:29
It's not easy.
Ceil DiGuglielmo 58:30
What are you most proud of?
Michele 58:32
Yeah, so I'm proud of a couple of things. One I'm really proud that I made made it through the year. I mean, I really am and I don't I don't say that lightly. And I didn't make it. I didn't just make it through the year. I feel like I've learned a lot through the year I feel like I am. In some ways, I feel like I'm a different while I am a different person than then I started here. But in some ways I feel like I'm a better person. I really think these three words, the end the Manage versus control, just that thought process. It's kind of like that that book Who Moved My Cheese. Yeah, it's just that you've just got to figure it out. So I'm proud that I've survived the year and that I'm not hard hearted in that I'm not angry or frustrated. Because there were moments of that, of course, I'm in the outhouse in the growth that I did this year. I'm also super proud of launching matric I really am proud of that. I'm proud of not only launching material, but I'm proud of being able to work with the team that I work with to have Joel as part of that with me. Yeah, you know, that's just huge to be able to do something like that and I think not just because I know how helpful it is for the businesses that are using it and will use it but I I love that it is a It's it's just like the perfect outcome, if you will, for all of my work 10 years in software financials, owning a window treatment company coaching, owning a school like all those things have all coalesced in a way. That matric is the outpouring of that. And so it just, it made it. I think one of the things, sometimes we you know, we've been talking about seasons. And sometimes I think, in the moment, it is very easy to see these seasons of our life as disconnected. Yes, it was easy for me to see when I started doing custom window treatments in 2000, as being disconnected from my prior job of software.
Ceil DiGuglielmo 1:00:45
And look how that turned out. Like how that turned out.
Michele 1:00:48
It was easy for me to feel like when I started coaching and doing that it was disconnected from something else. It was easy to almost look at it at each pivot, as if it were singular. Yeah, yeah, very much stove piped, if you will. And I think what is so beautiful for me is that matric makes me feel whole, in that all of the things that I have worked for, and all of the things that I have done and all of the things that I have. So poured my heart into helping business owners know and understand their financials. I'm just I'm proud that I didn't just keep talking about it. But that I finally did it because as I said on that podcast software is extremely expensive. And I'm taking a huge risk. And I'm proud that I took the risk because I'm not even much of a risk taker. But I believe in it so much that I'm I'm proud that I push through on it.
Ceil DiGuglielmo 1:01:49
All right. That's a lot to be proud of Michele, and especially in this year. Yeah. fact that you're still standing. That's a good thing.
Michele 1:01:58
They'll standing or sitting. Yeah. All right. So I have another question for you. As we are moving towards the end of our conversation, what are you most looking forward to? And 23? Is there anything that you're looking forward to, or anything being able to stand on your feet? But but in your business? Is there anything that you're looking forward to or any practices that you want to take from this year and move forward into next year? I think
Ceil DiGuglielmo 1:02:22
That what I'm looking forward to next year is reducing my work room load even more, really digging into how to make the library easily accessible, easily searchable, the search function is not its strongest point. And we are working on that working on the community with inside the library, because to me, that's one of the best features of our industry to begin with. And I think working a little bit less, and this isn't a retirement thing. This is a I've been going full steam ahead for years, and putting in long days and working long hours. And I'd like to compress my work week a little bit. During the summer, my husband works in the school photography business. He's an operations manager. And they close the office and studio on Fridays in July. And every week in July, I managed to get all my work done Monday through Thursday, so that we can have off together on Friday. And there have been a couple times where I'm like, I don't I do this more often. And it's it's sometimes difficult to get all the work done in four days. But having three days off is really nice.
Michele 1:03:44
And so I'd love, Why don't you just go into your calendar and block off your Fridays?
Ceil DiGuglielmo 1:03:48
Because that would be the easy thing. Yeah, it's,
Michele 1:03:53
that is definitely that's what I do. I have to I have to go in and just walk it out.
Ceil DiGuglielmo 1:03:57
I learned to do that with my holiday deliveries for designers. I got much better about that over the year. Elke horn taught me that. And each year, I backed it up even a little bit more Oh, I'm sorry. If you you know, here's the last day you can send me fabric and a deposit check. Because after that, no guarantees. But you're right, I need to go in and block off some Fridays out of the year. And as much as I use my calendar for pre planning that has not always been one of my strong points. So often. I'll tell you what I
Michele 1:04:26
let's just diverge for a minute divert for a minute. So here's what I've already done because I already know when CtbC Isn't it right? Right, right that
Ceil DiGuglielmo 1:04:34
Oh, my calendar, right and Roger for that.
Michele 1:04:36
I've already put it on my calendar. We know when IWC E is I've already put that on my calendar. And because I host three calls a month for my team or for my clients, right coaching calls, I've gone and put those on my calendar for the whole next year. I've put the retreat on the calendar for next year for my clients. I've got all that out there. But then what I also did is every time that I've got a weekend like, let's say, IWC or CtbC. I give myself the next day off. Oh, so smart. Yeah, sometimes it's a Monday and I'm just, I'm off. But then one day back from any event, that next day, I go ahead and mark it off. Because it takes that, for me to check up on my emails and to feel prepared. I've been doing a lot of work. How do I want to feel when I show up? How do I want to show up? But how do I want to feel when I show up, because we can show up, and then be like, in panic mode behind it. And one of the things when we I can remember, even when the kids were little being frustrated that they couldn't get out the door in time, like you couldn't find your shoes. And what I realized was, I really wasn't giving us enough time to get out the door with a three year old and a five year old, I was trying to compress the time too much, right? Instead of giving time to find the shoes, sure we had processes where they should put their chips. First we had all that, but there were five, there were three and five. But it is. But I realized the stress was coming from me creating the stress by trying to get us out the door in five minutes when I probably should have allowed 15. All right. So by that same token, how do I want to show up for the people because I can tell you if I am exhausted, and I'm having to sit down and answer an email, I am not as soft, curious kind and gracious as I would be if I came into it rested and healthy and in a place of abundance and giving. So that one day after any event that whole next day, I just mark it off. And I usually say mental health day or catch up with Workday. But it is an STC day, I just mark it STC. So I'm gonna recommend that to you just to give it a try. So that you can have that day to decompress, get yourself back together and move on.
Ceil DiGuglielmo 1:06:51
And this is interesting, because by the time this podcast is released, Susan Woodcock and I have a monthly podcast called 30 minutes with work room tech. And we recorded this one in particular because of a conversation on the library forum about it was initiated by one of the teachers at TWC. Like I was a mess when I came back, and I had trouble getting started. And then the conversation about transitions in general, was really a great conversation. So Susan, and I used it for content for the podcast. And it really is interesting how each of us deals with these differently. But something as simple as Oh, okay, I come back from the conference on this day, okay, that day, I'm, ah, I mentally say it to myself a lot, but I don't block it off. And we know what happens when we don't block it.
Michele 1:07:42
Yeah, to two things about that one, if you'll give me the link, I'll make sure to add it to my show notes. If anybody wants to listen to that. And when you think of transitions, we're talking about transition at the end of the day transition at the end of the week, and transition from an event. So there, you know, we have multiple transitions all the time. But managing that I for me, one of the things that I'm thinking about making sure that I continue to do or move forward or look at and 23. Number one is now that that we had some plans this year, Joel and I did that all got put on hold. So I am looking at of course we're going to have a wedding, but we are for Christmas, we're giving each other experiences Nice. So we decided when we were in Sedona, that our luggage needed to be replaced because it it looks beat to heck, from you know, going through all of that. So what we said, why don't we buy ourselves to settle luggage customers. And then why don't we each give each other a four day trip like that long weekend trip, great idea. We'll do one in the spring and one in the fall. And then we'll plan our summer vacation together and the wedding and all that stuff in the summer, right. But we always go somewhere or celebrate around our anniversary. And then we always do something kind of like I guess spring break or something like that, that people would do. And so we decided to make a long list of all the places that we want to go, that we've not yet gone, and then give each other just like I'm gonna give you the experience. Let's say one of the places I want to go was Montana, I want to go to a dude ranch. So I'm like, I'm gonna give you like, you know, Montana, Colorado, something to go there for four days. And then we can plan the four days together. And we can do all that. But this is what I here's an experience that I want us to have. And then you can choose one. So I think that is really important for me in the next year is connecting with the experiences and the moments and the people and not letting the activity of work. overshadow those connections, the same connections that you talked about not connecting as deeply with people even though you're talking to people and all of that. I love who I work with. I love the clients that I serve and I want to I would rather have a smaller roster and be candid acted to them then a large roster like a classroom setting where I'm not connected. So that that's one of the things that that we're doing. And I really want to carry over that soft, kind and curious. I like that I think it makes me a better person. I think it makes me a better wife and a better friend, especially honestly, moving into election year. And all that jazz. Staying soft and kind and curious is going to be a challenge. Yes. But I think if I can do that, and then I can hear what people say I can, I can see people and not get frustrated with conversations or issues or word choices. And I really just want to see people.
Ceil DiGuglielmo 1:10:42
Yeah, and sometimes understanding where someone is coming from that has a different point of view than you do
Michele 1:10:49
is what happened in your life to inform that decision. Actually, just that is kind of like, ah, because if I've lived in the way you've lived, perhaps I would have the same thoughts. But I've had a different life experience. And this is why I think a and maybe why you think B, but then that's a conversation that can be had. Right. But when you're fighting about A and B instead of what's informed your decision or what's happened, you don't see the person you're not curious about it, though, I think more than ever, I got a hold on to that. Yeah. And
Ceil DiGuglielmo 1:11:18
at that point, you're just defending your own viewpoint. You're not none of
Michele 1:11:24
that thing. Yeah. Yeah. Then back like,
Ceil DiGuglielmo 1:11:26
I think that soft, soft kind of curious, I think those are good words.
Michele 1:11:31
They are they are I thought then that I think my other big things are just like you to continue to improve the the systems and processes that helped me provide the services that I provide. We certainly are continuing to update matric, we're putting all kinds of new things in it. We're going to have some collaborations most likely next year. So you know, it's still got a lot coming. It's not done. Right. So that's enough. Yeah.
Ceil DiGuglielmo 1:12:01
And we talked about this last year, because I had started the new website for the library. And we talked about how these things that we are creating are living breathing entities that need constant attention, and that need to be supported so that they can continue to grow. And sometimes a big hairy, audacious goal is not necessary. Sometimes just getting continuing with what we're doing is okay, and I think that's the season I'm in right now. Just I want to continue what I'm doing, I want to be conscious of where I want to be for my retirement. But that's enough years away that it's not something I need to have done today. But but growing and continuing the legacy of the library is extremely important to me, so I'm excited about that.
Michele 1:12:53
And who knows, you might even read a book next year.
Ceil DiGuglielmo 1:12:55
I'm hoping I hope I get to do that next year. I'll see how much how much my concentration is available to me while I'm recuperating. I may be able to read a business book, then we'll see
Michele 1:13:08
if it is okay, exactly. Okay,
Ceil DiGuglielmo 1:13:12
Michele, it is such a joy to be able to spend this time with you. And it's interesting because not only were our booth next to each other, but we were in the same hotel for CWC, but I did really feel like I could not connect with everyone the way I wanted to because it had been so long since we'd all seen each other there were so many people there there were so many people to connect with that I felt like a lot I was happy to see people and catch up. But there weren't any deep connections during that time because they're just too
Michele 1:13:42
many people in a short amount of time.
Ceil DiGuglielmo 1:13:45
It was wonderful and and I can't wait to do it again next year. But I do genuinely love being able to do this recap with you especially because this year in particular we did not get to see each other even by zoom as much as we usually do. So this has been really fun for me I'm so glad that we're continuing to do it.
Michele 1:14:03
Me too. Me too. So I am cheering for you and praying for you good thank you surgery and learning to be a gracious patient
Ceil DiGuglielmo 1:14:12
that is for Bill sake
Michele 1:14:15
kind and soft and gracious patient you know i It's a challenge on both sides and there
Ceil DiGuglielmo 1:14:21
I'll put a post it note on my on my
Michele 1:14:26
on a post it note that's how I remember it is that it on a post it note here
Ceil DiGuglielmo 1:14:30
and I am thrilled for you that the worst part of this year has turned out to be something that is now in your past and and that you have joyful things to look forward to next year as well.
Michele 1:14:43
Same same will say Well, thank you so much and I look forward to 23.
Ceil DiGuglielmo 1:14:48
Me too. Thanks, Michele.
Michele 1:14:51
Thanks. So as always a big pleasure to share the mic with you. Taking time to review our year and to see growth opportunities and lessons learned is great area enlightening and encouraging. I hope you all do the same with your year. As you look forward to 2023 be intentional about the company you're building, the clients you're serving and the way you're showing up. When I have support why you build apply for a discovery call at scarletthreadconsulting.com And if you want to see your financials in a way that allows you to take fast action, check out metriquesolutions.com and let us help you have confidence in your numbers. As always choose to be profitable because profit doesn't happen by accident. Profit is a Choice is proud to be part of the designnetwork.org where you can discover more design media reaching creative listeners. Thanks for listening, and stay creative and business minded.