I've been busily trying to do ALL the things (LOL) to be present and be a good Skooler - build connections while building my community. It's keeping me online till bedtime lately and then I don't sleep so well. What a surprise, right? Well, I'm taking the evening off. I'm pretty sure the world won't end. 🤣

Where do you go when you’re tired of explaining your child, your schedule, or your life… over and over again? Between therapies, appointments, school calls, and everything else, it can feel like you’re carrying a lot quietly. That’s why I created Strong Moms, Special Kids a calm, supportive Skool community for moms raising kids with autism or special needs who want connection without pressure. We keep it simple: No forced engagement Come & go as life allows Honest conversations + small wins Moms who truly get it 💡 One thing I’ve learned: Some of the strongest growth happens quietly. Lurkers aren’t disengaged they’re often just surviving. If this resonates, you’re warmly invited to join us. And if not, I’d still love to hear what’s been the hardest part of this season for you? 💛

Some of you heard about my stressful Santa situation in our last PERSONALS meet up. Well, the snow forecast has not gotten better, and the gifts are still at my parents, so we've made a last minute decision to split up. The kids and I will go tomorrow morning, and my husband will join us later in the day (kennel issues for the dog and roadworthy vehicles are another consideration...). That means that I am madly packing, wrapping, cleaning, and picking up after two kids who are tearing the house apart faster than I can put it together so that we can leave a day early. Long story not so short, Metrics Monday will be back in the new year. As we close in on 888 members, I am so thankful for each and every one of you, and I hope you all have a restful, peaceful, and fun holiday season with those you love. Some of us spoke quietly about a goal to reach 1000 members by the end of the year. It's not totally out of the question, and all your lovely referrals have been inching us closer and closer every day! I will be online over the holidays as family commitments permit, and I look forward to seeing what you share here. I have a few big things happening at the beginning of the year that you will want to watch out for. 😉 Talk soon!

One of the most important things I've learned since becoming an online entrepreneur is that the most important thing you can do to grow your business is to build relationships. Many of us (myself included) have rushed to promote our groups and services that we care so deeply about. And it only makes sense - we are excited about what we are doing! Today, I'd like to invite you to take a step back and introduce yourself to the group by answering the following questions: 1. Who are you personally? 2. Who are you professionally? 3. What is something you love doing outside of work? 4. What is something surprising about you? As you open up and make more connections, you will find that not only are people more interested in what you do, but they will also be more interested in helping you make connections with other people they know! 😉 After you introduce yourself, please scroll through the other introductions and add a comment to someone you have something in common with or would like to know more about. 😊 Please add your introduction in the comments below! ⬇️

When I started Tinker & Type, I thought it would be a small place to collect my thoughts so they didn’t keep rattling around in my head. A quiet corner where I could make sense of how I work, and maybe help a few other creative people feel less scattered too. The problem I was trying to solve was my own overwhelm first, and then I realized how many other creative business owners were carrying the same thing. So many ideas, so much responsibility, and not a lot of systems that actually fit real life. Especially if you’re juggling kids, shops, side projects, and a brain that refuses to be linear. I did have a bigger vision even then. I’ve always believed in having a plan. What I didn’t have yet was the understanding that the plan didn’t need to be built all at once. Back then, success looked like small proof points. A few people inside Tinker & Type feeling calmer after a post, or saying “okay, I can actually do this.” That felt like enough to keep going. What surprised me was how deeply that approach resonated. People weren’t avoiding big goals. They were just exhausted from trying to execute everything simultaneously. They wanted direction and breathing room. A long view paired with smaller steps that didn’t require burning everything down to make progress. If I could tell past me one thing, it would be this: it’s okay to hold a bigger plan while only working on one small piece at a time. Vision doesn’t require urgency. Momentum comes from letting the work unfold in a way that fits your actual life.