Day 35: The Balancing Act

Today was one of those days where I could feel the weight of all the hats I’m wearing. It started with diving deeper into automated social media posts—getting the Dog of the Day campaign lined up and scheduled on the calendar. It’s satisfying to see that take shape, knowing it’ll keep running without me having to manually post every day. A little win in the automation department!

I also made a big decision: I’ve paused all ad spend. With 90% of sales coming from people who already know me, it’s clear there’s a trust gap with my broader audience. It’s not easy to admit, but this is the reality check I needed. Building trust takes time, and throwing more money at ads without addressing the root issue isn’t the answer.

To shift gears, I focused on filling out my shopify collaborations page. I’m hoping that creating more opportunities for partnerships will feel more authentic—and effective. There’s something exciting about collaborating with people who truly get what isloved is all about.

In between these tasks, I’ve been reading more on marketing strategies. It’s eye-opening, but also a little draining. I can’t help but feel a twinge of guilt that I’m spending so much time on this side of the business instead of designing—the thing I really love to do. Marketing feels like this necessary chore, the thing that will either make or break isloved. And honestly, that thought weighs on me.

So why am I sharing all this in this blog? Because when you’re a solopreneur, there’s no boss giving you feedback, no team huddles to check progress, and no quarterly reviews to validate what you’re doing. Some days it’s hard to see the forest for the trees.

This blog is my way of staying accountable—not just to the business, but to myself. Knowing I need to show up here keeps me honest, especially on the days when the couch and a Netflix binge are calling my name. These posts are notes to my future self, reminders of the progress I’ve made even when it doesn’t feel like I’m moving forward.

So, while today wasn’t filled with the creative spark I crave, it was filled with the kind of work that matters. And that’s worth showing up for.

Here’s to embracing the process, even when it’s not the part I love most.