Tell Me All About It: Q&A with Lisa Butler of Elembee

This is Lisa. Her blog + biz, elembee, has become one of my favorite resources for all things blogging, branding, and marketing yourself online.

She puts out loads of incredible content--for free (!)--and is really, really knowledgeable about what she does, which is primarily web design and helping her clients put their best foot forward online.

Remember my recent post about "Crafting an Autoresponse?" That was inspired by Lisa (and featured her autoresponse). Genius, I tell you!

A few more things I love about Lisa: She left her full-time job to start her own biz (hooray! You'll read more about this below...), she sends out these amazing weekly emails that include great tips for looking your best online (they're short + sweet and I always learn something!), she has an adorable dog who is prominently featured on her Instagram feed (pic of him below), she has a very clean but fun aesthetic (which can be a hard balance to strike!), and she's a self-proclaimed "recovering perfectionist," which I can totally identify with. 

In fact, I can relate to a lot of Lisa's responses to my questions below. So lets learn a little more about her, shall we?


Why did you start blogging? Why have you continued to do so? 
I started blogging as a creative outlet and to have my own space on the internet to mess around with code and design. I had been thinking about starting a business, but everything just seemed so overwhelming, and I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do. So I finally started a blog just to start something.

Over time, I developed my design aesthetic, learned more coding, and started getting inquiries for web design work. I left my job in April 2012 to pursue my business full-time, and since then my blogging has been more focused on writing since my client works provides the outlet I need for design!

Where do you find inspiration for your blog posts?
Most of my inspiration comes from client work, my own experiences, and questions I receive from readers. Sometimes I feel like I’m stating the obvious, so I have to remind myself that what’s obvious to me isn’t always obvious to others. And sometimes, people just need to read something at the right time or read a new perspective for something to click.

What's your creative process like?
For blogging, I find that I need to be writing regularly to keep the creativity flowing. So I try to write at least 15 minutes a day, whether that’s a blog post, email for my email list, something for a future ebook, or simply just a fun writing exercise. Most of the time, my problem is over-thinking, so I just try to pick a topic and start writing and pretend I’m talking to a friend if the words aren’t quite flowing out.

What's the story of your biz and/or how did you find the courage to strike out on your own? 
My business really came from my blog. I already had experience in web design and development, as well as print design through my day job, and my blog gave me the space to figure out how I most enjoyed putting those skills to use — in designing and developing WordPress sites.

The more work I put out there, the more inquiries I received. Finally, I hit a point where I was spending almost all of my waking hours working, whether for my day job or for my business. I looked forward to weekends not for a break, but for a solid couple of days to work on my business. Eventually something had to give, so I took the chance and left my day job. Thankfully I had family support that meant I could live rent-free for a while to see how it worked out — and it did!

What do you consider your biggest accomplishment?
I’m sure this answer comes as no surprise, but I would definitely say starting my business. I like to call myself a recovering perfectionist. The reason it took me so long to get started is because I wanted it to be perfect from the beginning. So just starting anyway was a huge step for me, and this whole journey has really taught me that done is better than perfect.

How do you stay balanced? How do you unwind? 
What I struggle with the most when it comes to staying balanced is the guilt and feeling like I always need to be doing something. Lately I’ve been giving myself permission to take the afternoon off if I’m not being productive — I work more than enough late nights and weekends to have earned that. When it’s time to relax, I try to fully relax — no checking emails or social media on my phone, no thinking about what I should be doing instead. My favorite ways to unwind are pedicures, curling up in bed with a good book, or just vegging on the sofa.

What's your biggest guilty pleasure?
Sleeping in. I am SO not a morning person! I typically set my alarm for a good hour and a half before I should be out of bed, and sometimes I just don’t set an alarm at all — one of the perks of owning my own business!

What's your favorite book and why?
I have to pick just one? There will always be a special place in my heart for Harry Potter (I even named my dog Dobby). Growing up with the books and movies means I have a lot of good memories tied to book/movie releases and many discussions with friends. For bonus points, right now I’m listening to the audiobook for The Gifts of Imperfection and really enjoying it.

If you could give one piece of advice to new bloggers or those wanting to take the plunge and start their own business, what would it be?
You have to start somewhere! Everyone has to figure things out as they go along — it’s part of owning a business. Make a list and start crossing things off, you’ll get there eventually.

Want to learn more about Lisa (or get on her great email list)? You can find her in the following places:

• Website
• Blog
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Pinterest
  
  

Thanks for telling me all about it, Lisa! 

Oh, and if you're wondering about how this past weekend's Love Yoga Fest went, I'll be sharing some pics and stories about it tomorrow...stay tuned ;)