advice for the creatives + the dreamers

Last week, I attended a creative round-table meeting called “Smart Up your Start Up” at a beautiful new event space in Avondale called The Nest. As a designer and blogger, I am always looking for new ways to connect with other creatives so when I heard about the creative round-table I knew it would be right up my alley. At last week's meeting, a panel of start-up founders from The Nest + Baking Bandits, Bustle, Sprout and Pour, and 1504 Pictures shared their experiences, advice, and struggles as entrepreneurs following their creative passions. It’s always great to hear these kinds of first hand stories and to get a realistic picture of what it means to launch a start-up. It’s not all “make your own schedule” and “coffee shop meetings” you know... turns out, there are a lot of struggles that come with following your creative dreams. Regardless, being in a room full of other creative individuals, many of whom are following their dreams and ambitions, is a really great feeling. Besides the fact that they serve locally made pastries from a start-up bakery and fresh pressed juice from an up-and-coming local juicer, it's a great way to surround yourself with passionate and inspiring individuals, all eager to connect and swap ideas. It's a great way to get the creative juices flowing and feel inspired! These are just a few simple pieces of advice I took away from the meeting.

1 // be brave, starting a business is all about bravery

2 // try to clear your mind every day 3 // have a business plan (and stick to it!) 4 // hang out with people who are different from you, it helps you see things differently
Interested in joining the creative roundtable? Learn more here: http://www.bhamcreativeroundtable.com/
// be brave, alena hennessey //

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ATL bound

We're off to Atlanta and I can't wait for some time at home with mom and the pugs! We'll spend the weekend enjoying the cooler weather on the porch swing and filling our bellies with my mom's amazing cooking. She always makes so much delicious food when we're home and has the house all cozy. We may even get to burn a fire on the porch, but I'm not getting my Fall hopes up just yet. Saturday morning we're meeting the rest of the family for the Walk to End Alzheimer's in honor of my Gammy who passed away last April. It will be a special way for us to spend time together, remembering Gammy and helping others. It's not too late to donate towards this great cause : click here to donate to Team Mills

 I hope you all have a very lovely weekend! 

// Atlanta Skyline by Pamir Thompson found here //

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hello Fall!

Welcome Fall! It’s been a beautiful and exciting summer but I am more than ready for the Fall foliage and cooler temps ahead. The days are still hot but you can feel the Fall crispness in the air. There have been a few fallen leaves blowing in the streets and the lighting is changing. Mornings in our loft are sleepy and dim with the glow of the city lights outside of our windows and the evenings bring earlier sunsets and cooler night breezes. I could get used to this! This Fall, I’m all about simple, layered style and making our loft a warm and inviting home. These are a few things on my Fall Wishlist. Happy Fall ya'll!
images via :: alabama slate cheese board . west elm door mat . warby parker annette frames . vintage black onyx ring . black leather Marc Jacobs watch . swedish clogs . madewell scarf . Ikea coffee table .

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