Reflections on My First Three Months as an Entrepreneur

This post is sponsored by illy but the content & opinions expressed here are my own.

It was a rainy spring day in Paris, France. The clouds overhead let out fat droplets that plop plop plopped me on the head. I tucked my fleece wrap jacket around me like a tortilla hugging a burrito. The wind picked up. Tiny particles of dust, dirt, & debris flew about. The skies grew angrier, so we picked up the pace & found shelter in a coffee shop.

I looked up & spotted a red square logo with white font: illy. It smelled delicious inside. Most of the pastries had been devoured by the rest of the get-me-out-of-the-rain crowd. We ordered & waited for our coffees. I'll never forget the power of that small cup of caffeine.

I held it in my hands. The warmth felt comforting considering the rest of my clothes were soggy from the rain. Sip, sip, sip. Boom! We felt rejuvenated enough to head back outside. We're from San Diego after all; maneuvering through rain isn't something we experience often. I held my to-go cup in my hand & took a quick photo of it with Paris blurred in the background. Behind every cup of illy is a story.

That memorable moment from Paris stays with me because in May 2017 I was in a different phase of my life. I had a moment of self-reflection that week & published Oh Snap! I'm Writing This Post in Paris, France to express my restlessness. But I vowed to make a change. By June, I started a new chapter in life: I began blogging & coaching full-time.

It's September now, four months since I made that leap to becoming an entrepreneur. I did a press trip in Reno Tahoe. I made it through my first in-person coaching intensive even though I was petrified. I move forward as I learn from my entrepreneurial mistakes. I began strategizing long-term plans, rather than executing endless minute tasks. Progress.

Now we're planning for our trip to London. As I sip on my fresh batch of illy cold brew coffee, I can't help but feel happy. Normally I add milk to my coffee but the illy cold brew is so rich & smooth you don't really need it. Stay inspired with good coffee, good vibes, good views, good work, & good times.

It's important to reflect. It's important to hold yourself accountable. My first three months as an entrepreneur went by extremely fast. I can't deny that. But I learned an incredible amount in those three months. I had highs. I had lows. I had days off, but mostly I had days on. I negotiated. I taught. I followed up. I built relationships. I created newsletters. I'm ready for what comes next.

Visit illy & use code COFFEE17 to enjoy special a 20% savings on your online order. Do you like cold brew coffee? What have you learned in the last three months? :]

* Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by illy. As always, all opinions are 100% mine aka Carmen's. Learn more about my disclosure. :]

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