Set the S.T.A.G.E. for Success
This past weekend, I was a guest panelist during Monica Shah’s 3-day “Master Your Money” conference in Atlanta. As our time slot approached, I found myself nervous and apprehensive (always happens when doing something new in front of a couple-hundred strangers). Yet I knew once I stepped up onto the stage, my “Professional Cathy” brain […]
The BIG Donut
I’m convinced that children are here to help us remember the “important stuff”. We had a lovely gathering at our home yesterday, celebrating the rebirth of Spring. The Easter Bunny left a few awesome treats for the grand-bubs, and four generations gathered for the “feast”. In addition to the many main dishes, it became apparent […]
Planting Seeds
EXTERIOR GARDENING. My maternal grandmother taught me the annual Spring ritual of digging in the dirt (AKA: gardening). There’s something about cleaning out all the dead residual from last year, clearing space for the new buds to pop through the soil, and making room for the new flowers to join the bulbs. INTERIOR GARDENING. We’ve […]
AGENT of Change
Many of you are familiar with our “shop”, UpsiDaisy.com, where you’ll find designs meant to motivate and inspire, as well as designs meant purely to add a smile to your day. On a recent Monday morning, I opened my email to see an urgent message from a woman in Indiana, who wanted to use one […]
Finding My INNER-G
My weekly blog post is due. I need an idea . . . an inspiration of some sort. I’ve hit a metaphorical roadblock. Sometimes I just need some inner guidance – some INNER-G. When you work for yourself and you love what you do, your business “day” can easily turn into nights and weekends as […]
Pioneer Spirit
My family roots are strong throughout Oklahoma and Kansas – especially in the small oil town of Ponca City, Oklahoma – more recently made famous by the Food Network Chef, Ree Drummond and her TV show, “Pioneer Woman”. As a child, I remember going to family reunions in the city park which has a statue […]
Southern Belles Only Wear Their Best Dress In Public
Many of you have heard stories about me growing up in Oklahoma. And yes, “Yep”, “Howdy” and “Ya’ll” were spoken daily – even by the ladies. More importantly, the ladies in my family – especially my mother and her mother (Nana) – mirrored the fashion trends of the time and I was taught, “a true […]
Fuzzy Brands Breed BANAL Benefits
ba·nal bəˈnäl,bəˈnal/ adjective D: So lacking in originality as to be obvious and boring. I learned the word BANAL from my mother. She LOVED crossword puzzles, and as it became more difficult for her to see, I would sit with her at the nursing home, asking her the clues as she rattled off the answers […]
Rent-A-Brain
Today I was asked if someone could “rent” my brain for an hour to learn more about the current self-publishing industry. Most certainly! You betcha. In today’s world of constantly-changing technology, it is hard to keep up with what works and doesn’t work. Confusion reigns supreme, so as a last resort, a lot of people […]



