Are you an Entrepreneur? Business Owner? Dreamer? Do you need to re-focus your BRAND? Need insight into how to better execute your SOCIAL MEDIA strategy? If so, the Branding & Social Media LAB is the perfect answer for you – limited seats available!

// WHAT IS COVERED IN THE LAB? Good question! The topics will include : The importance of being YOU, What encompasses your brand, How to create an experience for your brand & Social Media – why it’s vital for your business.

// HOW MUCH? The BRANDING & SOCIAL MEDIA LAB is $99 per person OR $150 for two people from the same office/company. We will be providing a workbook for the LAB & breakfast will be provided by the Red Caboose [yum]!

// HOW TO REGISTER? Your non-refundable payment for the LAB will serve as your registration. The links provided ABOVE will take you to PayPal where you can securely register for a single ticket [$99] or a double ticket [$150]. So, if you’re ready to join us, go secure your spot for the LAB!

[*Please note, this LAB is for entrepreneurs & business owners, not for those who currently run a social media business.]

I love this concept that Vanessa dreamt up for the styled segment of JOLT | Dallas. Once again, this is her gorgeous niece Christian, who just so happened to turn 16 and is now a legal driver on the road! She was full of spunkiness as she hopped out of her cute mini cooper……I knew this would be a fabulous shoot!

We’ve got more Q&A’s coming from a few of our favorite creatives…..so stay tuned!

Christian ROCKED this session….she’s such a natural, in every sense of the word. Many of our attendees specialized in Seniors so this was a great addition to their portfolios!

Thanks for spending your day with us, Christian! I loved [finally] meeting you!!

In Nashville, we absolutely loved working with our good friends, Elise the author of the inspiring blog Pennyweight & Allister Ann an incredible photographer.

So, for our JOLT | DALLAS shop we snatched up the ever so talented, Emma Dime. One of her many talents is knitting pretty lovelies that are a must for any wardrobe. With the colder season approaching, you must go take a peek at Emma Dime : Knitted … you will thank us later.

For now, allow us to introduce you to our sweet friend, Emma.

We need to THANK a few people who made this event possible::

JOLT | Dallas would not have been a success without such incredible attendees! Thank you so much for trusting us and for spending your day with us. It was an honor and we truly loved meeting each and every one of you.

Our day kicked off with a delicious boxed lunch by Celebrity Bakery and we stayed nice and cool inside Greg Blomberg’s studio. We were also honored to have the the CEO of WHCC, Mike Hanline, stop in for the second half of our day!!

Inside each and every workbook contained discount codes to a few of our favorite products- so thank you VOL. 25, FORMULA ONE ACTIONS, BUTTERFLYSPARKS and THE 99 PERCENT!

Well, enough of this typing….here’s a peak inside JOLT | Dallas……

We received a few nice words from our attendees too….

“Love love love the JOLT girls! Kelli and Vanessa are simply the real deal. Two girls passionate about life, art and sharing their talents and wisdom with others. After not going to a “workshop” in quite some time, I was ready to get out of my creative “rut”. It’s so important to collaborate, meet with fellow creatives (photogs in my case) and share ideas, issues and advice. This was the perfect, inspirational “shop” for just that. Thank you Kelli and Vanessa for an amazing day and new friendships. Xoxo! -Heather Thorne

“JOLT was an incredible day full of inspiration, motivation, success tips and realizing the importance of being true to yourself! The shooting section was really fun and one of my favorite parts as we watched Kelli in action and Vanessa with her magical styling! Thank you to you TWO for pouring into us and helping us dream big….what an incredible duo and an amazing experience!!” -Ali Wood

“JOLT was what I was looking for and more! I needed a creative boost and some marketing input. This left me reeling with ideas and released the burden of feeling like I have to buy every template out there to be successful. The one on one time was invaluable! It was extremely inspiring and I loved connecting with all of the ladies there! I am still putting into practice what I learned and have other goals that I am reaching for. Thank you for putting together a memorable experience. . .I look forward to a reunion some time!” -Amber Zimmerman

Eeeeek! It’s like Christmas in September…this package from The 99 Percent just showed up. We are beyond excited for our events this week with Art House Dallas and JOLT | Dallas! Our sponsors are truly amazing.

JOLT | DALLAS from kelli & vanessa on Vimeo.

Without further ado …

NAME : Julie Martin
BUSINESS : ZozoBugBaby
LOCATION : Salem, Oregon

What is the story behind the name ZozoBugBaby?
Well..it’s nothing too glamorous, really. My oldest daughter (5) is Zoe and her most popular nickname is Zozo. My youngest, Delia (4) had the nickname of Bug or Bitty Bug when she was a baby. I started out offering just baby clothing, so…..there ya have it! Zozo+Bug+Baby!

Before you sit down to design a Zozo piece, creatively where does your inspiriation come from?
I am inspired by EVERYTHING, but especially the juxtaposition of textures and color combinations. There is a house down the street from mine that is a gorgeous aqua color. They have huge vibrant red rose bushes in front. I am inspired by the aqua/red combo every day when I drive by. The way cherry blossoms look against a blue sky. Seriously. I am inspired by EVERYTHING. Lately I’m into themes, so I’m going to explore the 1920′s for my Fall children’s collection. I am also inspired a lot by fine art and other designers and photographers, as well.

How vital is social media to your business & how do you balance that with family & creating?
Social media is CRUCIAL these days for any business. It’s the fastest way to reach customers! Facebook is hands down the best free marketing tool on Earth! Balance is a CONSTANT struggle and I battle every day. I am not any kind of role model for balance. I actually was very inspired by my friend, Kelly Moore (yes, THE Kelly Moore!), to take the summer OFF to be with my girls! My business will still run and I”ll have to work some, of course, but I am not putting them into child care this summer. I am restructuring how my business is going to function for a few months, so that I can get just a step closer to that elusive balance (before the craziness of the Fall line begins!).

What was your most enjoyable experience when you last collaborated with another creative?
Do I have to pick just ONE? I’m going to live on the edge and list two. I have 3 other designer friends with children’s clothing lines (Lillipops Designs, The Measure and The Trendy Tot) and we are all very different in our aesthetic, but we all came together to collaborate in Portland earlier this year. It was outstanding! It’s truly so special when a group of artists that are so different can come together and create something really amazing. We all just feed off of each other really push each other to break outside of our comfort zones. This new collaboration is even more breathtaking than we all imagined. The new clothing line is called Small Nation and will debut on May 1st! Secondly, ANYTHING I do with Shannon Sewell ends up taking my breath away. We kind of trade off coming up with ideas, but it always works out beautifully. I love it when she approaches me with an idea and I get to put my Zozo spin on it and turn her vision into reality. We have an unbelievable collaboration coming up in June. You wouldn’t even believe me if I told you what it involves.

For someone wanting to turn their hobby into a business, what advice would you have for them?
First, you HAVE To think long-term. Branding is SO HUGE and before you even set out to make your hobby into a business, you need to have a solid idea of who you are as a business and what you want to put out into the world. I think NAMING your business has got to be thoughtfully considered. You want to be memorable, but also taken seriously (i.e….. Pink Turnip Clothing sounds really interesting, but “So-and-So’s Cutsie Pie Couture” sounds a bit amateur). (I totally made up those names, so I hope I don’t step on toes!). BE ORIGINAL!!!!

I absolutely love this adorable husband and wife team [Travis + Elise Yetton]. Elise is a dear friend of mine and while I was making a list of couples who inspire me….these two were at the top of my list!

Travis is a manager at Sensibility Music and Elise is a freelance writer, stylist and blogger.

Collaboration can exist between friends, strangers…and even your spouse! Grab a cup of coffee and get to know this young couple who are making big waves in our world!

[photo credit]

How does Travis inspire you?
That incredible man is constantly inspiring me! Every day I am amazed at his knowledge, patience, generosity and selflessness. He is not only a gifted marketer, writer, speaker and all-around music man, but a caring husband who is willing to dedicate time to my business and creative endeavors as well.

[photo credit]

Where do you find INSPIRATION?
Sometimes in the most random of places – a long walk around the neighborhood, a drink at a restaurant, a phone call with a friend. I am constantly blown away by the inspiration online, but sometimes I feel so oversaturated with content that itʼs hard for me to feel creative and inspired. My go-to sites are All The Mountains,The Coveteur, Destined to Design and Closet Visit to name a few.

How often do you get to COLLABORATE with Travis? Other creatives? Is this something that you intentionally seek out?
Being that Travis works so closely with family, I feel very much involved with what he is working on and things that are going on with the sensibility brand (management, record label and beyond). Itʼs very normal for him to bring home new songs or projects for my thoughts, or for us all to grab dinner and chat about the latest happenings.

With others, it usually is an intentional thing. A rough idea is born, I jot out my hopes and plans, think about who could help me make it bigger and better, and approach it from there. I love collaboration and am always excited when others reach out to me to collaborate on a project. Itʼs so much bigger than myself!

You’ve done a lot of styling for photographers….but where do you see your creativity heading in the future? What are you passionate about?
Iʼve lost a bit of my passion for styling, which is not to say I wonʼt continue it from time to time, but right now Iʼm focused on my Pennyweight blog and freelance writing/curating. I love working with other creatives to create a bigger picture, whether that be for a magazine, photo shoot, video shoot or the like.

[photo credit]

Who would you love to COLLABORATE with that you have yet to meet in real life?
What a tough question! There are so many amazing people out there that Iʼd love to join forces with. I always love meeting new people and discussing dreams and ideas, so I hope to collaborate with several new people over the next year.

How do you balance being a wife, business owner, blogger ect….
This is something I am constantly striving for, learning and adjusting. Honestly, it looks really different week to week, but thatʼs the fun of it! Itʼs important to make time for myself, away from the computer, to gain inspiration and feel relaxed and refreshed. Travis and I try to ʻshut downʼ and unplug every night at the same time from the phone, computer, TV or any other distractions.

[photo credit]

- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - Travis Yetton- – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – - – -

Being a super creative husband and wife team… how often do you two get to work together?
Elise and I are constantly speaking into each other’s creative lives. When she needs an extra eye after a photo shoot, or a sounding board for feature ideas, or even just a human spellchecker – I’m the first one to ‘get the call.’ She knows she can get an honest yes or no from me, and frankly, I probably understand her aesthetic and vision more than anyone else.

For my work and writing projects, I’m often just asking her for the freedom to brainstorm. Having an open forum for discussion is invaluable to me, especially when so much of my job is about making snap decisions based largely on gut feel or instinct.

How does Elise inspire you?
Elise inspires me to look beyond myself, to constantly expand my horizons. I’m the type of person who would be content to stay the same – to read the same kind of books, order the same food, visit the same places. It’s like I’m an old man sometimes, stubbornly set in my ways… But when I look at her, at her blog, she’s always craving what is new and exciting. It reminds me just how much of the world is out there waiting for me to discover it. I need that.

[photo credit]

Where do you find inspiration?
A lot of nerdy places like books and fantasy movies! Seriously though, the cliché about finding inspiration everywhere is true. It’s kind of like those 3D art posters from the 90s. I can’t just stare straight at the world around me and hope to take something away. There isn’t always a direct correlation, as there is with learning.

Inspiration is more like happenstance for me. If I stay aware, and keep a notebook within reach, maybe I’ll see something out of the corner of my eye.

How beneficial do you feel collaboration is for artistic growth? Can you share an example?
There’s this perception about art that it’s bred in solitude. Thoreau had his cabin, Justin Vernon his woods. I think there’s a lot of value in finding alone time to create, to separate from the world at large. But at some point, you need other people to inspire you and to sharpen you. An idea can always be improved upon, and collaboration gives artists the license to experiment and grow.

Just recently, I hit a snag in a story where it felt like I was banging my head against a wall. My mind could perfectly envision points A and B, but the thread from one to the other eluded me. Graciously, while at coffee, a friend asked if I wanted to talk about it. So we did. I can’t say for sure that I walked away with the answer just then, but without that conversation, I don’t know how long it would have taken me to find a solution on my own.

Do you enjoy working with family? How do you balance work and family life…and not talk ‘business” all the time?
I love working with family. It’s tough and I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone, but it’s also terribly rewarding. You get to share in big moments with those closest to you, and there are few substitutes for being able to trust wholly within a work environment.

You hit the nail on the head there about one of the main challenges. We have to learn appropriate boundaries, and hold ourselves to them. Otherwise it can be all too easy to just talk shop all the time. Thankfully, I live in an environment that cherishes balance. If we’re getting carried away, there’s usually someone there to call us back.

[photo credit]

What drives you? What are you most passionate about?
Big questions! I think I just want to accomplish something with my life. Not even in a corporate “climb-the-ladder” sense, and hopefully not in a way that is driven by tangibility, like with money or things.

Mostly, I’m just one big idealist. I’m passionate about relationships and all their vagueries, about the connections between what is real and unreal, about suspending disbelief. I love music, and stories, especially if they challenge me in unexpected ways. I guess that’s why I’m drawn to art – to help spread the word about other’s creations and maybe make some of my own along the way.