The launch date for Olive + Grey is approaching quickly!! 10 days and counting. Here's the behind-the-scenes peek #3 at how we're building the business: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pbVl9lKm2QcvL3W60DrLkj00HmaOkFCil31higWGoRE/edit?usp=sharing And if you want to catch up, here's #1 and #2 😊

Another week of building this little business in real time...and this week's update involves Etsy backend work I absolutely did NOT want to do, a surprisingly helpful lesson about motivation vs. decision-making, a family create day, an art festival field trip, and one VERY shiny idea that has been firmly placed in the "not now" pile. (Or so I keep telling myself...) 😂 I'm also sharing where we stand with that October 1 launch date and what we're focusing on next. 👉 Read the BTS #2 here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1htdLF15DFMdEyc08qfNN9mVRCf3wEoy5NhV3OSWOQdE/edit?usp=sharing (If you're sitting there thinking, "What in the world is she talking about?" - check out this post first!)

Every single week, a new business strategy, marketing tactic, or time-saving automation drops into our feeds promising to change everything. The hard part isn't discovering them. It’s figuring out which ones actually earn a permanent spot in your daily routine instead of just collecting dust in your bookmarks—especially when you're building around a busy life, family, or a full-time job. This is the lean stack I rely on to actually get things done without the hustle-bro burnout: n8n / Make: For wiring up backend client-getting automations and moving data seamlessly so systems run in the background while handling real life. Apify: My go-to tool for heavy data extraction, web scraping, and gathering the raw market intelligence needed to find clients fast in the hours available. GoLogin: Essential for managing isolated browser profiles securely, keeping multi-account workflows clean, and avoiding friction during outreach. XAMPP & Local SQL: Where custom web applications and business database environments are configured, tested, and fine-tuned on your own schedule. Tailwind CSS: Keeps frontend updates fast, clean, and responsive without getting bogged down in messy custom stylesheets. Floment: Useful for organizing community engagement, sharing workflows, and keeping discussions structured in one place. The bigger lesson here is that stacking tools just because they are trending is a fast track to exhaustion. I’d rather find a real operational bottleneck → map out a clean system → test the workflow → deploy it → and make sure it actually gives you your time back. That’s a much better way to build a client-getting, sale-making business than chasing every shiny object on the internet. Hey everyone! Seeing how Olivia and this community focus entirely on building real businesses around actual life (instead of pushing unlimited-time hustle culture) is such a breath of fresh air. Building smart systems means your tech works around your schedule, not the other way around.

Happy Friday! Let’s have some fun and get to know one another a bit more. Beverage Edition - Coffee or tea - Hot or cold - Diet or regular - Cocktail or mocktail - Owala or Stanley - Sparkling or flat water