Hey, Reader!

It's been a fortnight.

It was my birthday.

I booked a ½ day photo shoot at my studio.

I had an ultrasound (some irregularities in my cycle that needed investigating). And then, an urgent medical procedure. The good news: they've fixed it. But it drained me.

A close family friend ended up in hospital. I went to visit her.

My partner is on tour in Australia and New Zealand for three and a half weeks. So I've been single parenting through all of this (to a very hormonal tween).

A client's app, which I've been quietly designing, building, and launching to the app store with a team of amazing humans, has been eating hours in the background that most people don't see.

I collaborated with a friend for International Women's Day and recorded a series of posts called Permission to... which I'm really proud of.

I took my mum out for Sunday lunch for Mother's Day.

And through all of it, I've been trying to finish and launch a personal brand assessment I've been developing for months.

Something had to give.

So I rested. I slept more than I have in ages. And I put the quiz on the back burner.

But here's what I woke up to this week.

While I was doing none of the things (no posts, no promotion, no newsletter) my email list grew by 16 people.

Sixteen.

That's not a huge number. But it told me something important.

The work I've already done is still working. Even when I can't.

That's the whole point, isn't it?

3 things I want you to take away this week

1. Rest is not the enemy of growth. I did hardly anything for two weeks. My list still grew. Your business doesn't need you to be "on" every single day. It needs a foundation strong enough to hold things when life gets in the way. Most of us are so busy creating content we never build the foundation. That's what we're fixing.

2. You're probably solving the wrong problem. Every woman I've interviewed in the last few months thought she had a content problem. She didn't. She had a messaging problem. She couldn't clearly explain what she does, who it's for, or why her 20+ years of experience is the selling point, not the baggage. Content without clarity is just noise. Clarity first. Always.

3. Your email list is the only audience you actually own. Instagram can shadowban you. The algorithm can change overnight. But your list? That's yours. 16 people joined mine this fortnight and I wasn't even asking. Imagine what happens when you are?

2 things i'm loving

✦ And now — the thing I've been quietly building.

You've heard me mention it. It's 98% ready.

The Personal Brand Visibility Scorecard is a short assessment that tells you exactly where your personal brand is strong, and exactly what's holding you back from being found by the clients you're built for.

18 questions.

At the end, you'll get a tailored result with a free resource and a clear action plan that fits where you actually are. Not generic advice. Just the clarity you need to start showing up like the expert you already are.

I'm soft-launching it to this list first, which means it's not fully polished yet. I'd love your honest feedback — did it feel accurate? Did the result resonate? Was anything confusing?

→ Take the quiz ​

✦ The IWD Permission to... series I made with my friend.

We filmed a split-screen video series giving women explicit permission to do the things we've been quietly afraid to do in our businesses. Post the imperfect thing. Charge what you're worth. Take a rest. Call yourself an expert. It came out really well and I'll be sharing more of it here soon.

1 Insta post worth your time

In the spirit of Permission to build at your own pace, I'm soft-launching my quiz to this list first, which means it's not fully polished yet. I'd love your honest feedback
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​→ Take the quiz
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Then, reply and tell me which path you landed on. I read every response.
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With love & embracing visibility,
xo, Louise 🫶

P.S. In case you need the link again → Take the assessment​

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