image by my friend Kate Alison Photography 

Happy Women's History Month!  

As a female small business owner, I take supporting small businesses run by women VERY seriously. The reasons are many, but it's also a rather simple concept.  

Women have not always been celebrated for running businesses.  Until NOW!  And it's really just so exciting and wonderful!! 

It has taken MANY years for women to strike out and take on their passions as confidently as they are currently in 2018.  There has been an incredible amount of fighting, pushing, defying the odds, and proving people wrong behind every single women-run business that you know about and many others out there.  Women have been running the show, per se, for centuries, but have not been receiving the accolades or recognition for it until recently. 

As a way to celebrate, I would like to take some time this month on the blog to share a few of my favorite female-run businesses featuring artists and makers + some of my favorite books to read to celebrate Women's History Month! 

Also, I have a challenge for you.  This month, when you spend money, think about the business you are supporting.  Think about reframing your spending so that you can support a small business owner instead.  And try your hardest to make it a female-owned business.  It's important. 

Here's why...When you support Art by Megan, aka me, you are fueling a dream. 

• You might think I am referring solely to MY dream, but it is also that of a little girl who is watching alongside, being pulled to coffee dates with fellow entrepreneurs, being taken to galleries to meet owners, being asked to quietly sit through meetings with new contacts and shops, and watching my every move as this business grows.  Supporting Art by Megan means that you are fueling a future dream of a girl who now might be closer to thinking that she can be anything she wants to be.  You are supporting a little one who was told at the playground the other day that "Girls can't do that." and who, without any prompting, told the boy, with her hands on her hips, "You are wrong". 

• You are supporting every young lady and future entrepreneur that I try to involve in the behind-the-scenes of my business. 
• You are supporting my college interns who are seeing first hand that you can do both motherhood and business.  
• You are supporting the women that I choose to collaborate and work with, who are also following their dreams of supporting themselves and their families by running a small business. 
• You are supporting the women around the world who dare to strike out on their own and run something, against the odds.  

So, please, shop small and shop female-owned this month, and every month.  

image of my painting by Kate Alison Photo.  

A Women's History Month Reading List: 

1. First up, read "In the Company of Women" by Grace Bonney.  Then, research all of the people in the book and follow their amazing stories online and support their businesses. 
2. Then read, "Big Magic" by Elizabeth Gilbert and fall in love with being creative all over again.  And celebrate the magic in following a dream, even when there are roadblocks and challenges on the horizon.  

3. "Lean In: Women, Work and the Will to Lead," by Sheryl Sandberg...because Sheryl Sandberg.

4. "Thrive: The Third Metric to Redefining Success and Creating a Life of Well-Being, Wisdom and Wonder," by Arianna Huffington.  Learning from one of the most impressive women entrepreneurs is the best way to go about this journey.  Also, learning that not merely surviving, but thriving is an important part of running a small-business.  

5. "You are a Bad Ass" by Jen Sincero.  Because you are.  And it's important to say it.  Repeat as necessary.  

Other resources to check out: 

1. "Female Founder Business Books": https://www.fundera.com/blog/female-founder-business-books
2. Small Businesses to support: (Forbes) https://www.forbes.com/sites/ruthieackerman/2017/11/23/seven-women-owned-businesses-to-support-on-small-business-saturday/#3a706024155d
3. Fastest Growing Women Owned Businesses (Forbes): https://www.forbes.com/sites/susanadams/2017/06/05/the-fastest-growing-women-owned-businesses-for-2017/#45a19599695e
4. How to support women-owned businesses: https://www.fundera.com/blog/support-women-led-businesses
5. "The 9 books every female entrepreneur should read": https://www.inc.com/melanie-deziel/the-9-books-every-female-entrepreneur-should-read.html

Here is a list of "must read" books for creatives and entrepreneurs!  My favorite books listed here include stories of women CEOs, one-woman operations and businesses and people following their dreams and helping to make the world a better place in the process.  Enjoy! 

1.  "In the Company of Women by Grace Bonney". I have loved reading Design*Sponge for as long as I can remember and LOVED reading this book, which highlights 100 creatives in an interview-style format.  It's breathtakingly honest and raw, beautifully written and formatted, and gorgeous to stare at all day long.  My little daughter loves it and asks me to read it to her, too, so it's basically just the best book ever written.  Just trust me, you need to own this book.  

2. "The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up" by Marie Kondo.  This book puts a lot of things in perspective.  You don't have to be an organizational freak to read it, either (I'm a little disorganized!).  It just helped me to realize that what I own should bring me joy and what I am holding onto may not have value.  It's a wonderful book and it's an amazing reminder.  In a crazy world, it's important to stop and take the time to put perspective back into our lives and this book does just that! 

3. "You are a Badass" by Jen Sincero. If you hate inspirational or self-help books, this one is for you.  There's ABSOLUTELY no fluff here, and its why I love this author so much.  Jen Sincero gives actionable, brave and courageous, and hilarious perspective in this book.  I love it and I appreciated how it focuses so heavily on gratitude as a key to happiness.  I also love that she says bad words and does irreverant things.  Because that's just so important, too.  

4. "The Creative Habit" by Twyla Tharp.  I have read and re-read this one countless times.  I love to read about the habits that other creatives develop to give themselves structure to be creative. Freedom, walks, naps and cocktails are featured, so it's basically the book I live by.  Read it!  And re-read it every year for good measure.  And then highlight it.  

5. "Daily Rituals: How Artists Work" by Mason Currey.  I love LOVE LOVE this book.  Again with the rituals.  Why do I have a ritual fetish?  Well, I will tell you:

1. I work for myself.  
2. I need someone out there to tell me to do things in order because otherwise my creative side takes over and I go wild.  
3. I love traditions.
4. I love drinking coffee every morning and need validation.  
5. I love naps and I need to know that important people throughout history also appreciated the "siesta".  
6. I am secretly (or publically?!) really nosey and love knowing what people do all day with their lives.  

The end.  Read it! 

So, my only remaining thought is, what is your favorite book?  Comment below! 

xo 

Megan