For those who don’t know, my husband and I moved abroad (from the US to The Netherlands). When we moved to the Netherlands, we came with only 3 nesting suitcases and one backpack each. We had to be strategic, so we made a packing list for living abroad. (This list was an expanded version of my packing list for study abroad that I had made in college.)

While 3 suitcases may sound like a lot, it’s space that goes quickly. Especially once you get a few winter coats and beanies in there. So let’s dive in: how did we prioritize…

King’s Day (Koningsdag in Dutch) is a massive national holiday (potentially the biggest celebration) in the Netherlands, but many of us from outside the country have never heard of it. So let’s dig in — what and when is King’s Day, how do you celebrate, and why does everyone wear orange?

A Bit of Context: The Netherlands Has a King?

Yes! The Netherlands is a constitutional monarchy (just like the UK).

This, in short, means that there’s a monarch in power, but that monarch exists alongside a constitutionally elected government.

His Role: The monarch in the Netherlands still holds some power (i.e. his role is not completely ceremonial). …

Most of us now realize the importance of growing social channels if we have aspirations of entrepreneurship, (whether that’s through freelancing, coaching, part time yoga/fitness/pilates teaching, selling products, etc.)

Social media helps us find our customers. We can connect with them, build up trust and relationships, and keep them in the loop on our business happenings.

But social media alone isn’t enough. If you’re ready to make your side hustle into a more serious endeavor, let’s talk about why you need a website.

1. It Boosts Credibility

Regardless of industry, the first hurdle you’ll face as an entrepreneur is building trust and credibility in…

Access to the internet is a great equalizer. More information than we could ever process is out there — just waiting to be discovered.

Something I’ve found a personal interest in is languages. I particularly enjoy the romance languages that roll off the tongue like velvety chocolate.

But as much as I’m an idealist and like to say things like “velvety chocolate,” I’m also a practical person. Ultimately, I’m not as interested in fancy classroom language as much as I’m interested in useful language. …

I am an American liberal woman married to an American conservative man. More marriages like ours are shattering now than ever before.

It happens all the time: people we’ve known throughout our lives we are starting to see for who they “really are.”

Insufferable, selfish, immoral, evil, inhumane. These words now describing our family, friends, neighbors, and coworkers.

Lifelong relationships are ending over differences in political parties.

So many of us asking ourselves, ‘how didn’t I see this evil in them before?’ or ‘how can’t they understand that what they believe is evil?’

Here’s the thing. If you’re losing friends…

Seemingly everyone, from entrepreneurs and CEOs to celebrities and influencers, has touted the benefits of a consistent and uplifting morning for success.

For a long time, I thought that was for the rich people who had paid help to handle the menial tasks of day-to-day life. That it was a luxury to have free time in the morning.

I’ve learned a lot since then.

While it can feel luxurious to have time to yourself in the morning, it’s not a luxury — that’s an important distinction.

When I thought about it, I started wondering, “what if all of these successful…

Starting and successfully running a small business or side hustle comes with a learning curve. You’ll start as any combination of the following job titles: a salesperson, accountant, bookkeeper, marketer, publicist, web designer, operations manager, and collections team. It can be understandably overwhelming. If you’re just getting started and looking to find out how to keep costs as low as possible, I’ve got you covered. In my opinion, these are the bare minimum essential tools you need from the beginning.

Note: The companies I recommend are the ones that offer the most value for that cost that I’ve been able…

How this crisis is shaping the future of business

As consumers, we’ve shifted from the coping phase into the rebuilding phase of the COVID-19 crisis.

What was once an unthinkable reality — local retailers and restaurants closed overnight, store shelves emptied, new words like “social distancing” and “essential workers” entering our vocabulary, and crazy demand for products we never could have predicted (looking at you, toilet paper) — has become more normal than shocking.

Through this transition, it has become clear that some of the consumer behaviors we saw as an immediate response to the pandemic will gladly be left behind (again, looking at you toilet paper hoarders), but…