Joanna Waterfall is an artist at heart. She started college as a studio art major and eventually changed to graphic design. Yet, when you meet her and witness what she is doing with The Yellow Conference it is clear that the artist is still alive and well. The Yellow Conference is “a gathering for creative women who desire to ignite passion and bring goodness to the world through everyday living,” and Joanna conceptualized it during a time in her life when she was needing that herself.
The idea came to her in the shower – as all good ideas do – and it was one of those ideas that she couldn’t not do. She remembers saying to herself, “Don’t let this one go.” The next day she hit the ground running, gathering information in order to make the conference a reality. She knew that she was craving the opportunity to hear women speak about their journeys to creating a business that had heart, and hoped that others would, too. In fact, they did. The first conference was held in August 2014 with 200+ participants.
Joanna and her team are currently working on the 2nd Yellow Conference which will be held in L.A. this August, but they’re also knee-deep in a Kickstarter to take The Yellow Conference to its next stage – The Yellow Room. When we met at the Daily Dose Cafe in L.A., we discussed not only the creation of The Yellow Conference, but what it means to grow a business, how you remain sane while doing it and the importance of building a community of support around you.
Listen below to learn more about Joanna’s Chapter Be story…
LISTEN…
PODCAST POINTS TO REFERENCE
[06:30] The difference between working with your hands as an artist and working with software programs as a graphic designer – do you get the same creative fill?
[08:30] Joanna’s advice if you are considering being a freelancer.
[12:45] The story of how The Yellow Conference came to be – “I wanted to create a space where we saw examples of women who were not doing it for themselves, but were doing it for something bigger and greater.”
[18:15] What did it take to make The Yellow Conference a reality? “As creatives we have a lot of ideas on a daily basis, but this one I couldn’t let slip through!”
[22:20] How Joanna keeps going in moments of doubt. “Just being okay with these feelings and knowing that they are natural is important.”
[25:30] Why Joanna questions the quote, “If you find what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.”
[30:05] Why our virtual relationships should not be a substitute to real life interactions.
[32:00] Joanna realized that she couldn’t do it alone, so asked herself, “What do I need done?” – and built a staff from there.
[37:10] How Kickstarter is going to help turn The Yellow Conference into business.
[40:25] What is The Yellow Room?
[43:00] Joanna’s advice if you are considering doing a Kickstarter.
[47:45] “Figure out what it is that you would fight for and work really hard for…”
CHAPTER BE QUESTIONNAIRE…
Be:
Strong
What’s your favorite quote?
“Don’t ask what the world needs, ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” – Howard Thurman
Worst work experience?
Great question- I used to work at a coffee shop and when I had to be at work at 4am. Being a major night owl, I’d rather stay up until 4am, not wake up then. It may sound petty, but it was horrible.
What is your definition of success?
This is a hard question for me. But I think success is living an inspired life free from fear. When we are able to get rid of fear, it’s amazing the things we can accomplish.
How do you tap into your creative energies – especially when you are feeling drained?
I try and put myself into a new environment. Whether it’s going to work from a new coffee shop or sitting in a new area of my office. I find when my surroundings are different, my brain lights up and it makes it easier to work and be creative when I’m in a new space.
What does “to be” mean to you?
It means to exist. To know that you are seen. To know that you have a purpose, and to run after it with full force.
How do you spend your time when you are procrastinating?
Instagram. It’s a problem.
Ideal READING LIST – books, websites, blogs, podcasts, magazines, etc. that you would want on your Swiss Family Robinson deserted island?
Well if I was on a deserted island, that rules out my business books as I’d probably be more interested in surviving than running a successful business. So I’d say…
- My Bible
- Darling Magazine
- Anything Shauna Niequist or Donald Miller
- The Joy The Baker podcast
- And…if I was running a little Swiss Fam Robinson business, I’d need to be able to watch MarieTV with Marie Forleo.
Favorite song with “be” in the title?
I’ve never thought about this before… but, I love “Let It Be” by the Beatles! I’m sure that’s not an original answer but it’s a classic!
LINKS & RESOURCES…
- The Yellow Conference – website
- Kickstarter for The Yellow Room
- The Yellow Conference – blog
- Soul Pancake
- Kid President
- Darling Magazine
- Circles Conference
- Go Live HQ
- Daily Dose Cafe
Images via Chapter Be and The Yellow Conference
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