Category Archives: Karens Notes

KLR notes sword of gryffindor 26-06-21
Only take in that which makes you stronger

As we read No Rules Rules, or watch a business documentary, or consider applicants who

KLR notes learn system 22-05-21
What will you LEARN? What SYSTEM needs to change?

When you fail. When something goes wrong. When the conversation was difficult, or the client

KLR notes invisible work 17-04-21
Keep doing the invisible work

I got distracted this week. I had brilliant new ideas about how to help our

KLR notes 2 levels of work 03-04-21
The two levels of success in work: hard work + yes, to creativity + rest

At the beginning it’s “hard work, and saying yes to just about everything”. This is

KLR notes Art of asking questions
The art of asking questions

There is SO much more to question asking (and answering) than we realise. As the

KLR notes listen gut
Listen to your gut…and dig deeper

“I just trust my gut”, you think. You hire someone you feel right about, and

KLR notes block out day 12-12-20
Do I need to block out a full day at a time to get marketing done?

Right, you’re going to be serious now. You’re going to focus your energy and attention

KLR notes give thanks 28-11-20
Choose to give thanks. Always

This week is the American holiday of Thanksgiving. As a dual British-American citizen, it’s still

long way no shortcuts
Long way only (no shortcuts)

I’ve been having various levels of back pain for the past seven weeks.  (Just in

KLR pillars whisky walking coffee faith potter
Choosing personal pillars and values (and how this helps a team)

Not long after I set up PF, I identified what I saw as the core

accountants creative too KLR notes
Accountants, you are creative too

I believe all humans are creative. It’s a quality we all have - innately from

How to introduce change: the skanky blanket story

We don’t like change.  No matter how we dress it up, even when sometimes it

red kitchen knife sketch
Be the sharp knife

You know what’s more dangerous than a really sharp knife? A dull one. This week

KLR note Austin Kleon3 try sitting 16-05-20
Try sitting in the same place at the same time every day

The most significant change happens in small increments, day after day. Month after month, year

power of rest in temporary normal
On the power of rest in the new temporary-normal

There’s a lot out there about how to “use” your coronavirus time. Or your quarantine

KLR notes #coronavirus
Who do you want to be when this is over?

Okay so, the world has gone a bit mad. I had some fears too, and

quickbooks cancelled
What do you do when your plans are changed for you?

This week (as you’ll know unless you were living under a rock or not using

values, sketchnote, Karen's notes, team
Values: Have them AND live them

Last year I was asked to sketchnote the five values for a company called Diagnostax.

brene brown dare to lead sketchnote KLR
Dare to Lead: hard-but-good reading

Recently in an Insta story I mentioned I was reading the book “Dare to Lead”

I will not let the dark days (of winter) bring me down

It’s winter, and that means darkness. I live in Scotland, and in the summer it’s

KLR note Nice problem
It’s a nice problem to have…but it’s still a problem.

Has this ever been said to you? When you tell someone about a problem you’re

karen reyburn sketchnotes go deep
Deep work: it’s hard (and I didn’t even do very much of it)

When I buy a book, I do this very odd thing where for a good

greatest showman dont need everyone
You don’t need everyone to love you. Just a few good people

The Greatest Showman is one of my favourite films. It’s got catchy music, a great

But what if you could? Or what if you did know?

Sometimes you just don’t know. Or you feel like you can’t. What moves you from

The travel list: how to get things done when you’re out of pattern

I do enjoy travel, and sometimes get a good bit of work done when doing

KLR notes
Maybe it’s not working…because it’s a new phase

On Monday, for the first time in 28 weeks, i stepped on the scale and

24 series blank time
You’re not “just tired”. There’s always something else.

Some days, or parts of days, you’re just not productive. You’re not targeting your goals

Marketing manager needed

My company needs a marketing manager.  I’m hijacking my Karen’s notes this week to ask

KLR note All the emotions
What to do when you get one of those heart-racing emails

You know when you get one of those emails or texts that gets your heart

Go for a walk: Let all the thoughts swirl around and get outside of your head

Some mornings, I wake up with a lot of thoughts already swirling around in my

Island Rules: Not everything will go your way (and that’s okay)

“I like this island, because it slows you down whether you want to or not.

Be brave, be brave, be brave: If you’re not sure you can do it, do it.
Be brave, be brave, be brave: If you’re not sure you can do it, do it.

Still on holiday this week (now I’m on the Isle of Skye).  So instead of

Vulnerability: showing up in weakness when you can’t control the outcome
Vulnerability: showing up in weakness when you can’t control the outcome

I’m on holiday on the Isle of Mull (my favourite island of them all).  So,

I need both accountability AND deadlines to get stuff done (and relationship)
I need both accountability AND deadlines to get stuff done (and relationship)

I get stuff done on deadline. But only when the deadline involves other people. Deadlines

A story about great leggings, and how simply having a good product isn’t enough
A story about great leggings, and how simply having a good product isn’t enough

My new favourite leggings are from a company called Sweaty Betty.  I like what they

They ask you answer marcus sheridan
I’ve been talking about this for ages. How could they not know about it?

People hear things when they are ready to hear them.  This is a little story

Accountants are creative too (no, not the illegal kind)
Accountants are creative too (no, not the illegal kind)

I’ve been thinking for a long time about the creativity of accountants (the good kind). 

Crush it? Hustle? Work harder? Rest.
Crush it? Hustle? Work harder? Rest.

The answer to being more productive may not be more work.  It may be rest. 

The more healthy i am, the more healthy my business is.
The more healthy i am, the more healthy my business is.

The more healthy i am, the more healthy my business is. Last week i met

Holiday Expectations: Will you “use” the time, or let it go by?
Holiday Expectations: Will you “use” the time, or let it go by?

Holiday can be hard to think about when you’re feeling a bit swamped.  You want

When you meet people “in person”, the conversation changes
When you meet people “in person”, the conversation changes

I set up my business as a 100% remote, virtual business.  I did this for

The personal element has the greatest impact
The personal element has the greatest impact

“You need to have the machine, and you also need the human element.”  My friend

But what if I get TOO inspired?
But what if I get TOO inspired?

Sometimes I put off reading (or watching, or attending, or doing) something…and when I evaluate

Now it is time to finish (your writing).
Now it is time to finish (your writing).

Waiting to publish is the killer. It’s the killer of new business, of great conversations

You don’t have to wait for the time to write. You already have it.
You don’t have to wait for the time to write. You already have it.

You have the time to write. You just don’t recognise it for what it is.

What makes one tweet better than another?
What makes one tweet better than another?

This week I shared a tweet which got (so far) 62 likes and 18 retweets,

On rebranding: You can integrate a rebrand slowly, over time
Rebranding: You can integrate a rebrand slowly, over time

Here’s a real life example of how you can slowly change your branding in line

Steve jobs
Steve Jobs: good business, bad humanity.

This week I finished “Steve Jobs” by Walter Isaacson. It’s quite an easy read for

Tell the story (disasters and failures and all)
Tell the story (disasters and failures and all)

I’m so tired of hearing success stories with a little one-liner to hard times. “I

Keep going. (The little things matter.)
Keep going. (The little things matter.)

There’s a lot of talk about how you have to love what you do. How

How people referred to you behave (and how many you might be missing)
How people referred to you behave (and how many you might be missing)

People who are recommended to you almost never simply pick up the phone and call

Defend or dive deeper
Defend or dive deeper

When you identify something about yourself that’s different, something that tempts you to feel is

Show your work: Who are your influences? What are you learning?
Show your work: Who are your influences? What are you learning?

I’ve been avoiding reading this book for months. It’s been in my book stack, reminding

The 1-minute and 5-minute social media tactic
The 1-minute and 5-minute social media tactic

You don’t have time for social media. You’re already swamped with emails, client meetings, team

Victories and questions: your fallback for content
Victories and questions: your fallback for content

Struggling to find what to write about? Not sure where to start, how to direct

What are your inner marketing voices saying to you?
What are your inner marketing voices saying to you?

I’m on a train right now, as I write this, going into Edinburgh for our

Karens sketchnotes
“…I wanted to know the story those numbers were telling me.”

Last week my accountant said something that has stuck with me – and come back

Brainstorm all your ideas
Failed marketing ideas that were never used

This week, I remembered something we brainstormed at PF about five years ago. Something that

Rushing? Look up. Look out.
Rushing? Look up. Look out.

Everything rushes by so fast. The train. The cars. The meetings. The emails. The slack

Karens notes sketchnote
Sometimes you need to just get started.

Sometimes you need to just get started. And sometimes you need to just stop. Last