Traveling and attending unique events put me in the right place to cross paths with Ariane, a fellow vibrant entrepreneur with a quest for adventure and a love of life. Ariane and I crossed paths while attending Misfit Conference in Fargo in 2014. We shared small talk in between sessions and smiles after early morning yoga class. Though that event was well over a year ago, we stayed connected through social media. It was there that I was able to follow her journey as she progressed in establishing Do Your Thing, Bookkeeping & Strategy for Creative Daredevils.
Ariane serves as the Ringmaster in Chief of this fun business, and she’s having the time of her life, combining a love of numbers + business + making into her very own full-time three-ring circus. Do Your Thing is honored to work with some amazing, growing, creative enterprises and to have an opportunity to contribute to their success.
This is my interview with Ariane, diving deeper into her passion about her business and what makes her tick.
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What is one of the toughest lessons you’ve learned in your experience with your current venture/project?
Honestly, since I launched Do Your Thing in Feb 2014, I’ve been having a total blast. After so many years of working for others, in an office, 9-5, it’s been such a treat to put everything that I’ve learned, everything that I am, in service of my own business vision. To be (mostly) mistress of my own time. And to work primarily from my home office, with built-in garden- and dog-breaks. So sweet!
[Tweet “We sometimes hesitate to blow our own horn, even when we’re total bad-assess. #makeyourlife #doyourthing.”]
I think the thing that has surprised me – the thing where I have had, and continue to have, the most difficulty – is how hard it’s been to really understand what I’m offering and price it accordingly. What’s been so interesting is that I have ended up working primarily with women creatives and this difficulty – of valuing your service and pricing appropriately – is so common. The weird modesty that we’re enculturated with – this way that we don’t always want to be Hermione Granger with her hand up, we don’t want to brag, we hesitate to blow our own horn, even when we’re total bad-asses with a lot of answers – gets in our way so much when we’re launching our own businesses and trying to make a sustainable independent life on our own terms.
And that’s really the whole point of Do Your Thing. It’s what I want for myself and what I want for everyone else: creative independence AND financial stability. Which is why 99% of my Instagram posts end with #makeyourlife #doyourthing.
Who is someone you look up to and why?
Someone I really look up to is my son, Laurent (Insta: @laurent_trelaun). He just has such a good heart, such an amazing work ethic combined with enormous talent. I admire so much how he just stuck with his dream, persevered & worked hard through a long apprenticeship, and is now building a living as a working artist. All while remaining a really good person. He’s a huge inspiration to me in my life and work.
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What makes your business unique?
I am passionate about helping entrepreneurs and creatives make the life they want, starting from what their numbers say about their business. I don’t look like your idea of typical bookkeeper, my website is a lot more fun than you’d expect, but that’s all a perfect reflection of what I offer: the opportunity to be both creative and financially-savvy, to both get your vision out in the world AND get paid.
What’s your “go-to” place for inspiration?
The outdoors, whether it’s the woods that I ramble in 5 days a week with my beloved dog, Mr Burns, or the garden of my home, Blissbug Farm, tending our bees and plants. And I would be nowhere without yoga, honestly.
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What advice would you give someone just starting out on their own path?
Do Your Thing. Don’t trade down! And for heaven’s sake, don’t be afraid of money.
[Tweet “Do Your Thing. Don’t trade down! And for heaven’s sake, don’t be afraid of money. #makeyourlife #doyourthing.”]
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What dreams and passions are you focusing on for the future?
Right now I’m really focused on how to make Do Your Thing the best it can be, how to make it a vehicle for my own personal growth at the same time that it’s serving others in the same way. And every day: having the best, most beautiful life I possibly can.
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Jess Watson is the CEO & Creative Director of Points North Studio. She's the co-organizer of Baltimore Womxn in Tech, a big believer in Baltimore city, and a pioneer of working remotely while traveling the globe.
