My Radical Business Experiment - A Manifesto

This year, I’m embarking on a radical experiment of TRUST.

I’m allowing my business to be a true playground.

I’m breaking intergenerational patterns of obligation and rule-following and scarcity… and reaching for FREEDOM. Isn’t that the ultimate dream for immigrant parents: that their children be safe and happy and free?

I’m finally doing what I’ve been dreaming of doing for 8 years… moving towards living in FLOW.

It’s a trust fall with the universe. What will happen if I truly let go of all the SHOULDS and HAVE-TOs? Will I end up homeless on the street, alone? Or will I be ok?

“You can’t REALLY do whatever the fuck you want. That’s not how life works,… right?”

I’m a little afraid of the answer.

But I want to find out, more than I am afraid.


So here’s the radical experiment.

In 2021, my business, Crooked Calligraphy, made over $900K in revenue and employed 7 women across the country. But running it felt HEAVY and eventually I burned out and felt like I had to step waaaaay back, or even abandon it completely.

In early 2022, I decided to do a final sale… and then I WENT SILENT for 9 whole months.

And now, this is what I feel inspired to do.

>>>>For all of 2023, I’m going to:

  • Run Crooked Calligraphy in exactly the way I want to run it, without following any of the business “rules” I’ve learned and stuck to in the past.

  • Hold my people (that’s you) in the highest regard and share openly and honestly. But also put ruthless anti-people-pleasing boundaries in place.

  • Share with you what I learn and what my business ends up bringing to my life, in DOLLARS and GROWTH and LESSONS.

I will:

  • Create from JOY, not obligation

  • Try to recognize when I’m acting out of the “SHOULD mentality”, and take a step back from that action, even if it’s highly inconvenient

  • Allow things to be MESSY, even if that means starting and stopping projects, pivoting halfway through, or giving up entirely on something I had planned to do

  • Allow ideas to flow, without needing to MAXIMIZE anything (IG likes, profits, nice comments, etc.)


This feels like something I HAVE TO DO right now. If I got a cancer diagnosis right this second and knew I only had 3 years to live… I would still do exactly this.

It will be messy as fuck. It will be unfiltered, raw, unexpected and probably a little bit challenging. If that’s not what you need in your life right now, if you were just hoping for beautiful, soothing calligraphy videos… that’s totally ok. I invite you to stay or leave, whatever feels right to you.

But if you stay… I’m so excited to see what unfolds together.

Love,

Shinah

February 15, 2023