Alt Summit, Amazing Moment #3: Erin Loechner

A few weeks ago, Erin Loechner of Design for Mankind tweeted that she needed a new planner/agenda. I’m forever grateful to Kory Woodward, who suggested the Day Designer to Erin. In case you don’t read Design for Mankind, let me give you the 411: it’s awesome. Thoughtful, informative, and purposeful. On top of that awesome sauce, it’s about design, and the best kind of design asking the best question: how can design change the world?

Just to add one more layer of incredible: turns out all that thoughtfulness is completely authentic to Erin. She’s a beautiful heart, sincerely kind, and adorable.

So, of course, when I found out she was speaking at Alt Summit, I arranged to go to her talk. She ended up speaking early one morning, so I was dashing around the room to get ready. The topic was “How To Organize Your Life Online”, and one thing you may not know about me is that I love organizing almost as much as I love starting projects. I was so looking forward to getting suggestions from someone who has effectively started things and gained recognition for them.

The talk was packed with excellent suggestions. I took good notes, starred a few lines to remind me to go back and implement more, checked Twitter, checked Instagram, rinsed, and repeated. And then suddenly, Erin says, “Is Whitney English here?”

OMG.

OMG.OMG.OMG. You know those moments when the teacher calls on you? And everyone turns around and looks at you? And you’re not sure why? Your heart drops to the pit of your stomach. You turn three shades of red just because everyone’s staring at you, and you start to freak out about the food in your teeth or if your hair is sticking out in five different directions?

And it was at about that point that I realized that the slide in the front of the room said “The Day Designer” on it.

Ya’ll, I cried. Seriously. My eyes filled with tears. If everyone hadn’t been looking at me, I might have let out a little sob. Her recommendation was generous, but it was the underlying message: she blogs about ways to make the world better through design. Design with purpose. That’s the whole backbone of the Day Designer.

Here’s a word of encouragement for all the other creative entrepreneurs out there: do you ever get tired of throwing ideas out there? Brainstorming to see if something works? Do you get tired of trying to make things stick? Keep trying. Keep pushing on those doors, seeing if they will open. If they slam shut, move onto the next door. But whatever you do, don’t give up. Eventually, a door will swing wide open, and there will be a yellow brick road, paved with signs and endorsements and support from the world around you.

For me, Erin’s recommendation of the Day Designer last Friday morning was one of those signs: I’m on the right path. I’ve got to keep going.

If you want the notes on Erin’s talk, she posted them here. There are some great tips and suggestions and I’m going to be implementing a few of the apps she suggested as well! If you’ve just stumbled on my blog and would like to know more about the Day Designer, or purchase one, you can find it in the Etsy shop. Also, for those who have asked, we were able to get a short run of dated 2013 Day Designers, that will ship by February 7th!