Welcome to ‘5 things’, a monthly round-up ‘sletter created with the purpose of hopefully introducing you to some cool new things. Whether newly discovered or tried and true—I share 5 things with you each month that really caught my attention.
February was the most unexpected month ever. I was not expecting to travel at all until my trips later in the year but in January, I got 2 brand emails inviting me out to some of the most unbelievable experiences.
First, Adidas Canada invited me to attend the Super Bowl. You read that right. Me. At the SUPER BOWL. It was a once in a lifetime experience in more ways than one. I met some super inspiring creators from Toronto like Moose and Tyrone. I got to connect with the Adidas team from both Canada and the US. I also got to meet some lovely women who work at various media outlets. It was one of the most inspiring events I’ve been to in a long time, and it’s definitely been a catalyst for some career changes this year.
Mid-month I went to Austin with Notability. I had never been to Austin before and I couldn’t have had a better team to travel with. Excited to work with Notability more this year as I think it’s the perfect tool to complement my iPad work flow.
5 Things
My 5 things this month has definitely been influenced by my travels as well as these special experiences. Hope you discover something helpful in this month’s list!
A flight tracking app. This month has really shown me how useful a live flight tracker can be. I’ve had multiple delays and a couple layovers so this app has been an absolute life-saver. Flighty gives you live updates on where your plane is, the status of boarding, and even the plane’s previous flight path to ensure that everything is on track. It notifies you of all changes earlier than any other app I’ve tried (including the airline’s own emails and messages).
An itinerary app. I actually started using this before February but it definitely came in handy for keeping track of all of my work travel documents and travels. It also has notifications about flight path and details but also allows you to upload documents, confirmation files, and more. You can enter your flight, plans, reservations, accommodations—the list goes on. I actually purchased a SetApp subscription in January and this was one of the included apps.
The best travel bag. I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect travel bag for many many years. I’ve used my Celine Cabas tote, the Monos duffel, a Herschel tote, the Peak Design backpack…but I think I’ve finally found my favourite travel personal bag. I’ve been a fan of Longchamp for many years but recently discovered this expandable travel tote. We all know that the Longchamp bags fold up to a small, packable size but this one also doubles in size so you can use it to check items in if needed. Unexpanded, it’s still a substantial duffel size while still being able to fit under an airplane seat. Everything about it has been perfect so far.
The nicest faux leather pants. I’ve been looking for a pair of faux leather pants for AGES. After getting rid of my Aritzia Melina pants years ago, I haven’t been able to find a pair of pants that are high quality but has the baggy fit that suits my style better. That is until Vernice introduced me to the Jaded London Colossus Pant. If you want a pair of high quality, comfortable, baggy faux leather pants, these are the best I’ve tried.
A book that I loved. I wasn’t expecting this book to blow me away but the writing was some of the best I’ve read this year. I finished This Is How You Lose The Time War by Amal El - and Max Gladstone this month and instantly gave it 5 stars. It’s a super short read with an interesting structure written by two collaborating authors. It’s set in a dystopian world where two opposing teams are traveling through time and dimensions to try to overcome the other. The two top agents of these teams start correspondence and develop the most beautiful relationship ever.
Interesting Reads
AI Is Taking Water From The Desert
How To Think About Your Career
Everything I Know About Creating Buzz, I Learned From Taylor Swift
Currently Reading
Traction by Gino Wickman - This book teaches you how to get a grip on your business. It provides foundational mindsets and structures to build your business on to guide you to longer-term success.
The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek - How can we change our mindset to be more long term? Instead of looking at work and life as “finite”, when we start work towards a goal bigger than us inspiration and motivation comes more easily.
Backlash Blues by Amulya Maladi - The second detective mystery book in her Gabriel Praest series, this fun novel follows the P.I. as he looks into the death of a Copenhagen banker.
Food for Thought
On careers - So don’t ask “What does it take to get a promotion?” Ask instead: “How can I be doing more to help make our customers (or would-be customers) happy?” Ask “What skills should I be developing to help me increase my impact?”
On marketing - One of the most effective growth hacks is creating scarcity — it’s right up there with virality. There’s just nothing like telling people they can’t have something to make them want it even more.