This is the exact type of life my ADHD brain NEEDS and that literally no one in my family believes I’m worthy of having. But I will fight to get to this point.
Sometimes the people who are supposed to support you do not have that capability. Support yourself, you got this! Everyone who has liked this comment resonates with you!
As a six-figure freelancer who has been doing this for years now, the constraints and things not being an emergency part realllyyyy resonated 😰. I have a tendency to always be thinking ahead and about what's next but it's so true when you say that there will always be something to do so there's really no point in stressing about what's coming up - it's just unnecessary stress. Love love loved this video! Thanks for sharing 🤍.
thank you so much, krystal!!! :) I highly recommend the book 'Four Thousand Weeks' -- it really helped me understand the illusion of "perfect productivity", that there would always be more work & how 'rushing' through it was just stressing me out & exhausting me for no reason
Yes same! The other day i realized i’m going to have a to do list for my whole life 😭 There will always be something to do but that’s a blessing, to me it just means I can allow myself more time for things instead of thinking everything has to be done right now!
What exactly do you do for freelacning? No offense to her but I didn't see her do any work besides a short checkup with clients or explain what she does, so it seems a bit sus.
How do you generate that much income? I’m tired of being underpaid and overworked. I have two stem degrees and can’t find anything. Ready to escape this mess. Is it some kind of skill or talent?
Oh nothing bad about starting late. I start my work at 1PM and work 4hrs a day. I have a whole self-care routine in the morning. If you’re good at focus you can get anything done at anytime.
This soft entrepreneur thing look exactly like my life. Every day, I see my vision board, pick 3 things I want to do that day. Then I check my progress every quarter. I adjust my work intensity based on my progress. I live my best life and every year I amaze on progress I made ❤🎉
As someone who has now burnt out multiple times, THIS is where I’m at… Slower mornings, kinder to myself, more conscious choices of activities that need to be done and TAKING A DAMN BREAK!! ❤ Thank you for highlighting the need for this. Girl boss era is over, soft life is IN
Love the concept of "soft entrepreneurship"! It's refreshing to see an approach that values balance and personal well-being as much as business success. Emphasizing creativity and self-care not only enhances personal satisfaction but can also lead to more sustainable business practices. 🌿
I am happy to see you are satisfied. Being a RUclipsr is very similar to running your own business. You should upload things people want to see, just like businessman should offer product/service that people need. And when the growth becomes real, you can consider hiring people to help you run your channel more efficiently. The most difficult part is starting and growing of course, but consistency and hard work (with a little bit of help from Fame-ster of course) will always pay off at the end.
Girl I wish I found you sooner! This is the video I really needed today! I just felt so overwhelmed, things are catching up to me (I'm also self-employed officially as of 3 weeks ago). I've been working on my 2 businesses very part-time while working a full time job but it was time to jump ship from my toxic/unhealthy work environment. I had to pause the video after #1 rule... to just say THANK YOU. I feel like hustle culture just isn't sustainable for people like me where I'm naturally weak-bodied, I get tired really easily, I've tried the "wake up at 5 everyday including sat/sun and work out, work work work" but I kept feeling so guilty when I snooze even just a little bit or I don't feel so good, so I tell myself "if I was at a 9-5 job, even if I didn't feel good I'd still go to work" ... but I just... I don't know. I feel so stressed! Okay, back to watching the rest of your video :D
GURL! In the video you say "I'm at 11k subscribers" but I'm watching this right now (2 weeks after you posted this video) and you're at 17.4k subscribers. WOO HOO!!! So happy for you, Deya! Congrats Babe!!! 😀
I'm currently in the transition from being a hard entrepreneur to a soft entrepreneur. Hard entrepreneurship caused me to become completely burned out and my relationships suffered for it. I'm learning now how to give myself grace and to remind myself that I became self-employed in order to have the freedom to live my life the way I choose. This is so helpful and encouraging. Thank you thank you.
I started my first business while in college working with law firms. And, now I'm retiring early at age 53! Seeing you with SO much wisdom and making it happen is SO satisfying as I think back to 30 years ago. Keep killin' it...softly. Oh, and your music is sooo good.
The editing is great! But also love the message of the video and the cozy vibes. I'm an author and a small business owner and it's so hard for me to stop riding that emotional rollercoaster. I've got lots of work to do on myself before I can become a cozy entrepreneur lols!
You know what , I feel like you are some way spiritually connected with my thoughts : everytime you post a video there's something in it that I just googled the previous day or was talking with my husband the previous day - it's not even like some day it's exactly the previous day of the day you post. My mind = blown 💣❤ thanks for being this magical mentor to me ❤
A few months ago, I took a nap in the middle of the work day and when I woke up I told my Dad I had fallen asleep. I was disappointed in myself and he told me there’s nothing wrong with that. Naps make you better. They’re healthy. It was a little wake-up call (lol literally) and helped me to go easier on myself. I’ve been freelancing for about a year and this resonated so hard. As someone whose friends are all contracted workers, I often feel like I need to be working the same hours as them to be worthy of respect. But it’s also so true that the best ideas often come when we take a step back, expose our brains to new ideas, go for a walk, etc. Thanks for the video! Out of interest, what are you optimising for with your RUclips channel and Tiktok?
This resonates with me as a single mom, homeschooling and starting my own online business! I’m dismantling all the “shoulds” in my mind about how I’m living my life on my terms according to what is best for me! I appreciate your story about the nap and feeling guilty. I get that just for having fun building my business online, researching and making content for social media or anything really enjoyable! Time to shift the paradigm to allowing ourselves to be happy and feel healthy, peaceful and make money and be successful simultaneously! Blessings! 🙏🏽🪷🍃
Thank you for making this video! As an aspiring entrepreneur myself here are the 3 things I took away from this video: - what is my why? - what does “enough” look like for me? - who am I? What am I doing to cultivate my identity and not become my work? Bonus: don’t allow the amount of my subscribers count, numbers of people watching, etc. to determine my worth. That’s powerful! Your video has brought clarity to my own goals and I thank you!
Fellow biz owner here, I found your channel for the first time today and this video brought tears to my eyes. Everything in the title of this video is all I ever wanted to be. To the "T". I didn't know this "cozy/soft entrepreneur" community existed. I've been struggling for the past 3 years, trying to figure out who I am as a person (not to sound cliche or anything!) and who I am as a small business owner. I've never really been good at self care/allowing myself time to slow down, and it's starting to show. I recently hit a really low point in my life as an entrepreneur and burnout has been eating away at me for what seems like a day too long now. I don't think you understand the amount of awe I am in right now. I just wanted to thank you for making your incredibly relatable content and that I am so blessed to have stumbled upon your channel today :') If you, or anyone else who happens to read my comment, would like to connect - I would be absolutely honored to have a new friend (and trust...I'm an introvert, trying her best to break out of her shell and need more friends!!) It would be amazing to connect with a community of like minded humans!! P.S. You posted this video four months ago when you had 11K followers... you now have nearly 75K!!!! HUGE CONGRATS GIRLY!!!!
I felt so seen watching this video, this is exactly how I run my business, and I have to say that the no-shame policy is the biggest takeaway for me, I needed to hear this 💕
I subscribed to your channel for THIS VIDEO alone (and then found many more treats), but THIS ONE is golden! Thank you for sharing the "zero shame policy" with me. I love that!
No-shame mentality! Thanks for reminding us why tf we work for ourselves: time flexibility and for me avoid the stress of extraneous office expectations.
I didn't know my style of entrepreneurship was soft 😁Exactly freedom was the first reason for starting a business, so yes, I will spend the first 2 hours of the day doing my routine, reading, having a coffee and enjoying the morning sun before sitting behind the desk ☀Lovely vlog by the way! The part when you forget your keys 😂brain not braining
This was legitimately the most interesting female entrepreneur video I've seen lately. I'm getting into the mindset of starting a business (I'm reading a million dollar weekend and trying as best as I can, it's asking a LOT of me because I'm an introvert). I like your 'Post and Ghost' social media strategy, and the rules you've set for yourself, as well as the Notion board with 100 steps divided by 10, it's just great.
It's been a real rough year trying to figure out what my business needs to look like to meet my families needs after being in business for over 10 years. This pulled me out of bed today! I was having serious paralysis on getting motivated today. Thank you for being so real! The burnout can be so hard to pull yourself out of.
This perfectly encapsulates the balance I've been trying to seek. I've gone back and forth between full-time roles and freelancing full-time and have quite honestly hated both. I recently went to lunch with a mentor of mine and was describing what it was I was having a hard time with. She basically just told me straight up that I'm not setting any boundaries and that's the source of my problems. It was such an incredible lightbulb moment for me. This video just reaffirms that fact. Great stuff!
so happy to hear that, Perry! love that shift for you; constraints are SO important in figuring out what you're not willing to sacrifice in the pursuit of 'more'.
Love this. Didn't realise there was a name for the business/lifestyle I have until watching this video. I feel this needs to go so much more mainstream. So many of us start a business to get time freedom but then when we get it we feel guilty and feel like we're cheating.
you are the best! I cried yesterday a lot, Idk why. I work hard but I am unemployed. I feel so worthless but I have everything that I want to, that I can think of. So your advices were so good. They hit me so I am crying now too! Yes! Why do I want to get a job? Just because! Why I am trying to be so productive!!!?? JUST BECAUSE! It is the thing.
Hey Deya, I loved your video about the day in the life of a cozy entrepreneur. I think your take is super genuine, and you gave us really valuable lessons without sugarcoating anything. I appreciate that you emphasized the importance of taking breaks and that it’s totally ok to sleep in and take some time for self-care. I learned a lot from this! Keep Growing! Cheers!
I resonate SOOO MUCH to this video. I was living this life a few years ago and I left the "shame" of not working hard enough get to me and it actually stressed me into illness. I took a 9-5 job to get back on track so I can get back to this life. Thank you for sharing❤
from one freelance entrepreneur to the next, you got an immediate like from me when you addressed the no-shame policy!! I alwaaaays beat myself up when I don't wake up early and when I start my day "later" at 11am but I need to start giving myself more grace. 😅 love this video
This is exactly where I want to be. Thank you for sharing and breaking down aspects of your approach to business and handling work tasks. I found extremely refreshing and validating. Being an entrepreneur is a lifelong journey full of learning opportunities about the people we serve and most importantly ourselves. Instant subscriber here, can’t wait to see more. 😊❤
Hi Deya, I think this might have been the first video I watched of yours a few weeks back. I have watched so many at this point I am not sure! But I came back to this one because I think it's such a wonderful reminder that hustle culture is toxic and that we need to be kinder to ourselves. In the video you said you had 10k subscribers and now you're nearing 50k! and this video was just a month ago. I am SO happy for you but honestly you deserve it. You have put out so much amazing content and I have been loving it. So thank you! I believe your course is for freelancers but I would definitely buy a course from you that goes through how to organize your business and processes to make things less overwhelming. That is something I am trying to work through is learning how to not make things too over the top and overwhelming.. because honestly a lot of things out there about entrepreneurship are all about going over the top and overcomplicating everything.
I love this video! It's so refreshing to see that running a business doesn't have to be constantly stressful. As someone just starting a business, I often find myself getting stuck and beat myself for it, but these rules are a total game changer. Thank you for sharing a different and more sustainable approach to entrepreneurship!
You are a gem!!!! Preaching mad wisdom as you rewrite what it means to be successful in this hypercapitalistic world. So happy to have found you and your content xxx
Wholesome! I'm transitioning towards soft-entrepreneurship after hustle-hustle-hustle and trying to prove something to someone (who!!) - so this soooo supportive!
Thank you for this content. So happy, I found you. I'm starting a new business, and this is my mindset after experiencing corporate career burnout that nearly killed me (literally). As a creative entrepreneur, I'm embracing ease, joy, and balance in my work life and personal life and I'm passionate about helping guide other ambitious women do the same. I'm following you from my personal page, but wanted to comment and give you kudos from my personal page.❤🎉
Great video Deya! One thing I always recommend is to change up your environment for work when you can. I've been writing my scripts and research in a coffee shop or library and it helps remove lots of distractions
hi Paul -- so nice to see you here! working from cafes 3-4x a week has been a game changer for me as well & I also do a lot of coworking which has been great
So the no shame policy is actually a huge shift for me. I’ve never heard this concept before but wow. As someone who naturally has a later sleep/wake schedule, I’ve dealt with this self shame my whole adult life. Ive always found that I’m more creative at night and sometimes for my creative projects I wouldn’t even start working until 5pm and could finish at 2 or 3am. That just worked for me but I always felt bad about it. Thanks for sharing that tip! Great video
So many amazing lifestyle/business gems in this video, I love your approach! I’m also reading “the mountain is you” such a great book. I think this message of cozy entrepreneurship is essential in our busy hustle culture. ❤
The most wow moment of this video is seeing the 13.9k subs and a mere 6 weeks on and you’re at 44.7k!!!!! Incredible, and many congrats! Hard work pays off 🍾🎊🍾🎊
I think this video might change my life. Just moved to Berlin with zero plan career wise, I'm ADHD with 11 years in the restaurant industry with limited German and I am FREAKING OUT as to what to do with the rest of my life and how I'm gonna contribute to bills. This video is inspiring me so much!
Deya, this video is fun but also very insightful! I've been binging your videos lately and you help me to gain the motivation to start my freelancing journey as well as my small business. The point which you said our work is only a small part of ourselves really helps me to not overthink. You're literally such a gem, I wish you success and a happy life!
I want this for myself. I know I would probably need to work on the weekend or get someone to help me if my business ever grows to where I can do it full time but this would totally help me with my health since I have a fatigue illness and either seizures or narcolepsy so being able to wake up late and nap would be amazing.
Deya you did your big one with this one!!! I've been subscribed to you since your early years 2 years ago and even back then you were providing so much value to us. Thank you for continuously providing a space for all of us cozy entrepreneurs! As i'm typing this you are at 20.3k subs ! So proud of you
okay - I'm obsessed with this video! love the combo of vlog style and tips. Also - the no shame rule!! girl I need to apply that in my own life because dang... it's so true, if you wouldn't say it to your friend, you shouldn't say it to yourself. thank you for the inspo!
As humans, we try to fit everyone else into our lifestyle. We are not one size fits all. I am absolutely not a morning person. I know my body and mental capacity in the mornings. Plus an introvert. As I have gotten older, I am finding ways to work smarter and not harder. Great video. It is refreshing to find someone who runs a business not telling me I need to get up at 430am.
this is actually such a nice and refreshing video. I love the way you're sharing your experience event the way it is edited is just so good. ( Great job Maia !!) Keep this going, love learning about your journey and you've literally just been showing randomly to me on ig and youtube and im so glad :)
I love your idea of a soft or cozy entrepreneur! I struggled with the same go-go-go work mentality as an entrepreneur myself so thank you for putting a name to what I actually am striving towards.
I’m trying to switch to this mindset. The last job I had made me work while I was sick and it was always go go with them. I couldn’t put my phone down - and they never gave me a work one despite their promises - and I felt so anxious all the time. When I was out I kept checking my phone, first thing I did when I woke up was work. And then I got so fed up when I couldn’t even rest when I was sick (high fever, couldn’t even eat but I had to work anyways). Now I’m going solo, but it’s so so hard to leave this toxic mindset behind and be soft. I keep shaming myself, convinced I have to start at 8/9 to be productive and finish work at 9PM lol THANK YOU for this video!
Love how you use Notion to streamline your content production, Deya! Great tips and I love your energy. Note to self: Anyone who loves Derek Sivers's work as much as I do is someone I'll probably vibe with! :)
Thank you so much for sharing this! We need this perspective so much! I’m combating burn out and this is the cure! ❤️ I’m a DBM Bootcamp student and would love this as a module or add on!
Just stumbled upon your channel thanks to it randomly popping up in my recommended feed. I had never heard of cozy entrepreneur before but I'm glad I decided to watch this and find out more. I also loved that you added a WoW raid into your schedule because as a fellow WoW player making time for the game is important. Can't wait to watch more of your videos.
Just found your channel. The title caught my eye! A cozy, soft entrepreneur is my goal! And 6 figures?! Amazing, congrats! Inspiring :) Going to go and watch more of your videos :)
Love this day in the life! And huge respect for your rules, that you don't do what is considered the 'norm' this is the kind of routine that I'd want if I was my own boss
Hi I really appreciate the work you put into the vid. I'm a cosy entrepreneur too. I did 130k revenue last year too working part time . I was going to say I'm aiming for 100k profit this year but I'm chilling too much 😂 but this year I've got my 'design my day 'down perfectly. I'm out of the house meeting clients am then free in the afternoon , I'm so much happier than last year when I was stuck at my desk and never went out purposefully, I got too isolated. So getting the design your day right is a huge win , in ready to build out my business with staff now.
This is awesome - I'm watching this video for the third time and finally taking notes for a "cozy" planning day, and also shared it with my business buddy who's doing the same! Definitely hit some of my recent concerns now that I'm FT self employed, especially around shame
Literally smiling through this whole video and just so grateful that someone is sharing this! Launching my business through covid the past few years, honestly my whole life has been inundated with hustle culture and i’ve sacrificed my health, hobbies, relationships and all the good things that I wanted money to have. Because you have to have money for these things right??? Realizing that i’ve in large part accomplished so many of the things I want to and have experienced some of the best times with the best people at this current stage and that i’ll never get back these years of my life, and that it’s a journey has truly changed my life. No more beating myself up when I need rest no more thinking I can’t make time for friends and family no more ignoring my health, because you can never get back these things. I’m not perfect but I’m getting better and this video was a helpful reminder and reassurance. Regardless to the number in my bank account I’m so grateful for the life I’ve been afforded to live and for the daily opportunities to achieve more over time! ❤
i'm so excited for you!!! you 100% can't get back your time/health/happiness so prioritizing it is the only way to fully make space for it in the present. I definitely don't do it perfectly but the progress towards being kinder to yourself is what matters!
this video is so freaking good. I wanted to be jealous for a second but I decided to just admire you instead :) Thank you for sharing this -- it is so inspiring!
Ok LOVE THIS. Also the “no things are emergencies.” This is my biggest pet peeve ever when people literally make fires out of nothing.
ahhh yay!!! thanks for watching, Kira!
I like to remind myself, and others that, we're not saving lives and there's no fires so take a breath, relax then focus
This is the exact type of life my ADHD brain NEEDS and that literally no one in my family believes I’m worthy of having. But I will fight to get to this point.
Only you need to believe it! Really believe it! Set goals,. keep making steps.. lets go! 🙏🏼❤💪🏼
Sameeeee! I cant do the structured finite routine that the average person does.
I believe in you!
Everyone is worthy of a day that works with their brain. 🤍
Sometimes the people who are supposed to support you do not have that capability. Support yourself, you got this! Everyone who has liked this comment resonates with you!
As a six-figure freelancer who has been doing this for years now, the constraints and things not being an emergency part realllyyyy resonated 😰. I have a tendency to always be thinking ahead and about what's next but it's so true when you say that there will always be something to do so there's really no point in stressing about what's coming up - it's just unnecessary stress. Love love loved this video! Thanks for sharing 🤍.
thank you so much, krystal!!! :) I highly recommend the book 'Four Thousand Weeks' -- it really helped me understand the illusion of "perfect productivity", that there would always be more work & how 'rushing' through it was just stressing me out & exhausting me for no reason
Yes same! The other day i realized i’m going to have a to do list for my whole life 😭 There will always be something to do but that’s a blessing, to me it just means I can allow myself more time for things instead of thinking everything has to be done right now!
What exactly do you do for freelacning? No offense to her but I didn't see her do any work besides a short checkup with clients or explain what she does, so it seems a bit sus.
How do you generate that much income? I’m tired of being underpaid and overworked. I have two stem degrees and can’t find anything. Ready to escape this mess. Is it some kind of skill or talent?
Oh nothing bad about starting late. I start my work at 1PM and work 4hrs a day. I have a whole self-care routine in the morning. If you’re good at focus you can get anything done at anytime.
SAME!
Same!
This soft entrepreneur thing look exactly like my life. Every day, I see my vision board, pick 3 things I want to do that day. Then I check my progress every quarter. I adjust my work intensity based on my progress. I live my best life and every year I amaze on progress I made ❤🎉
As someone who has now burnt out multiple times, THIS is where I’m at…
Slower mornings, kinder to myself, more conscious choices of activities that need to be done and TAKING A DAMN BREAK!! ❤
Thank you for highlighting the need for this. Girl boss era is over, soft life is IN
Love the concept of "soft entrepreneurship"! It's refreshing to see an approach that values balance and personal well-being as much as business success. Emphasizing creativity and self-care not only enhances personal satisfaction but can also lead to more sustainable business practices. 🌿
I am happy to see you are satisfied. Being a RUclipsr is very similar to running your own business. You should upload things people want to see, just like businessman should offer product/service that people need. And when the growth becomes real, you can consider hiring people to help you run your channel more efficiently. The most difficult part is starting and growing of course, but consistency and hard work (with a little bit of help from Fame-ster of course) will always pay off at the end.
Girl I wish I found you sooner! This is the video I really needed today!
I just felt so overwhelmed, things are catching up to me (I'm also self-employed officially as of 3 weeks ago). I've been working on my 2 businesses very part-time while working a full time job but it was time to jump ship from my toxic/unhealthy work environment.
I had to pause the video after #1 rule... to just say THANK YOU.
I feel like hustle culture just isn't sustainable for people like me where I'm naturally weak-bodied, I get tired really easily, I've tried the "wake up at 5 everyday including sat/sun and work out, work work work" but I kept feeling so guilty when I snooze even just a little bit or I don't feel so good, so I tell myself "if I was at a 9-5 job, even if I didn't feel good I'd still go to work" ... but I just... I don't know. I feel so stressed!
Okay, back to watching the rest of your video :D
This video is so full of practical advice, it makes me feel like entrepreneurship is possible!! Thank you, Deya
i'm so happy to hear it was helpful!! :)
GURL! In the video you say "I'm at 11k subscribers" but I'm watching this right now (2 weeks after you posted this video) and you're at 17.4k subscribers. WOO HOO!!! So happy for you, Deya! Congrats Babe!!! 😀
ahhhh thank you, rayven!!!
And now, she’s at 18.7k 🎉🎉🎉 get it girl! 🙌🏼
Just subscribed ❤ up to 19K now!
19.9k 🎉
yasss 20k now!
I'm currently in the transition from being a hard entrepreneur to a soft entrepreneur. Hard entrepreneurship caused me to become completely burned out and my relationships suffered for it. I'm learning now how to give myself grace and to remind myself that I became self-employed in order to have the freedom to live my life the way I choose. This is so helpful and encouraging. Thank you thank you.
I completely realer to this… oh myyyy
I started my first business while in college working with law firms. And, now I'm retiring early at age 53! Seeing you with SO much wisdom and making it happen is SO satisfying as I think back to 30 years ago. Keep killin' it...softly. Oh, and your music is sooo good.
Curious what you did for law firms?
So refreshing to hear running a business can be separate! I love how you explained it so well and showed examples in your own life.
The editing is great! But also love the message of the video and the cozy vibes. I'm an author and a small business owner and it's so hard for me to stop riding that emotional rollercoaster. I've got lots of work to do on myself before I can become a cozy entrepreneur lols!
it was definitely a VERY slow transition/journey for me but so worthwhile!
You know what , I feel like you are some way spiritually connected with my thoughts : everytime you post a video there's something in it that I just googled the previous day or was talking with my husband the previous day - it's not even like some day it's exactly the previous day of the day you post.
My mind = blown 💣❤
thanks for being this magical mentor to me ❤
ahh i'm so happy to hear that! :) what's top of mind for you?
Its definitely becoming financially free and earn doing what I love also while having a fun life full of energy outside of work.
A few months ago, I took a nap in the middle of the work day and when I woke up I told my Dad I had fallen asleep. I was disappointed in myself and he told me there’s nothing wrong with that. Naps make you better. They’re healthy. It was a little wake-up call (lol literally) and helped me to go easier on myself.
I’ve been freelancing for about a year and this resonated so hard. As someone whose friends are all contracted workers, I often feel like I need to be working the same hours as them to be worthy of respect. But it’s also so true that the best ideas often come when we take a step back, expose our brains to new ideas, go for a walk, etc.
Thanks for the video! Out of interest, what are you optimising for with your RUclips channel and Tiktok?
This resonates with me as a single mom, homeschooling and starting my own online business! I’m dismantling all the “shoulds” in my mind about how I’m living my life on my terms according to what is best for me! I appreciate your story about the nap and feeling guilty. I get that just for having fun building my business online, researching and making content for social media or anything really enjoyable! Time to shift the paradigm to allowing ourselves to be happy and feel healthy, peaceful and make money and be successful simultaneously! Blessings! 🙏🏽🪷🍃
Thank you for making this video! As an aspiring entrepreneur myself here are the 3 things I took away from this video:
- what is my why?
- what does “enough” look like for me?
- who am I? What am I doing to cultivate my identity and not become my work?
Bonus: don’t allow the amount of my subscribers count, numbers of people watching, etc. to determine my worth. That’s powerful!
Your video has brought clarity to my own goals and I thank you!
Your approach to work is a real breath of fresh air. It actually sounds like you have a work-life balance. Thanks for sharing!
Fellow biz owner here, I found your channel for the first time today and this video brought tears to my eyes. Everything in the title of this video is all I ever wanted to be. To the "T". I didn't know this "cozy/soft entrepreneur" community existed. I've been struggling for the past 3 years, trying to figure out who I am as a person (not to sound cliche or anything!) and who I am as a small business owner. I've never really been good at self care/allowing myself time to slow down, and it's starting to show. I recently hit a really low point in my life as an entrepreneur and burnout has been eating away at me for what seems like a day too long now. I don't think you understand the amount of awe I am in right now. I just wanted to thank you for making your incredibly relatable content and that I am so blessed to have stumbled upon your channel today :') If you, or anyone else who happens to read my comment, would like to connect - I would be absolutely honored to have a new friend (and trust...I'm an introvert, trying her best to break out of her shell and need more friends!!) It would be amazing to connect with a community of like minded humans!!
P.S. You posted this video four months ago when you had 11K followers... you now have nearly 75K!!!! HUGE CONGRATS GIRLY!!!!
I felt so seen watching this video, this is exactly how I run my business, and I have to say that the no-shame policy is the biggest takeaway for me, I needed to hear this 💕
aww amazing! so glad it was helpful. it has been the biggest life/business changer for me!
I find this super valuable, thank you. It's not just some random vlog. It's an actual piece of value for its viewers. I appreciate this.
I subscribed to your channel for THIS VIDEO alone (and then found many more treats), but THIS ONE is golden! Thank you for sharing the "zero shame policy" with me. I love that!
I am loving rule #1 - I am going to let go of the shame of sleeping in and allowing myself to wake up without an alarm
No-shame mentality! Thanks for reminding us why tf we work for ourselves: time flexibility and for me avoid the stress of extraneous office expectations.
As an entrepreneur myself, I loved this video
“And then we’re raiding in world of Warcraft tonight” instant sub 😄
I didn't know my style of entrepreneurship was soft 😁Exactly freedom was the first reason for starting a business, so yes, I will spend the first 2 hours of the day doing my routine, reading, having a coffee and enjoying the morning sun before sitting behind the desk ☀Lovely vlog by the way! The part when you forget your keys 😂brain not braining
ahh yay!!!
here at 65k subscribers! You're such an inspiration Deya, keep up the amazing work!
This was legitimately the most interesting female entrepreneur video I've seen lately. I'm getting into the mindset of starting a business (I'm reading a million dollar weekend and trying as best as I can, it's asking a LOT of me because I'm an introvert). I like your 'Post and Ghost' social media strategy, and the rules you've set for yourself, as well as the Notion board with 100 steps divided by 10, it's just great.
so glad you enjoyed it, Lisa!
It's been a real rough year trying to figure out what my business needs to look like to meet my families needs after being in business for over 10 years. This pulled me out of bed today! I was having serious paralysis on getting motivated today. Thank you for being so real! The burnout can be so hard to pull yourself out of.
Just want to say, I love the editing and content of this video. Amazing job Maia and Deya😍
This perfectly encapsulates the balance I've been trying to seek. I've gone back and forth between full-time roles and freelancing full-time and have quite honestly hated both. I recently went to lunch with a mentor of mine and was describing what it was I was having a hard time with. She basically just told me straight up that I'm not setting any boundaries and that's the source of my problems. It was such an incredible lightbulb moment for me. This video just reaffirms that fact. Great stuff!
so happy to hear that, Perry! love that shift for you; constraints are SO important in figuring out what you're not willing to sacrifice in the pursuit of 'more'.
I clicked sooo fast at cozy entrepreneur... I have my own biz but feel crippled by the 'hustle' of it all... this is so amazing thank you 😭
we need more videos and entrepreneurs like this, going against hustle culture and nurturing kindness to yourself. thank you!
Love this. Didn't realise there was a name for the business/lifestyle I have until watching this video. I feel this needs to go so much more mainstream. So many of us start a business to get time freedom but then when we get it we feel guilty and feel like we're cheating.
Soft entrepreneurship for life!! Excited to follow along on your journey 🎊
you are the best! I cried yesterday a lot, Idk why. I work hard but I am unemployed. I feel so worthless but I have everything that I want to, that I can think of. So your advices were so good. They hit me so I am crying now too! Yes! Why do I want to get a job? Just because! Why I am trying to be so productive!!!?? JUST BECAUSE! It is the thing.
Hey Deya, I loved your video about the day in the life of a cozy entrepreneur. I think your take is super genuine, and you gave us really valuable lessons without sugarcoating anything. I appreciate that you emphasized the importance of taking breaks and that it’s totally ok to sleep in and take some time for self-care. I learned a lot from this! Keep Growing! Cheers!
I resonate SOOO MUCH to this video. I was living this life a few years ago and I left the "shame" of not working hard enough get to me and it actually stressed me into illness. I took a 9-5 job to get back on track so I can get back to this life. Thank you for sharing❤
You have no idea…how relieving this feels as an entrepreneur too. It’s so hard to not shame myself bc of the hustle culture
Following the calendar is a cool thread for the video. Nicely made overall! And good advice too.
from one freelance entrepreneur to the next, you got an immediate like from me when you addressed the no-shame policy!! I alwaaaays beat myself up when I don't wake up early and when I start my day "later" at 11am but I need to start giving myself more grace. 😅 love this video
This is exactly where I want to be. Thank you for sharing and breaking down aspects of your approach to business and handling work tasks. I found extremely refreshing and validating. Being an entrepreneur is a lifelong journey full of learning opportunities about the people we serve and most importantly ourselves. Instant subscriber here, can’t wait to see more. 😊❤
Hi Deya, I think this might have been the first video I watched of yours a few weeks back. I have watched so many at this point I am not sure! But I came back to this one because I think it's such a wonderful reminder that hustle culture is toxic and that we need to be kinder to ourselves. In the video you said you had 10k subscribers and now you're nearing 50k! and this video was just a month ago. I am SO happy for you but honestly you deserve it. You have put out so much amazing content and I have been loving it. So thank you! I believe your course is for freelancers but I would definitely buy a course from you that goes through how to organize your business and processes to make things less overwhelming. That is something I am trying to work through is learning how to not make things too over the top and overwhelming.. because honestly a lot of things out there about entrepreneurship are all about going over the top and overcomplicating everything.
I love this video! It's so refreshing to see that running a business doesn't have to be constantly stressful. As someone just starting a business, I often find myself getting stuck and beat myself for it, but these rules are a total game changer. Thank you for sharing a different and more sustainable approach to entrepreneurship!
You are a gem!!!! Preaching mad wisdom as you rewrite what it means to be successful in this hypercapitalistic world. So happy to have found you and your content xxx
my favorite entrepreneur
very insightful day in a life! I saw The Mountain is You book and I knew I was in the right place. keep that energy up!
I love this, I’ve been self employed for 20 years but feel I’m still pretty tough on myself so this is a great reminder
Wholesome! I'm transitioning towards soft-entrepreneurship after hustle-hustle-hustle and trying to prove something to someone (who!!) - so this soooo supportive!
Instantly subscribed because adding WoW into your calendar for raiding is so relatable!
Goals! 😊
Thank you for this content. So happy, I found you. I'm starting a new business, and this is my mindset after experiencing corporate career burnout that nearly killed me (literally). As a creative entrepreneur, I'm embracing ease, joy, and balance in my work life and personal life and I'm passionate about helping guide other ambitious women do the same. I'm following you from my personal page, but wanted to comment and give you kudos from my personal page.❤🎉
i like what you said about productivity happening in the mind. If i’m taking a walk, or in the car, or in the gym, i’m thinking about my business
Great video Deya! One thing I always recommend is to change up your environment for work when you can.
I've been writing my scripts and research in a coffee shop or library and it helps remove lots of distractions
hi Paul -- so nice to see you here! working from cafes 3-4x a week has been a game changer for me as well & I also do a lot of coworking which has been great
From hard entrepreneur to *soft* entrepreneur 🙌🏾 This is absolutely the season I’m in!
Edit: 5 minutes into this video, I just sub’d!
So the no shame policy is actually a huge shift for me. I’ve never heard this concept before but wow. As someone who naturally has a later sleep/wake schedule, I’ve dealt with this self shame my whole adult life. Ive always found that I’m more creative at night and sometimes for my creative projects I wouldn’t even start working until 5pm and could finish at 2 or 3am. That just worked for me but I always felt bad about it. Thanks for sharing that tip! Great video
I needed to hear this today. The lifestyle I am actively working towards -- Freedom of time. My mental person needs that to thrive.
So many amazing lifestyle/business gems in this video, I love your approach! I’m also reading “the mountain is you” such a great book.
I think this message of cozy entrepreneurship is essential in our busy hustle culture. ❤
The most wow moment of this video is seeing the 13.9k subs and a mere 6 weeks on and you’re at 44.7k!!!!! Incredible, and many congrats! Hard work pays off 🍾🎊🍾🎊
it's completely surreal!
I think this video might change my life. Just moved to Berlin with zero plan career wise, I'm ADHD with 11 years in the restaurant industry with limited German and I am FREAKING OUT as to what to do with the rest of my life and how I'm gonna contribute to bills. This video is inspiring me so much!
Deya, this video is fun but also very insightful! I've been binging your videos lately and you help me to gain the motivation to start my freelancing journey as well as my small business. The point which you said our work is only a small part of ourselves really helps me to not overthink. You're literally such a gem, I wish you success and a happy life!
I want this for myself. I know I would probably need to work on the weekend or get someone to help me if my business ever grows to where I can do it full time but this would totally help me with my health since I have a fatigue illness and either seizures or narcolepsy so being able to wake up late and nap would be amazing.
Deya you did your big one with this one!!! I've been subscribed to you since your early years 2 years ago and even back then you were providing so much value to us. Thank you for continuously providing a space for all of us cozy entrepreneurs! As i'm typing this you are at 20.3k subs ! So proud of you
that is so, so kind, thank you so much!!! 🥹 thank you for being on this journey with me
Clean editing Maïa 🥂
i am incredibly grateful to have been recommended your video. you're incredible! thank you for sharing I am beyond grateful.
okay - I'm obsessed with this video! love the combo of vlog style and tips. Also - the no shame rule!! girl I need to apply that in my own life because dang... it's so true, if you wouldn't say it to your friend, you shouldn't say it to yourself. thank you for the inspo!
omg katie i love your videos!
I ❤all of these… I JUST started as a VA and everything feels urgent all the time.
Ahhh I just came across your content and I LOVE this. I have been a freelancer for years for mental health and these rules are so great.
As humans, we try to fit everyone else into our lifestyle. We are not one size fits all. I am absolutely not a morning person. I know my body and mental capacity in the mornings. Plus an introvert. As I have gotten older, I am finding ways to work smarter and not harder.
Great video. It is refreshing to find someone who runs a business not telling me I need to get up at 430am.
this is actually such a nice and refreshing video. I love the way you're sharing your experience event the way it is edited is just so good. ( Great job Maia !!) Keep this going, love learning about your journey and you've literally just been showing randomly to me on ig and youtube and im so glad :)
I love your idea of a soft or cozy entrepreneur! I struggled with the same go-go-go work mentality as an entrepreneur myself so thank you for putting a name to what I actually am striving towards.
recently i have been very skeptical of any entrepreneurship video but this was brilliant to see!
Love this, new subscriber cannot wait to explore more of your videos
I’m trying to switch to this mindset. The last job I had made me work while I was sick and it was always go go with them. I couldn’t put my phone down - and they never gave me a work one despite their promises - and I felt so anxious all the time. When I was out I kept checking my phone, first thing I did when I woke up was work. And then I got so fed up when I couldn’t even rest when I was sick (high fever, couldn’t even eat but I had to work anyways). Now I’m going solo, but it’s so so hard to leave this toxic mindset behind and be soft. I keep shaming myself, convinced I have to start at 8/9 to be productive and finish work at 9PM lol THANK YOU for this video!
Love how you use Notion to streamline your content production, Deya! Great tips and I love your energy. Note to self: Anyone who loves Derek Sivers's work as much as I do is someone I'll probably vibe with! :)
Soft cozy entrepreneurship, love it! Wish we saw these word together more often.
Thank you so much for sharing this! We need this perspective so much! I’m combating burn out and this is the cure! ❤️ I’m a DBM Bootcamp student and would love this as a module or add on!
I need my 8 hours of sleep . When I go to the office I need to go to bed early, however, when I work from home it's wonderful to get up later.
So many little gems that I say to myself all the time. Thank you for being my virtual best friend and validating/ reminding me ❤
thank you for being here & watching!
Just stumbled upon your channel thanks to it randomly popping up in my recommended feed. I had never heard of cozy entrepreneur before but I'm glad I decided to watch this and find out more. I also loved that you added a WoW raid into your schedule because as a fellow WoW player making time for the game is important. Can't wait to watch more of your videos.
so happy you made it here!!! :) & yes my 2x weekly raids are concrete blocks on my calendar hahaha
I LOVE THIS! Such great advice for women that dont want to always operate from their masculine energy or risk burnout. Great video!
Just found your channel. The title caught my eye! A cozy, soft entrepreneur is my goal! And 6 figures?! Amazing, congrats! Inspiring :) Going to go and watch more of your videos :)
thank you, suzie!!! :)
Love this day in the life! And huge respect for your rules, that you don't do what is considered the 'norm' this is the kind of routine that I'd want if I was my own boss
I’m new to full time entrepreneurship and I absolutely love these rules !! Thank you for helping me feel better about myself ❤
Hi I really appreciate the work you put into the vid. I'm a cosy entrepreneur too. I did 130k revenue last year too working part time . I was going to say I'm aiming for 100k profit this year but I'm chilling too much 😂 but this year I've got my 'design my day 'down perfectly. I'm out of the house meeting clients am then free in the afternoon , I'm so much happier than last year when I was stuck at my desk and never went out purposefully, I got too isolated. So getting the design your day right is a huge win , in ready to build out my business with staff now.
This is awesome - I'm watching this video for the third time and finally taking notes for a "cozy" planning day, and also shared it with my business buddy who's doing the same! Definitely hit some of my recent concerns now that I'm FT self employed, especially around shame
Rule #1 so salient! Thank you!!! Also 49k watching this. Congrats!
Literally smiling through this whole video and just so grateful that someone is sharing this! Launching my business through covid the past few years, honestly my whole life has been inundated with hustle culture and i’ve sacrificed my health, hobbies, relationships and all the good things that I wanted money to have. Because you have to have money for these things right??? Realizing that i’ve in large part accomplished so many of the things I want to and have experienced some of the best times with the best people at this current stage and that i’ll never get back these years of my life, and that it’s a journey has truly changed my life. No more beating myself up when I need rest no more thinking I can’t make time for friends and family no more ignoring my health, because you can never get back these things. I’m not perfect but I’m getting better and this video was a helpful reminder and reassurance. Regardless to the number in my bank account I’m so grateful for the life I’ve been afforded to live and for the daily opportunities to achieve more over time! ❤
i'm so excited for you!!! you 100% can't get back your time/health/happiness so prioritizing it is the only way to fully make space for it in the present. I definitely don't do it perfectly but the progress towards being kinder to yourself is what matters!
this video is so freaking good. I wanted to be jealous for a second but I decided to just admire you instead :) Thank you for sharing this -- it is so inspiring!
Hi Deya, such awesome insights and guide for a cool, awesome entrepreneur lifestyle, thank you.
Loved all of this! Very similar to my work life already, but appreciated the reminder that it’s all ok and I’m perfect just the way I am ❤
i love how you're kind of setting up your own personal protocols
Girl I just gotta say CONGRATS on over 70k subscribers in just 4 months :O that’s so exciting!!!!
thank youuuu so much, Lorien!!! :)
I absolutely love your rules. I've been thinking so much about what I'm optimizing for. Good stuff.
Amazing video, Deya! Love the idea of 'soft entrepreneurship', I haven't heard that concept before. Subscribed!
welcome, brennan! :) excited to have you.
I like the editing style!
Girl! This video was needed!!!!!!!
This is super helpful! I'm trying to find the right balance in my business. Thanks for sharing.
I am loving these type of content that you put out Deya. I already subscribed and look forward to more of this.