We started Being Boss as a place to bring our vulnerable conversations about work and life, our experiences as small business owners, and our expertise in branding and online business to others who were going at creative entrepreneurship, too. Together we’d chatted with thousands of clients and creative peers about the mindset, habits and routines, boundaries, and balance that go into being a working creative—and we were ready to bring those real conversations to an audience. We thought we’d reach a few listeners looking for guidance on how to go out on their own and make a living doing what they love. We were surprised by how quickly the podcast gained traction.

Within weeks of launching our first episode we hit the top of the charts on iTunes, quickly attracted a loyal following, and landed some lucrative sponsorships from like-minded brands who believed in our vision and our voice. We snagged interviews with accomplished entrepreneurs and our own personal heroes, including Brené Brown, David Heinemeier Hansson, Ramit Sethi, Chalene Johnson, and Melissa Hartwig, to talk about topics ranging from money and living a rich life to staying healthy as an entrepreneur, as well as personal stories of success and failure. We created space for our audience not only to listen but also to join the conversation and create connections—from online forums to in-real-life vacations and retreats.

To the world we looked like an overnight success, but we knew it was just the beginning of a new vision that countless hours of hard work had brought us to.

AND NOW WE’RE WRITING A BOOK. FOR YOU.

So here we are. Writing a book—something we dreamed about for years as part of our plans for world domination (mwahaha!) and a natural next step to what we’re already talking about on our podcast. We’re here to share our own experience, advice, stories, tactics, and to-dos that will help you make money doing what you love while being who you are 100 percent of the time in work and life.

Now, enough about us… who are you? Well, if we had to guess, we’d say you desire the freedom to work the way you want—on your own terms and your own schedule. But with that, you might struggle with creating structure for yourself. You’re brave and you set big goals for yourself, but sometimes you’re overwhelmed by all your ideas and what it will take to reach your dreams. You want to grab life by the horns, but sometimes you feel less than confident and too trapped in your head to get your ideas to fruition.

We know you because we are you. And we’ve worked with hundreds of creatives just like you.

Whether you are still working a day job with a creative hustle on the side, you are fresh on your path to working for yourself, or you have a few years under your belt—you can be boss. This book is for creatives and aspiring entrepreneurs (designers, photographers, artists, musicians, coaches, nutritionists, trainers, stylists, event planners, consultants, chefs, yogis, wellness professionals, athletes, performers, community organizers, etc.) who need more tools, advice, and inspiration to level up, hunker down, and do the work.

This book is going to help you dig deep, dream big, and take action. We’re not going to show you how to run or market a business (though we are pretty bomb at that). We’re not going to show you how to “get rich quick” by meditating and manifesting your way to success (though we are a little woo like that). The nitty gritty details of how to grow a team or launch a new product is another book for another time. Instead, we’re going to show you how to set up the foundation to be boss so that you have what it takes to expand your capacity for success (as you define it!), cope with inevitable failures (’cause if you’re behaving like a boss, you’re gonna fail), and take responsibility for creating the life you want to live.

We suggest you read this book from cover to cover. We’ve included some of our best stories and tactics along with quotes, excerpts, and Q&As from our favorite creative peers and industry experts. You’ll also find some worksheets in here—you can fill those out in the book—or you can download them at www.beingboss.club/book/worksheets, print them off, and fill them out that way. If you feel challenged or stuck along the way—that’s okay! Keep reading. You can always come back to it, and we hope you do. We want this book to become one you’ll keep on your shelf, that over the years you’ll reference, highlight, tab, and wear down with love.

And if you want more of us, you can follow us on Instagram at @beingbossclub or subscribe to our podcast on iTunes.

WE SHARED OUR ENTREPRENEURIAL JOURNEY WITH YOU. TAKE A MINUTE TO REFLECT ON YOUR OWN JOURNEY TO BECOMING YOUR OWN BOSS (EVEN IF YOUR ENTREPRENEURIAL JOURNEY IS STILL IN PROGRESS).