Bonny Snowdon 00:06
Hello, I'm Bonny Snowdon, ex corporate person, a mother turned successful artist entrepreneur. It wasn't that long ago though that I lacked the confidence, vision and support network to focus on growing my dream business. Fast forward past many life curveballs, waves of self-doubt and so many lessons learned and you'll see Ignite, my thriving online colour pencil artists community, a community that changes members lives for the better and gives me freedom to live abundantly whilst doing what I love and spending quality time with my beloved family and dogs, all whilst creating my best artwork with coloured pencils, and mentoring others to do the same. But this life wasn't always how it was for me, it used to only exist in my imagination. I've created the It's a Bonny Old Life podcast to help increase people's confidence, share mine and my communities experience and hope through fascinating personal stories, champion the other amazing humans in my personal, professional and membership community, and create another channel through which I can support others to realize their dreams. If you're a passionate colour pencil artist, or an aspiring one who's looking to create their best work, and a joyful life you love, you're in the right place. Grab a cuppa and a custard cream, let's get cracking.
For my guest this week, oh goodness, honestly, it really felt like I've known her forever. And I know I say that about a lot of my guests and I really do mean it. I met Mim through a Business Mastermind. We've had a couple of chats and honestly, she's just amazing. I'm going to read out what is on her website. So she's a mother, sticker and planner addict, and outlander fanatic. Now, we didn't talk about that and we need to go back and have another discussion because I love Outlander. Digital products Pro and entrepreneur with an obsession for taking action. Fabulous story. Wonderful lady. And she makes the most incredible stickers. So I'm absolutely delighted to be chatting to the one and only, Mim Jenkinson. Mim, hello.
Mim Jenkinson 02:07
Hello.
Bonny Snowdon 02:13
Is so funny, isn't it? And normally, I just dive straight in but Mim and I have just had a colossal chat beforehand.
Mim Jenkinson 02:21
It’s been good to write.
Bonny Snowdon 02:25
Yeah, absolutely. Do you know, it's really funny because we've kind of chatted online when we've been in like stews, bits and pieces and the masterminds and everything like that. But isn't it weird when you actually talk one to one, it's like you've known each other. Well, that's how I feel anyway, like you've known each other forever.
Mim Jenkinson 02:48
That's exactly how I feel, particularly with you being British, because I'm in Australia, and I've been here for 15 years. And there's loads of brits over here. But I guess online like day to day, the people I talk to her about business and mainly Aziz or US people. So whenever I hear anyone in the UK, I'm like, come here and be my friend. I love you like I know you already.
Bonny Snowdon 03:11
Well, what made you move to Australia?
Mim Jenkinson 03:14
I fell in love with an Australian. So I went travelling. I was working in corporate, I'd been working in corporate forever. And I was just exhausted, I was so tired. I loved it so much but I was so tired. So single took six months off. My plan was to go to Southeast Asia and then come back again. But it was cheaper to get around the world ticket. So I also added on Australia and a couple of places. But then on the second day that I was away, I went to China first. And on the second day I met my now husband, and honestly the rest was history. I met him in China then we hanged out for a couple of days. He was in the Philippines at the time. Did I tell you this? I think I did. He was an X animator for Disney. Oh, he worked for Disney for like 10 years as a hand drawing animator. He's amazing. I mean, you're amazing. He's amazing in a totally different way. So I met him. He was over in the Philippines training the team there. And so I went to the Philippines stayed with him for a couple of weeks and fell in love. I went to Thailand and then he came to stay with me for a week. And then we've probably seen each other in the space of two months, I think we'd had like two weeks together. And he was like, "Do you want to just move to Australia and let's see what happens?" I was like, "Yeah, why not? Let's do that then." So I went to Australia and we're having the New Year there. That was back in 2008. And then cut my trip short, went home, got my stuff, emigrated, and then haven't looked back. And that was 15 years ago. And now we've got two kids and quite happy.
Bonny Snowdon 04:43
That's amazing.
Mim Jenkinson 04:45
Isn't that funny? I was looking for something new. That was part of the reason that I did the sabbatical in the first place. I was like, I feel like there's a new direction and I was even open to like maybe I'll move somewhere new like stay in corporate. I was working in recruitment. I was like maybe I'll go and work in Hong Kong or somewhere like that. And I did travel there like when they're on the way and definitely could have seen myself there, but I met Miles, fell in love and and here we are now.
Bonny Snowdon 05:11
Oh, you may be changed when you're with people who've got accents but you do sound very British still.
Mim Jenkinson 05:21
I think I've probably got more northern English every year, honestly so funny. Not that I know of but I've never picked up the Aussie way of speaking in any way. I'm 44, so I've been speaking in this accent for quite a while. But I feel like it's probably gone more northern it hasn't subdued at all. And I like it. I am holding on to it. I miss the UK so much. I miss being surrounded by Brits. I love it over here immensely, and I love Australians, but they'll always be a part of me that still is like, "Oh, but I do miss home."
Bonny Snowdon 05:57
Oh, which part of the UK were you from in the north?
Mim Jenkinson 06:00
Well, I was born in the Midlands but most of my adult life I spent in north [Inaudible] near the Manchester area. And then as well for a few years and I moved to Leek's and lived there for five years. And that was before I came over here. So generally like West Midlands, north. I call myself a northern and mainly because I sound like one, honestly.
Bonny Snowdon 06:25
You see people listen to my accent and I am from the North. I'm North Yorkshire. And my accent is a lot broader than it was. But I went to a private school.
Mim Jenkinson 06:38
You are the posh Bonny, you can tell.
Bonny Snowdon 06:40
I had elocution lessons.
Mim Jenkinson 06:44
I did not. Can you tell?
Bonny Snowdon 06:46
Well, I spoke like the queen.
Mim Jenkinson 06:47
I love it. I love it so much. When you compare the two of us together and you listen to this back, you'll realize you're much more queen like than I.
Bonny Snowdon 07:04
How we know each other is because we're obviously both in Stu McLarens mastermind, which I have to say, I'm really loving. And I'm really, really excited. I'm hoping to make it out to the US in October. Really, really hoping to get there. We know the dates. But once I know where it is, because I'm wanting to come a little bit earlier if I can do a little bit of a workshop for some of my students out there, which would be brilliant. And then obviously, people that I've met in the mastermind, which would be fantastic. So we both run memberships. Mine is art, my drawing and everything. And yours honestly, before we reveal what it is, I was talking to my brother-in-law, who is a brilliant businessman, he was the one who got me into business and coaching and helped me and he's coming in to do a couple of sessions in my membership. And I will say you could do a membership in anything I said, "There is this amazing woman in Australia, and she has got a membership and it's all about stickers. It's so amazing."
Mim Jenkinson 08:09
I'm holding up to the camera, not that anyone can hear this, but stickers. Because it’s particularly planner stickers. So everyone loves stickers, don't they? When you think about what you were like as a kid and even those of you with kids, even my kids now who are 7 and 10 if I give them a sheet of stickers they'll fly through them. But for those few seconds, their faces will be full of joy. And they'll be super excited. And they just love it. Because I feel the same and I've always liked them as many of us had. But I definitely never thought that I would have my own business about teaching people to use, make and sell stickers. If I rewind back seven years, when I was just starting out with things, if I'd have known how big things would have gotten and how successful and the kind of community had grown and the relationships with them I just wouldn't have believed any of it whatsoever. So I feel very lucky to be in this position now and just so bloody grateful, honestly, that I get to do something so joyful and fun every day. Isn't it funny?
Bonny Snowdon 09:16
It is brilliant, and there are actual physical stickers, or?
Mim Jenkinson 09:22
I will rewind a little bit. So I've been blogging for a while I knew that I wanted my own business. I was doing a little bit of influencer stuff. I was a bit of a mommy blogger Bonny, and I was making some money from sponsorships. But it was all part time and I was working in corporate at the time, part time and doing the blog. I knew I always wanted my own business from a really young age. I had no idea what that might be, though none at all, and certainly didn't think it would be an online business because that thing wasn't even in my orbit at that point. But back in the end of 2015 I was diagnosed with breast cancer, so I had to leave my job. I was going through chemo it was really hard. As I was going through chemo, going through radiation, and had to leave, because there was just no possible way that I could continue. So I thought at the time, I needed something to take my mind off the treatment because it was so all consuming. And I've started using my paper planner again and I've been watching online, a few people decorate in their planners every week with stickers and my first thought was, that's weird. Why are they decorating their planner with stickers, they're taking such a long time over it, they looks like they're enjoying it, but then they're writing all over some of them anyway, it feels odd. Anyway, after a couple of videos, I was hooked.
So I've got myself a panic, started buying stickers off Etsy, and just gave it a go and just had fun being playful decorating. And it really gave me something to think about. But I also wanted to take it a step further and teach myself how to design and print and cut the stickers. It felt like something that I could never learn to do. And I knew that would be like a chemo project for me. So I got myself a cutting machine, got some sticker paper, had my computer, and taught myself over a few months how to make my own stickers and feeling like that entrepreneurial thing within me. I thought, well, I'll do what others are doing. And I'll sell them on Etsy. So started a little shop on Etsy from scratch. Even though I had a blogging audience, they were not interested. So I didn't have an audience of customers waiting for me. But I quickly got. I guess I was using my creativity and my previous SEO experience on Etsy and quickly built up a really loyal base of customers all over the world. So I was printing the stickers as well. So designing, printing, cutting them, posting them to customers all over the world. It was so fun. And then I started getting the questions of from my customers mainly of how are you making them? And will you teach me and in my corporate career, which spans all kinds of different things like sales and training and events. I've done training before and I've done some online training within the company that I was working for. So I thought this could be a really fun course to put together. So I put together a course, laboured over it for months and months and months, finally released it and made some sales and things just started to really snowball.
From there I was getting more questions. And the more people asked me to teach them, the more I put into the course, they also started asking how I was selling them on Etsy or on my website. And the course has grown now where I have over 5000 students in my courses, again from all over the world. And I can't believe how successful it has been to the point where I let go of everything else I was doing over the years. And I never had to go back to work as much as I loved my job at the time. I'd set myself this goal during chemo of, if a few months after chemo finishes, I'm earning the same money or at least the same money that I was in my corporate job, I'm going to stay at home because I was enjoying it so thoroughly. And that happened. And so what is it seven, eight years on? Here I am still with a big audience of clamour lovers, sticker lovers, makers and sellers. And I love it. It's so fun.
Bonny Snowdon 12:59
Wow, that's amazing. But also, isn't it? I say this all the time that there's never a silver lining to anything as horrific as having cancer and having to have to treat and everything like that. But there are certain people who almost make the best out of what happened that sounds really weird doesn't it?
Mim Jenkinson 13:26
I know exactly what you mean, because it did. And even now, it did bring about so many opportunities that I couldn't have ever imagined. And I say the same thing. And I always say if I could go backwards, I would never put myself through that. If I could take away the jack diagnosis I definitely would. But oh my goodness, I'm so grateful for the opportunities it gave me, for the push it gave me. Like the magical people that I've met for all of the different things that fell into place in some ways. I've worked very hard at the same time but I wouldn't have done this. I don't know whether I would ever have really trusted myself to leave my job to start this from scratch. I don't know whether I would have even started with stickers. I As much as I believe in fate and things happening for a reason, I do think that I've just been very lucky that these opportunities have come up and I'm glad that I grabbed them with both hands and ran with it for sure.
Bonny Snowdon 14:23
And that's the thing isn't it? It's having that tenacity to be able to go you know what? This is a really shitty situation. I'm actually going to do something creative and that I'm sitting here having this put into me.
Mim Jenkinson 14:40
It's so true. And I at the time because I'd always considered myself creative. I loved art at school, I loved music, I loved anything creative really, even reading. All of those things just really brought me so much joy. But I think as I got older and busier in the corporate role, working all the hours, being young and free and single going out a lot, just busy with life, I haven't realized that I'd let that creativity go. And it wasn't until I kick things up again. And suddenly my heart burst. And you know the joy that you feel and the calm that you feel in the pride. As soon as all of those things started coming back again, I didn't realize how much I missed them and I needed them. And that's something that I see in my students now. Students of all ages. But particularly when I think about the ones who are around 40 plus, I mean, I've got students up to the age of 75, and probably a little bit more than that. But when I see them start in this new, whether it's a hobby or a side hustle from scratch, and designing something that they never thought they'd be able to in a million years, holding their own stickers, when I see them and we talk to each other, it's the same thing with them, they didn't realize how much they missed being creative. And the difference it makes for them. It isn't about the stickers, it isn't about selling the stickers, it isn't about using them. It's how the stickers make us feel. And that's very different for everyone. But for me, I guess I always sum it up in the world word joy. Like it just brings me joy in so many ways.
Bonny Snowdon 16:09
Amazing. So you have this membership, 5000 that's incredible.
Mim Jenkinson 16:16
5000 students in my courses. So the membership, I only started in August, and we've got 400 members in there now. So that's super exciting. And what I found, too, is all of those members are not all of my core students, some of them are, but most of them haven't been. And what I found is that they were just not ready for investing in a course for lots of different reasons. And part of that is that they want the community too. They want to be able to learn gradually, they want to have the momentum of having something new every month to look forward to. And they just love having other people who are in it with them. And because even though using a planner, or making stickers or using them is quite a personal creative thing to do. The community loves to share with others and loves helping each other’s. So I think it's really awesome now that I've got those two different sides too. So for those who just want to course, they want to come in, they want to take the course at their own pace, like fly through it or take as many months as they need, or those who want that extra support. Now at least I feel good that I've got something to offer both of them. But yeah, it's growing fast though, it's good.
Bonny Snowdon 17:23
Brilliant. So what's the difference? What sort of courses do you have? I'm being a bit naughty here, because I'm kind of picking your brain.
Mim Jenkinson 17:34
Ask me anything.
Bonny Snowdon 17:35
What sort of courses do you run?
Mim Jenkinson 17:37
So it's a really similar. Let me think about my products now. I've got one big cause called the sticker shop plan. So that's for people who genuinely want to make stickers because they want to sell them as well. Sometimes they just want to be able to sell a couple to be able to subsidize their sticker buying habit themselves. Because using planners and buying stickers. When you're buying them from other shops over and over again, it can be quite expensive. So some of them want to do that, or they just want it to be like a proper side hustle. Some of them maybe want to make it a full-time business at some point. And then there's others who come in, but they decide, you know what, I'm actually just really happy making these stickers for myself. So that's the main course that I have the sticker shop plan. Then I also have like a really short version of that one, where I've taken sort of the key elements of just making the stickers and put it into a mini course called the DIY sticker guide. And that's for people who just want to learn to make stickers, they want to design them, they want to make them, maybe it's stickers for their planner, maybe it's things like kid’s lunchbox, labels or gift tags. And they only need enough skills to be able to do that. And you can take that course really quickly. And then the two software's that I teach, so they're both free one is Circuit design space, and one is Silhouette Studio, you can learn them both from scratch, even if you've never used any design software before.
But I also have an e-book because I found that some of my customers that even though they're visual learners in terms of watching videos and interacting, they just want that companion guide to sit on their desk while they're doing it. So I pull them down into an e-book as well. So I've got those two. And then the membership is a bit different because while I'm teaching similar skills that are in the bigger course, at the same time, they're going a bit further. So even someone who comes in and who's completely new to it, they'll be able to learn some of the basic lessons and then go to the more intricate designs if they want to. But I also offer in the membership, some done for you pre-made templates. So there's going to be people who come into the membership who want to learn to make their own stickers, and there'll be others who just want those finished ones that they can use for themselves or to sell. So they can take my pre-made templates, change up the colours, add their own patterns if they want to. I also provide some patterns that myself and my husband have illustrated or drawn for them. And then they good to go there. So there's like a few different things that they get so they can choose their own sticker making adventure.
Bonny Snowdon 19:55
That's really good. And the course they are evergreen, you don't have to touch them, they're just there, people buy and they go through.
Mim Jenkinson 20:01
So there really isn't any live deliverables that I do now apart from the business coaching that I do. Otherwise, I don't show up live. So there are no live sessions. The content for my membership only takes me probably a couple of hours a month to put together. So most of my time as a business owner is communicating, interacting with my community, like if they have any questions. I do have some other helpful moderators, and people in the community too, that are amazing. But it's doing that and then the rest of it is then marketing. So people can join my courses, generally at any time. But then I'm always thinking, how can I find more people who want to learn to make or sell stickers? So much of my time now.
Bonny Snowdon 20:45
And all of your marketing is done by you?
Mim Jenkinson 20:48
By me, yeah. I do everything from ads. I do Facebook and Instagram ads. I do sometimes work with agencies, though. And I work with affiliates a lot. I don't know whether you do Bonny, but I have some amazing affiliates who I affiliate for them and they affiliate for me, because we've got really similar communities who want to do more creative things, or design things or complementary crafts compared to what they're already doing and learning. So that's the way that we tend to share each other's work and build our communities even more that way too. And did you know I also run a summit, so I started running my own summit last year called Planner Craft Pro. So I did it in June and in November, and then running it again in June this year. And that's so much fun, too. So for like for the three to four months before each Summit, not solidly, it might only be a couple of hours a week, but I'm also spending my time planning those events, too. They're so fun.
Bonny Snowdon 21:46
Hold that place while I get this silly dog. What's this summit all about?
Mim Jenkinson 21:55
So I started it last year, like I say. So it's Planner Craft Pro, and it generally runs for three days. But this year, I think we're going to do it over four because we've got more speakers. So the first day is generally all about planning, using a planner, productivity, goal setting and all of those things. The second day is more planner themed crafts. So making planners, making printable planners, making stickers, SVGs, designing and any kind of crafts that a planner lover might enjoy doing. And then day three is generally for those people who want to share or sell their planner themed crafts. So it might be starting their business from scratch, making more sales, building an email list, and growing their community. That typically is how it works. So there's something for everyone. But it's particularly focused on people who use planners. So whether it's a paper planner, or a digital planner, it's going to appeal to both of those too, and some use both of those things, too. I generally do. But it's so much fun.
So last year in the November summit, I think we had 16,000 attendees. It was so successful. There were about I think 20, 21 speakers. This year I think we might even have 30. And I'm really looking forward to it because it's just again so community focused. We have a community Facebook group at the time, the presentations and the classes that are the amazing speakers submitted for the event was so informative. I learned so much for myself. When you think you know everything, and then you learn from someone else and think oh my goodness, it was just a really, really awesome event. So fun. And again, a way just for everyone who enjoys planning and using a planner to come together to share their love for it.
Bonny Snowdon 21:59
And all online?
Mim Jenkinson 22:10
All online, all pre-recorded because everyone's got a really busy schedule. So apart from me turning up at the welcome party in the Facebook group and checking in with them every day to see how they were going and what they were learning. And then we did a closing party at the end. We do loads of giveaways, we do some co-working sessions for those who want to work together and watch the classes together. And it's really fun. It's just a super fun time. And my plan is to always do that twice a year now.
Bonny Snowdon 24:03
That sounds amazing. I have this idea in my head that I want to do. I’d quite like to do something live and get a sort of other artists who were the colour pencil artists. And have some like demo a little bit like Patchings in the in the UK. I don't know whether you have ever been to Patchings. I think it's over a few days over a week or something. There's big art festival thing. My thinking is to get all of these, because people follow different people don't they? They follow me, they follow other artists and everything and they have their favourite artists. And my thinking is to have like a stage type thing. I'd be really happy in that situation. I'm not sure it's worth. Having that conversation with another artist, sitting there and having a conversation like we're doing now. And then have like Q And A and maybe some bits and pieces. It would be amazing, that kind of thing. But I love the summit and fully done online.
Mim Jenkinson 25:11
Yeah, I think you'd find that will be a huge success for everyone. Something like that, I think. And it's a great way too. So the attendees love it. It's free for them, unless they want to get a VIP ticket where they get some extra bonuses and recordings and things like that. The event otherwise is entirely free. But I one thing that I really enjoy about it too, is that it's a great way for me to connect with other people in my space too and people to share with them and learn from them and I can introduce them to my audience, and they will introduce me and my summit to theirs. And it just ends up that the community feel is at every single level. And I think that you would find that so much too. And like you say, people don't just follow one artist, they don't only follow one person for anything really. As much as we have our favourite people to follow. Even when I think about the people like my coaches like Stu and other people who coached me and train me, I want to know who they follow so I can also learn more from those people. And so I think the summit it's a great place to be, and I think you'd find that yours would be phenomenal. I can see it now.
Bonny Snowdon 26:18
I'm already introducing. So my coach is an amazing woman called Susie Pearl. She is incredible. She's an author, she has just done a TED Talk. She's just the most amazing lady. I took her on as a coach to coach me in writing a book. And then the first encounter that we had, where we met each other, we had our little whatever, just getting to know each other and introductions, and she spotted something in me that was like, hang on a second, before we do anything, we need to understand what's going on here. And then it all came out. Literally...
Mim Jenkinson 26:54
Limiting belief about anything.
Bonny Snowdon 26:57
Everything just came out. And we've worked on that ever since. And she's helped me so much. And amazingly, she has agreed to bring some of her genius and the incredibleness into my membership. So I'm absorbing an awful lot of the cost so that my members can have the opportunity to be able to be in the same room as this incredible woman. And I'm starting to bring a few guest speakers in, but guest speakers who have helped me. So Charlie, my brother-in-law, he's going to come and do a couple of business sessions. He was the one that got me started. He was the one that helped me understand that had to have a forecast, a business plan or bla bla bla. He's a very astute businessman. And he's coming to do a couple of sessions. So that in itself is a huge opportunity for anybody.
Mim Jenkinson 27:51
It really is. Having bonuses and values that they wouldn't have access to otherwise.
Bonny Snowdon 27:57
No, they wouldn't. I tend to over-give anyway. I feel guilty. But my feeling is that, if I did a summit that could also be part of an incredible thing. I think that sounds awesome. And it has been in the back of my head really. I hadn't really understood how I could do it, and I'll...
Mim Jenkinson 28:24
I'll talk you through how to get started and how to really think about if it's for you. But from everything you're saying I think you would really enjoy it. And I think your community would thrive with one too.
Bonny Snowdon 28:37
I really like the idea of that. Or we will have to get together again, and talk about that.
Mim Jenkinson 28:42
Done.
Bonny Snowdon 28:46
Well I do know, and I think you feel exactly the same way about me. I'm really passionate about what I do. So my art and my drawing, oh my goodness, I love it. I'm really passionate about my business.
Mim Jenkinson 28:57
I love it too. I completely agree. I really do pinch myself every day. And let's not pretend that every day is amazing, because it can be really challenging at times too. But how fantastic that we get to do what we love every single day. And it's all ours, and we get to control and decide what we do and what we don't do, who we work with and I love it. I could talk about online business every day.
Bonny Snowdon 29:04
It's amazing. It just excites me so much thinking about how I can grow my business and it's a real passion. You'll always hear people going oh gosh, it shouldn't ever be about the money or anything. And for me it isn't. It's more about growing a business that's successful and seeing it touch more and more people. Helping more and more people. That is such a wonderful thing. It really is the biggest of them all. Yeah. With you when you teach people to sell their stickers and go on and do. Isn't it brilliant when there's a success story that comes out? And I'm sure like me you have so many success stories. There's a member of mine, Amii, and she's been drawing since last year. You know how you get certain people who just bang, that's it, and they are on my journey, on the way. Everybody takes a different length of time. For me, it was quite quick. For other people, it takes a little bit more time to pick momentum with their priorities and everything. Amii is just like, a she is on her way. And she's just had a three page spread in an international magazine, the colour pencil works colour magazine, in America. It is young Colbert magazine. Most incredible three page spread. I sit there when she sent me it, and I saw that this is what she did. I literally got pins and needles everywhere. And I had tears in my eyes, I was like, "This is just amazing." How amazing this person is. And I'm not taking any of the credit or anything, because her drawing is amazing. She draws beautifully. I've had a little tiny bit of push it in the right direction.
Mim Jenkinson 31:25
Well, you created the opportunity. It was her choice to run with it and what she made. Well, you've created the opportunity to say this is what could be possible. And like you say some people will take a different amount of time, everyone has completely different goals. I've got people who come in who, after year on 5000, sales on Etsy, and just flying and doing amazingly well. And I have others who come in, and they are sending me pictures of the stickers and the gift tags that they've made for their grandkids, and they're just over the moon delighted and that to them is just a huge beautiful thing to have achieved. And everyone at every level, they can run with it however they want. All I want to do is just give them the opportunity. And we've joked about tech before, but Tech is one of the biggest reasons why people don't start to make stickers because they look at a sticker and think, I don't know how you go from even a design to being able to peel a sticker off a sheet of paper. Like, what kind of tech do you need, they can't comprehend it.
And I remember being the same way too. And just being able to teach people in a really simple way to say, this is all you need to do. You follow these few steps, you don't need any fancy equipment. And then for them to be able to make it happen. I see the joy in their eyes as well. And that sense of achievement. Like I would feel that way if I could work my mic and camera today. Oh, God, I was loving the ripple effect of what it creates. I feel like to me I see joy spreading in lines all over the world. And I see the joy it gives me to be able to teach people what I know, they really want to learn. I see the joy in their faces when they learn. And then I imagine the joy that it brings when they make something that they can gift to others or sell to others and then the joy that that product has given that person. And then so on and so on. Like I just love it. I know it's so corny, but I just love thinking about that so much.
Bonny Snowdon 33:21
Honestly it's amazing. I just think it's brilliant. I used to use a planner, but I used to use a digital one. And I bought digital stickers. They were really fun. I was like, you kind of pick them up and you drop them on? Yes.
Mim Jenkinson 33:39
It's funny, and people buy like hundreds of pet like packs of digital stickers. But my friend teaches people how to make digital stickers, particularly. We work together all times. So I teach people how to make the printed off the printable versions, like the ones that people can buy the digital file, and then they'll print and cut them themselves at home. But there's a sticker for everything. So good.
Bonny Snowdon 34:04
It's brilliant. We've just had some stickers done here. Because I'm sending some prizes out. We've had an exhibition, and I'm sending the prizes out. And we've had some little stickers done with parts of my branding on them. And they arrived and there's something about six different versions. And I was like, "Oh my God, look at that they are amazing." They are just so cool. Amazing. So what's next for you then is it just was so happy with what you're doing?
Mim Jenkinson 34:33
I am. So next for me I've got my new Summit coming up in June. We're at the start of April now, as we start to get closer to that I'll be working more and more in the week on the summit. So I'm really looking forward to that. That'll be amazing. And I'll have big rest afterwards and then we'll work towards the November one. And like I said before, most of my days are just spent now thinking about how I can delight my members in my membership, even more Secret Sticker Society, and how I can think about finding new people who might be interested in that, too. So that's really how I spend my days. And then if I just need to inject some more creativity and joy into my day, I'm still making stickers myself. So while it isn't a huge focus for me to grow my own sticker shop, now, it was much more so in the beginning than it is now. I really enjoy doing that anyway, I also think because I'm teaching people how to sell stickers and need to be on the front line still doing that myself too. But I'm still making my own stickers, and I'm still selling them in my shops. And I love the whole thing. So Isn't it awkward, though, I've got adult braces, I've only had them on for five weeks, and to constantly say the word stickers and have a membership called Secret Sticker Society with braces on, it's very challenging Bonny. I've really shafted myself there.
Bonny Snowdon 36:00
The braces side of thing is this something that you've always wanted to do and never got around to? Or was it just like, suddenly waking up one day and go, do you know what? I'm having them.
Mim Jenkinson 36:11
It's a bit of both. I've always wanted them, I didn't want them as a kid. And my dentist told my parents that I didn't need them. He lied, because I really did. And so my teeth were crowded, they were crooked, not terribly, but I kind of hid it well, like posing in a certain way. But I always wanted them. And then I chickened out for a long time had a consultation a year ago. And then just finally thought recently, like, I'm 45 this year, I want to do it now. People are having them much later. I want to do it now. And they'll be on for probably a couple of years. And so I'm in it for the long haul. But already even five weeks have moved so much. And I'm looking in the mirror now thinking, oh, they're a little bit too great, how funny. I just think after the cancer experience, I definitely do think if there's something I want to do now I'm going to do it, you know?
Bonny Snowdon 37:05
Did you find that kind of changed your mindset?
Mim Jenkinson 37:09
In a million ways, I feel that. And it took a while to get to this place now. Well, after cancer, it's different for everyone. I felt awesome. I had a new lease of life, everything was great. But then I did also a couple of years after going to PTSD, just the shock of everything that had happened. And I've written a book about it because it was quite dark at one point and position that I never thought I'd be in. I was full of fear it was going to come back. So while I was loving life, in many ways, I wasn't either. And I just resigned myself to life is never going to be as good as it was before. And I was quite envious of people out in the world, living their life not worried that they were going to get a diagnosis. And so I did get some help with that, like flip through a psychologist and I joined a program that was all about transformation and mindset and shifting identities and those awesome things. And I can say for the last few years, and now I absolutely have a completely different outlook. I feel like I've never been more me, and my life is a million times better than it was before cancer. That isn't to say again, that life is rosy and sunshine and rainbows like I still have my moments, I still sometimes worry that things are going to change definitely. But a lot of the work that I've done has been about being grateful for what I do have and so recognizing that if there's something that I'm not happy with or a thought that I'm having, that makes me sad or upset, I can change those things anytime. So while there are many things that are out of my control, there are so many things that are. And as my mentor says, life is choice, I can choose to be different and to do things differently any time. So that's one of the reasons why I'm having some new teeth after these braces.
Bonny Snowdon 38:58
That is amazing. I think for one to be able to recognize that you need the help because sadly so many people don't recognize that. They think that this is me, this is me forever, and there is nothing you can do to change it and actually there are many things you can do to help build strategies to cope with feelings and whatever. So to recognize that you need the help, then to actually go through with the help and come out the other side with literally a fresh mindset on everything and being able to enjoy your life. I'm sure it's still there but you're able to sort of push it away and not have to concentrate on that.
Mim Jenkinson 39:44
And it was like a lens. I couldn't take off that lens. I just thought that every decision that I was making and every thought I had was clouded by this lens of, but it might come back. And I think that's probably relatable for people, regardless of what their lens is. It doesn't have to be a health diagnosis, it was just this constant. I remember going to buying things for the house thinking, what's the point? It was kind of that feeling a lot of like, “but what's the point” and while I wouldn't necessarily finish that sentence, in my head, I knew what I was thinking. At one point every second of every day was, it's going to come back, it's going to come back, it's going to come back. And that is clearly no way to live. And because I lost quite a lot of people, too. So the most beautiful thing about having going through a cancer diagnosis is the connection that you have with others who are going through it at the same time. But that's just so bittersweet in so many ways, too. So it was a constant feeling that was there. And I didn't know it was a lens, I didn't know I could take the lens off. I didn't know like you said I could change my thinking to be in something else. And if somebody ever shouted that from the rooftops at me, I wouldn't have believed them, I would have been probably quite annoyed at them.
It just had to get to the place where I was ready to be open for sure. But yet, at the point where I realized I wanted to change and all I had to do was have the belief that things could be different. Even if I didn't really believe it. And even if I didn't know what that was going to be, I just had to believe as much as possible that things could change, that things could be different. And then having that openness to learning from others and listening it changed everything for me. But again, like I say, as much as I wouldn't want to go through the situation again, I do believe that life is just so very good now and very different to what it was. And without that experience, there were too many things that I was taking for granted. So I feel very lucky that I'm here now.
Bonny Snowdon 41:48
Oh, gosh, amazing. You've got such a wonderful story. And you have this lovely aura about you, this sort of calm, and it's just lovely. You're sitting there, you look glowing, and you look really a happy person.
Mim Jenkinson 42:16
It's because I quit alcohol, it's because I haven't drank alcohol in four years. That's my secret.
Bonny Snowdon 42:25
It's so nice to be around genuinely happy people. It's one of the loveliest things to get because you're infused by their enthusiasm if you like of life.
Mim Jenkinson 42:38
I know what you mean. And I think that sometimes we feel that we can't always share that life is good when it's good. Especially having gone through things and I know you have too. You never know what other people are going through. So we don't necessarily want to shout from the rooftops that I'm having a great day. Business is going really well. My marriage is perfect. I'm really healthy. Like, we don't want to say those things because we don't want to rock somebody else who isn't going through those things. But at the same time, I think just being open enough to share when things are going well can give other people hope too. I share everything, like on the platforms that I have, whether it's Instagram, the podcast, my blog, I share the dark, and the light. I share everything. People have been with me for years and followed my journey through cancer, through the different health things, the pregnancies, I did struggle with alcohol when I was going through PTSD, and it’s what the book I wrote was about. I certainly don't just present this like happy, positive, amazing outlook all the time. Because I do think that's toxic in many ways too to not share everything. And I'm the same. I appreciate following people and being surrounded by people just like you who share what's on their heart and share your genuine warmth and care for other people too. And we're all in it together. Like community has come up so many times, hasn't it in our conversation? So important.
Bonny Snowdon 44:16
Exactly. And you're absolutely right. You never know what's going on with people. I was on the radio last night and I've had some articles in the Express in the mail about my journey. And my journey hasn't been all a bed of roses at all. And I've had so many lovely messages. Oh gosh, I'm so glad you shared it. I've been through similar blah, blah, blah, all this kind of stuff. And then sadly also people who have kind of been really unkind about it. People who I don't even know. I don't go out of my way to go and look at what people are commenting and everything. And I've come to the conclusion I think after all of the work that I've done on myself that I think sometimes we can think things. And we can think things, but we would never probably say it out loud, or we would never act on them.
Mim Jenkinson 45:20
We all judge.
Bonny Snowdon 45:21
We all have that sort of quality within us. Most definitely. But when it comes out, and people write about it when they don't even know you, and they judge you. My feeling with that is that the people who do that are not living, overly lovely lives. They've lost joy. They're probably struggling with something, and it's an outlet to make other people feel bad about themselves.
Mim Jenkinson 45:53
You see it all the time. Don't we? I mean, it still stings like, it really does. And we've spoken about this before, people just say things via their keyboard that they would never say to your face. And it's hard. I've received messages and people on Facebook ads and things like that. Sometimes I've said things. and As much as I've toughened up a little bit over the years, for sure. I don't think my skin will ever be so thick that those things bounce off me. And I don't think they should either. Because sometimes there is a message in those things. But a lot of the time, there really isn't. A lot of the time what’s that phrase hurt people, hurt people and I have to think, what have they gone through, that has made them feel so unhappy today that they felt the need not only to think those thoughts about me, or whatever it is, but to go to the trouble of actually sharing it with me too knowing that I'm a person at the other end of that keyboard? And that's all I can think. I can't think in a million years that I would ever do that to somebody else. But I do know that people work in different ways. But it's hard, it's Stings, I don't enjoy that part of business. Because it isn't always business you know.
Bonny Snowdon 47:13
And I think the thing is, the more successful you become, the more you're out there and anyone can comment on anything. I'm very grateful to platforms like Instagram, where they allow you to actually, and this is what I tell my students all the time use this function, you can key in key words, just a bit could stop people saying specific words. And if you're getting a lot of trolley, mean people it's worth using.
Mim Jenkinson 47:56
Not so much recently, but what I used to get more so in the past it was things like, because I do ads for like webinars, I've got webinars, and at the end of the webinar, I always say the beginning at the end, I'll share how you can work with me if you want to find out more. And then there will be people who will comment on the ads to say we spoke about this before, things like oh, she's just selling something this is probably a scam. And I think there are so many online scams out there right now. They are really deceptive that unfortunately, it's made things hard for those of us who are not clearly not scamming people. But to them I guess they feel like they're doing their bit for society. But at the same time, if somebody is offended by me as a business owner selling something to them, then that's definitely a filter for them to realize that you're probably not best placed yourself to be starting your own business. Because we need to sell and we need to offer someone a product in order for them to receive it and to buy it and for our business to be successful. But I do think really that there are just some people out there who are unhappy. And we have to take some of that with a pinch of salt too. Unless there's a message to learn from it.
Bonny Snowdon 49:13
A lot of the time that is definitely a message. I find this really interesting actually. I can get smiling when I say it. If we get really offended by something, usually that particular thing that we have to take and we have to learn a lesson.
Mim Jenkinson 49:31
I remember that. I remember in the beginning it was like, this is what I would get all the time. Why are you selling a course on this one? You can get this for free on YouTube. And it was things like that and at the time I was like, "Oh no, maybe I shouldn't be doing this. Like maybe they can get it for free on YouTube." You can go down that rabbit hole can't you? Have the insecurities and the imposter syndrome and those things stayed stuck in for months before I even put out my first course. And then I have to take myself back to the testimonials or emails that I've had from people saying, I have searched for this on YouTube for months and finally, your course gave me the answer. Or your lesson gave me the answer in half minutes. And I was like, "Okay, this is why." So I have to, like, remove myself from the rabbit hole and really think things through. But yeah, I think you're right, like when those messages that come through. I've talked about this on my own podcast recently, sometimes the message isn't that you need to take something on board and change something. Sometimes it's actually that message is telling me that [Inaudible]. And you they may think this, but for me, this is the right thing to do. And this is really a right for me. And it's right for my community and so on. So that's a message in itself, isn't it?
Bonny Snowdon 50:49
Yeah. Oh, gosh. Honestly. We do have fun. Well, it's been so nice. I could talk to you all morning. But I know I've got other people to get some answers from me.
Mim Jenkinson 51:09
Make them wait.
Bonny Snowdon 51:12
I needed a cup of coffee. That's what I need this morning. I started having coffee in the morning. Normally I'm a tea drinker. And I've started a coffee in the morning.
Mim Jenkinson 51:21
I'm British, obviously, I don't drink tea or coffee. Does that make me a very bad Brit? I think it probably makes me an antisocial one.
Bonny Snowdon 51:29
We can't beat a cup of tea. But although I've gone from drinking of quite strong tea with milk to drinking weak tea without milk, it's like literally along with the tea bag. And I drink earl grey. So you just get the lovely sort of flavour from it.
Mim Jenkinson 51:46
But even drink the fancy tea.
Bonny Snowdon 51:48
I know. I know. You wouldn't think of it, would you when you look at me. I made an effort this morning, I put some like glowing.
Mim Jenkinson 51:58
And yeah. Oh, see, for me, it's quarter to seven at night and my makeup is sliding down my face right now.
Bonny Snowdon 52:06
You look amazing.
Mim Jenkinson 52:08
Thank you.
Bonny Snowdon 52:09
Bless you. It's been an absolute joy talking to you. And I'm going to email you can we get together again? Not recording.
Mim Jenkinson 52:19
Definitely.
Bonny Snowdon 52:19
Really nice. I'd love to pick your brains and everything about some stuff if I can do that.
Mim Jenkinson 52:25
Anytime. Definitely.
Bonny Snowdon 52:27
Thank you.
Mim Jenkinson 52:28
I've loved talking to you.
Bonny Snowdon 52:29
I've loved talking to you, too. It's been so nice.
Mim Jenkinson 52:33
Thanks, lovely.
Bonny Snowdon 52:36
Have a lovely rest of your evening.
Mim Jenkinson 52:37
Thank you darling, Bonny and you have a great day.
Bonny Snowdon 52:40
Thank you. Bye.
Mim Jenkinson 52:41
Bye.
Bonny Snowdon 52:41
I really hope you enjoyed listening to this episode of my It's a Bonny Old Life podcast. If you did, I'd be so grateful to you for emailing me or texting a link to the show, or sharing it on social media with those who might like it too. My mission with this podcast is all about sharing mine and my communities experience and hope by telling your fascinating personal stories, championing the other amazing humans in my personal, professional and membership community, and to create another channel through which I can support you to realize your coloured pencil and life dreams. If you haven't done so yet. Please help me on my mission to spread positivity and joy throughout the coloured pencil world by following me on my socials at Bonny Snowdon Academy, or by getting on my list at bonnysnowdonacademy.com, and remember, I truly believe if I can live the life of my dreams doing what I love, then you can too. We just need to keep championing and supporting each other along the way in order to make it happen. Till next time.
