What FEEDs your mind, body, and soul?

Body, mind and soul connect to each other to make my life as a human being. Life is about love; life is about accepting; life is about forgiveness; and life is about passion and compassion. Those five things (love, acceptance, forgiveness, passion and compassion) FEED my body, my mind and my soul.

Q: What is one thing every entrepreneur should learn?

Every entrepreneur should learn that their idea isn’t perfect, and that the only way it will get any better is if they put it out there and be receptive to feedback. I think too often we are afraid of what people will think and it prevents us from sharing our ideas and engaging our community in improving the execution of our dream. It’s not easy to put ourselves out there, but our idea (and our vision) will become more clear as a result!

Q: What is most fun about what you do?

Wow, that’s a tough one. Working with my close friends is awesome, but what is most fun about my work is seeing people transform. Witnessing people who had ever only known poverty begin to believe in themselves and their capabilities, and others realizing the simple things they can do to love and impact our world, are what bring me joy and motivate me to keep pushing.

Q: What has been your biggest mistake/failure? What did you learn from this?

Honestly, in December my team and I had the chance to win a $1 million grant from the American Giving Awards, and we came short of it. We took second and still walked away with an amazing grant, but I found myself really disappointed. It felt like a failure, but here are some of the lessons that I am learning: there is a plan bigger than the one you have in your head, life isn’t about winning, the journey is so much more important, and probably a dozen other things that I will figure out as the experience unfolds. Oh, and stay humble… always.

Q:What business would you love to start? What business do you wish you had started?

I would love to start a coffee shop. First of all, I LOVE coffee. And secondly, there is a great community you can build around a clothing or accessories brand, but it such a contrast from having a local and welcoming space for people to gather. Does the FEED team want to go in on this with me?

Q: Name and describe a source of inspiration (can be a book, person, music, art, etc.).

People sacrificing comfort to pursue their passions inspire me… everyone at Krochet Kids intl., my friends at Sew.la, a lot of people on Kickstarter, Shepard Fairey, Macklemore, Lauren Bush Lauren and the FEED team. We can all be inspired and be an inspiration. Believe it!

Growing up, I always loved making homemade valentines for friends and family. Although most of the valentines I received were from my mom (a.k.a. ‘my secret admirer’), I nonetheless have fully embraced the idea of a commercial holiday about spreading love. Thus, I have maintained a tradition of making handmade valentines to let the people I care about most in my life know that they are loved.

This year, I decided to make my valentines using woodblock printing. Below are the simple steps to follow to make your own. Sending lots of love your way FEEDers! xo LBL

Step 1:

Gather your materials to carve a woodblock with your special and unique design. You will need a wood block, carving tools (called gravers), a pencil to draw your design, printers ink (oil or water based), a roller, and paper.

Step 2:

Draw and carve you design into the wood block. (If you are carving a written message, be sure to write everything in reverse so that it prints properly. See my “oops”…)

Step 3:

Use the roller to coat your woodblock with printers ink.

Step 4:

Line up the woodblock on your paper and press down. Make sure to apply pressure to all areas of the woodblock so that you get a good impression on the paper.

Step 5:

Let your cards dry for several hours.

Step 6:

As an extra treat for friends, fill a little bag with treats. The treats I choose for my valentines this year include organic hot chocolate packets, traditional Sweetheart candies, Emergen-C packets, candy drops, and lottery tickets.

Step 7:

Assemble each bag and close with a small piece of tape.

Step 8:

Personalize and give!

In December I had the pleasure of traveling to Istanbul, Turkey (for the first time) to attend the Marka Conference, a very impressive international brand conference. And I was lucky enough to have both my siblings, Pierce and Ashley, join me for this adventure. Istanbul is an amazing city where East literally meets West, divided by the Bosphorus. The culture is recognizably European, but with a strong Middle Eastern influence. This interesting mix is clearly seen in the city’s architecture, local cuisine, and cultural practices. And the Turkish people we met along the way were so kind and hospitable. Istanbul is a place I dream of going back to one day, along with the South of Turkey, which is supposed to be beautiful. We were only there for two and a half days, but we were still able to experience Istanbul’s highlights. Enjoy! –LBL

Turkish Coffee: There is no better way to combat jet lag than with a good Turkish Coffee. They make it using a special technique, and it is very strong and not for the faint of heart!

Ulus 29: On our first night we went to dinner at Ulus 29, a very beautiful restaurant which was recommended to us by numerous locals who claim it as their favorite. The food is excellent traditional Turkish food with a modern twist, and the view is spectacular (it’s perched on a hill overlooking the water).

Istanbul Modern: The first and only modern art museum in Istanbul. It has a really great collection of modern art, mainly from Turkish artists. The location of the museum is right on the Bosphorus, and they have a fabulous restaurant that is really lovely for lunch.

Hagia Sophia: Full disclosure, we arrived too late to get into this museum, but it was one that everyone recommends. The building was first a church, then a mosque, and now a museum. It houses classic works. It looks like an impressive museum and is facing the Blue Mosque.

Blue Mosque: A beautiful mosque with an ornate interior. The scale of this ancient mosque and the beauty of the interior make this a really special place to visit.

Basilica Cistern: This large cistern was originally built for collecting rain water in ancient Istanbul. For those of us who have never visited a cistern before, it was a neat thing to see. Giant columns support this giant underground room. The main point of attraction here is also the beautifully carved Medusa heads as column bases.

Turkish Bath: We opted for a traditional Turkish Bath experience in one of the oldest baths in the city. It is not for the shy or easily embarrassed, but after being scrubbed and soaped up by a strong Turkish lady (or gent) you do leave feeling refreshed. It is also interesting to participate in such an ancient ritual as the bath.

Boat trip down the Bosphorus: I highly recommend this as a great way to see Istanbul. And make sure the boat tour takes you to the Golden Horn, preferably around sunset, when the sky and water combine in a golden hue. Stunning!