Catching Up with the Calligraphers: Lessons Learned

Welcome to Season 3 of Keeping Up with the Calligraphers! Alex of Signs of our Lives and Cat of Cat Lauren Calligraphy catch up on all things work and life since the end of Season 2. From the realities of traveling for events, to the challenges of setting boundaries with clients, to figuring out what balance looks like for both of them, these co-hosts are keeping it realer than ever. They reflect on what they plan on starting in 2026, what they're so over, and what's necessary to keep doing. Listen in for some inspiration, but most importantly for the laughs and the lessons.

Transcript

Cat (00:09)
Welcome back to Keeping Up With The Calligraphers. We are so happy you're here. I'm excited to get all caught up. ⁓ If you are new, welcome. If you are not new, welcome back. if you aren't new and you can't tell us apart, or if you are and you have no idea who you are, who we are rather, this is Cat of Cat Lauren Calligraphy and I'm here with my fabulous co-host.

Alex (00:32)
Alex of signs of our lives.

Cat (00:34)
And yeah, this is just going to be a catch up episode, I think.

Alex (00:38)
Yeah, yeah, so we're kind of doing a little bit of a new segment. We want to call it catching up with the calligraphers because we feel that when we do like topical episodes, we don't want to spend too much time catching up on our own stuff. So this is more of like a relatable learn from us. do what we say, don't do what we do.

⁓ sort of scenario.

Cat (01:01)
more context

behind what you might like see on social media or like more than just like a couple DMs like get the real scoop.

Alex (01:09)
Yeah, welcome to season three. We're so excited that you have continued to follow us or if you're new here, definitely like go back to season one and two. We have a lot of really good nuggets in there and we'll probably also like refer to them as we speak. So yeah, today we're kind of going to do a catch up of like some of the things that we haven't shared with you since like literally September. That's the last time we posted an episode and then

Cat (01:31)
Sorry.

Alex (01:32)
Yeah, shit got real. Quarter Four was insane. And also like, lol at anyone who's like a corporate girly and is like triggered by me saying quarter four. I'm so sorry. It's just like how we have to structure things sometimes. so we kind of had to both focus on our businesses and not so much on the pod.

but we have some things that we'd love to share. So Cat, what are some things that you have been up to for everyone?

Cat (01:55)
The amount of travel that I did between October and December was honestly insane, which I'm here for. But also, there were so many events that I was like, would work a Friday, hop on a red eye right after the event, and then wake up, do my event. When I wake up, wake up in a new city.

Alex (01:57)
you

Yeah.

Cat (02:16)
check into my hotel to drop my stuff, do my event, and then be back at midnight to then take a 5 a.m. flight home. I'm pretty sure I did that six or seven times. So just here to, I get a lot of DMs about people being like, that's so cool, you get to travel a lot. I'm it's not, I'm not traveling in a fun way. It is, but you don't wanna travel the way that I'm traveling.

Alex (02:36)
Yeah.

No, me included. mean, not definitely me especially, but like me included. If you're looking for like a slow like, I'm gonna get coffee in this new city that I'm in and like, try a cocktail after my event, meet up with some other people. No. It ain't it. It ain't it.

Cat (02:42)
You especially.

I'm not your girl. I'm not your girl. I'm not like,

and I've been like getting a lot of people like, ⁓ like we should meet up. like, I'm literally on the ground for like eight hours and I'm at my event for like six of them. Like it's not that I don't want to meet up with you. It's that I'm just literally not on the ground long enough. ⁓

Alex (03:11)
Yeah, I love seeing your little location following my little sim. Like where in the world is Cata? Like pull up our text message and be like, aw she's in Paris, aw she's in Savannah, Georgia, aw. So where is she now? Home of heart of Dixie.

Cat (03:24)
Yeah, I had no idea.

Alex (03:26)
Wild times. Yeah. You really have, which is, I don't know why that feels wild to me, because I feel like When I think of events, I think of big cities, but I think you're, again, proving to us all they're happening everywhere. Weddings are happening everywhere.

Cat (03:27)
self a lot.

Yeah.

Alex (03:40)
brand launches are happening everywhere. They want to reach everybody, not just the big city folk. I mean, I feel like I've honestly seen the same thing among comedians and artists that are performing, going to more...

small towns, like trying to do more intimate things, and not always going to the city because I think that's where everyone is so used to people going like, I'm seeing Lady Gaga in a few months. Actually, no, sorry, in like a month. And she's like in Inglewood, which is in LA, but like not LA, you know, so I'm like, it's like in LA, but like the not where I would like anticipate her being in LA. So ⁓

Cat (04:13)
Absolutely.

Yeah.

⁓ I'm so excited to see what you're going to wear. You can not let me down. I'll not.

Alex (04:24)
⁓ yeah.

I need to plan my outfit. yeah, that needs to be added to my list because it's getting close. Yeah.

Cat (04:31)
Okay, yeah.

Lots of travel for me. What about you? was like when you think about like Q4, what like stands out? We can get into like all the little things, but I feel like as a whole like...

Alex (04:43)
okay. I mean, what stands out is burnout. And we did kind of do an episode about this, like being workaholics that we will be sharing. But I did go to Europe. That was incredible. It was also like a really great learning experience for how I need to travel like moving forward. I visited not like you. I think I like went into it like

Cat (04:58)
Not like me or?

Alex (05:03)
go go go! And I was like shit this is actually like increasing my burnout like the whole point of the trip was like go and explore and like live a European cute like life and I just was like I gotta see everything and then I cried in Paris so yeah no but it's fine I say that as like a joke like I cried in Paris but really like it's fine

Cat (05:15)
You didn't. ⁓

I mean, there

are worse places to be having a men's t.p.

Alex (05:28)
were yeah,

were places to cry. No food was incredible. Museums were incredible. 10 out of 10 will be going again. You also went like a week or two ago. So yeah, I would say the end of the year kind of just like

was one of those mirror situations where it was like, bitch, you need to figure your life out and how you want to do the rest of things. So yeah, I don't know. I don't know how anyone feels about that. Like at the end of the year, I feel like there's this weird motivation to like do it all, get it done before it ends. yeah, lived and learned.

Cat (06:04)
was a crutch.

Lived and learned is the theme. We need to add another L that's like lived and learned and looking forward to applying the lesson.

Alex (06:05)
Lived and Learned. That is the theme of this episode, Lived and Learned.

Are we? Are we looking fine?

Cat (06:17)
We should be, we're not.

Alex (06:18)
We should be, you're right, you're right, you're

right. But yeah, so that was really exciting and we will be sharing a little bit more about that. But that's, would say, the main thing that I think about for the end of the year things, yeah.

Cat (06:30)
Did you have in that time frame, did you have a favorite event or one that surprised you? what from Q4 was your fave, your highlight?

Alex (06:40)
Oh, that's a great question. I did do a recap email because I also for anyone who wants to be on my email list or who is already on I tried to do like a monthly recap email last year and it only lasted like two months and then I was like, shit, I have to make this quarterly and I stopped in like May and then the rest of the year I didn't.

sent one fucking update. So I would say I did give my highlights on those. I would say Patro and the one that we worked was really cool just because we did like I just loved those tags like we did these bright green luggage tags and those were so fun.

Cat (07:16)
And they were like butter. Like the way they foiled, it was real

nice. But I did have sensory issues with that one because they had us in the like squishy wet grass. And I was standing by my foot in that squishy wet grass.

Alex (07:27)
Yes. Yeah. Yeah, I would say it wasn't my favorite event. Yeah. Yes. Squishy wet

grass and white because they told us like white where like, I don't know, coastal chic or whatever the fuck it was.

Cat (07:41)
Yeah, coast

or resort chic or something. And I was like, a visual to go to a resort. So what is that?

Alex (07:44)
Yeah.

don't know what that means. I would have preferred to wear

like the bright green, honestly, but we didn't realize so it is what it is and we wore white and it was wet the day before and the day of and gross and yeah. So I would say not my favorite event, but it was definitely one of my favorite items because I look back and I'm just like, they were so beautiful to write on and I loved them. Yeah.

Cat (08:07)
Here's the thing, I looked in my calendar to be like, oh which events did I do during Q4, but I archived everything in my Dubsado after the event is over so it is also no longer on my calendar. I was like, oh, okay, so the only things I can see are the things that were tied to travel, so I could see my flights.

Alex (08:19)
you

⁓ my goodness, God.

Hmm.

Cat (08:31)
or anything

I did with you because I have my secondary calendar in mind.

Alex (08:35)
The one where I send you calendar invites and you get stressed out because I sent you a calendar invite. Yeah, I know we got to work on it. Yeah.

Cat (08:42)
That's the one. That's the one.

But that was a fun event.

Alex (08:45)
We met a bunch of contacts. I forgot to reach out to all of them. I have a list of like screenshotted people that I need to like, I'm usually like, hey, like I'll send you my info. Give me your card. And then.

Cat (08:46)
A lot of vendors.

soon.

Alex (08:59)
Nope, I haven't had one of those admin days. I need more admin days going into the next... Like, I don't know. I don't know how to... I don't know. I just, feel like I was so booked that I didn't have like capacity to even like sit in a cafe for longer than like 100 hours.

Cat (09:15)
Yeah, and you're like admin was literally just

like emails and contracts and follow up and like invoice and follow up on invoice. Like they were dedicated to like the critical actions.

Alex (09:21)
Exactly. Yeah. ⁓

Yes. No.

Yep. Yeah. I don't, I don't, I never remember if it's like working in your business or on your business or whatever that term is, but the one where like you need to be working on the, yeah, the behind the scenes stuff to grow. ⁓ not necessarily the things that like you're currently just doing the

Cat (09:37)
you're friends either, but I know what you're talking about.

Right. Like or

systems, like the things like that. Yeah, I don't know if that's often.

Alex (09:49)
Yeah, I need

like, and I would say a neurotypical person would be like, schedule something on your calendar and like, just take the day and I'm like, that sounds horrible to me and I have to do it when I'm motivated signed ADHD person. Thank you. There's not a chance.

Cat (10:04)
That is not BCBA

That is not BCBA approved if that makes you feel better.

Alex (10:09)
⁓ wait, what's BCVA approved?

Cat (10:12)
Like me, I'm a behavior analyst. I'm a board certified behavior analyst and I do not approve of that as a general strategy. I'm just like putting it on the calendar. It's too vague.

Alex (10:19)
to like put something on, like put a

thing. Yeah, it is too vague. I would agree. It's too vague. Plus, I am one of those people that I'm like, well, I'm aware that I have free will and I can move this on my calendar. I can delete it off my calendar when I go, I don't fucking feel like doing this.

Cat (10:35)
like you know what and

I am a small business of one and I decided that meeting is cancelled.

Alex (10:39)
Yeah. Yeah.

I thought it was really cute though, people doing their end of the year celebrations. They're like celebrating myself and it was like a candle on a little like cake. No, absolutely not.

Cat (10:50)
But those ones, see, we're not canceling those. Those, we'll keep those

appointments. That's the like, that's the grinch, like I can't cancel that again.

Alex (10:58)
You

Cat (10:58)
Dinner with me? can't cancel that.

Alex (10:58)
time with myself?

treating myself? absolutely not. my god. that's great. okay, what else for you though? you were traveling? you don't know the things you did, which I feel like you-

Cat (11:09)
No I did, I do

have a couple, December was my busiest month, but it was also my favorite month. I just did so many, I don't know, maybe this is gonna be icky, but I feel like I did so many bucket list things in December.

Alex (11:25)
Why is that icky? That's exciting. You built it up. You built it up.

Cat (11:27)
like a a not like a not

humble brag. It's just a brag I feel. But like the ornament exchange that I did if yeah, so it's yeah, I was gonna say it's like a very wedding industry specific thing. So there's a group of planners that they started this ornament exchange is kind of an end of the year

Alex (11:32)
It could be a rag.

Can you explain that for people? Because I feel like, yeah.

Cat (11:51)
All of our events are done. Let's do something with, you know, vendors. It's just like fun, but we treat it like an event we would for the client. So it's like very curated and just like the party that you throw for yourself that you never get a chance to actually do is kind of the vibe of it. But it's like evolved over the last like seven or eight years. It's now the like Met Gala of like wedding industry.

Alex (12:09)
stressful but it sounds fun.

Cat (12:18)
events where people are looking to this event like forecast trends for the next year like

Alex (12:25)
How did you find out about this event? Is it just because you're so in the wedding industry that it like came up? Because like I've literally never heard of this.

Cat (12:32)
I

follow the planner, the photographer that started the whole thing. So it's Lauren Pratis and then Abby Ju is a photographer and they're like known. Abby's a really big photographer and then Lauren is known for these insane tent build outs.

for these really just unique weddings. And so I've just followed her for a really long time. So I've seen it every year and I was like, every year we were doing ornaments. I like, I just wanna go do ornaments. I wanna do engraved ornaments at this event. That was one thing, when I first started doing live events, when you forced me to do them in 2019.

Yeah, but this is something that's like, like literally 2018, 2019 that like, I was like, oh, like I want to go to that. That's so cool. And everyone just goes way over the top with their fashion. Like, it's just very cool. And so I got an opportunity to go. I did not engrave ornaments.

Alex (13:33)
I was gonna say I don't remember you seeing ornaments wasn't it like lighter?

Cat (13:37)
No, I

pitched something fully different based on like the theme of the book. I this was on the list, but like I pitched like probably like seven different things based on the aesthetic and everything else, but it was epic. Like it was everything. I thought it was going to be in more.

Alex (13:41)
You're like, actually, I'm going to go to ornament exchange and not do ornament

Cat (13:54)
It was so cool. The fashion was so fun. everybody was super welcoming. Like honestly, 10 out of I couldn't have like asked for that to go better. And then they had this like really epic 90s after party that was right out. it was just really cool.

It's just cool to see people that are so like creative and in their element, being around everybody. it was just a very cool creative energy. And I was a little nervous because I was like, man, like am I just gonna be this random person? Like, you know, like I wasn't sure if I've never met any of these people. I've just followed them. So was like, are they gonna be clunky? I'm the new kid on the block. Like, are they gonna be like weird about it?

Alex (14:27)
Yeah. You're like, are they no new friends? Do they people? Yeah, intimidating.

Cat (14:36)
they weren't, everyone was like super welcoming. I have a lot of really good connections out of it and working with a lot of people that I met there in 2026, which I'm super excited about.

So yeah, that one, I know literally. So that one was really cool. And then the next week we did Engage, which ⁓ is this huge wedding. It's like the wedding conference, like very luxury focus. I know that's very overused term, but it is an expensive ticket and they use every penny in the most extravagant way.

Alex (14:46)
More traveling to the south.

can attest

to this, can confirm.

Cat (15:12)
Yeah, I mean, that was also like a really epic opportunity. And I appreciate you and shout out to Claudia for coming and helping with that because yeah, that was also like a bucket list thing for me to do. And I'm glad we all got to do that together. And then I got to go to Paris again.

Alex (15:18)
you

Yeah.

Well, before you talk about pairs, I also just want to note, feel like the other thing about being at these like events with planners and stuff and doing any sort of like sponsorship or trades or whatever it might be, I think it's so necessary sometimes. Which we did do an episode about this and we'll probably do another one because I feel like

was under listened to. But like these things...

Cat (15:50)
Yeah, or even just

like, yeah, I feel like we've sponsored so much more even since there's so many more lessons we could probably even do like a follow up.

Alex (15:58)
Yeah, yeah, lessons have been learned. We have learned so many lessons. Just for you, just for you.

Cat (16:03)
Sorry.

So much research, you're welcome.

Alex (16:08)
but yeah, no, I just feel like it's so necessary for staying relevant, keeping your face and name in people's like sphere, whatever. And I think that's awesome that you keep doing that. And it reminds me that I need to keep doing that too. If I have to pass it.

Cat (16:18)
Yeah.

And but I think

it's like being selective about it. I've definitely been burned a lot this year on a lot of sponsored events.

So I think it's definitely like being discerning about it, but also making sure that like your systems are set up for those opportunities because they were full on wanting to be treated like clients as they should, but because they were really unfamiliar with the services and how that would go and like they're the.

people for those specific events are in front of a very specific clientele that have a very high level of expectation of how they expect that to go. And so I don't know that it would have gone as well to be honest, if I didn't have a lot of the backend stuff ready and take care of a lot of things for them. Like I learned a lot even in that and getting their feedback was really good.

Alex (17:03)
Mm-hmm. Yeah.

Cat (17:20)
But yeah, just I think being discerning about the opportunities and then making sure you're making the most out of the opportunities, not just the day of the event, but like leading up and like following the event.

Alex (17:29)
Yeah, I feel like there's so much prep work

you did for Engage. Like, I don't know about all the other ones because I wasn't there, but like because I was there for Engage, getting there early and doing all the prep work and sitting with our little guillotine.

Like, I just feel like there's...

Cat (17:44)
paper cutter.

Alex (17:45)
Just, you know, all the things that you have to factor in is a lot. And then just talking through all of that and then adjusting when necessary to make it that exciting client experience so that like, if you are working with any of those planners, they are seeing you in real time, being good at your job. Because I would say that the whole job, the whole job from back end to front end, like, yeah.

Cat (18:04)
the whole job. Not just the event.

Alex (18:09)
So

I would say like that's so important because I've heard stories of people like just fucking getting up and leaving after an event and not checking in with anyone or shit like that where it's like, okay, well, that's not part of a luxury experience. So I really hope that's not the client you're trying to target. So I just feel like there's a lot of things that could be like, yes, it's important to do and like.

Yeah, set yourself up for it to be successful.

Cat (18:35)
I do wish they were like spread out. It was literally like back to back to back to back to back to back. And I was like, okay, I'm really tall.

Alex (18:36)
No pressure.

⁓ yeah.

Remember in like

the beginning of the year we're like we're not doing any more of these and then yeah

Cat (18:51)
LOL.

LMAO. ⁓

Alex (18:53)
⁓ R-O-F-L-R-O-F-L-R-O-T-F-L rolling on the floor laughing. my God. That's such a fucking- Okay, aim. What? Such a- What?

Cat (18:55)
insert clown face emoji.

That's like... I don't know, I think it goes either way. Yeah. A throwback.

Alex (19:12)
⁓ you know what? The one thing I wanted to say, like going back to the Patron event was we got a new foiling tool that I fucking love and it is so much more consistent and it's portable. All you need is a little power bank. It's from Japan.

Cat (19:20)
Mm, yes.

Alex (19:28)
Did you buy them? You bought them for us, right?

Cat (19:30)
about them for us. Yeah, I think they're starting to expand into some the US retailers. I'm not sure actually, I need to do I need to do some research. But it's the white one. If you've seen other people use it. I don't know. The white wailing tool like I don't know. Yeah. But it is real nice. It's been really convenient to travel. I did buy another one.

Alex (19:42)
And the white one, like what? That's so... It's a white pen.

Cat (19:55)
I, here's the, okay, I forgot my kit that one time and thank God.

Alex (20:01)
Yes. yeah, you have your car

kit now.

Cat (20:04)
When I

was working, shout out Betty, like, I literally called her and was like, hi, I'm like five minutes away, but I literally forgot my entire Mary Poppins backpack that has literally everything in it. I don't know what you want me to do. thank God she had a second foiler. But now ever since that happened, I decided that I just need a that stays in my car and it doesn't come out.

which means I also need a travel kit that fits in my suitcase. That can't be my Mary Poppins bag. So I have a full, my Mary Poppins bag that just stays in my car. It only comes inside when I need to charge things. And then I have my travel bag that is an exact replica and has exactly everything that's in my other one. So it has two.

Alex (20:37)
Mm-hmm.

Not even two different colors, you got like two of the same black.

Cat (20:50)
I have the exact same like King tool, the white foiler, the big foiler, two engravers, like a full second set of rub and buff, a full second set of paint, but like everything, it's like a full replica kit that is just for travel.

Alex (20:53)
everything.

⁓ speaking of rub n buff Buff.

Meanwhile, I'm like, should I maybe get a second one? I don't know. Knocking wood right now. ⁓ yeah, I was saying, speaking of Remembranuff, there was one time I texted, we have like a group text with a couple other artists on it, and I literally was like, how the fuck?

Cat (21:13)
But what were you gonna say about Roma?

Alex (21:23)
This Rub-N-Buff is not fucking working. Okay, I'm just gonna give everyone the same tip because I feel like it was really helpful. usually I would like put the Rub-N-Buff on there, which by the way, I still have the same Rub-

Cat (21:32)
Because it wasn't

sticking to the engraving, right?

Alex (21:35)
Correct, yeah, but here's why. So I would put it on and then I would immediately spray, spray, spray with my rubbing alcohol and then like wipe it off.

Cat (21:43)
I didn't know you were spraying it. I thought you were literally just wiping. Okay, that would have answered so many questions for me. Anyways, proceed.

Alex (21:50)
Yeah, yeah, no, I'm

literally an idiot. I forgot like, I used to know how to do it. And then I literally forgot how to do it since I don't offer it. But I was like, it was $1,000 bottle. And I was like, this looks like it just like needed it. It needed it. It needed it. So for some reason, I had it in my bag. Not sure why. I literally I was like, because I don't bring it because I'm like, Nope, don't have it. Sorry.

Cat (22:15)
you don't have like

a full three kits, but I'll have Revenbush.

Alex (22:17)
No, also I have the

same rub and buff from when I started calligraphy from 2019. have a little paper clip that I keep in my little bag and I just slightly jam in the paper clip to make a little hole big enough for a little bit to squirt out. But it works, okay? It works. It works. So anyways, so.

Cat (22:22)
Was it like, clogged together and like, as cement?

Alex (22:45)
If anyone also struggles with rub and buff, because I have been struggling, because I didn't know, you're supposed to put the rub and buff on a little bit at a time and then you wipe off and then a little bit and you wipe off. No spray, no rubbing alcohol. That's just for like.

Cat (22:55)
with no spray.

The...

It's like after and you can't get like things off. You just... ⁓

Alex (23:05)
Yeah, but I'm an idiot and I didn't

know, okay? So here's me admitting that, okay? Thank you for coming to my...

Cat (23:13)
If you struggle with rub n buff fuckin' same. We also don't know what we're doing.

Alex (23:17)
But also that's like,

no, also I just like hate it. Cause I also don't do a lot of foil or a lot of foil, like a lot of retail events because I hate retail events. ⁓ which is some

Cat (23:28)
dude and it just

like makes a mess literally it's like the glitter of engraving supplies it fucking I swear I'm so careful with it and the next thing I look down and it's fucking all over it's on my elbow it's on everything I've touched now there's just I'm like rubbing it off and the front looks nice but I somehow got it on my other

Alex (23:35)
Yeah, it's on every leather jacket.

Like on your elbow.

Cat (23:51)
hands ⁓ shit there's a rub n buff fingerprint on the backside so now like taking five times no don't sign me up for rub n buff but

Alex (23:58)
No,

yeah, I don't even offer it. Again, it was like a thousand dollar bottle and I was like, have it, this could use it. And it looked way fucking better with it. It was like a James Bond bottle. And I was like, all right, well, you need to do it up. It's just reminded me that I like for sure told the client, I was like, I'm gonna make it real. No, I did literally forgot about that.

Cat (24:16)
You didn't make a real, okay?

Alex (24:18)
Did I make it real? No, I went out of office. And good night.

Lordy. Okay. Speaking of, I... There are a couple types of events that I decided I'm just like no longer doing. Number one, weddings.

Cat (24:30)
Unless I like cry and beg and plead.

Alex (24:32)
No, no, no. I will. Here's the thing. I will come. I will be

a second person. I don't want to be the one responsible for fucking anything. Unless it's like, like I'd have to if you're taking me to Paris for a wedding, I think, you know, I would fucking do it. I'll do it. I'll do it. ⁓ just, you know, twist my arm. Twist my arm. However, any other wedding, I'm so OK. Like unless it's going to be like the coolest fucking thing ever. Like.

Cat (24:48)
all of sudden.

Alex (24:57)
I'm gonna, but I think that's what makes us a great team because I can just be like, no thank you and then send. Thank you.

Cat (25:03)
and then you send it to me

and then I'm like, hey, are you still available for this day?

Alex (25:07)
You're like, actually I need two artists. Yeah, so no weddings. And if I do retail, I'm charging way more.

Cat (25:13)
Dude, I power to y'all that do retail and do retail well. I fear it. I'm not built for retail. It brings out the worst in me.

Alex (25:20)
Same.

It's the fluorescent lights.

It's the fluorescent lights. It's the people who are at the mall or wherever who act like they've literally never been anywhere in their entire life. And you're like, hi, is this your first day on earth? Like they'll ask. You'll literally be painting a bottle and they'll be like, excuse me, I'd like to return this. And you're like, do I fucking look like returns? Do you see a sign for returns anywhere around me? Like, fuck.

Cat (25:41)
Bye.

decent amount of like good retail events. It's just not my favorite.

Alex (25:51)
No, I did some VIP ones, which were like influencer retail. It was different, yeah. It was like they changed the store.

Cat (25:55)
That's different.

You're talking about like,

like gift with purchase or like complimentary with.

Alex (26:01)
Correct.

Yes. And that's a no for me.

Yeah, so you're welcome, everybody.

Cat (26:06)
Yeah.

Don't sign us up for retail.

Alex (26:08)
If you are in San Diego and you like retail events, hit me up. I'll give them to you because I get them in my inbox and I go, no thank you. I go, I'm not for this. No thank you. There was even one that was like, I think I quoted like 4K for it. And even after that, I was like, I had a moment. I think I had texted you about this. I was like, there's two good events. I wrote a pro con list. I was like, actually.

Cat (26:30)
that

was the same one we did and I think, right?

Alex (26:33)
We had both gotten the email for it, correct?

Cat (26:35)
Yeah.

That was so bad.

Alex (26:36)
I'm so sorry.

⁓ I would say, something I also learned from last year. I loved tattooing people, it was really fun, and it does not... With my schedule, I just like, literally can't. ⁓ I had an event in... end of July that kind of ruined me. I just like, You really did, and I'm so sorry.

Cat (26:53)
I got so much good content of you, RIP.

Alex (26:58)
But I did like 16 tattoos in like, I don't know, six hours, like an unheard of. It was, it was a lot.

Cat (27:03)
No, that was wild. That was wild. Like the context

surrounding your work.

Alex (27:10)
It was a lot. I killed my body and that energy bled into my next events and I hated that like so much like I was like this is was not worth it cuz now my other events I'm too tired. I'm too moody. I'm too whatever and it just fucked me up So that's another thing that I just wanted to share that I'm keeping up with my license however

be doing anything again unless it's really fucking cool or they're paying me a fuckton I'm probably not gonna do it cuz it does kill your body and I just sold all of my tattoo furniture

Cat (27:44)
You also fired a client in Q4.

the way, it was such a bad fit all around. I- And you were trying, like, you were trying to make that, like, round- what is the phrase? Like, the round peg fit into the square hole or the square peg into the round hole or whatever. You know what I mean? Like, you know the one. Okay. That's the one. Sure. you- like, you tried. And, like, you tried to be more than halfway and, yeah, they were not.

Alex (27:51)
What's your mouth hit? Yeah.

Yeah, think the square doesn't fit into circle.

Hmm?

Yeah, they were not

it. And I just want to say it's okay to tell people that you don't think it's a good fit and like in a nice professional way, like you don't have to do it in like a bitchy way or in like a vindictive way, just in like a this isn't working for me. mental health is important.

Cat (28:24)
matter of fact.

Alex (28:27)
We are business owners, we can choose our own clients. Like that is something eventually, like obviously not always like if you're hard up for shit, there's a privilege in like having experience and having like a good roster of clients. And you can just like be choosy, like it is okay. not everyone's gonna be a good fit.

Cat (28:46)
even if you

don't have a roster though, if there is a, again, if that's the only thing, of course, but could the time that you're spending in that mismatched relationship be better used building new ones?

I do think there could be potential trade off there, again, depending on your situation, but even just thinking from like a time investment perspective, like how much time are you willing to invest in one you already know isn't a good fit versus like taking that same time and attention and putting it into a new relationship. Yeah.

Alex (29:10)
Yeah. No, I mean, I like

Yeah, I agree.

No, I think about this often, because it's so funny. Last year, I had Coachella and you had Stagecoach. just things like that that was so you and then things that were so me. it's just so... You do attract a certain vibe based on what you put out there, right? And that energy as well as the visuals you put out and the messaging and all that. So I do think it makes a big difference.

Cat (29:48)
honestly that was like the it was not a 2025 thing or like a q4 thing but like the more that i've really gotten clarity on me my brand like really like my own voice and my own personality and that and how that can be separate from me and my own but it's been crazy just to see like

showing up more authentically, really attracting exactly what I'm looking for. Not quickly necessarily, because that rebrand happened like three years ago, but like...

Alex (30:19)
Yeah, I don't

think it happens quickly. think... Yeah. Yeah, it's not a quick process.

Cat (30:21)
No, I'm just clarifying that that's not what we're saying is like, oh, show up as yourself. And then like, all

of a sudden, the clients are like, coming out of the woodwork, I'm more specifying for especially anybody knew that maybe hasn't followed our journey, that's been like three years.

Alex (30:34)
Yeah. Yeah, I mean, holy shit. The even just getting Comic Con, like Abbott Elementary, I feel like that was like a perfect fit for me. Like I was like, yeah, I used to be a teacher. I'm literally like from the Philly area. I'm obsessed with Quinta Brunson. Like all of these things were like so line and like it was like colorful in a way that was like just fucking fun and not off brand or anything like.

I don't know. I it was fun.

Cat (30:59)
Very off-brand for me.

But it was fun.

Alex (31:02)
It was fun. But

yeah, just feel like those things come.

when it's necessary. For the record, for anyone who didn't know this, I didn't get Comic-Con two years ago. Like, they went with someone totally different and they made a choice,

Cat (31:15)
They made a choice.

Alex (31:17)
But yeah, I think that was also important though, because I honestly don't know if it would have gone as well. I don't think I had the experience to lead a whole team. I mean, I did have the experience. I have been a team leader in my past life. But yeah.

Cat (31:28)
But even just like the community, like the community

you had, like that was a lot of people.

Alex (31:35)
We're

eight fucking people doing the work and...

Cat (31:39)
That was

also an event that I worked and flew out on a red-eye.

Alex (31:43)
Yeah, literally was you're like so I'm gonna have to leave

Cat (31:47)
So can you take me to the airport or?

I mean, we're right here.

Alex (31:50)
So after you're done working, I don't know, what is it, 36 hours in a four day period? Can you take me to the airport? Thank you.

Cat (31:58)
need to catch my Z's on this red eye.

Alex (32:00)
I think we learned a fucking lot this last year. also, speaking of something that I started doing last year, as if I didn't have enough fucking things. In between podcast things, I have been posting on Patreon.

⁓ as well as offering mentorships. I can only do a certain amount per month like I think I have all of three slots available like starting in January just because I again literally

Cat (32:25)
we're trying to find more life in our life.

Alex (32:28)
We quite literally were trying to live life outside of work. So I do have mentorship sessions available for anyone who's like, okay, you've talked about shit on the pod or like, I follow you on Patreon and I still have these questions or like there's whatever things. Or I'm starting to add services or like my engravings not looking like, yeah.

Cat (32:47)
Or you just need like a

specific question about your business. Because sometimes like hearing the general information or like how it applies to someone else is one thing, but being able to talk through how that applies to you and your business and the way you've set stuff up totally different.

Alex (33:01)
Yeah. And I've been working with people who are not necessarily calligraphers, which has also been kind of amazing, just like different art forms to bring to events. And I love saying that to clients too of like, hey, if calligraphy isn't the thing, I also know these other people. And I'm usually so excited to share about that because it's like, there is more than just calligraphy at...

Cat (33:15)
Thank

Alex (33:22)
events and I think it's important that we're you're connecting with other artists and that they can refer you you can refer them like I always get like inquiries for embroidery artists in addition to calligraphy at an event when people are doing multiple activations so shit like that you know yeah what about you I feel like we need to take turns

Cat (33:41)
I'm trying to just like have more balance. I didn't like make a big deal out of it, but I did go full time in my business this year. And this is the first time I'm like saying it out loud because honestly, I just don't want to make a big deal out of it. like, I'm

Alex (33:56)
That was a pretty big deal.

Cat (33:58)
Yeah, but I'm still doing a fucking piss poor job about taking care of myself and that's really irritating me that I was balancing all this stuff before and I somehow I'm still in the same hole. I'm just doing a really poor job prioritizing myself. and I, yeah.

Alex (34:14)
Can I say something about that?

I think you're giving yourself a really hard time right now out loud. And I think it takes a lot of practice for someone who's had to transition out of a full-time career as well and into being like a full-time business owner for four years. I think it takes like a lot of practice to like actually get.

Cat (34:34)
I mean, I'm undoing like

20 years of...

Like, cause even softball wise, like this is not therapy, sorry everybody, but like, even like growing up, like I like played really like competitive, like serious softball. And so literally my life was like, wake up, workout, like wake up early as shit, 4.30 workout, go to school, go to practice for a very long time. Um, and then like every weekend was like nine games.

Alex (34:42)
No, this is the area side.

Cat (35:02)
That was like all through college and then I went straight into work. Like, I just don't think I know how to have free time. And I still even like post athletics, like struggle. I'm like struggling still to intuitively take care of myself and not just be told how to take care of myself. Like, this is the workout you're doing today or.

this is like the way we're eating right now because it's season or not season or like like sport wise. I'm not talking about like eating seasonally because I'm just trying to fucking eat in general right now. But like I'm still struggling to just like understand like what I need intuitively. And so I can't do that if I like can't feel and like hear my own intuition. So I'm trying to like not slow down because that's a fucking lie, but like

create more space where I can actually check in with what my needs are.

Alex (35:48)
Give them more space. Yeah.

my god, you sent me your sleep thing? I swear to god we fucking yin and yang because you got like 10 hours of sleep and I got like three the other night and you were like, look at me and I was like, fuck you, I've had no sleep.

Cat (36:08)
Dude, 10 hours?

10 hours in one night is more than like I was getting in some like weeks in December.

Alex (36:15)
Yeah, kind of test

of that. I kept being like, are you sleeping? No. ⁓ No.

Cat (36:21)
No. I'm

pulling another accidental all-nighter. ⁓

Alex (36:25)
You're like, I can just

take a nap on the flight.

Cat (36:27)
Yeah, didn't take a nap on the flight, instead answered emails. I just, need the wifi to be down. I need to be like forced to not, but I, yeah, I am trying to.

Alex (36:29)
You did it and then you did work.

Cat (36:38)
balance still wanting to do all of the things in my business, but also taking care of myself more. Like actually for real, I know I feel like we said this last time and I feel like we said this like every episode. Like, I, yeah, I'm trying to be better about that. So I think it's going better. It's been a week, but

Alex (36:49)
you

We're still practicing, okay?

It's been a week.

Cat (37:02)
We'll see because

I'm off. Don't worry, tomorrow I'm working an event and then flying out on a fucking red light.

Alex (37:10)
Whackadoo.

You silly goose.

Cat (37:12)
So I'm not off to the best start, but I'm not off to the worst start.

Alex (37:19)
Here's my thing, is like, I feel like I just want to do little sprints. I'm okay with little sprints, I should say. Cause like, I'm starting Sweet Green up next week and then right up, like during and after I have events. And then the whole next week I have like event, event, event. And so I know like there's going to be two weeks of like kind of sprinting, but then I don't have like anything.

Cat (37:39)
And that's nice. It's like, I think we both need to be better about like, leaving pockets.

Alex (37:40)
Yeah.

Yes.

Cat (37:47)
and not feeling

like we need to immediately fill emptiness, because we both do that.

Alex (37:54)
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Yeah, I would agree. I actually, I don't know if you're gonna be proud of me or not, but I signed up for like a class in New York City. Like impulsively, I was just like, you know? I signed up for like a sign painting class in February. It is cool. And could I have gone to the one in Orange County? Yes. Yes, I could have.

Cat (38:05)
Wait, what do you mean? What kind of a clap?

⁓ that's cool.

Alex (38:17)
and would have been cheaper and I wouldn't need to go to New York City but I was like, you know what? someone else I know, like travels a lot and like spends time with friends and is really good at prioritizing that and I'm gonna try to like...

Cat (38:30)
channel that. Rub off on me.

Alex (38:31)
yes thank you. I was like that.

So I was just like if I schedule this I think that's kind of the thing like that's what I learned. also ⁓

Cat (38:39)
We have

to schedule that in because otherwise an event is going to schedule itself is truly what it is.

Alex (38:45)
Correct, yes, that's where I was going with that. Exactly. I was like, it was gonna take me five minutes to get to that thought, But like that's what I said to like my uncles that they travel so much and they see friends so much. And like even though they like have full time jobs, I'm like, how are you doing this? And they're like, well, you know, there's a concert in blah, blah, and we wanna see them. And so we just make a trip and we go and.

Cat (38:47)
sorry.

Alex (39:06)
to that and I was like that's so smart like you just go for that thing and then you're forced to travel and you're forced to see friends or you're forced to like do these things and say no because you already booked the travel plans you know so it's like how do you just not work all the time and I think that's like a little bit part of it too that I want to start like okay just fucking schedule shit

Cat (39:24)
scheduling

life into my life.

Alex (39:27)
Yes. Although, fucking hate scheduling shit, let's be real. Like I, I'm more of a last minute plans girlie when it comes to friends. But yeah, like for concerts or comedians Or a lettering class.

⁓ I was also gonna say what you like mentioned before the that I did take a black letter course like speaking of the sign thing like my god, I know because I think you Were were you taking life or were you working? I was like I'm pretty sure you took an event

Cat (39:43)
Yes! I'm sad I missed it. I was taking life that day. No, I worked. I worked. ⁓

Alex (39:54)
And then Claudia from Stranger Studio in Old Town, San Diego. She sent me more black letter stuff. It's like a little cute like end of year thank you gift. And I was like, my God. So now I have like 12 refillable things. I was doing it like every morning I would wake up and I would like sit and do it. I stopped doing that because it is who I am as a person. Also my cleaning lady. Every time she comes, she moves things.

And I have tried to talk with her about like, do have ADHD. You need to put it back exactly where it is. She'll put things away. Like she'll put them like in drawers and like in cabinets. And so unless I'm like, exactly. So I'm like, unless.

Cat (40:27)
then it's out of sight out of mind. It might as well

be still in the store.

Alex (40:32)
It might as well, yeah. So, so yeah, but I have it right here. I have my whole little kit of black letter and it's going to be on my studio desk very soon. I'm in the midst of clearing out all my tattoo stuff still and like inventorying it. But after I do that, game over. I'll be practicing.

Cat (40:51)
That's over for you hoes.

Alex (40:52)
Okay, so that's also what I wanted to share is that more like art stuff, more just like fun art stuff. And I don't know if you agree, but I and I think a lot of people are saying it, I think in the age of AI, I think like crafting is coming back. I think analog is coming back. I think working with our hands is coming back.

I think that's also why we're so fucking popular because every time I go to like a new, like a event, people are like, that's like a dying art. And like, people are so fucking pumped to see calligraphy, like in any form, whether it's foiling, lettering, painting, whatever, engraving. And I just want to say out loud, I fully think that we are not going away. I think we're just going to get more popular because we are a dying art and people are like,

trying to their hands.

Cat (41:38)
People don't know how to write and that's the best job security for us to be honest.

Alex (41:43)
We should not be laughing about that, but that is a bit accurate.

Cat (41:43)
I get people

all the time they like come up to the table they're like my gosh like my handwriting looks terrible like great that secures my job I'm glad your handwriting is terrible

Alex (41:54)
Yeah, but like, would you not agree? Like, I feel like people want to feel things with their hands and like, including myself, even though it's my job. I want to do things outside of my job that like, work other parts of my brain.

Cat (41:58)
Yes. ⁓

Alex (42:09)
on, I asked you to like

literally put a pin in Paris and then I, then we just kept going and we didn't go back to Paris. Would you like to chat about why the fuck you were in Paris?

Cat (42:18)
I was in Paris for a wedding. Did another one. No, it was December 27th. So it was like between Christmas and New Year's. I stayed until New Year's. It was so epic. Like, I, it was epic. Like,

Alex (42:19)
was like a New Year's Eve wedding? Ish? Kinda? Okay.

Hmm.

Cat (42:34)
We stayed, we decided to stay right there by the arc. I did not realize how close everything was. All the main like New Year's Eve activities happened at the Arc de Triomphe in Paris

so that's where like all the main stuff happens. And so we stayed right there because I was like, ooh, I don't want to just like stand in the cold all night. That sounds terrible. So but we were able to like see it from our balcony and it was epic. Like it was so worth it. was so good. The firework show. The wedding was also great.

Alex (43:00)
I love it. Like the fireworks show and everything or the wedding. Okay, yeah.

Cat (43:08)
the but the fireworks out again like fuck your list like it was wild

Alex (43:10)
No, I mean, I always talk about the... Yeah. I always talk about

the London Eye Firework Show was the best firework show I've ever seen in my life.

Cat (43:21)
It was just like being there and then having this experience with my sister that came with me and one of my friends that came with us. I was I'm having a life moment right now. It was so nice.

Alex (43:34)
Live it life!

Cat (43:36)
I always

talk about want to do like a New Year's Eve event. Like feel like that would be so fun. And I was like, I'm not like, this is just my own New Year's Eve event. And yes, I was away from my family, but like it was still just like a bucket list moment.

Alex (43:48)
Yeah, and I'm so proud

of you for staying after the wedding and enjoying the city.

Cat (43:53)
Yeah, it was crowded.

It was nice because I've been there before and so I wasn't fighting lions to get places. But back to the handwriting thing though, even like all of the stationery shops in Paris, I was like, oh, let me go to all the little calligraphy shops.

I have such an ick right now about just like social media culture kind of like ruining cool shit for people because like I'm glad I guess that everyone is finding all these little things but literally everywhere like I expect there to be a very long line at like the Louvre.

I expect there to be a very long line at like Ralph's coffee, like the Ralph Lauren like coffee place. all the like little like the Yves Saint Laurent like coffee shop where you can like do a photo moment because you want like the YSL cup or whatever. Like I fully expect those to be like headlines. I did not expect to walk up to this tiny little indie bookstore that went viral and now has a three hour

wine outside and you literally can't experience it or like I walked up to Melody's Grafiques which is like a calligraphy store with all of these like very antiquey papers and journals and like it's very niche calligraphy stuff and it was an hour long wait outside each shop because it's like two separate shops like and it was just everywhere we went which like I waited in the line but it was everywhere we went

Alex (45:13)
You had an Emily and Paris comment.

Cat (45:17)
was like shopkeepers, like it was viral, but not in a good way. It wasn't like viral where it's like, I'm bringing business and awareness. was literally like, everyone was our staff do not consent to be filmed. and they were having to walk around the stores and be like, don't film or I was like trying to do the little guest book thing with like calligraphy where you like write it and you can like test all the old nibs and stuff like that.

And I did pull out my phone just to like the same way I at an event like do my own thing and they were like no record and I was just like my god this experience is terrible right now and it's not their fault. so it was like there was that piece of it that I was just very annoyed about like internet culture and just how I feel like.

everyone's trying to find like the next big thing you know, which is like a crazy thing.

Alex (46:01)
Mm-hmm.

Cat (46:03)
Yeah, so that was like interesting. because then it like shaped how I went about the rest of my experience. I was like, I don't want like before I went I was like, like I'm gonna do I want to do this content and that content. And I literally had an experience where I like walked up to my favorite store and I was like, I don't even want to take my phone out.

Alex (46:22)
Yeah.

Cat (46:23)
So I literally just took content at the event. I think I did a couple photos and a couple other spots and that was it. Like I didn't do any other, I thought I was gonna do like these cute little vlogs and all these things and I was like so turned off by it. I was like, we're not doing any travel vlogs.

Alex (46:36)
Yeah. Yeah,

no, I'm so with you on that.

a hundred percent. Cause you just have people taking content and they're not actually supporting the business or like they're there. ⁓

Cat (46:46)
Right, and it's like, you're not even

here to enjoy this.

they're using that virality to like make themselves viral and it's like ew not actually like you said to like support the business

Alex (46:55)
Yeah.

Cat (46:59)
Yeah. Anyways, the wedding was great. It was very small and intimate.

Okay, so do we want to do a throwback? We did that episode on stuff we want to stop, start and continue. I feel like New Year is a good time to reflect on that and do that. Do we want to do one of those but like short version?

Alex (47:20)
Yeah,

the last time I did it was like October 2024. ⁓ Yeah, I looked it up and I was like, no, that's a long time. like, okay, some of the things we talked about. Quoting package instead of hourly. Are we going to continue that? We've been doing that?

Cat (47:25)
That long ago? Wow.

Thank you, LOL.

we've been doing that and we love

that and if you're not doing that you need to get on that.

Alex (47:46)
Also, I've been trying to, because I am overbooked, one of the strategies for not being overbooked is increasing your pricing. Champagne problems, but people are still saying yes. So this is a note to people that if you're getting overbooked, if you're getting overwhelmed, up those prices. They will probably still say yes.

Cat (47:56)
Mm-hmm.

They may still say yes, but at least...

Alex (48:05)
Okay, the next thing. Following up with people and asking for reviews. I would like to continue that. Have I done it? Mildly. How about you?

Cat (48:13)
Okay,

I automatically do that. I set up an automation in my CRM, so it automatically does that. And if they don't fill out my form, they get a reminder two weeks later.

Alex (48:25)
my god. See, I didn't want to automate mine because I felt like I wanted to say something specific about their event like a weirdo.

Cat (48:32)
I

do, so it automatically generates and then it sends me little thing that's like, but you need to read this and send it. And then I go in and like do the little edit and then send it out.

Alex (48:43)
Yeah. Look

at you being good at shit. Okay. Well, good for you.

Cat (48:46)
This is the

only automation I have. I don't know how to do anything else. Just to clarify.

Alex (48:50)
okay. I did pay someone off last

year to automate more shit for me. And that definitely helped to do an actual workflow. ⁓ However, the past three days, my workflow stopped working and I have no idea why. So that's super fun. Because now people aren't getting my auto emails when they inquire, book, pay any of it. So I'm like, okay, I guess I will manually tell you. Yeah.

Cat (48:56)
Okay. Okay.

Maybe because

it's like moving to like new system, like, yeah.

Alex (49:16)
the 3.0. Yeah, maybe. I

don't think it's that. I think it's because I canceled my Rebel Rebel account because I was doing my tattoos stuff through there. So I think that has something to do with it. And I just need to like, do a deep dive. Yeah. Okay. the next thing we have is automate processes, which I did.

Cat (49:29)
deep dive.

you

I automated one. Well, I technically did.

Alex (49:37)
Yeah! Nice!

Okay, second- another one. We did- we started doing more calligraphy. Actual pointed pen calligraphy. Look at us! Look at us! We continued it!

Cat (49:42)
Whatever, if you're a guy, that's so funny.

Look at that.

We can still be calligraphers. Renewed for another year.

Alex (49:56)
yeah.

one thing that I'm going to share, which if you didn't see it, I did gold foil on paper. ⁓ And I loved it. Like it was not even my idea. Yeah.

Cat (50:03)
Yeah, it looks great.

It looks great on paper, handmade paper.

Sometimes I do it if it's just like a weird waxy paper.

Alex (50:11)
So you can foil on paper and you it kind of looks better in my opinion, better than dip calligraphy. I think because I like a monoline better than with the downstrokes. Hot take. I love my monoline better. So yeah, so that is the other thing. So good job us. Charging our value. I think yes. I mean, we've definitely been doing that.

Cat (50:20)
Take.

Alex (50:32)
We both increase our prices a lot and people are still... We're still overbooked, guys.

Cat (50:36)
We're getting

a lot of nos. We did have a very big see, I don't want this to be like, yeah, no, that's absolutely not the fucking case. And there were seasons of no where it was like fucking fuck. We was like 15, 16, 17 nos in a row.

Alex (50:39)
Yes. Everybody says yes.

Cat (50:54)
So don't think we're just like so booked and busy. Everyone's paying us top dollar. No. There were definitely seasons of sadness.

Alex (51:00)
Thank

yeah. Okay, something I wrote to continue is staying in boutique hotels. I found that I love staying in Pali hotels. They're like, there's this man who decided to turn like old shitty motels into like beautiful little boutique-y.

hotels and I, every time I'm in LA I'm staying or like somewhere I stay in them. There's not a whole lot of them. Like there's the Petite Pali in Brentwood. That's one of my favorites. And like they'll literally give you Clark Street Bakery croissants in the morning and like a Le Fermier yogurt, which I've now collecting all.

I have like 24 jars right now that I just have like cleaned out and I'm like, I don't know what I'm gonna use them for, but I'm gonna use them. So that's what I'm gonna definitely continue. That's like my favorite. So I'm not sponsored by them, but I do love them. They're a little bit on the high end and I feel like you do get like a nice, cute, like European experience.

Cat (52:05)
like it's like a small business supporting small business kind of vibe.

Alex (52:08)
Yeah,

yeah, they're not like bought out by like a hotel conglomerate or something. Working with the line brands, which I think we kind of already touched on, so I'll skip that one. We said we were both going to stop overbooking. The lie detector says that did not happen.

Cat (52:21)
Jokes on us.

Honestly,

that was a lie the fucking second it came out of our mouth

Alex (52:28)
Okay, ⁓ something I'm gonna start doing. This is new. Therapy. I did start therapy. We're gonna see how it goes, guys. I've done it before, but like, I'm doing it again. Because I need some sort of accountability. And I have like this weird thing through my insurance where it's probably gonna cost like zero dollars. So sometimes it's called... wait, I want to like write what it's called because I feel like that's...

Cat (52:43)
Incredible.

Alex (52:48)
important for people who might not know about it. It's called RULA. R-U-L-A. And you might be able to get your insurance through it and then your insurance might be able to cover it. So it might be zero dollars. And that's amazing. And you can just find a therapist that works within that little thing. Yeah. So it is maybe accessible. Yay. Whoa. Whoa. Who'd have thought? Okay. Also, I joined like a networking organization, which I think you're part of some.

Cat (53:12)
so many. mean, I will be doing more in 2026.

Alex (53:16)
Yeah. Are you doing all of them with trade or do you are you paying or a mix?

Cat (53:20)
I pay for most of mine.

Alex (53:22)
okay. Cool.

Well, I did join one called Business for Good and that's in San Diego and it's like very aligned business people and I'm really excited to like actually hopefully make it to the events this year. Because usually I can't but they do do some like virtual things so I'm excited about that. But yeah, no, I'm excited for 2026.

I am excited to like share more shit with everybody in 2026 and like actually put out more podcasts, which was technically on our list. And, we were all.

Cat (53:53)
We did it, we just

didn't do it to the degree.

Alex (53:55)
Yeah, we went more to like a monthly situation.

Cat (53:58)
Sorry, we're gonna try to be better in 2026.

Alex (53:59)
Sorry. Yeah,

we are. But I think we're gonna do more catching up sessions. We have guests scheduled on the roster. We have some hot takes coming. I'm really excited. I love our hot takes. I think everyone loves the hot takes, honestly. Okay, well now that you're less booked and busy, yeah. Also.

Cat (54:13)
Well then I want to be invited to them!

Alex (54:20)
We are available for travel. If you're like, hey, I'm in New York City and I need a second or a third calligrapher, we will travel to you. And then we can kind of like help you learn on the spot as well.

So just FYI, I wanted to put that out there. Also, if you want a mentorship session, again, I have very limited spots, but I do have a Patreon where I put a lot of things of the tools I use and events where you might, like my event setup.

Cat (54:48)
Yeah, you've done a couple posts too that were like, something came up at our event and then it was like, whoa, like, let me make sure everybody knows this lesson that I just learned kind of thing. I don't remember what they were.

the top of my head because honestly my brain is trash right now but I feel like you've done like two or three of those where it was like something came up and then it was like ⁓ and then literally I was like still on the way home and I feel like I already got a name while that was like has this ever happened to you and I'm like yes I'm literally not even home

Alex (55:02)
more.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

No, I think that's like, again, back to the ADHD brain, if I'm motivated, I'm like, I must get this out of my brain or it's gone forever. So I'm excited to talk to more of you and work with more of you in 2026. And we love you and thank you for keeping up.

and you can find us on socials, at signs of our lives for me, Alex, and at keeping up with the calligs for our Instagram page and Cat.

Thank you so much for keeping up. Bye.

Cat (55:45)
Goodbye!