Of all the habits my mom passed down to me, journaling might be my favorite. She’s the one who got my sister and me into the habit when we were kids. Before every vacation, she’d take us to Barnes & Noble to pick out journals, and at the end of each day, we’d have to write in them. Although I had no interest in doing what felt like schoolwork on vacation, I’m so glad she made us do it.

Getting my thoughts onto paper taught me how to see them more clearly. Some feel small once I see them written down, and I can move on. Others feel bigger, and that’s when I know I need to spend more time figuring them out.

Honesty is everything. There was a time I tried to make my entries sound perfect, like I always had it all figured out. Those are the journals I hate reading now because I know I was lying to myself. You don’t get anywhere by pretending you have it all figured out.

When I go back and read them, it feels like meeting a past version of me. Sometimes it’s really nice. I feel proud of who I’ve become and have more compassion for who I was. Sometimes it’s hard and a reminder of the work I still need to do. Either way, it’s a mirror that offers an opportunity for growth.

Over the years, my process has evolved. I still journal, but sometimes I record voice memos or take videos instead. Documentation of your life and growth is so unbelievably important. No matter how you choose to do it, just do it.

If you don’t know where to start, that’s fine. I promise it is way more simple than you think. You don’t need to have profound thoughts. Just start with how you feel in the moment: I’m happy today or I’m sad today, and why. Even if it’s just two sentences, that’s enough. Write about what you did that day. Or what you have to do tomorrow. Lower your expectations. You don’t need to be Hemingway. Everyone feels something.. so write about it. Doesn’t matter if it’s about how annoyed you felt sitting in traffic today, or how heartbroken you felt after losing someone you love.

Write it down anyway.

📑 Studio Notes

Field notes from a builder, marketer, designer and human being.

Feed Your Soul. Don’t Sell It.

One of the greatest luxuries is being able to pick and choose what projects you want to work on. The goal was always to get to a point where “but it pays well” isn’t a good enough reason to say yes. Feed your soul, don’t sell it.

SKYLRK Brand Launch - Email Pre-header

You can’t hate on a man who knows how to turn attention and hate into momentum. In the same week as his album, Bieber launched SKYLRK, his new lifestyle brand. Perfectly timed to ride the wave.

If you missed it, Bieber had a run-in with paparazzi that went viral. He dropped the now-famous line, “It’s not clocking to you that I’m standing on business.”

On top of one of the most strategic brand launches and album rollouts of 2025, he sent one of the best email preheaders I’ve seen all year. What I loved most wasn’t just that he capitalized on the noise, it was how he did it. Perfectly timed, self-aware, and funny. When you have attention, you don’t waste it. You use it. You turn it into something people remember.

The email pre-header worked for a few reasons:

1. It stood out in my inbox

2. It made me laugh and respect him even more

3. I bought a hoodie

Well played, JB.

🔖 Bookmarks & Brain Fuel

What’s fueling my brain this week. A few things I saved, clicked, and couldn’t stop thinking about.

This Necklace.

Normally i’m not really into the whole emoji thing. It’s cool when it’s subtle but it can get corny fast. but this? this is different. the colors, the little details, the mix of textures. it feels nostalgic, like something you would’ve made at summer camp. Almost candy necklace esque.

It’s playful without trying too hard and that’s what makes it cool.

The Worlds Healthiest Hoodie

Superpower is one of the most exciting companies I’m watching right now. As a health app looking to redefine how we think about wellness, they already have a bold vision but it’s the brand they are building that really stands out.

Superpower launched what they called the world’s healthiest hoodie. On the surface, it’s just a hoodie. But it’s also a brilliant piece of branding: a wearable badge of belonging for their community, a playful nod to the idea of wellness, and a way to turn early users into advocates.

This kind of move does more than reward loyalty. It gives people a reason to talk about the brand, to feel part of something bigger, and to proudly wear their support. Superpower’s hoodie is more than merch… it’s a masterclass on how to build a brand and community that feels alive.

Make sure to follow my substack, I’ll be writing more in depth on this topic soon.

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