Emma Brown

How lucky am I to be doing what I love?? I’m so happy I can laugh at whatever life throws up at me.

Out of the mouths of babes

This morning I was being interviewed over the phone by a serious journalist about my Very Serious Business Career. (Say that last part sarcastically because not much of what I do is serious).

In keeping with my hectic life, I was driving the car at the time, talking on the hands-free, sipping my soy mocha (mocha doesn’t sound as bad as coffee) and nursing my little puppy who couldn’t possibly sit as far away as the passenger seat.

All was going well. The journalist was asking away with her questions, I was enjoying the sun and responding in a Very Professional manner, the pup seemed sleepy and opened wide to yawn and … threw up on me. Not a dainty little puppy vomit (does such a thing exist?), but what seemed like the week’s takings – all over me, and all over the car interior.

So, I remained Very Professional and didn’t miss a beat with the interview, and only giggled inside. Anyone watching might have noted that my facial expression was saying: “I’m horrified that such a pretty little thing could create such a mess, but it really doesn’t matter because it’s not such a big deal and it’s actually quite funny.”

Afterwards I emailed an account of the incident to a good friend. She replied, ‘Em, that’s the thing about you. You always greet every situation and challenge with such joy.’

Her comment came at a time when I’d been thinking a lot about joy. We’d just had T-shirts printed for a group of Business Chicks who will run in the City 2 Surf in Sydney to raise money for Kids Help Line. We got the T-shirts printed with ‘Business Chicks, joyfully supporting Kids Help Line’ because that’s how we feel about it. It’s a joy to do the sort of work we do, but then again we don’t even consider it work because we love it so much.

People ask me all the time why I’m perpetually happy and the answer is because I love what I do. I’ve worked out what I’m really good at and worked out a way to make it into a business. There’s no separation in work and life for me – they’re one in the same.

How can you too bring joy into your work?

• Start doing stuff you love.
• Only work with people who have great optimism.
• Give thanks regularly – have an attitude of gratitude.
• Do something meaningful that leaves the world a better place.

Emma Brown, at 28, has bought three businesses and sold one. She is Chief Chick of Business Chicks – www.businesschicks.com.au , Australia’s leading community for women, and Managing Director of Last Thursday Club – www.lastthursdayclub.com.au – the monthly event for big thinking professionals . She’s on the board of Entrepreneurs Organisation, avoids coffee (loves mocha) but still talks fast, and lives in Sydney with her entrepreneur fiancé.

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Comment

Alix at Dinner Divas writes: Hey Emma, couldn’t agree more! Even the hard days seem easy when you love what you do. My business is a culmination of everything I love to do – now I get to do that all the time. It’s brilliant.