FREE Organizing Template for the Business Woman

I created an organizing template for women who have a job, but also want to start their own business.  If you want the pdf version, please write to linh@danggoodphotography.com and I will send it to you.

I hope this blesses you.

Created by Linh Dang {Photographer, Artist, Writer}
Founder of FreedomCollage

Passion is Beauty

'The most beautiful makeup of a woman is passion. But cosmetics are easier to buy’ by Yves Saint Laurent.  I couldn’t agree more. Jesus wants us to be passionate for life and for the things we do. Either be hot or cold, but don’t be lukewarm. When you come up with an idea, make that decision to give it your all.

Besides, loving Jesus, part of my passion is photography.  I give my photography business a good chunk of my time. It is still at the beginning stage, but I need to make it a success and the only way to do that, I have to be passionate about what I do. Part of that means taking workshop from the photographers I admire. 

Recently, I took a workshop on producing magazine quality photos with striking poses and Photoshop. Then, I took another workshop on special effects to make the photos look extremely interesting.

Yesterday, I met with one of the models and she told me a modeling agency likes my work. They want to print the photos I took of her and asked if I would consider working with their models. I am really excited! 

Today, I want to share what not to wear in a photo shoot:

• Busy patterns. It can make you look like you weigh more and it’s distracting to the eyes.

• No pure white: This causes glare and can make you look washed out.

• Avoid BIG logos, shirts with wordings, BIG numbers: These are all distracting. Modeling agencies want to notice you, so you shouldn’t compete with your shirt for their attention.

• In group photos, make sure everyone color coordinates, so the focus is on the family instead of the one person who has the odd color out of the whole group.

• Bring props, your favorite hat, jewelry, shoes, umbrella, etc.  It makes the photo interesting and fun.

Okay, leave a comment if you have anything to add or if you just wanted to say hi!

Written by Linh Dang {Photographer, Artist, Writer}

Founder of FreedomCollage

The Big WHY

Most business students know what I am about to share already, but since I was an art student, I did not know.  When you design your business, you want to keep the end result in mind. You want to know what you want from the business before you start anything. Your business needs to give you freedom to have more time and more money.  

As children of God, He wants us to use our brain and talents to be a blessing to others.  Part of that is creating a business that will do the following:

•         You need a business that needs less of your involvement, not more. You need a business that can run on its own, so you can have more time to do ministry, spend it with friends/family, preach the gospel.

•           You need a business that will benefit everyone who comes into contact with your business, so people would want you to be a success. Say you own a coffee shop; when your business is in high demand, you will need to buy more coffee, use more electricity, etc. This will help the economy growing. If you provide other people business, they will continue to cheer you on. Simple as that.

How do you do that?

You need to be completely clear on why you got into the business in the first place. Who is going to benefit from you having this business? If you are the only person benefiting from it, then I wouldn’t recommend you start it.

God wants us to be a blessing and having a business will help bless others by creating more jobs or help the economy to keep flowing. Maybe you have a great passion for coffee and this is your way of helping others express their passion as well. Whatever the reason, make sure that your number one reason isn’t to make money. If that is your only reason, forget it. You are setting yourself up to fail. Your motivation has to have a better purpose than that in order for others to want to support you and for you to want to continue during those days that seem to never end.

Okay, so your homework is to figure out your “why”. Why do you want to start that business? 

The “why” for my photography is because I want to help capture the true beauty in you, the beauty that Jesus sees.

Written to bless you by Linh Dang  {Photographer, Artist, Writer}

Founder of FreedomCollage

More Fun with Less Money

This last weekend, I felt I spent a lot more than I should have on entertainment. I have learned that the more you make, the more you spend.  As a Christian, we need to be good steward of our money. But on the other hand, God doesn’t want a boring person. He doesn’t want us to live a life of all work and no play. In order for me to spend less and still be able to enjoy life, and be able to keep extra cash for the more important things, like ministry or blessing a family in need. Here are a few things I have learned.

1.  Start now. Start today. Go into your phone calendar and have it remind you every morning to: “Cut Costs, Earn More, Optimize Spending.” I got this from Ramit Sethi, this 20 something genius who wrote “I Will Teach You How to Be Rich”.
2.  Direct Deposit. With every paycheck, I have automatic deposits for the following accounts:       
      a)  God gets the first chuck out of the paycheck, 10% = Tithes

b)  My 401K gets 10% (Since my company gives me 9%, my total is 19%). I would give more, but at this time, I don’t trust the Stock Market, nor do I trust our government.

c)  For Life, such as rent, food, gas, car payment = 60%.

d)  Most people don’t do this, but if you want to advance in your business, you need to keep your education up, so 5% for Education. 

e)  You deserve to Reward Yourself for the hard work you do, 5-10% for vacation, clothes, whatever.

f)   The rest, you should use it on Others; either you give it to someone in need, or take someone out for coffee to build a relationship/network.  God is all about relationships – why else do you think He didn’t wipe us all out even though He knew were would sin. Even though we hurt Him, He loves us so much that He would rather experience the hurt and have us around than be without us and have just Him and His Angels in 3rd Heaven.

 3.  Don’t pay full price when you don’t have to. I love coupons. Some people are embarrassed to use them, but why should you pay more than the next person? Subscribe to online discount companies like: Groupon, Google Deals, Living Social, Coupon Cabin, Coupon Sherpa and and/or RetailMeNot. There are so many of them out there. There is Zozi if you want to learn something at half the price.

I love to share what I have learned, so stay tune for more life lessons! Be blessed and prosperous!

Written by Linh Dang   {Photographer, Artist, Writer}

Founder of FreedomCollage

Focus, Focus, Focus

Today, I am writing about how to stay focused on your goals. When you come up with a great idea, the excitement is there and you want to get everything done in an instant. Life does not work that way, and time does not fall from the sky. If you are anything like me, I lose momentum and get discourage when I do not see progress as fast as I expected. Then my habitual resolute surrender; it is so much easier to sit back and watch a mindless movie or TV show. Not anymore! Besides God's love for you, His greatest gift is the time you have on earth. Take your passion, your idea and do something with it.

I have found 5 steps to stay focused:

1.     Schedule work time in your calendar  – my phone pings me when it’s time to create.

2.     Keep your thoughts positive. Every time negativity creeps up, switch that script to something good and productive. For example, if your subconscious tells you that you are uncreative, switch that script to “I am very creative and talented.”

3.     Make a list of topics to write. This way, you won’t have to waste time and energy later.

4.     Remember when Paul wrote, "Pray without ceasing"? Well, write without ceasing. Never edit as you write, this causes you to slow down, get sidetracked and lose the creativity. Edit at the end.

5.     Be the faucet and let God be the Water. In other words, show up and allow yourself to be used by God so the ideas can flow through.

Discipline yourself, follow the steps and make it happen. 

28 Days makes a habit. Try the steps and let me know how it goes.

Written by Linh Dang {Photographer, Artist, Writer}
Founder of FreedomCollage

Say it, Show it, Do it

I recently moved back to Menlo Park and the rent here seemed ridiculously expensive compared to San Jose. In order to make ends meet, I decided on a side job for the extra cash. As I was trying to figure out what I should do and the kind of things people would pay to receive, I came up with photography, art, writing and creating collages for inner healing.

Now, in order to keep the momentum going, I am sharing what I have learned to help you get motivated and help your ideas come into fruition. 

For those who know me, you understand my relationship with my mother. Under her orders and control, I was the daughter who matters not, was used well and spat on.  Growing up, I had little self-esteem and was constantly striving to win her affection by showing her I was more capable than she thought.

Today, I am still trying to prove myself to her. My mother only sees value when there is a dollar sign in front of it.  I will not be of value to her until she sees me with lots of money. Until that happens, I will focus on my own passion and make money doing the things I enjoy in life. My number one passion is God, and all things beautiful are from God. Your creativity is from God and the desire to produce is from God.

This month, I am focusing on photography and getting my children stories published. (I have a few other top secret projects, but will announce those later.)  

The only way to make people take you seriously is by taking yourself seriously. Success has its own rules, you just do it. 

I have learned that there are three steps in making your dreams visible:

1. Say it: Every time you meet someone new, introduce yourself as the person you want to be. For example, “I am a photographer, I am a writer, I am an artist.” Don’t say, “Well, I want to be a photographer and I work at Safeway while I try to build a name for myself.”  
2. Show it: Put your tag in your emails, business cards.  I currently have my tag at the end of every email as: Linh Dang {Photographer, Artist, Writer}
3.  Do it: Schedule the time in your calendar every day like it’s a date with a friend. If you want to be a writer, make the time to write, join a group of writers or start your own writing group. If it’s not in your calendar, then it’s not real. Get your business cards made and go network. Tell people about your business and who you are. You can get quality business cards for less than two cups of coffee. I use www.vistaprint.com - 250 cards for $10.

Try this for one month. I can guarantee that you will walk, talk and think like the dream person you want to be.

"Hi, my name is Linh Dang. I am a photographer and soon to be a published author."  ::wink::

Written by Linh Dang
Photographer, Artist, Writer

Founder of FreedomCollage
DangGoodPhotography.com
Lestienne.blogspot.com

Having a Coke with You by Frank O'Hara

Having a coke with you is even more fun than going to San Sebastain, Irun, Hendaye, Biarritz, Bayonne
or being sick to my stomach on the Travesera de Gracia in Barcelona
partly because in your orange shirt you look like a better happier St. Sebastian
partly because of my love for you, partly because of your love for yoghurt
partly because of the fluoresent orange tulips around the birches
partly because of the secrecy our smiles take on before people and statuary
it is hard to believe when I'm with you that there can be anything as still
as solemn as unpleasently definitive as statuary when right in front of it
in the warm New York 4 o'clock light we are drifting back and forth
between each other like a tree breathing through its spectacles

and the portrait show seems to have no faces in it at all, just paint
you suddenly wonder why in the world anyone ever did them I look
at you and I would rather look at you than all the portraits in the world
except possibly for the "Polish Rider" occasionally and anyway it's in the Frick
which thank heavens you haven't gone to yet so we can go together the first time
and the fact that you move so beautifully more or less takes care of Futurism
just as at home I never think of the "Nude Descending a Staircase" or
at a rehearsal a single drawing of Leonardo or Michaelangleo that used to wow me
and what good does all the research of the impressionists do them
when they never got the right person to stand near the tree when the sun sank
or for that matter Marino Marini when he didn't pick the rider as carefully
as the horse

it seems they were all cheated of some marvelous experience
which is not going to go wasted on me which is why I am telling you about it

Frank O'Hara