A woman with tattoos on her arms and shoulder, wearing a colorful tropical shirt and black shorts, sitting on a vintage black and wooden sofa, reading a beige Field Notes notebook, with a yellow retro rotary phone beside her, in a rustic room with peeling wall paint and yellow curtains.

Pull up a log, pass the snacks, and crack open the creative canteen! We’re trading stories by the campfire. Field Notes is where we share reflections on ethical marketing, creative ecosystems, and what it looks like to build work that cares for people and planet. These essays explore care-centered business, relational community building, and creative practices rooted in liberation and integrity. Think of this space as an evolving notebook, ideas gathered in the field and shared in community.

Field Notes

Reflections on Ethical Business and Creative Practice

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Ecological Roles of Care: An Ethical Business Framework for Creatives & Values-Driven Brands

The Ecological Roles of Care is a framework for creatives, small business owners, and values-driven leaders who care deeply about the world they’re contributing to — but feel overwhelmed about how to show up ethically without burning out. This guide helps you identify your unique role in impact work, align your marketing and leadership with your values, and build a business that participates in change sustainably.

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Our 2026 Anti-Trend Report: What We Refuse To Participate In And What We’re Growing Instead

This 2026 Anti-Trend Report outlines the harmful cultural and industry trends conscious creatives and small businesses must reject in the year ahead—from colorism in design and gendered branding to extractive economics, hustle culture, and unethical AI. Instead, we explore the values, practices, and liberatory business models worth cultivating: human-centered marketing, ethical technology, circular and local economies, creativity-first entrepreneurship, embodied business practices, and community-rooted ecosystems. This article serves as both a manifesto and a field guide for creative entrepreneurs committed to values-driven work, justice-oriented branding, and sustainable business growth in 2026 and beyond.

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Imagination as Infrastructure: Reimagining How We Live, Work, and Create Beyond Algorithms and Capitalism

Discover how imagination can guide us through a changing world. This essay explores how creatives, entrepreneurs, and small studios can move beyond social media algorithms, capitalism, and burnout to build sustainable ecosystems of work, art, and community rooted in care, collaboration, and creativity.

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How to Begin Again in Business: with Alignment, Not Pressure

After a year of intentional dormancy and creative reflection, I’m pressing reset—not from a place of pressure, but from a place of truth. This essay explores what it means to compost old strategies, trust your creative timing, and build a business that grows like a garden: with patience, presence, and care. If you're craving slower rhythms, deeper meaning, and a return to alignment—this one's for you.

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Is It Influence or Manipulation? How to Be a Smarter Consumer

In the digital age, influencers and social media gurus hold immense power—but at what cost? This blog dives into the hidden dangers of influencer culture, wellness industry manipulation, and how big brands profit from our trust. Drawing from my personal experience in MLMs and working with high-profile wellness brands, I reveal how influencer marketing fuels misinformation, unethical business practices, and social media obsession. Learn how to fact-check online claims, hold influencers accountable, and become a more conscious consumer in a world driven by curated illusions.

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Empowering vs. Gatekeeping: Why I Believe in Teaching My Clients, Not Trapping Them

In a world where knowledge is often hoarded and dependency is a business strategy, it’s time to rethink how we serve our clients. This article explores the difference between empowerment and gatekeeping, offering real-world examples of service providers who create false reliance vs. those who equip clients with tools to thrive on their own. We dive into ethical business practices, the importance of transparent education, and actionable steps to build a model that fosters autonomy, collaboration, and long-term success. Whether you’re a designer, coach, strategist, or consultant, learn how shifting to an empowerment-based model benefits both you and your clients.

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You’ll notice many of these essays circling shared questions around ethical marketing, creative ecosystems, and what it means to build business at a more human pace. We hope you enjoy.