Shivani Shah

Just realized I plugged both ends of the same USB cable into my iMac. How's your day going? 😅

Affinity is right in the middle. Powerful enough to be useful, and easy enough to use.

I'll add that I'm a long-time Adobe user who doesn't need most of Photoshop or InDesign's features.

But Canva never quite hit the spot — I find the UX slow, clunky and just...not fun to use.

Affinity is absolutely perfect for non-designer folks like me who need more than Canva and less than Adobe.

Absolutely top-tier stuff 👏

Just submitted the longest article I've written, with the draft clocking in at 10,500 words.

Thoughts and prayers for my editor.

What it feels like to try to write good words after a 10-day break.

h/t to the creator, Poorly Drawn Lines on Instagram www.instagram.com/poorlydrawnl...

Thanks @simonhowland.bsky.social I'll check it out!

Help a marketing girlie out: are there any DTC e-commerce brands whose promotional emails you actually like?

If so, can you drop the name in the comments please? Thank you!

Propaganda I'm not falling for: reading in public is "performative reading".

Some of us just love reading, ok?

Trying to do your eye makeup when you're not wearing glasses or lenses is an extreme sport.

PSA for Mac + Slack users:

If it trips you up that Cmd ⌘ + K doesn't open up the link box, here's a tip.

– Select the text to hyperlink
– Paste your link with Cmd ⌘ + V

That's it. Slack will attach the link like you want.

Happy Slack-ing!

If you see me use the words "leverage" or "streamline" in my work, know that I have done so with a heavy heart, perhaps some kicking and screaming too.

If you see me use the word "utilize"... no you didn't. I wouldn't use it.

Kindle cover of The Mysterious Case of the Missing Crime Writer by Ragnar Jónasson

Inhaled this book over the weekend 🤩 Ragnar Jónasson never misses.

SaaS companies that don’t ask for credit card info for a free trial have my heart 🫶

This article may be 9 years old, but it's message is more relevant than ever: take that vacation!

www.scientificamerican.com/article/take...

Grabbing screen recordings for articles would go a lot faster if I stopped making typos every 2 seconds 😒

There are two types of people.

- Those who fuel with tea 🫖
- Those who fuel with coffee ☕

Which one are you?

"I just need to get through these next few days and then things will settle down."

Delulu at its finest. It's me, I'm delulu.

When it’s consistent, even simple content can help people discover the business, feel more confident buying from it, and stay connected long after the first purchase.

It doesn’t need to be complicated. It just needs to be thoughtful — and sustainable enough to keep going.

None of this requires a 20-page strategy deck or daily posting schedule. What it does require is clarity about:
→ who they’re talking to
→ what those people care about
→ how the business can be useful

That might look like a short video series answering questions they hear from customers all the time.

Or sharing a few behind-the-scenes clips that show how a product comes together.

Or a post announcing a new drop or upcoming sale.

Or a quiet story about why they started the business.

But the truth is, small businesses can use content — especially on social media — in thoughtful, strategic ways that fit the pace and resources they have, even if the budget is smaller (and the person posting is also the one shipping orders and answering emails).

One of the lingering myths about content marketing is that it’s mostly a big-business thing.

For big teams with big budgets that can afford to plan a quarter’s worth of content in advance, with production days and performance metrics to match. 🧵

Because when things wobble (and at some point, they probably will), having that buffer gives you breathing room and lets you make decisions that aren’t purely based on panic.

Which, as it turns out, is pretty valuable no matter how you work.

It’s just a matter of choosing which version of uncertainty you’re more comfortable with.

There are two things that are common to financial security in both paths:
→ building an emergency fund
→ investing

Even if all you can do is small amounts. Even if you’re starting late.

Clients sometimes pause projects, or budgets disappear. Your main contact leaves and the replacement brings in their own people. And if you have project-based — not retainer — work you’re constantly wondering where your next job will come from.

So it’s not really about choosing security vs freedom.

Freelancing gives you more flexibility.

You’re not locked into one income stream, and in theory, you have more control. You can raise your rates, work with multiple clients, say no to the stuff that drains you.

But that doesn’t mean it’s smooth sailing.

It also comes with a cap. You earn what your employer decides you earn. And unless you add a side hustle (which I tried before realizing I was basically working two jobs and burning out) you’re locked into that number.

And if you lose your job, that’s your entire income gone. Not exactly low risk.

One of the big perks of a salaried job is knowing exactly what you’ll get paid and when. There’s no chasing payments or wondering how much you’ll make this quarter.

That kind of predictability makes budgeting so much easier and helps with long-term planning and general peace of mind.

Your professional and life goals, your financial situation, the job market, whether you thrive with structure or freedom… It's a long list.

I could create an entire series on this, but let’s focus on one aspect for now: financial security.