mlaws/weekly.log #002

Hello beautiful people,
It was really nice hearing from some of you in response to last week's newsletter—thanks for kicking this thing off with positive momentum.

This week has me thinking about the importance of being intentional: about the projects you choose, the places you work, and how you show up.

But first, a big launch 🚀

Launching The Depanneur’s new site

We launched thedepanneur.ca this week, and it reminded me how damn good it feels to work with a business that's close to your heart. For those unfamiliar, The Dep is "Where Interesting Food Things Happen"—and they mean it.

As someone who's almost as food-motivated as my dog, I was excited by the technical challenges of building for one of Toronto's most exciting culinary ventures: building booking flows for ticketed events, custom waitlists for sold-out events, and check-in systems for supper clubs, cooking classes + so much more. Moving from a quietly disintegrating WordPress site to a lightning-fast Shopify setup that does justice to this special place has been a joy.

Partnering with The Dep has reminded me why being selective about clients + projects matters so much. Considering that they’re hosting my business relaunch party (!!) in a couple of weeks, I think we can call this one a big win.

Three thoughts on being intentional about great client relationships

Be picky - Even small signs matter. Do they respond thoughtfully? Ask good questions? Are they solving problems you care about? The best clients are people you'd want to grab coffee with outside of work.

Find people excited about discovery - Len came to me with specific WordPress improvement ideas but was open to exploring whether Shopify could solve his problems better (and much cheaper!). Clients curious about the process make for much better + more enjoyable work.

Host meetings in interesting places that inspire creativity and meaningful conversations - On that note…

Bonus: three Toronto spots to host better client meetings

Rooms Coffee @ 915 Dupont - Beautifully designed, outstanding coffee/matcha/Japanese Whiskey, insane vinyl sound system. Great for discovery conversations or catching up with people you actually like working with. Warning: no laptops on weekends, which IMO adds to the charm.

Cafe Paradise - H/t to Len for introducing me to this gem. Perfect spot for a relaxed conversation/working session over brunch.

Art Gallery of Ontario - I pay $175/year for a membership that grants me unlimited access with a guest, plus access to the member's lounge (in a historic house behind the gallery). Nothing beats being able to co-work from the lounge or have a client meeting in the bright café, then slam the laptop shut and go for an art walk. Doesn’t hurt that the AGO is dangerously close to dim sum in Chinatown and all the great spots along Baldwin.

Personal win: settling back into a consistent meditation practice

After falling out of practice during my downtime (the irony is not lost on me), I re-read Wherever You Go, There You Are (IYKYK) and have gotten back into the groove.

These days, meditation feels like tuning a musical instrument—the busier I get, the more I need those few minutes to tune my attention. Otherwise, I spend the day feeling like my mind is playing an out-of-tune guitar. Not to mention, meditation is scientifically-proven to be really fucking good for you.¹

I suppose this week’s big idea is that it all comes down to being intentional about how you spend your time and energy—the work you do, clients you take on, and meeting them in places that inspire creativity. The payoff is pretty sweet when you get to launch projects with folks like The Depanneur.

That's it for this week. Hit reply if something resonates with you—I'll actually read it.
Martin

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1  https://www.headspace.com/articles/the-science-behind-meditation