Ever wondered what it takes to ditch the cubicle and become a full-time girl boss? Our Student Spotlight Series interviews our students who have made the transition from 9-5 to remote CEOs!
From what inspired them to start their own business, their favorite podcasts, go-to morning routine, advice to aspiring girl bosses, and so much more!
Today, we’re sitting down with our student Cheryl Chan, Founder of Made on Sundays! Originally from Vancouver, BC Canada, Cheryl gives us a glimpse into her girl boss journey…
Q: What type of online business do you own and what services do you offer?
I’m the Founder of Made on Sundays, where I help passionate, female-owned businesses design thoughtful brand identities!
Q: What inspired you to enroll in the Bucketlist Bombshells Academy?
When I saw an ad about the Bucketlist Bombshells Academy, it was like a calling. I knew I was ready to take on the challenge and that I had to start by investing in myself.
“I always had a deep desire to quit my 9-5 and start my own business with my own rules and schedule.”
Q: How have the courses helped you to become an online business owner?
The Bucketlist Bombshells Academy provided me with the framework of how freelancing worked, which was mostly what I was afraid of!
I learned everything from how to frame my service packages and creating client contracts to invoicing and even budgeting. I felt supported the moment I signed up for the courses!
“The courses were the push and commitment I needed to start this entrepreneurial journey!”
Q: What type of job were you working in prior to running your own online business?
Previously, I was a Brand Manager for a Fortune 500 healthcare company for six years.
Q: How long did it take you to ditch your 9-5, and how much time did you dedicate in order to make it happen?
In March of 2019, I registered for the Bucketlist Bombshells Academy, and I officially left my job in July of 2019!
I spent around 2-3 hours every weeknight doing the courses and many weekends practicing my design skills. I was fully immersed for many months!
Q: How long was it until you landed your first client online?
I officially launched Made on Sundays on Sunday, October 6th, 2019, and landed my first client on a freelancing website my first week in business.
Did I get paid? Not really! The client ghosted me at the final payment after all deliverables were handed over. I was left with a small deposit. However, I landed one of my biggest dream clients two weeks after that!
“And now, I’ve officially landed my ultimate dream client, the Bucketlist Bombshells themselves!”
Yes! Only six months into my girl boss journey, I’m the new graphic designer for the Bucketlist Bombshells and am living my dream lifestyle!
“And to think… the dream all started with finally deciding to invest in myself and taking that first baby step to get me where I am today.”
Q: What has been your biggest setback, and how did you overcome it?
My biggest setback was when my first client ghosted me. I was so upset and kept questioning whether it was because of the quality of my work or my communication. I had doubts about whether I quit my job for the right reasons.
Knowing that I had done my best, I pushed through these negative thoughts. Plus, I learned that there are risks that come with using third-party freelancing websites!
Q: What was the final push in your story to get you to ditch that 9-5 job?
My husband and I got married in the summer of 2018. We made a commitment to each other that we would live abroad for a couple of years before starting a family.
When I registered for the Bucketlist Bombshells Academy, I realized that I could start a business and make my living abroad dreams come true at the same time!
So, when my husband landed a job in Amsterdam, I knew I had to quit my 9-5 and pursue my online business head-first.
“Within three months, I left my job, moved to a new country, and started my business full-time!”
Q: Tell us what a “day in the life” looks like for you now that you’re running your own online business!
I typically start my day at 9am. My morning always starts with a yoga practise, followed by a meditation or EFT tapping, and then a quick journal.
Then, I have a little breakfast with my tea or coffee, check my emails, and plan out my day. After that, I’ll typically do client work until lunchtime.
After lunch, I like to bike out to my favourite tea shop in Amsterdam and either do more client work or work that builds my business! Because I work with a lot of North American clients, I typically do most of my client calls at the end of my workday.
I end my workday around 4 or 5pm to go home and prepare a delicious dinner for my husband and myself.
“I have a lot of flexibility with my schedule and I love that I can make every day different if I want to!”
Q: What’s the most challenging part about running your online business?
Keeping a positive mindset has been the most challenging part about running Made on Sundays. It’s honestly one of the most challenging things I’ve had to manage since becoming a business owner.
In the beginning, I struggled a lot with imposter syndrome and the instability that comes with starting a business. However, creating a morning ritual where I gave myself time to meditate and journal helped me so much.
Putting my thoughts onto paper really helped me see things from a different perspective and allowed me to work through it!
Q: How do you stay inspired and motivated to run your online business?
The Bucketlist Bombshells Community and private student Facebook groups are my favourite for motivation and inspiration! There are so many amazing boss babes out there kicking ass with me, and it’s a thriving community that has my back.
They are there to celebrate with me whenever I share an achievement and answer my questions when I don’t understand something. It’s a pretty great community!
Q: What is your process for finding and landing clients online?
I find clients in Facebook groups and referrals! Interested clients will typically land on my website and if they like my work, they will reach out to me through my contact page.
I find it very helpful to have a well-laid-out website with my portfolio, prices, and background. So, by the time they reach out, they know exactly what to expect!
After they reach out, we will typically get on a phone call for about half an hour to hash out the details, and hopefully by then, they’d like to work together!
Q: What do you love most about the work you do and the clients you work with?
I love being able to work with different industries for each project. It makes it so exciting and fresh every time I work with someone new!
It’s always been my dream to focus on the creative side of things when it comes to my work. In my old job, it was hard to explore my creativity. I always found myself trying to do things after work to explore my creative side.
“I am so grateful that I now get to blend both worlds!”
Q: What’s the best part about being your own boss?
I love being able to work as much or as little as want!
“I set the schedule, make the rules, and have the power to create my life!”
Q: What is your favorite place to work remotely from?
I love working from T’s Tea, my favourite local tea shop in Amsterdam!
Q: What is your favorite business book that you would recommend to another girl boss?
I absolutely recommend Everything is Figureoutable by Marie Forleo to any girl boss wanting to start building their own business. It made me feel so motivated and limitless knowing that I can most definitely figure out the next step of anything I dream to do!
Q: What’s your go-to favorite podcast that you’d recommend to other girl bosses?
I’m obsessed with Jenna Kutcher’s The Goal Digger Podcast. She’s super relatable, funny, and approachable while providing the best action-driven advice for girl bosses!
Q: What is your number one piece of advice for aspiring Bucketlist Bombshells?
Keep taking action, even if it’s just one tiny step forward a day. In just one year, you will have taken 365 baby steps closer to your dream life!
