Emily Rankin

Owner, Take Note Graphic Design

I believe heart-centered businesses will change the world and I want to help them do that. I'm a graphic designer, photographer and retreat planner living in the woods of Cape Breton.

What's your vision for Atlantic Canada in 10 years? What’s our biggest opportunity now?

I'd love to see more people following their entrepreneurial dreams in Atlantic Canada. There are so many amazing ideas sitting on the back burner and people who don't feel ready to take action yet. I'd love for more people to find the confidence, resources and support they need to push forward. Our biggest opportunity is to support people with entrepreneurial spirit to start businesses here and teach young people in school that self employment and creating your own work is a viable (and thrilling) option.

What was your greatest stage of growth?  What made it a shift for you? 

2018 was a year of massive growth for me both in my business and personally. It was growth in my client base, growth in my mindset, growth in my reach and growth in my confidence. When you are the only person in your business professional and personal development really are one in the same. This was the year when I made my "big leap" and left my full time job to be completely self-employed. That took a lot of self-reflection and self-reliance.

What's your favourite or most read book or podcast?

Books: I always return to Danielle LaPorte's The Desire Map and The Fire Starter Sessions.

Podcasts: Being Boss, Kathleen Shannon and Emily Thompson; Fierce Feminine Leadership, Eleanor Beaton; Taggart and Torrens, Jeremy Taggart and Jonathan Torrens (for a good laugh!)

What's your deepest learning from this past year? How did/will you apply it?

It was that trusting my intuition and finding security within myself is the only way I can build my business sustainably. I appreciate every client, coach, business bestie and person in my support system but when I'm not working from a place that feels good and feeds my soul, I can feel burnout around right the corner. When I listen to my intuition and own who I am everything falls into place and I attract experiences and people into my world that are meant to be there. This lesson in trust helped me to finally get over my fears and turn my 10-year side business into my full time work this year.

Who's inspired you, directly or indirectly? How have they inspired you?

My father has always been a huge influence in my life, especially when it comes to business. He's owned and operated a flooring and furniture store for over 30 years. I've watched him provide for our family my entire life and worked for him when I moved back to Cape Breton. He's shown me how to run a business with heart, has been there for every success and is one of the first people I'd turn to when things felt like they were falling apart. For seven years, my husband and I built our own businesses while I worked full time for him and his emotional support is one of the biggest gifts I've ever received.

What would you have done differently?

I wouldn't have pushed myself so hard. I would have had more compassion and forgiveness for myself. While my hard work inevitably got me to where I am now - looking back I wonder how the journey would have felt if I had allowed myself more space for rest and to not be constantly "doing". Like many other people I gave until I was empty and neglected my own needs for the sake of producing and contributing - resulting in the inevitable burnout. But there are lessons in every experience, including burnout.

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Graphic Designer, Photographer, Retreat Planner, Soulful Entrepreneur, Creative, Nature Lover, Introverted Adventure Seeker, Empath