Lately I’ve been seeing a lot of discourse around AI slop, “template hell”, and this general idea that our world is lacking originality. I’ve read countless articles pointing out the relation between our never ending doomscrolling pandemic and the sameness we see on and off social media.

I definitely have my own suspicions around how my nightly doomscroll could be playing a part in my personal taste but since when did consumption become such a hated thing?

Isn’t one of the main commonalities of writers the fact that they all love to read?

Don’t artists always end up befriending other artists and talking about the art they make?

So why is that I now feel guilty every time I pull up Pinterest when I can’t think of what to wear?

Working in a creative field at a time where AI can be integrated into so much of our execution process, it makes one of our biggest selling points our taste. But if the argument is that our taste is being influenced too much by the online world, how can we continue to shape it in an intentional way, both online and off?

What is taste?

While my definition of taste has broadened over the years, I still relate it to personal style. Words like ‘our home’, ‘our clothes’, ‘books we read’, and ‘music we listen to’ come to mind. Digging a little deeper, what ties these self-expressive vehicles together is just that—they’re vehicles. And what they carry is our preference.

I love the way Scott H. Young, Author of Ultralearning explains taste:

Taste is the ability to discern good ideas from bad ones, promising opportunities from dead ends, elegant solutions from the merely functional.

In a more ‘scientific’ explanation, it’s an internal sense of discernment that’s built from experience and preference which produces a feedback signal that allows you to make more personalized decisions.

There’s technically no “right” or “wrong” when it comes to taste, but some how we can all agree when something is done “in good taste” or “in bad taste”. That’s because taste is rooted in something deeper than just aesthetics—it’s a culmination of human experience, culture, beauty, and morals. And when we’re able to reflect that in the things that we create, other humans will naturally be drawn to it.

How to cultivate taste offline

In all the articles I read and forums I snooped (yes, I went on Reddit) while researching for this one, there was one tip that seems to be on the top of everyone’s list.

Immerse yourself in great works.

Social media makes it incredibly easy for us to binge 23 favorites videos, 12 how-tos, and an uncountable amount of listicles in the time between laying down and falling asleep. While there are (too) many great creatives that are well worth the binge, what we’re constantly feeding ourselves is just the opinions and taste of others.

While I think we give “consuming” a bad rep, there is a fine line between overconsumption and intentional consumption. The latter being step one to cultivating taste.

Pay more attention to what you’re consuming

Beyond social media (and that includes Pinterest), surf through other mediums and pay attention to what speaks to you. Read books, watch movies, go to galleries, buy print publications, go to live shows…the list goes on.

It’s easy to box yourself in and think “well I’m a content creator, so I should just watch a lot of content”. Here’s a little secret that I learned recently: art is art is art. You can find inspiration across mediums, cultures, and continents. Don’t limit your inspiration to what you create.

Get judgemental

With whatever input formats you choose, start actively forming opinions as you consume. What did you love? What threw you off? Did one style feel more attractive than another? This distinction period is actually a critical step to sharpening your own instinct. The more differentiated our discernment is, the more obvious our taste.

I love nothing more than to support other creatives but that doesn’t mean that I can’t disagree with or dislike certain styles. Nobody is telling you to share that disagreement publically but by identifying what you don’t like, and more importantly why you didn’t vibe with something, you’ll get a clearer idea of how to improve your own work.

Keep a record

Record your opinions. Your taste is going to change with time, much like how you grow and change as life moves forward. Being able to reflect back on your choices over time gives you a clearer understanding of your taste and how to continue to shape it.

Record down things that are happening around you as well. Conversations you hear, things you see, thoughts that come up. Drawing inspiration from others is a great way to expand your creative world but what you use from your own world and experiences is what makes your output unique to you.

“It is a good idea to keep in touch, and I suppose that keeping in touch is what notebooks are all about…I think we are well advised to keep on nodding terms with the people we used to be, whether we find them attractive company or not…Remember what it was to be me: that is always the point.”

— Joan Didion, On Keeping a Notebook

Make bad art

My hot take on bad art: it doesn’t exist. All there is is art that doesn’t fall within your taste. And there’s an irony in that, because making “bad art” might be one of the fastest ways to actually find your taste. Every time you experiment, you build a feedback loop that tells you what works, what doesn’t, and most importantly, what feels good to make.

❖❈❖

It’s easy to look at other creatives and think “wow, that’s natural born talent. I could never do that.” What we’re really doing there is downplaying our ability to learn. While taste often feels like this intangible thing that you either have or don’t, it really is just simply your preference. And to develop that preference? Observe great art and form opinions.

I know it’s probably hard to imagine a time when the internet wasn’t readily available. I’m aging myself a tad here but remember going to libraries or bookstores to flip through magazines and newspapers? Heading to the movie theatre to watch a movie? Or heading to galleries with your notebook to research for school projects?

Those are all great places to start for cultivating your taste offline.

See you in the next one,

Angel x

Why we’re pausing events to build something lasting

Lately, I keep returning to a simple phrase: “Everyone wants a village, but no one wants to be a villager.”

This summer in Vancouver, we saw what happens when people decide to be villagers. We saw it at Open Sky Stretch + Reflect yoga in the park, at our culinary experiences (The Table), and at every social mingler where strangers became friends.

But I also saw the cost.

If you have been following Kinship here and on Instagram / Tik Tok for awhile, you probably saw the beautiful photos of clinking glasses and sun-drenched picnics. But you didn’t see me dragging a cooler across a busy street in Kitsilano at rush hour, sweating, hiding my nerves, and wondering if anyone would actually show up.

That inconvenience?

That was the price of admission. The magic didn’t happen in the comfort zone. It happened because we chose to show up, over and over again, despite the hassle.

The most incredible part was that every one of you in Vancouver who showed up to these events all went through the exact experience—choosing discomfort over convenience for the sake of community. For those of you who came out to any of our events this summer, thank you.

We proved that the need for connection is real. But we also realized something important: events are fleeting. You leave the park, the sun sets, and the village dissolves until the next invite hits your inbox.

The art of the pause

In the startup world, the rulebook says to “scale fast.” It says if you have momentum, you double down. You don’t stop.

Momentum is crucial to us—no doubt. But Kinship has never been about just following the standard rulebook.

Right now, our team is in a season of massive transition. I am traveling, soon to be working from a van, and living the digital nomad reality until April (pinch me!). My co-founder is in the middle of a life-changing move to Paris.

Logistically, we couldn’t even try to force in-person events right now if we wanted to.

But this pause isn’t a goodbye. It’s a “see you soon.” Our goal is to bring the magic of curated events back as soon as the dust settles—but this time, we’ll be doing it across two continents. We are dreaming of a future where Kinship has roots in Vancouver & the Sea to Sky and Paris.

Building the bridge between URL and IRL

This transition has given us the space to focus on what we’ve always wanted to do from the beginning: build something truly meaningful that lives in the space between the digital (URL) and the in-person (IRL).

We believe the future of community isn’t just one or the other—it’s a hybrid. It’s having a digital home that travels with you, and physical gatherings that ground you.

To be fully transparent, we were excited to launch our new platform before the New Year. We had aggressive timelines and big goals. But as we looked at the calendar and the reality of our lives right now—working from the road, navigating time zones, and packing up apartments—we made a hard decision.

It just didn’t work.

We realized that if we rushed to launch before January 1st, we wouldn’t meet the quality we’re aiming for. We care too much about this village to build it halfway. We want to do it right.

An invitation to the construction site

So, we are doing something different. We are building in public.

We are opening the doors to our Kinship Discord now, long before the paint is dry. My “office” might be a van in a month’s time, and Angel’s might be surrounded by moving boxes, but the community needs a steady place to land.

Think of the Discord as our “Basecamp.” It’s free. It’s casual. It’s the place where we’ll be hanging out while we travel.

But more importantly, it’s a space for you if you are feeling the fragmentation of this transition season. Maybe you’re juggling fitness, career, wellness, and creativity, but the pieces just aren’t fitting together yet.

Inside this Discord, we aren’t just “chatting.” We are practicing how to be villagers. Here is what you can expect when you join:

• Clarity & direction: Not just more noise, but conversations that help you see your next step.

• Creative reignition: A safe space to explore raw ideas and regain momentum on the projects you’ve been procrastinating.

• Life integration: We don’t silo “business” from “life.” We talk about fitness, mental health, and wellness habits because they are the fuel for your work.

• Accountability: Weekly reflection prompts to help you rebuild consistency, even when you’re tired.

We’re looking for the people who want belonging—who want to finally feel understood by people who get what they’re going through.

If you want to wait for the polished, perfect version of Kinship, I’ll see you in 2026. But if you want to help us pour the foundation—if you want to see the blueprints and be part of the build—come join us now.

Let’s figure this out together. 😊

Join the Kinship Discord here.

🧘‍♀️ A grounding technique for the road

Transitions are ungrounding. Whether you are moving countries, soon-to-be working from the road like me, or just moving between “Founder Mode” and “Rest Mode,” the brain hates the in-between.

Here is the breathwork technique I’m using right now to find my centre, no matter where I park for the night.

The Transition Breath (Nadi Shodhana)

Why it works: This balances the left (logical) and right (creative/emotional) hemispheres of the brain, instantly lowering cortisol.

1. Hand Position: Take your right hand. Fold your three middle fingers down. You’ll use your thumb and pinky.

2. Close: Use your thumb to gently close your right nostril.

3. Inhale: Breathe in slowly through your left nostril for 4 seconds.

4. Switch: Close your left nostril with your pinky finger, release your thumb.

5. Exhale: Breathe out through your right nostril for 4 seconds.

6. Inhale: Breathe in through your right nostril.

7. Switch & Exhale: Close right, open left, breathe out.

Repeat for 2 minutes whenever you feel like you are “in between” places.

- Terri x

September, October & November @ Kinship

The last few months have been a blur. We wrapped our summer events, both went travelling (hello Colombia, Mexico City, and Asia), and hosted our biggest IRL event yet right before October: IN GOOD COMPANY, in collaboration with a local zero-proof lounge and coffee shop in the heart of Kitsilano.

IN GOOD COMPANY with Bed By Nine

We were buzzing for weeks after this one. The way it all came together at Cowdog Coffee—the kind new faces, the planning, music, branding, and support from local sponsors—still puts a smile on my face thinking about it.

Event highlights:

• Curated a mixer-meets-mingler for creators, entrepreneurs, and ambitious folks in Vancouver

• Guided conversations and rotating themes around creativity, ambition, wellness, and the future of work

• Organic mingling fuelled by refreshments from Buttercrumbs Vancouver and Charcuterie Vancouver and zero-proof drinks from Bed By Nine

• Goodie bags filled with products (think: sauces, clear protein mix, stickers, butter cookies) from Tocha, Rebound, Buttercrumbs and Cow Dog Coffee

• Overall good vibes with like-minded builders and creatives in a non-pretentious space that left people feeling inspired

Kinship is going DIGITAL (for now!)

Angel and I truly, from the bottom of our hearts, love curating special in-person moments. This past summer in Vancouver, we hosted four events across wellness, dining, social (think city walk), and an intimate mixer with music, food, and drinks. Even though we’ve both worked in marketing and helped on events before, this was the first time either of us fully owned the process from start to finish.

Now, with the holidays around the corner, we’re both stepping into some big life changes:

• I’m (Terri) leaving this month for a dream trip: gorgeous hikes, van adventures, cozy cabins, and a little skiing. If you want to follow along, find me on IG & Tik Tok… I’ll be sharing my adventures there along with my YouTube.

• Angel is gearing up for an international move in March 2026, knee-deep in paperwork, logistics, and the absolute joy that is navigating visas. Pray for her inbox. 😢

With all of this, IRL events will be on pause over the holidays and into the new year. Once we’re both resettled, we’ll start planning more gatherings and experiences—and this list will be the first to know.

To keep everyone connected (and sane) through end-of-year chaos, we’ve just launched our Kinship Discord community.

Inside, you can expect:

• Weekly work + life updates

• Goal setting and gentle accountability

• Chats about wellness, routines, and creative struggles

• Little resources and reflections to help you stay grounded

You can join this community 👉🏼 here

What we’re learning

Most people (us included) want community.

But what many of you have told us is that you prefer to connect in smaller, more thoughtful, intimate settings. That feedback is why we intentionally kept IN GOOD COMPANY relatively small for the space we were in. A lot of you shared that you felt nervous beforehand but came anyway. We felt those nerves too, which led to a lot of reflection and, eventually, to this Community article.

Community isn’t convenient. It never has been. Finding the right balance between your own boundaries and remembering that community needs you to be a villager – to show up where you can – is the ongoing work.

We’re talking to lots of you

Over the summer and into fall, we’ve spent as much time as possible at events and online, talking to this community. It matters to us that we’re not just building a brand we love, but something that genuinely serves you.

Some of what we’re hearing:

• People come to Kinship to meet like-minded, ambitious, positive creatives and to build real friendships, not just “network.”

• There’s a gap in Vancouver for a warm, non-intimidating space where early-stage creative entrepreneurs can share what they’re building and feel supported.

• Folks are craving small, curated groups where they can regularly show up, put their projects in the “hot seat,” and get thoughtful peer-to-peer feedback and accountability.

• The most exciting formats feel less like formal mentorship or workshops and more like intimate “pods” or mastermind-style circles where everyone is both giving and receiving support.

• Short, action-focused containers (around six weeks) resonate as a way to build momentum, stay accountable, and actually move creative ideas forward together.

Since the summer, we’ve talked to countless friends, acquaintances, and creatives who’ve shared a similar feeling of stuckness or being a bit lost. We’re excited to start addressing that in the coming months, beginning with our free public Discord community, which you can join here.

Leave a comment

Your unfair advantage

“Community” has become a buzzword this year. As more and more groups pop up, it’s clear we’re moving into a more IRL-focused era where people are craving in-person connection again. And honestly, that’s a good thing.

In the world of community-building, there really is room for everyone. Lately, we’ve been thinking a lot about your unfair advantage. It looks different for every person. Once you find it, you can go longer, further, and better than anyone who doesn’t love the work the way you do.

For us? Our unfair advantage is that we genuinely love building a community that cares about the humans behind the ideas.

What’s inspiring us

Some pieces living rent-free in our heads:

• The antidote to creative burnout

• The hunger to be everything

• Purpose & profit — a guide to discovering your life’s work

• The quiet metrics of success you can’t screenshot

What’s coming next

We’re in the middle of launching our ✨ new free Kinship Discord community ✨ and building towards our first product with everything that Angel and I know about creative entrepreneurship, science-backed wellness tools, building systems, and the power of community.

Between building and navigating big life transitions, we’re going all in on taking Kinship digital for the next few months before we come back to planning IRL events. So, stay tuned. 👀

Keep up with us throughout the week on Instagram and TikTok!

Angel & Terri x

Current stats: 430 followers on Instagram, 102 subscribers on Substack, and 92 followers on TikTok.

From one overwhelmed creative to another—we’re not shutting down because we’re lazy or uncommitted. We shut down because we’re standing in front of a thousand doors, all begging to be our main focus.

Like Sylvia Plath famously wrote, “I saw my life branching out before me like the green fig tree in the story. From the tip of every branch, like a fat purple fig, a wonderful future beckoned and winked.”

Each door isn’t just an option.
It’s a version of you.

The writer you.
The entrepreneur you.
The artist you.
The healer you.
The version who finally picks one lane and commits.
The version who stays wild and tries everything.
The safe one.
The chaotic one who burns it all down and starts again.

So when people say “just pick one,” what they’re really asking is: which version of yourself are you willing to let die?

No wonder we freeze.

If you’ve ever found yourself paralyzed by possibility, weighed down by the pressure to choose the “right” path, I want to reassure you of something: you’re not broken. You’re human. There are very real psychological reasons why people like us shut down when faced with too many ideas, dreams, and possible lives.

One of them is what social psychologist Roy Baumeister calls decision fatigue. His research shows that we have a limited amount of decision-making energy each day, and once it runs out, even simple choices feel impossible. This is why after a long day, deciding what to eat for dinner can feel like the hardest thing you’ve done all week. So imagine what happens when you’re not choosing between takeout options, but between entire future selves. Your brain simply taps out.

Another factor working against us is what Barry Schwartz named the paradox of choice—the idea that having too many appealing options doesn’t create freedom, but actually creates overwhelm, anxiety, and dissatisfaction. When every path feels meaningful and every identity feels possible, choosing one means grieving the loss of the others. Our brains interpret that grief as a threat, and instead of moving forward, they pull the emergency brake.

And beneath all of this is something even more personal: our identity. Self-concept research shows that choices don’t feel neutral; they feel like declarations of who we are allowed to become. When you choose one path, it can feel like you’re betraying all the other versions of you that also wanted a chance. So the freeze you feel isn’t laziness—it’s mourning.

There’s also a nervous-system component most creatives don’t realize is happening. Neurobiologically, too much uncertainty can activate the “freeze” response, the same protective mechanism that kicks in when your system feels overwhelmed. Your body reads endless possibilities not as freedom, but as danger—because every option carries emotional weight, pressure, and risk. The shutdown that follows is your brain trying to keep you safe.

When you put all of this together, the picture becomes much clearer: you’re overloaded, not incapable. Your imagination is bigger than the container you’re trying to force it into.

But here’s the reframe that often brings people a deep breath of relief: you don’t have to choose your whole life. You just need to choose your next chapter. Your next season. We get stuck because we try to decide “forever” in one sitting. We treat each fig like it’s now-or-never, when in reality, creative identities are seasonal. They are layered. They evolve. You don’t have to kill your other figs—they’re not going anywhere. They just might not be the fig you’re tasting today.

When we let go of the pressure to choose perfectly, we create room to choose honestly. We can follow the idea that feels alive right now instead of the one that would look best on paper. We can listen to the version of ourselves that’s speaking the loudest today, knowing that another version might take over in a few months, or a year, or three.

Give your clarity the space to come from allowing yourself to move, even a little. Stop trying to force yourself into one lane. Pick a direction, NOT the ultimate truth of who you are.

You’re not broken. You’re not scattered. You’re not failing.

You’re just someone with a big imagination, a sensitive nervous system, and too many beautiful lives calling your name at once. How amazing is that?

If this resonates and you want to be in a space where other multi-passionate creatives are navigating the same questions, come join us in the Kinship Discord. It’s where we share wins, talk through the stuck moments, and remind each other that we don’t have to pick a whole life—just the next step.

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Lately, I keep returning to a simple phrase: “Everyone wants a village, but no one wants to be a villager.”

This summer in Vancouver, as a Kinship Club co-founder organizing in-person events—yoga in the park, culinary experiences and social minglers—I’ve seen just how real this is. People crave community, connection and meaning, but the act of showing up—especially when it’s inconvenient—often falls short.

A recent article summed it up perfectly: we’re living in an era where “protecting your peace” is almost a religion. Cancel when you’re tired, bail if you’re anxious, ghost if the vibes feel off. For a while, I believed this was self-care, too.

Who doesn’t want comfort after so many draining years?

But the truth is, leaning too hard into convenience or avoidance costs more than the minor hassles we’re trying to sidestep. As I’ve experienced firsthand this summer—dragging a cooler to the middle of a park on a hot summer day, meeting strangers for the first time while hiding my nerves, running our signage and refreshments across the busiest street in Kitsilano at rush hour on a Friday—the magic of community is rarely comfortable in the moment. It’s built on people choosing each other, over and over, despite inconvenience. The author of that piece points out what research confirms: real relationships require effort, compromise, and yes—even discomfort.

There have been gatherings we hosted where I wished, deeply, to stay home. Not every single one, but I can recall one where I had an incredibly draining day. Where I worried about not people not showing up or feared the weather wouldn’t cooperate. But every time I made the decision to go—and watched others brave their nerves, too—we walked away with laughter, new friendships, and stories I wouldn’t trade for extra sleep or doom scrolling (“revenge procrastination”) back at home.

The issue isn’t about burning out or always saying yes. Boundaries matter.

But if we keep “protecting our peace” by shutting out the awkward, the hard, the inconvenient, we risk shortchanging ourselves on the very connections most of us say we crave. Community isn’t just a place to feel seen when it fits our schedule—it’s someplace we invest, even when it’s a hassle.

A beautiful excerpt from the article to end things here as food for thought:

Maybe the most effective way of “protecting your peace” is not by shutting people out. Yes, isolation may be easier, but it’s certainly not better. You cannot avoid the natural chaos that comes with being in each other’s orbit – people will demand time and energy of us, rub us up the wrong way, and even hurt us. But we should realise that in trying to circumvent pain or awkwardness, you don’t get any of the good stuff either: support; kinship; a village.

— Maybelle Morgan, Is inconvenience the cost of community?

So, consider this an invitation. The next time a Kinship Club event pops up (or any social event in your city for that matter), I want you to consider going—even if showing up means moving around your plans, battling a little social anxiety, or risking some mild discomfort. You might just find the village you’re looking for. But it starts by being willing to be a villager.

Keep up with what we’re doing throughout the week! Find us on Instagram and TikTok.

Angel & Terri x

Step away from the grind and join us at In Good Company — a curated mixer-meets-mingler designed for entrepreneurs, creators, and ambitious people who want more.

Whether you’re building your next big thing or dreaming of starting, this is your chance to connect with the people shaping the future of our city.

What to Expect

• An inviting space filled with good energy and warm introductions.

• Guided conversations and rotating themes around creativity, ambition, wellness, and the future of work.

• Organic mingling that flows easily — grab a drink, spark a conversation, vibe to curated tunes.

• A crowd of like-minded builders, creators, and tastemakers who will leave you feeling inspired.

This isn’t a stiff networking event. It’s a salon for the next generation of entrepreneurs and creatives — part mixer, part community, all intention.

Get Tickets

August @ Kinship

Another month bites the dust! We’ve been going full steam building out events, dreaming up products, and figuring out how we can bring more value to our amazing network for Entrepreneurs, Creators, and Founders. We hosted 3 events this month which is CRAZY to think about and we’re both currently basking in the afterglow.

Open-Sky Yoga

We sold out our first event and got the most amazing feedback on our take on beating the Monday blues. Terri led us through an amazing chest-opening sequence that had everyone loosened up and tuning into their bodies. The reflection portion then took that newly cultivated energy and used it to help us get clear about what we’re working through currently. It was such a joy meeting so many new faces and it gave us the motivation to keep pushing forward with events!

Sip & Social

For our second event, we wanted to gather some of the great minds of our city and create a casual gathering for founders and entrepreneurs. We were supposed to be at Chez Nous for matcha but found out last minute that it was closed on Mondays (oopsies on our part, thank you Mike for pointing it out) so a quick re-route took us to Analog Coffee in Yaletown. After everyone got drinks and a snack, we walked over to a park and just got to know each other a little bit.

We wanted this event to be a lot less structured and more just about creating space for people to chat, connect, and learn about each other. Although the turn out was great, we are rethinking whether these more casual events are bringing the value we were hoping to create. More on that later.

The Table

The Table marked our first venture into the culinary space. For this series, we crafted a more curated and intentional experience designed to help ambitious people not just network, but connect deeply about their work and how we might support each other. We partnered with Madame Danh, a contemporary Vietnamese restaurant in Vancouver, giving us a wonderful opportunity to support a new family-run business.

During our family-style meal created by Tyson, the Chef and Owner, we shared our dreams, ambitions, businesses, and personal lives. We found common ground in the universal challenge we all face—the limited time we have to build everything we aspire to create.

We had attendees from all industries, from Quantum Computing to Academia. While we all shared a love for what we’re building, we also dropped our titles and connected as humans which is always the goal for an intimate dinner.

What we’re learning

What it takes to get sign ups

As we host events, we’re learning about what it takes to garner sign ups for community gatherings. While the Kinship following on Instagram is still small, we’re finding that by tapping into our existing networks and creating consistent content around what we’re building, we’re actually able to reach just the right audiences for what we’re creating.

Our goal for August was to keep the momentum going. We had such a great turn out at the first event that we knew we had to continue working on creating these experiences for people so that Kinship grows with our reach. We’ve only given ourselves 1-2 weeks for each event to create content, promote the event, and spread the news, it seems that the urgency does help with creating buzz.

We also noticed that people tend to sign up closer to the event rather than 2 weeks out. Everyone has their own lives and work to plan around so it makes sense that we all want to make sure we’re not over packing our schedules before committing to a community event.

Moving forward, we’re planning to test having a sign up list before we actually release tickets to gauge interest and event size so that we can tailor the event further! So stay tuned for more event info coming very soon!

Tools we’re loving

We’re tech girls at heart so building out our tech stack from scratch has been part of the fun. We’ll probably do a separate post soon on everything we’re using but here are some highlights:

Lu.ma. For our event pages and ticketing, Lu.ma has been the perfect solution. It handles everything from event page customization, guest list, waitlist, ticketing, payments, emails, and more. Would highly recommend it to anyone looking to host!

Senja. We can’t spread the word without testimonials! We’re currently on the free version of Senja but may upgrade to paid later on. The standout features are the easy to use form builder and the pre-built widgets that you can apply to any site.

We applied for a startup incubator

…and didn’t get in. We heard about LOI through some of their alumni and thought we’d try to apply for their fall batch. The application process included a form and an interview but unfortunately we received news this week that we weren’t a match for their current batch. The feedback was simple: there were other groups who were further along in their business planning than we were who would benefit from the program more.

And that’s totally okay! Although it would’ve been nice to experience the structured program that LOI has designed, we’re confident that we’ll be able to find our own way forward. We’re grateful to have had the experience of applying for an incubator and maybe it’s something we’ll revisit in the future!

Until then, we’ll be heads down working on the next thing for Kinship ;)

What’s inspiring us

Some articles that live in our heads rent free:

Everyone wants a community until it requires showing up

Do we know how to hang out without making it a production

When you’re the boss and the burnt-out employee

Do things that don’t scale

What’s coming next

We’re planning a really special event in September with our favorite café in Vancouver. Any guesses what it is? 👀

Current stats: 254 followers on Instagram, 59 subscribers on Substack, and 72 followers on TikTok!

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Last month, Terri and I decided to do a little founders off-site on Vancouver Island. The goal was simple: get out of our usual environment, use the time to get inspired and create more, and align on our mission and vision for Kinship.

If you’re not from the corporate world, an off-site is usually company event that takes place away from your main headquarters or office. They’re typically used for team-building, to enhance focus, stimulate creativity, and boost morale. For us, we wanted to take this opportunity to plan out the future of Kinship and create a game plan for the next few months.

We decided to head to the island rather than use a coworking space because by leaving our homes and city, it would be easier to put aside our day-to-day responsibilities like errands, groceries, chores, and whatever else life has in store.

As we were planning this trip, we joked around about what we would call it. Founders off-site felt like a funny poke at our ex-corporate lives. Business trip felt somewhat aligned but a bit too stuffy. Vacation just felt plain wrong. We settled on creative retreat because much of what we wanted to accomplish taps into our creative brains but even that didn’t quite nail the feeling.

While the trip brought us many great ideas and helped us create space for more focused work, we both agreed there were ways we could improve our off-sites moving forward. Terri and I both have past entrepreneurial experience but this is first time we’re working with a partner to create something that feels uniquely ours. The learning process is something we actually can’t wait to experience more of. So here’s everything we learned from our first official “founders offsite”.

Learnings from our first off-site

More is better when it comes to structure

While we both have project management backgrounds, we still felt like we could’ve structured our offsite better. As co-founders who started out as friends, it was easy to fall into our usual routine during our trip. Both of us love being in nature and taking slower moments so there were definitely moments where we prioritized leisure over work.

While we had great moments of discussion and inspiration-gathering during the offsite, having a more structured itinerary planned where we prioritized the high-level tasks we wanted to achieve would’ve made our time together more effective. For next time we’ll be creating

• A time-blocked itinerary

• Prompted doc to get us thinking about the important questions

• Plans for breakout sessions to help us focus on specific goals

Having a theme and intentions helps keep things on track

Because we had called it a “creative retreat”, that theme stayed in our minds throughout the off-site. We spent a lot of time tackling the content and brand work we needed to accomplish, even thought that wasn’t our main objective for this session. It was a good reminder that creating a theme and setting intentions can actually create a subconscious tether that keeps you on track.

Focus on the 20%

A theme both of us have been trying to adopt into our work is prioritizing the 20% of work that creates 80% of the results. Terri and I live a 2 hour drive away from each other so we quickly realized that the time we spend together should be focused on high-level ideating and planning rather than execution of tasks. Both of us were strong ICs in our corporate lives so we’re more than capable to execute on any task when we’re alone. “Founder time” should be spent accomplishing “founder tasks”, rather than focusing on the nitty gritty.

Create a responsibilities contract

While we both have the utmost trust and respect for each other, we mutually agreed that we should create a “responsibilities contract” soon to keep our relationship safe throughout this partnership. The contract will entail our roles at Kinship, what’s expected of both of us to grow our business, and how we can maintain our friendship throughout any business blunders that may come up. Kinship is our baby but our friendship is more important than whatever comes out of this business and having a contract will hopefully remind us of that as we continue to build this venture.

Alignment really makes a difference

Close to the end of our trip, we both had an AHA! moment where our idea of Kinship was aligning with our personal goals and purpose. It was a moment where we both could see the future of Kinship clearly and how it fit into each of our lives. A lesson we tried to apply from day 1 was figuring out our mission and vision for this business and how it aligns with personal values.

Like Simon Sinek says in The Infinite Game, “When we work hard for something we don’t believe in, it’s called stress. When we work hard for something we do believe in, it’s called passion.” It was important to us that we knew exactly why we were doing this, beyond just being excited to build something new.

This alignment has brought us what feels like endless motivation, energy, and inspiration. It feels like this is a huge piece to what will make this a sustainable business for us to continue to work on.

How Kinship is filling a hole

As we were solidifying our purpose and why, the term “fourth space” kept coming up. “Fourth Space” was first coined (and now trademarked) by Eventbrite. It’s defined as an intentional middle ground between work, home, and the internet. As a company built around the “transformative power of live experiences”, Eventbrite perfectly defined not just structure of fourth spaces but also the reason it’s becoming a necessity.

In the world of entrepreneurship, there’s a quote you’ll see/hear quite often: “Don’t start a business. Find a problem. Solve a problem. The business comes second.” (Robert Herjavec). Kinship began this way unintentionally. Both Terri and I felt like there was a personal hole that needed to be fulfilled. As entrepreneurs, we felt lonely and isolated. Where could we go for “water cooler talk” now that we don’t have an office? Where can we meet other like-minded, ambitious people?

As we chat more with our community, we’re finding that a large percentage of entrepreneurs are also feeling the same way. Yes the validation feels good, but it’s also given us the push we needed to go all-in on Kinship and create the experiences we wished we had earlier.

The space beyond what we already know

In the same way an off-site is meant to father, connect, inspire, and build—fourth spaces are doing the same. So maybe what we should’ve called our off-site was “a Kinship fourth space”.

It gave us more than strategy and structure—it gave us space to feel like us, outside the noise of daily life and work pressure. It was about connection: with each other, with the ideas we’ve been holding on to, and with the version of Kinship we’re trying to build.

When founders and entrepreneurs lack a fourth space, they’re often left operating in isolation. Constantly toggling between deep work and logistical execution without those necessary moments of reflection, feedback, or genuine connection. We can spend hours alone troubleshooting, problem-solving, and second-guessing, and with no one to gut check, the work can feel overwhelming. Over time, this can lead to decision fatigue, burnout, and even resentment toward the very thing they once felt so passionate about building.

Without a fourth space, we’re cut off from a vital support system that counteracts the loneliness and pressure of working on your own.

As we build Kinship, we’re not just building a business for ourselves. We’re trying to build more of these spaces for our community. Environments where people feel seen, supported, and creatively fueled. Where it’s okay to show up a little messy, a little unsure, and still be invited into the conversation.

Because in a space that constantly asks us to perform, produce, and prove, we need more places that simply let us be, grow, and reset. Ultimately, that’s what this off-site gave us. And that’s what we hope Kinship can be for you.

Read More

There’s a new term we’ve been hearing a lot lately: "Fourth Spaces."

At first, it sounded like just another piece of jargon, but the more we looked into it, the more we realized it’s something we’re all experiencing. In 2025, these spaces are emerging as a bridge between our digital lives and our physical selves. They're where we take an interest we found online and bring it into the real world. Think of it as the next evolution of where we connect with one another.

We’re all familiar with our "First Spaces" (our homes) and our "Second Spaces" (our workplaces). Then there are "Third Spaces," those public spots like coffee shops, community centres or parks where we can hang out and socialize outside of home and work.

A Fourth Space is different because it’s a place where we bring our online interests and digital communities into real-life. It’s less about the physical location, and more about the why we’re gathering in the first place. For example, a Facebook group for local hikers might turn into a weekly trail-walking club. Or a group of founders and creators with a shared trait of ambition might take their online connection offline, so they can motivate and inspire each other IRL (in real life). In essence, fourth spaces are where a digital connection has a chance at becoming a real one.

The recent Eventbrite study identified six main types of Fourth Spaces:

• Culinary Circles: Food-related events like supper clubs and cooking workshops.

• Live Social Shows: Concerts and live comedy, reimagining performance spaces as community hubs.

• Game-Based Gatherings: Board game events that move gaming communities from screens to tables.

• Creative Classes: Crafting events like jewelry-making and crochet.

• Fandom Festivities: Events that bring online fan communities to life.

• Healthy Hangouts: Wellness gatherings like running clubs, outdoor yoga and sober-curious events.

Why Fourth Spaces matter to Kinship

After years of being isolated due to the pandemic, many of us are craving real-life connection. This is especially true for Gen Z and Millennials, with Eventbrite’s study finding that 95% of people in these groups are interested in exploring their online hobbies through in-person events.

For many of us, the path to building a business or a creative project is a lonely one. We spend so much time building online—on our laptops, in our DMs, and on social media—that we forget where the most powerful connections truly happen: in person. We need a way to turn our online networks into something real and tangible.

This is where Kinship Club comes in. We believe that building anything of value requires genuine support and connection. We're creating Fourth Spaces specifically for ambitious entrepreneurs, creators, and founders. We're taking the best of these different Fourth Space categories and blending them together to curate unique experiences where IRL connections can thrive.

In doing so, we’ve naturally started to create Fourth Spaces that go beyond just anyone with a business or passion project. We’re also bringing people online who are craving connection into IRL spaces to connect.

For example, we recently hosted a pilot event, a free Open Sky yoga session in the park. It was a "Healthy Hangout," but it was also a chance for folks to meet others in a low-pressure, outdoor environment. After the yoga, we spent time just hanging out over pizza from Virtuous Pie, snacks from Ohme! and beverages from Poppi. This mix of a wellness activity with social time is a perfect example of a Fourth Space in action.

Our upcoming events will mix and match different use cases of Fourth Spaces. We'll have culinary experiences, sporting activities, and creative meetups. Our goal is to not create these as just one-off events. They are curated, low-pressure opportunities to build a foundation of genuine support that will carry you through your journey—whatever that may look like. At Kinship, we know that your venture’s success isn’t just about what you build online. It’s about the community you build it with.

We hope to see you at one of our upcoming Fourth Space events! Our next one is a curated culinary event in Vancouver, BC, Canada. Event details for this dining experience can be found here:

Last week, we hosted our first IRL (in real life) event. It was an evening of yoga in the park, and it was a reminder of why Kinship exists. We saw firsthand how much a simple, intentional gathering can mean.

Since we’re all about building Kinship in public, here are our five key takeaways from hosting our first event in Vancouver, BC.

1. Fourth Spaces bring online connections to life. Our pilot event proved that intentional gatherings are key. We call these in-person meetups "Fourth Spaces." They help online relationships become real-life connections. The people we met in our digital spaces connected with us and others and got to build on those bonds in person. The best part was seeing those connections flourish, and our dream is to see them grow beyond the pilot event itself.

   

2. Take a moment for yourself, away from the desk. Many of us sit at a desk all day or work a hybrid setting. Our gentle yoga session was a much-needed break on a Monday from this routine. Attendees told us they appreciated the chance to slow down and stretch. They especially loved the "heart openers,” which was great for desk workers. The event being on a Monday helped set everyone up for a strong week ahead.

3. Local businesses help communities grow. The event was made better with support from local businesses. We're grateful to Ohme! Snacks for providing snacks and Virtuous Pie for dinner. When we support one another, the whole community benefits. This is a core part of why our goal is to build a vibrant local community with Kinship.

   

4. Always have a plan B for outdoor events. We got lucky with perfect weather, but a backup plan is a must for outdoor events. We love using Luma to host our Kinship events—it has everything you need to update attendees on key details like location and time. We chose 5:30 p.m because it was past the hottest part of the day with the latter half of the event enjoying less sun and cooler breezes. This timing felt perfect for everyone.

5. People want authentic experiences that last. The best part of the day was seeing everyone connect. People enjoyed the simple act of practicing yoga together. Attendees even exchanged social media information to stay in touch. This showed us that the connections can continue both online and at future Fourth Spaces.

Our first Fourth Space event revolved around healthy hangouts and a connection over a wellness-based activity. It was a testament to the power of genuine connection and community. We learned a lot. From finding our event location and stressing about the weather to partnering with local brands, we were reminded that building something fulfilling isn’t easy, but it’s so worth it. We can't wait to see you at the next event!

What are you bringing to the table?

Our first event created for the entrepreneurs of Vancouver sold out SO fast we didn’t even have time to send out an email. We love that there was so much interest in that event so here’s our second event for all the movers & shakers of our city.

Ever feel like you're on your own as a founder or creator? On August 28th @ 6pm, we're setting the table for you. Join us for a dining experience designed to connect Vancouver's entrepreneurs, creators, and founders. This isn't your average networking event. We're getting past the surface level to talk about what matters: the wins, the setbacks, the lessons, the doubts and the journey over a delicious meal.

Tyson, the owner and chef of Madame Danh has curated a family-style meal for our evening of connection. You'll be able to taste some of the top picks from the restaurant along with a special dessert created for the event.

Since you’re subscribed to our newsletter, you’re the first to know about the event.

Let’s get together and support a local restaurant while we connect and talk shop!

RSVP

Welcome to the first Kinship round up! One thing Terri and I both want to do as we build Kinship is to document our journey of being young founders, creating a community-based business, and the wins and improvements along the way. Each month, we’ll write 1 monthly round up newsletter to keep you posted on how we’re doing and what’s been happening!

July @ Kinship

July was the month we launched Kinship officially! It was so exciting being able to finally share this exciting project we’ve been dreaming up for a year. We also announced our first event, Beat the Monday Blues: Open-Sky Stretch & Reflect, created for our ambitious friends who need something to look forward to on a Monday.

We’re all trying to learn how to take better care of ourselves and avoid burnout as best as possible so we thought what better way to accomplish both than to move our bodies, journal, and eat some yummy snacks!

July was also when we started our Substack! Hard to believe there’s already 40 of you who are tuned-in to our weekly musings. Thank you for being here and showing interest in Kinship and how we’re building this community to be different.

In July we also went on a short “founders retreat” to help us get aligned on our goals, reset mentally, and get inspired to create. We booked an off-grid Airbnb in Jordan River and it was the perfect way to kick off our busy August. We intended for this trip to be a founders offsite and although we were able to accomplish some of our goals, we learned a lot about separating work with play. More on that soon!

What we’re learning

Although we both have some experience as entrepreneurs, this is the first time we’ve created something that feels purposeful and greater than ourselves. Last year, we read the Infinite Game by Simon Sinek, which drives home the point of having a mission and vision that goes beyond revenue, profits, and growth for the sake of growth. Both of us left our corporate careers for different reasons but our mindset of wanting to create more purpose in our lives is what drew us to creating Kinship in the first place.

In July, we worked on “building hype” in an organic way that doesn’t feel salesy or in-your-face. We wanted to foster genuine interest in what we’re doing and why we’re doing it. In the process, we’re also refining our why so that Kinship continues to be something we deeply believe in and draw meaning from.

It’s easy to start a venture but to do it in a sustainable way where both of us wants to show up day in and day out can be a more challenging task. Here’s what’s currently driving us to grow Kinship despite both our busy schedules:

Greater purpose. We both feel like Kinship is bigger than us. It’s about creating a space where ambitious individuals feel connected, supported, and motivated to continue to grow their own ventures and projects. We’re here to build that space for everyone, not just benefit from it.

Working with a co-founder. Building a business on your own is completely different from building one with a co-founder. While our strong friendship provides a solid foundation, we're learning how to effectively motivate each other and accommodate both our wants and needs in this building process.

Growing as humans. As first-time event hosts, we both felt nervous leading up to the event. We wanted to ensure the experience would be seamless and enjoyable for everyone. We couldn't help but wonder: Would everyone show up? Would they have a good time? All-in-all, it was a great first experience and an amazing learning opportunity for us mentally. Knowing that this passion project will also push us to grow as humans is a HUGE win.

What’s inspiring us

E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber - This book dispels myths around what it takes to build a success business. It takes a holistic stance at why most small businesses fail and the missing piece that truly make a business feel meaningful.

Club Sup - We discovered Club Sup via Instagram and love what they’re doing in Australia and Europe. If you’re in those regions, definitely check them out for beautiful dinner events.

David Eedle’s post on Rising by Lifting Others - Coming from the creator space, one belief that I’ve always maintained is that “there’s space here for everyone.” In this ever-growing, ever-evolving space, there’s no such thing as taking up space that belongs to someone else. The magic of the digital world is that there’s something for everyone. David describes this perfectly in his article:

Just because someone else is victorious, it does not mean your opportunity must be diminished. We need more "we're all in this together", rather than "me versus the world". There’s a mindset shift required because when it is applied at scale, it can transform lives, communities, and the way we see ourselves.

What’s coming next

We’ve been working hard planning out our next events! We’re hoping to host a few more wellness themed events along with events aimed at fostering inspiration, creativity, and connection. Keep you eyes peeled because these next few months are going to be huge.

Just so we can see our growth over time, at the end of July we have 41 subscribers on Substack, 167 followers on Instagram, and 32 followers on TikTok!

For as long as I can remember, ambition was my North Star. I first truly understood its power in my second year of university. I watched, pained, as someone close to me—in their final year and without a clear 'what's next'—spiraled into darkness, overwhelmed by their peers' seemingly grand plans. Sitting there, in second year, equally clueless, I had my own gut-check moment.

• What was I going to do after I finished school?

• How do I show up better for this person?

As I ruminated, I slowly realized that I needed to get my sh*t together.

I had been running on autopilot for most of my life. By the time I finished highschool, I had no clue what I wanted to do, let alone where I wanted to study.

Years later, I'd understand that it wasn't just ambition they lacked. It was also clarity.

Taking ambition by its horn

Once I found my ambition and a purpose to anchor it to, I became unstoppable. For the remainder of my university years, I seized every opportunity. It was as if a dimmed light inside me suddenly blazed, illuminating just enough of the path ahead to guide my next few steps.

Ambition: a strong desire to do or to achieve something, typically requiring determination and hard work.

I knew I needed to expand my world. I applied for international exchange, and with a purpose now ignited, I ferociously worked to meet the GPA requirement. Once abroad, my focus shifted to SFU's co-op program, eager to secure internships and gain practical experience before graduating—a direct response to the struggles I'd witnessed. Yet, even after stints in Hong Kong and the Netherlands, my ambition remained hungry. I sought out university organizations where I could invest my heart and soul, leading to ventures like founding the Her Campus chapter at SFU. This pivotal experience at 20 transformed me into the driven person I became.

But something changed

Maybe it’s age, maybe it’s experience, or maybe it’s being burnt too many times. Now being 30, I view ambition differently. Having resigned from my 9-5 tech career recently, I’ve realized that ambition didn’t change in the moment I resigned.

I realized this redefinition had been subtly unfolding over recent years.

So, what does that all mean? It means I’m actively redefining ambition in my 30s. Here’s how:

Practicing Ikigai

I am learning to view ambition more holistically through ikigai. Ikigai (生き甲斐) is a Japanese concept that refers to having a sense of purpose in life, or a reason for being. Ikigai reminds me that life is all about balance. It’s about finding joy and fulfillment in activities, relationships, or even the simple routines of daily life. In order to achieve that, Ikigai encourages us to not lose sight of your reason for being: to find the intersection of what you love, what you're good at, what the world needs, and what you can be paid for.

What I love most about Ikigai is its holistic approach to life. In my 30s, it’s becoming a focal point for how I define ambition, constantly reminding me that my identity extends far beyond my career and encouraging me to give myself grace as I navigate this realization.

In short, Ikigai:

• Is not just a job or a career: Work can be one part of ikigai, but it doesn’t have to be everything. Hobbies, relationships, or even the way we approach daily, mundane tasks can be ikigai.

• Is part of your personal journey: There's no one-size-fits-all definition of ikigai. It's about discovering what brings you joy, meaning, and a sense of purpose. And that looks different for everyone.

• Can change over time: Humans grow and evolve, and different chapters of our lives hold different goals and meanings. I love that your ikigai can shift and change.

• Is linked to well-being: Studies suggest that having a sense of ikigai can contribute to a longer, happier, and more meaningful life. That’s largely in part to why older Japanese adults have shown to have improved health and wellbeing, like 31 percent lower risk of developing functional disability.

Feel the fear and do it anyway

I am learning—through trial and error—to direct my ambition not just towards the familiar but also to the unknown. And by doing that, I often face fear.

Fear is in all of us.

• Fear of taking risk → so we take the safe route

• Fear of failure → so we stay within our comfort zone

• Fear of being seen → so we make ourselves smaller

Over recent years, I’ve come to learn that fear is just a facade. It’s a primal reaction, a signal from our bodies telling our brains that a situation might not be safe. Yet, with every action taken despite that fear, I've discovered a world of opportunities waiting.

I first flexed this muscle of courage by doing something seemingly small: getting an Italian bob.

I know, it sounds minor, but as someone who’s had long hair their entire lives, it felt monumental!

Taking that leap, embracing the fear, built a quiet confidence. That courage, cultivated through a 'small' act, ultimately fueled my decision to resign from my tech career.

The more I heal, the less ambitious I become 🙅🏻‍♀️

It's tempting to think that healing means a retreat from ambition, but for me, that couldn't be further from the truth. Instead, healing hasn't diminished my drive; it has profoundly reshaped it. My ambition isn't less; it's simply different. It's less about external validation and more about conscious creation, fueled by a deep understanding of my purpose and a courageous willingness to step into the unknown. This redefined ambition, rooted in well-being and clarity, is what truly propels me forward now.

This journey of redefining ambition and finding clarity deeply resonates with the mission behind Kinship Club. Angel & I founded Kinship to help ambitious creatives like you connect, grow, and explore conscious living beyond burnout. Because honestly? We’re going through it too. It's about building a community where we can openly share our evolving definitions of success and support each other in navigating these shifts.

If this resonated with you, I'd love to hear: How has your view on ambition changed as you've moved through different life stages or healing journeys?

For more reflections on my personal journey on navigating life's ebbs and flows, follow my personal Substack: .

Keep up with what we’re doing throughout the week! Find us on Instagram and TikTok.

Angel & Terri x

When I first started my marketing career working for a fintech start up in Vancouver, I had an amazing manager who was always reminding me to slow down. I wanted to hit the ground running since it was my first “big girl job” so every time I finished a task, I was asking for more. I distinctly remember the first time I got a slack message from him saying “all good! No more tasks for today. Feel free to take off, I don’t want you burning out.”

I looked at those last two words with confusion.

A quick google search told me that burnout is “a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion cased by prolonged or excessive stress.”

But I wasn’t tired nor stressed. I shrugged my shoulders and replied “Sounds good! I’ll check in tomorrow. (:”

I held on to that definition for years, never even considering burnout a possibility for myself. Every time I came across the word, I did a quick check-in: was I exhausted? No. Was I overly stressed? No. I must be fine then!

5 years later, after many therapy sessions and being introduced to the book Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle, I realized that burnout had snuck up on me (and that we really needed an updated definition).

Burnout, redefined

Besides exhaustion and lowered productivity, burnout can also show up through isolation, overall decreased motivation for life, anxiety, cognitive difficulties, emotional strain, and can even affect your sleep and your memory.

I first noticed a decrease in overall motivation. I stopped wanting to do the things I usually loved doing such as reading, working out, and fun activities with friends.

Then came the isolation. I started saying no to more and more social gatherings, telling myself I was just prioritizing alone time and recharging my batteries. Instead, I would just lie on the couch doomscrolling (aka the opposite of recharging).

I also learned that symptoms for burnout and depression overlap quite a bit. In fact, some studies show that 90% of high burnout cases actually meet clinical criteria for depression.

Breaking down the symptoms further, here’s what burnout can really look like.

• Emotional detachment: Feeling disconnected from your work, relationships, or activities you once enjoyed

• Cynicism: Developing a negative or pessimistic outlook toward work, colleagues, or life in general

• Reduced performance: Struggling to maintain your usual standards despite working the same hours

• Cognitive dysfunction: Having trouble concentrating, making decisions, or remembering things

• Physical symptoms: Experiencing headaches, digestive issues, or changes in appetite that can't be explained by other conditions

• Sleep disturbances: Having trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or feeling rested even after a full night's sleep

• Decreased satisfaction: Feeling like nothing you do matters or brings you joy

• Procrastination: Putting off tasks you would normally handle promptly, or finding excuses to avoid certain responsibilities

The tricky part is that burnout can manifest while you're still functioning at a high level. You might still be meeting deadlines, showing up to social events (though perhaps leaving early), and maintaining external appearances of success. This is what I call "high-functioning burnout"—where you're simultaneously burning out and achieving, making it especially difficult to recognize or admit there's a problem.

Many of us, especially those socialized as women or in achievement-oriented cultures, have been taught to push through discomfort. We've normalized a state of depletion to the point where we don't recognize it as abnormal. We mistake our ability to function as evidence that we're okay, when in reality, we're operating far below our optimal state of wellbeing.

What helped me recover

Like with most things, awareness is always the first step. Once you’ve admitted to yourself that maybe you’re burning out, it’s time to get familiar with the stress cycle and how to complete it.

I dove into learning about the stress cycle through Nagoski's book. It was eye-opening to discover that dealing with burnout isn't just about removing stressors—it's about completing the physiological stress cycle that our bodies experience. Even when the external pressure is gone, our bodies can still be caught in a stress response.

When our ancestors faced a predator, they'd experience stress, then run or fight, and finally experience the relief of survival. Modern stressors rarely give us that full cycle.

Here’s how I’ve incorporated “completing the stress cycle” into my daily routine:

• Physical movement: Even just 20 minutes of walking or dancing can signal to your body that you've "escaped the lion"

• Deep breathing: Slow, intentional breathing for 1-3 minutes helps regulate your nervous system

• Positive social interaction: A genuine laugh with a friend or a meaningful conversation helps signal safety

• Creative expression: Journaling, art, or music can provide emotional release

• Physical affection: A 20-second hug from someone you trust can release oxytocin and reduce stress hormones

What surprised me most was that these activities needed to be intentional and regular—not just when I felt overwhelmed. By completing the stress cycle daily, I prevented the cumulative effects of chronic stress that had led to my burnout.

Maybe it’s time to redefine productivity

For so long I’ve equated “doing more” with “being productive”. But even as I build this new passion project, Kinship Club, I’m realizing that being intentional with what I do goes way further than just always trying to do it all. I definitely don’t have all the answers yet as I find myself working well into the evening some days. However, I am starting to see that “slower ambition” or “softer productivity” might be the answer to creating something that is sustainable for both me and my community.

Reconnecting

When I think about the mission behind Kinship Club—helping ambitious humans and multi-hyphenates connect, grow, learn, breathe, and unwind—this topic definitely hits home. What I’ve learned is burnout doesn’t always show up as collapse. It creeps up slow and starts as warning signs rather than symptoms. That’s why having spaces like Kinship Club matters.

I want our community to serve as a reminder that we don’t have to navigate ambition, stress, or recovery alone. We deserve communities where we can talk openly about how we feel, not just what we’ve achieved.

Whether it’s through wellness gatherings to tune back into our bodies, dance parties to release all the pent up energy, or just an intimate dinner party to gather and connect—we’re here to make things feel easier.

If any part of this resonated with you, I’d love to know. What has burnout looked like for you? And what’s helped you move through it?

We’re so happy to be finally sharing our first gathering, an Open-Sky Stretch + Reflect. We’ll be hosting this on Monday, August 11, 2025 at 5:30 pm. This will be a chance for you to beat the Monday blues and get out of your heads and back into your bodies. There will be light refreshments and a journaling session at the end.

What you need:

• Your yoga mat

• Your journal (or the notes app on your phone works too!)

• Your Monday blues

The $10 ticket will cover your yoga session, yummy drinks, light refreshments, and an OHME! snack pack!

This first gathering is intentionally created for all women and women aligned non-binary people. Our goal is to foster a supportive, reflective space where shared experiences can be honored and explored.

We’re excited to create spaces for a wider range of identities in our upcoming events, which will be open to people of all genders. Stay tuned! Everyone has a seat here.

Click here to learn more

Kinship has been something we’ve individually thought about doing for years. Our careers have been all about building products and events for our corporate overlords for nearly 10 years (just kidding, we really did love our jobs). It’s about time we finally built something for ourselves.

The purpose of Kinship

Kinship is born from a shared desire to cultivate genuine connection, foster personal growth, and celebrate the journey of balancing ambition with well-being. In a world that often encourages endless striving, we believe in creating intentional spaces—both online and off—where multi-hyphenate individuals can connect, share, learn, and truly belong. It's about finding your community, feeling supported, and embracing a life that's as rich in well-being as it is in accomplishments. We're here to build a community where you can thrive, authentically!

Since this is our very first post, we wanted to tell you a little bit about ourselves.

Angel’s story

I’ve been working in marketing since I graduated back in 2017 and have been in the tech industry for nearly the same amount of time. During that period, I had the blessing of being able to build amazing fin-tech products while also working on passion projects on the side. From Etsy stores to marketing agencies, to then really branching out on social media, my career has been nothing if not exciting.

In June of 2024, after feeling extremely burnt out and questioning my purpose and what value I really bring to the world, I made the hard decision to quit my comfortable tech job to bet on myself. I can tell you all about the months leading up to it, how I was feeling so much dread, and this sense that I had lost myself but I’ll save that for a different post.

The catalyst to me quitting really happened 4 months earlier in February, when I had the pleasure of attending a brand event that changed my life. Being in the same room as athletes, magazine editors, creatives, and the most amazing brands gave me this incredible sense of awe and wonder.

I was feeling so much imposter syndrome prior to walking into that room but there wasn’t a single person there that made me feel out of place. It’s weird walking into a room filled with people you look up to and feeling like maybe, just maybe, you belong there.

The event taught me about the magic of connecting with like-minded, ambitious, and just plain cool humans in a setting outside of work. Ever since then, I’ve wanted to recreate that feeling for others.

I can’t wait to build Kinship into a space for more of us driven, multi-hyphenate, purpose-obsessed humans to connect both online and off. Terri and I have so many fun ideas that we plan on bringing to life. I promise it’ll be a hell of a ride and we’re taking you with us every step of the way.

See you soon 💙

Terri’s story

During my university days, a pivotal moment made me realize: if you don't go after what you want in life, others will define it for you. That insight changed everything. From then on, I volunteered, studied abroad in the Netherlands, kickstarted my freelance career and pivoted across various industries and roles, eventually landing in tech as a product marketer. Every transition taught me invaluable lessons (I’ll save these for another post) but through all the change, the people and connections were always the most memorable part.

In November 2024, I completed my 250-hour yoga teacher training at KIND Squamish. Since then, I've been facilitating yoga classes across the Lower Mainland and Sea to Sky areas. It's one of my greatest joys to be both in touch with my communities and serving them.

This past June, I resigned from my tech job to take a career break, aiming to reset and refocus for my next chapter. This break is finally giving my "generalist mindset" the time and space to explore creatively—without boundaries or limits. It's daunting to do things without a precise plan, but it's even scarier to never take a risk at all.

This isn't the first time Angel and I have built something together. I'm thrilled to build Kinship with the goal of bridging connections among ambitious, multi-faceted folks while also celebrating balance and wellness.

What to expect

Our pilot event, Open-Sky Stretch and Reflect, is happening in Vancouver on August 11, 2025, so save the date! Sign up page will be open very soon. We’re keeping the guest list for this first event really small to ensure that everyone has an amazing time.

Terri, our resident Yoga instructor, will be teaching a beginner-friendly yoga session to help us beat the Monday blues and tune into our bodies. We’ll also be doing some reflections in our journals after with some yummy drinks and snacks that are perfect for the summer heat!

To keep the momentum going, we’ve got a quite a few more events in mind based around Vancouver and the Lower Mainland. We’re hoping to also bring Kinship online at some point with virtual events and masterminds!

Thank you so much for being here and showing interest in spending time with us. We can’t wait to meet you and for you to experience Kinship!