Hey y’all 👋🏼 I hope you’ve been enjoying Sana’s Notes so far, if there is anything you’d like to hear about from me, just hit the Reply button and let me know! I hope you enjoy this week’s catch-up.

I’ve been making more content about personal branding and I think it’s time to slightly shift the focus of these newsletters so that I’m offering a little more than just an insight into my life.

— Sana Tabassum

🍎 food for thought

There’s a certain sense of satisfaction that comes with seeing an idea come to fruition. Back in September (not that long ago) I had an idea. I was tired of seeing posts from older professionals talking about how the architecture industry needs to change and we need to support younger designers and work with other disciplines or give more opportunities to those from minority backgrounds. I whole-heartedly agree with this, but you’ll also find that no one actually does anything about it.

So this past week, I’ve been working on a trio of workshops that in some small way move the needle and provide open access to architecture practices whilst also teaching students and graduates exactly how to stand out and not just review their portfolio or CV. It’s been crazy knowing that this small idea has turned into great partnerships and soon enough, actual events.

But the journey’s not been smooth by any means. In fact, I’m having yet another crap week. I feel like I’m saying that more often as of late. But I do have to block out the reality of my personal life and direct my attention towards the next Teams meeting and writing agendas or planning marketing for these workshops. Because I do believe in what I’m doing and I hope that this idea impacts at least one person.

I’m not saying by any means that I’m burnt out or putting on a face, and yes, I have days where the hours go by and it feels like a blur or a waste of time. But having this small purpose is actually exciting and I’m grateful for it.

What I’ve learned 👇🏼

• That life/work balance is never going to be perfect, but that’s part of adulting.

• Don’t hesitate to chase what you want, because you might end up regretting it in the future. For my fellow HIMYM fans, it’s kind of like when Lily says “OK, yes it's a mistake. I know it's a mistake, but there are certain things in life where you know it's a mistake but you don't really know it's a mistake because the only way to really know it's a mistake is to make the mistake and look back and say 'yep, that was a mistake.’”

• If you feel there’s something lacking in this world, what’s stopping you from filling that gap? You don’t need to be a pioneer or have access to all the resources in the world, but having the intention to do so isn’t as common as you may think.

🍗 content nuggets

Notion just announced it’s biggest launch yet, Notion Calendar. I’m personally on the fence about using it but I had a bit of a poke around and my first thoughts are that it seems like exactly what Notion users have been asking for. There are a few things yet to be added such as recurring events or items which is a big part of how I currently use Google Calendar and Todoist. I think I’ll hold off for now until they have the chance to improve on it through user feedback. The video below explains its features pretty well.

I actually got sent this video by my best friend and to say the least, we’ve been looking for content exactly like this. We often speak about how incredible it would be to get an insight into our tutors and lecturers through YouTube. This was just a simple vlog of Georgia, a consultant who lectured at CSM and documented her day.

Here’s the link: https://youtu.be/E0tnleauENs?si=avKCySS7xyZ0iHcS

🌶️ spicy tips

If you’re not already following me on LinkedIn, I suggest that you do. The other night I spent quite some time crafting, writing and editing upcoming posts and I’ve realised that content surrounding personal branding is what my connections are mostly interested in. Great for me, because I also offer coaching sessions for people just like you.

Below I’m sharing a post that had almost 25,000 impressions 🔥 Hoping it might resonate with you.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/sana-tabassum_whats-the-best-way-to-get-noticed-in-the-activity-7150070548851556353-aQLn?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop

I’m also in the process of filming my next YouTube video which is going to be a crash course in what personal branding is and how to start your journey as an architecture student or graduate because now is the best time to do so.

🔥 on the back burner

Nothing yet, but in the next few newsletters I will be sharing some upcoming events so if you’re around London, keep your eyes out because you guys will be getting an exclusive first look!!

P.S. if you’ve not dusted off your CV or portfolio in a while or you’ve got an interview coming up in the next few months I suggest you start taking a look through your work.

— Sana x