“I’m done pretending that I will ever work in the corporate world again,” my designer/stylist friend Sarah Church said as she showed me her fresh wrist tattoo. The puffy red heart was about the size of a nickel, and would hardly be an issue for an office workplace since a watch or bracelet could easily cover it.

But the sentiment she expressed was one of conviction, regardless of whether she had a “visible” tattoo or not: working for big, stuffy corporations sucks, and doing your own thing can be much more personally rewarding for someone who is of the artistic persuasion.

And I agree.

I’ve decided to add a new category to mizChartreuse — Entrepreneur of the Week. I will contact at least one independent business owner and interview and write a weekly story about them. This way, I’m surrounding myself with people who do what I’m trying to do, and I can use my platforms as a writer, for what they’re worth, to help business owners. It’s a win-win situation.

In addition, the tone of this blog will become more career-oriented. There will obviously still be anecdotes and stories and photos of my fierce flawless fabulous life, but the overall focus will be on entrepreneurship and how to live your best life.

***

Yesterday was quite the busy day for me. Before I went to Sarah’s studio in Pilsen for coffee and cigarettes, I met with and interviewed the lovely Zoe Damacela, another fashion designer who also runs her business out of her home in the near West Loop.

Curly Girls: Writer Charlotte Mutesha with designer Zoe Damacela

Last Sunday, I was half-watching a program called “Mary Talks Money“ on the LiveWell HD Network. A segment came on talking about a Chicago fashion entrepreneur named Zoe Damacela, and I instantly perked up.

The segment told the story of Zoe’s life and how her mother instilled financial skills in her daughter from the time she was very young. At the age of 17, Zoe runs a highly successful business called Zoe Damacela Apparel, commanding up to $2,000 per garment. She’s made over 300 items and has even designed and made a wedding dress (and all the bridesmaid dresses) for a bridal party.

Yes, I said she is SEVENTEEN YEARS OLD, in case you missed that part. And her business is three years old.

Amazing.

So I contacted her after the program aired, asking if she’d like to meet for coffee and chat.

Our meeting/interview yesterday at Cafe Jumping Bean was wonderful, and Zoe and her mother make a powerhouse team. I admire her ambition and passion, and the fact that she has her head on straight and is able to run a successful business at such a young age. She’s won so many awards, and even has employees and an intern.

Winner of the NFTE Business Plan Competition. (click image for source article at Oprah's Angel Network)

Official White House Photo! (click photo for source article)

I am currently working on the full-length feature story about Zoe and her company, which will be published soon in a major news/magazine outlet and will also be open for submission to other blogs.

***

After the interview with Zoe, I went to my girl Sarah’s place for added inspiration. I always leave her place feeling fresh and motivated, because we understand one another and the things that come along with being an artist and building a successful and fulfilling entrepreneurial career.

Sarah and I at the Akira/Tretorn Fashion Show 2009

Like Zoe, Sarah Church’s apartment also functions as her design studio–complete with drafting tables, mannequins, sewing machines, a “closet” the size of your bedroom, and breathtaking haute couture decor. She’s also got style like nobody’s business.

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Flawless. [photo by Matthew Gregory Hollis; click image for website

Sarah’s a talented fashion designer who has a number of clothing lines and years of experience working for design firms all over the country; most recently in Los Angeles. A year ago, she came back to Chicago a bit disgusted at LA’s vulture culture and decided to really work to do her own thing.

In addition to making clothes from scratch, Sarah is a stylist and does fierce makeup and hair. She also modifies vintage clothing, turning old, shapeless pieces into fitted, sassy garments that still maintain their vintage feel. She holds sales at her studio and designs entire clothing lines  for musicians, the most popular being Janus, a rock band hailing from Chicago.

Designs by Sarah Church

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The designer with the band. Photo: Matthew Gregory Hollis [click image for photographer's website

Clearly, I hung out with some pretty cool chicks yesterday.

***

So back to what Sarah declared at the beginning of this post, which I fully agree with: I don’t want a JOB. Sure, I have a job now, and I keep it because I earn money and I love my associates and customers. But ultimately, it’s not fulfilling, per se.

Penelope Trunk (founder of Brazen Careerist, who makes six figures through blogging) writes:

“One of the first things people think when they are unhappy is that they need to change their job. Maybe they’ll get a job that pays more, or that allows them to be their true self, or will be their dream job.

A job does not make you happy, it only makes you unhappy. And forget about that raise, because the incremental happiness you get from earning more than, say, $100,000 is barely noticeable.

The thing that increases our happiness is our relationships. A job cannot make those better. However a job can make you so unhappy that you can’t relish the relationships in your life.

Align your goals with what really makes you happy.

A lot of you are probably incredulous. Maybe you think the American Dream is about getting a good job and earning more money than your parents. But the American Dream used to be about moving west and buying land, and now we see that as something for older generations that doesn’t apply to us. So maybe the idea of more money and better jobs is the new detritus of the American dream, and if you don’t believe me, maybe you have an outdated outlook.”

She is so right.

When I think about what makes me happiest, it’s never anything like “acing final exams in college” or “getting a good review at work.”  It always comes back to my experiences in writing, relationships, and social interaction. Through my own business, I can continue to meet people and write about/for them (and obviously make a living). It’s not about being a millionaire, or having status (both of which are nice). It’s about improving the quality of my life and doing what I love.

And to me, that is the basis of entrepreneurial success.