Hello Reader,

How often have you envied someone else only to realize that the only thing standing in your way was yourself?

Lately, I’ve caught myself saying, “I wish I could do that.”

I mean, a lot.

A friend took a mini-sabbatical after leaving her full-time job. Another jetted off to Milan with her husband. One took off to Portugal for a week and another went hiking in Germany for a long weekend.

Each time, I felt that familiar pang of envy: How nice it must be to take time off and simply enjoy life a little.

And then it hit me: Wait… I can!

Self-employment means I get to decide when and where I work. It also means I get to enjoy life while doing it. And yet, last Wednesday I felt like a rebel: I cleared my calendar, laced up my hiking boots, and took off into the mountains of the Southern Shenandoah Valley.

Eight miles of trail, a cozy indie bookshop in Buena Vista, a perfectly brewed coffee at Seasons Café. And by the end of the day, I came home exhausted, but clear-headed and alive again.

With two weeks of conferences ahead, that mountain reset was exactly what I needed.

This month, here's how I want to help you do your work well, with impact and without burning out:

🤝 Ecosystem Essential: Building a Better Way with Fay Horwitt (+ free guide!)
📣 Invitation: Host WayBuilders Week 2026
📚 Bookish: My Philly Indie bookshop crawl + two new reads
🎒 Shen-Anika-ns: My best conference survival tips

Ecosystem Essential: Building a Better Way with Fay Horwitt

In issue #111, I shared my Builder Deep Dive with Fay Horwitt, one of the most trusted voices in our field. Fay’s work has helped shape how we think about belonging, trust, and care in entrepreneurial ecosystems.

Today, I’m thrilled to share something special with you: a free how-to guide based on that conversation:

Think of it as your field guide to building healthier, more human ecosystems.

💡 In this Ecosystem Essential, you’ll find:

• Five powerful lessons from Fay’s decade of experience.
• Practical tools and reflection prompts you can use right away.
• Real-world examples of how to build trust, support ecosystem builders, and rethink what success looks like.

You're invited!

Through WayBuilders, Fay is launching the WayBuilders Week and invites you to apply:

Bookish: Philadelphia & beyond

I just published my latest Indie Bookshop Crawl, this time through Philadelphia. If you want to come along on a little virtual tour, catch the reel on Instagram.

What I read in the last two weeks:

• The Tell, Amy Griffin. I was not prepared for this! When my friend Megan told me "That was a doozy!" I had no idea what I was about to read. If you're looking for a book that makes you feel something, put this on your list. P.S. It's non-fiction (and I wish it was fiction).
• Afterlives, Abdulrazak Gurnah. I picked this up on my recent bookshop adventure in Rochester, Minnesota. The last five books I read were by female authors and set in the US or UK. This story about war, loss, family, grief and love in East Africa is just what I needed to refocus my reading.

If you’re local, join us on December 2nd for the next International Book Club at Staunton Books & Tea!

📋Shen-Anika-ns: Conference survival tips

Conference season is here!

I’m writing this from Chicago, where I’m attending the Entrepreneurship Funders Network annual convening. I’ll be home just long enough to do laundry and squeeze my kid before heading to the Startup Champions Network Fall Summit in Augusta, Georgia.

Ecosystem conferences give me so much energy—but they can also be exhausting. Here are my go-to survival tips:

• I pack my own snacks. Protein-packed, low-sugar options keep me focused and alert (no more cookie-induced sugar crashes halfway through the day).
• I bring a power bank. Between recording talks, taking notes, and mapping the nearest indie bookshop, my phone works overtime.
• I carry my own water bottle and coffee mug. It’s a small comfort and a sustainable choice.
• I bring a host gift. Inspired by Startup Champions Network, I love carrying a small gift from the Shenandoah Valley to thank conference organizers. It’s become one of my favorite travel rituals.
• I step away daily. After 6+ hours of listening to keynotes and panels, I need to step away (if not earlier). I make a point of walking to the nearest local coffee shop or Indie bookstore to experience some local culture.

And for each day I’m away, I leave a little note for my daughter - something about her day ahead and when I’ll be home.

When we make space for ourselves - whether it’s a day in the mountains or an afternoon off - we show up more fully for our communities.
Our clarity, patience, and creativity ripple outward.
So the next time you catch yourself saying, “I wish I could do that,” try whispering back: “Maybe I can.”

💌 Share this issue with someone who needs the reminder.

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In camaraderie,

Anika

P.S. Missed my last newsletter? Check out the previous issues of Impact Curator.