Megs and Company

We had 5,540 individual entries for last years giveaway and over 2,000 story shares. This was combined through the main giveaway post and feature posts. Over 17,000 potential clients and customers were reached though the giveaway. This year I have plans to make it even bigger, better, and more beneficial!... Last year I had to cap applications at 30 local businesses. This year I am offering different options to be able to accommodate more submissions. Applications are now! http://www.meganjohnson.social/holidaygiftguide first come first serve basis. Don’t have a business but want to help me spread the word? Be sure to tag your favourite brands below to make sure they see this post!

I have never known a time without my cousin Jessica in my life. She an I were born 6 weeks apart from each other and were the only girl cousins in our family. Playmates as children, both sharing a love for all things swimming we have been a part of each others lives through the good and the bad. I am so happy that COVID restrictions eased enough we were able to be a part of her next chapter and celebrate her precious baby.... ‘Ica I am so excited to witness you becoming a mom and so happy for both you and Rob. I can’t wait to spoil them and teach them lots of inappropriate things to say!

Working on my paining skills and getting them in top shape for all the paint projects I have planned for the new house. Painting a blanket rack for my cousins baby shower tomorrow was made simple by the paint kit I picked up from @haldimand_vintage I used the colour #chantillylace from @benjaminmoore and a little @bbfrosch and it turned out amazing for the newest addition to our family.

Is it a magic transformation? No Do little things like lash extensions make me feel more confident and beautiful?... Yes! Does that make me superficial? No! When I was younger around grade 6 or 7, my mother got a call from my teacher T: Ms. McGillen your daughter is putting on makeup after you leave the house to come to school Dobby: No she isn’t T: oh yes she is, she wears it every day! D: No, let me clarify. She doesn’t do it after I leave for work in the morning she’s doing it while I’m there. T: you’re okay her to wear makeup at this age? D: Megan is a big girl. She is taller than all of the kids in class and she feels that. If putting a little colour on her face gives her the confidence to go to school and feel good about herself, why shouldn’t she wear it. I was lucky to have a mom who was always backing me up and allowed me to be me. Makeup and now little enhancement like lashes and brow lamination help me feel beautiful. So wear is the harm in that? Thanks to @heatherdeefield at @faunlashes for my confidence boost.

Born in Toronto I grew up moving almost yearly to different parts of the GTA with my mom. As a single parent finding affordable, safe living options for the two of us was sometimes a struggle. We've lived pretty much everywhere in the GTA. Downtown... Uptown Danforth Pickering Thornhill Newmarket Scarborough Mississauga.... the list goes on. I went to nine different schools... one I actually left for a year and then came back to! I learned real quick that the longer I stayed 'the mysterious new girl' the longer I stayed interesting, and had students willing to invest their recess' to try and crack my story. I also learned to spot the groups of people I knew I would fit with, and how to avoid others. This odd, yet surprisingly helpful skill has been one I have relied heavily on in my business. I know who my community is, I know who I'm speaking to, marketing to, because honestly, you're are the same people I want to hang out with at a party! And by party, I mean 1 really great one on one chat. I am introverted after all. Do you know who your target audience is, and how do you target them? Let us know your best tips!

Getting the information together for applications for this year's epic gift guide! Okay, I know it seems soon. Summer isn't even over!... But the truth is last years Epic Holiday Giveaway took on a life of its own! What started as a fun idea one night snowballed into the most fun I had all holiday season. But it was time-consuming and this year I have plans for it to be even better! Last year we had 7,568 entries and it was such a fun experience but this year I want to make it even better. I have plans to spotlight makers, businesses, and products even more. But that means pre-planning is SO important. This week I am putting the finishing touches on my plans and will be opening up applications to be a part of this years guide & giveaway. Spots will, unfortunately, be limited but I am working to have as many business included as possible. If there is a local maker or product you would love to see included please tag them below! I am so looking forward to pulling off my epic plans and making this a Holiday Gift Guide to remember. DM me if you want to be put on the notification list for more details!

If you have been wanting to step up your Social Media game but don't have a lot of money to invest at the moment, this could be just the ticket! Free learning is where it is at in 2020!

Our goal in life should be to find people who are the same kind of weird as we are and surround ourselves with them. This is Ashley my Bestie, my ride or die, my person. We clicked over our mutual love of being weird at crazy + have been friends since we were 16. ***No moss balls were harmed during this photo shoot. @thebirchwoodcottageco we handled your balls with care.... @evelynbarkeyphoto @thebirchwoodcottageco #airbnb

The dark side of putting yourself out there on Instagram. For every negative comment or DM I get I receive at least 100 positive. But I think it’s important to be honest and transparent. I get hate messages.... I get comments that take my breath away. I get DMs that for a moment shake me to my core. These are just a few of the comments I’ve received. Others have been ones that have condemned me for not being a mother. Particularly hurtful as I have a medical condition that makes it so that I physically cannot conceive. I’ve been body shamed. Shamed for NOT showing enough skin. Those are my favourite Other IG influencers do naked shoots to show how comfortable they are with their bodies. You always show up completely covered. You’re not a great role model for body positivity I didn’t realize that my modesty translated into being ashamed of my body or that my preferred style meant I wasn’t a good role model. I however disagree. I think showing up as myself personality, style, single status, no children, passionate business owner, IS being a good role model and the kind I choose to be. I feel sorry for people that send me these messages. They must have a lot of hurt and anger inside of them to lash out in unprovoked hate speech and that’s just what these are. But I can’t help them... lord knows I’ve tried. So, I block accounts that bring this negativity, judgemental, unsolicited, and uncalled for criticism. Instagram is my safe space. Carefully curated with the community that lifts me up not drags me down. There are trolls everywhere, but I choose to give them as much credit as they are worth and that’s nothing.

Welcome back my old friend. First day I’ve worn red lipstick since March 14th. Sounds silly but this pop of red makes me feel confident, powerful, and successful. When I was in the corporate world I was strong advised to not wear the colour when in meetings with male clients or partners.... It’s not what you want to portray I was told. My response was to wear red lipstick ever damn day at that job from then on. My strength and confidence is something I will ALWAYS want to portray and if the people I’m around don’t appreciate that, then they’re not people I should be around. Makeup, clothing, hair, cosmetic enhancement, none are necessary for you to live your optimal life. But for some of us certain aspects of those things give us a boost and help us feel at our best and ready to slay. For me that’s Red lipstick! But what is is for you? What gives you that boost of confidence or makes you feel amazing? Now to figure out how I’m going to wear a mask over it while I order my coffee

When I was 13 I broke my spine in a horse back riding accident. I didn’t realize it at the time though, which sounds great! Problem is I didn’t realize I became a ticking time bomb.... Eleven years later something just shifted in my back & over the next 24hrs I slowly went partially paralyzed from the waist down. I cannot begin to tell you the terror I felt. First my left foot dropped, then I started to loose feeling in my calf, my knee. Then my right foot dropped & I slowly lost the feeling in the rest of my legs. Worse, while I lost feeling in my legs my back was is excruciating pain. It sounds funny now to say my back was in pain because it was so much more than that. It actually hurt to open my mouth to talk, drink, chew. I was a live wire and it was almost unbearable. I couldn’t walk, sitting was impossible with the pain, and laying down made me want to scream out in agony. It was during this horrific one year chapter of my life that I developed a coping mechanism that serves me to this day. When I’m in pain or having a rough day I think to myself; Tomorrow will be better, & today won’t seem so bad, so you just need to get through today and it will be just a memory. See while going through so much pain and not having an end in sight it’s easy to loose perspective. But while I was laying there in unbelievable pain, I realized the day before didn’t seem as bad anymore. That pain was just a memory now. So, the next time you’re going through a rough patch, and we all go through them. Just tell yourself nothing will ever be as bad as this moment I’m living in right now, tomorrow it will be just a memory. Get to your tomorrow and it will seem just a little bit easier to take & sometimes that’s all we need.

If you need me, I’ll be here! + = #stayinbedsunday #iloverrading

Don’t mind me I’m just over here searching for my perfect home and dreaming about the space I want to create. I have been visualizing the perfect home. Northumberland within 20 minutes of Cobourg. Some land for a garden, quiet and secluded to recharge and pamper my antisocial introverted heart. My dream is to create a studio space to hold workshops and spotlight local artists and artisans and give them a platform to share their gifts.... I dream of having mixers where we can gather and support each other. A place we can meet, make friends, and help each other thrive. A cosy spot to meet with clients, hold book clubs, and one day even markets. Will I ever find the perfect spot, I sure hope so and I won’t stop dreaming until I make it happen!

Vendor Search I’m putting together a vendor list of Northumberland and surrounding areas. I'm looking for hand made, locally produced, and small batch makers and companies.... If you think you fit that bill please let me know below with even a simple emoji or letting us know what you sell. If you know an account that you think is great please tag them below for me. Thank you for your help, it is greatly appreciated. #cobourg #porthope #downtowncobourg #downtownporthope #warkworth #colborne #brighton #noco #northumberland #northumberlandcounty #ontario #supportlocal

Giveaway I am a firm believer in all things local and surrounding yourself with amazing people. Luckily I have the pleasure to collaborate with someone who not only feels the same way but has also made this ideal her business model.... Brianna from the @unwrapped_experience is, first of all, one of the most adorable people you will ever have the pleasure of meeting! Secondly, she is also a fierce and loyal supporter of local and handmade. Since the conception of her monthly boxes, not only has she continually surpassed her expectations with the popularity and growth of her boxes, but given a voice and a platform to so many local makers. In a world of online, Brianna is putting local makers products into the hands of consumers in a sustainable and innovative way. I am so proud to be collaborating with Unwrapped and featuring this months box, in a giveaway. How To Enter! Double Tap to like this post Follow @unwrapped_experience Follow @meganjohnson.co Tag friends that may not know about Unwrapped to help spread the word. You will get one entry per comment so separate each tag. The more friends you tag, the more entries you get! BONUS: Share this post to your stories for an extra 5 entries. You can do this once a day if you really want to build up those entries! Giveaway ends on Monday, June 29th If you don't want to chance missing this opportunity to get your hands on an unwrapped box, or you’d just like next months as well! Be sure to head over to their profile to snag your July box, which is on sale now! This giveaway is not endorsed or even on Instagram/Facebooks radar, so don't blame Mark Zuckerberg if you don't win! @ Cobourg, Ontario See more