Ann Marie O'Braskin

03/28/2026

Quick note: these aren’t all the same type of event, and that’s on purpose. Some are for local business owners. Some are for caregivers. All are about building a stronger Village in our neighborhood 💚

4/7: Kid-Friendly Co-Working @ Bloom & Grow (Natick)

4/11: Thrive Together Expo @ Bloom & Grow (Natick) — for caregivers of neurodivergent kids and anyone supporting that community

4/28: Plant a Seed Collaboration Night @ Ash & Rose (Framingham) — for local business owners who want to connect and network in a relaxed environment 🪴

Want the RSVP links? DM EVENTS and I’ll send them over.

03/14/2026

Saturdays mean mornings of packing our bag far earlier than we need and answering endless questions of, “how much longer until swim?!” (Don’t worry, I went and grabbed that swim diaper to get it back in the bag 🤣)

02/23/2026

A preview of my latest post on Substack. The Village Marketing Edit is for any local business trying to make life a little bit better for the families in their community.

I appreciate all shares and subscribes 💚

Now on to the post…

If you’re reading this from your kitchen table while the snow keeps coming, I see you.

We’ve been home for a week for February break and now, here we are again, still home. It’s okay if that feels frustrating.

Add to that if you’re struggling to figure out what you can do for your business while still handling everything that needs to get done at home…and remembering that everyone (including your customers) is likely feeling something similar.

TL;DR:

If you’re a Massachusetts local business owner watching the snow pile up, this is your reminder: today is not the day to force a “buy my thing” post. Today is the day to be useful.

And the funny thing is, when you lead with help, you usually end up supporting your business and your neighbors at the same time.

Comment SUBSTACK and I’ll send you the 🔗

05/23/2025

Whether you're running an event space, teaching art classes, or offering family services - you're making a real difference in your community. Your marketing should feel as authentic as everything else you do.

When you're thinking about what to post, picture a real person you work with. What would you say to that mom? What advice would you offer that dad? What's a question that client has asked?

Pick one, hit post, and feel good knowing you've helped another person in your neighborhood.

👉 Save this reminder for those days when marketing feels overwhelming!

12/15/2024

Tell this fella happy birthday when you see him. 34 had a lot that happened. You've done so much work for us and yourself and I'm so proud of you. Every year you become a better father and husband and we are incredibly grateful. Thank you for everything you do. I love you and I like you. Here's to an easier 35th year. 🍕👨‍👩‍👧‍👧🍃🎂🥳

08/17/2024

05/13/2024

A couple of elder emos celebrating mother's day by hitting a 20th anniversary tour of

02/29/2024

Let’s admit it - there are bookkeeping tutorials ALL OVER THE INTERNET.

You can google the answer to, “How do I record a customer deposit” or “How do I record an expense”

But then what?

If you're doing your own bookkeeping, there are some very important things you'll want to make sure you know... because you don't want to find out the hard way that you've been doing things wrong all year.

Which is why my friends over at Brass Jacks created the DIY Books class.

They KNOW how frustrating it can be to wonder if you’ve done everything.

With YEARS of experience, at least a hundred different clients, and dozens of different CPAs, Jackie Shaw is established as a well-known leader in the bookkeeping industry. She has the knowledge, experience and SKILL needed to walk you through this process.

DIY Books will have you feeling confident knowing:
- How to use the bank feeds in QBO (hint: you can't trust everything QBO suggests!)
- Bookkeeping Best Practices (ie there's a zillion ways to do things, we'll show you ze best way)
-What to watch out for (how to know when things have gone sideways)
-How to stay organized (to make sure you're not missing anything important!)

if you're rocking your business but just need a little guidance on how to do your bookkeeping because you didn't go to school for this stuff, Brass Jacks has got your back. ​

Learn how to do your own bookkeeping with DIY Books.

This series is on sale through today only for $50 off with coupon code BIZBOOKS

Check the comments 👇

02/16/2024

Let’s play a game: what word first comes to mind when you think of the word ‘bookkeeping’?

Comment and let me know. There are no wrong answers!

You could be thinking about the end result, right? The clarity, freedom, and peace of mind that comes with having your books caught up. 🌴💸

Orrrr you could be thinking about the ACT of ignoring your books all year long and then frustratingly trying to do a whole year’s worth of bookkeeping over February school break and be thinking of words like ‘dread’, ‘frustration’, or ‘annoying’. 😬🤢

If you’re the latter, I don’t blame you. (Many micro-business owners have a knack for ignoring the importance of bookkeeping, I’ve been there and it’s no fun).

But I DO have some news for you: staying up-to-date on your bookkeeping doesn’t have to feel frustrating or fill you with dread.

Having your books in order can feel empowering and rewarding!

Instead of putting your books off until tax season, think about how much better you’ll feel knowing that they’re done.

Instead of wondering if your financial statements are accurate, picture yourself making excellent business decisions because you KNOW the health of your company’s financial status.

Having good bookkeeping is not trendy or flashy, but it IS the glue that holds your business together. 💛

If you’ve been struggling to get clean & organized docs to your CPA at the end of the year, you need to prioritize your company’s bookkeeping. It’s that simple. 💁‍♀️

My friend and go-to bookkeeping expert, Jackie Shaw, from Brass Jacks, is hosting a (totally free) live training next week called What Every Micro Business Owner Should Know Before Their Taxes are Done. Have you signed up yet?

With Jackie’s strategies, you can learn what you need to do to get your books ready for your CPA.

Join us for an entertaining and educational conversation about what micro business owners need to know about doing their own bookkeeping.

I'm dropping the place to grab your spot below.

12/16/2023

A day late, but I'd be remiss to not post about this guy for his birthday. Not only is he the greatest dad, but this year especially has shown what an incredible partner he is. Always there to tell me everything is going to be okay. Keeping us laughing. Making sure the girls are taken care of before anything else.

And always there to pick us up from BJ's at the drop of a hat when his grateful and incredibly forgetful wife leaves a light on in her car and kills the battery.

Happy birthday, . We love you 💖💖