Hooray for 4 years in business! A lot has changed in the past year, and I am feeling more optimistic and happy overall in 2021.
Here’s a look back at my last business anniversary celebration
When I think back to four years ago, when I submitted paperwork for my LLC, I remember feeling nervous and asking a lot of questions.
- Am I doing this right?
- What should I do when?
- Who can help me?
- How can I find more clients?
I spent a lot of time meeting with other entrepreneurs in my network, who were kind enough to sit down with me and share their story of starting out, taking copious notes. I researched and built my WordPress website. My first client, the Greater Menomonee Falls Foundation, gave me a lot of confidence, and I still am proud to work with them today.
I had to get comfortable with feeling uncomfortable – that feeling that there is always something I could or should be doing for my business.
Appeal Marketing Today
Four years in, I feel more comfortable with what I’m doing. I’ve picked myself up from rejections and kept on going. I’ve run promotions that fell flat. I haven’t attracted a ton of new clients, especially in the last year, but I’ve maintained clients through the years. I even applied and interviewed for two part-time jobs in the past year and was not the best candidate for either position.
But I’m okay with all of that.
I was in a rut in 2020, trying to balance work, kids learning from home, and overall COVID-19 stress.
When I was waiting for a rejection letter from one organization, another leader of a company I had worked with as a client years ago reached out to me. We caught up and learned that they were looking for some part-time account management help. I reviewed the job description and noticed they wanted someone relationship building, communication, and organizational skills.
That’s 100% me!
I started doing account management work with this company, while keeping my current clients, and it’s going great! I love being part of their creative and fun team. It’s exciting to see the work come together from project outline, drafts to the final product.
Recently, I feel like I’m honing in my skills to focus on client communication, planning and project management. These are my natural strengths (as identified by the Clifton Strengths Finder), and it feels good to lean into them. I love being part of the design process and sharing the drafts, and communicating plans with clients.
I feel re-energized about work.
My Definition of Success
In line with a 2020 goal, I continue to surround myself with positive people and initiatives to keep learning and make things better.
I am staying true to My Why:
To bring people together so that we can help one another create something even better.
And I’m applying it more broadly to my life – to spend time with others so that we make positive changes, personally, professionally, and in our community. That is success to me.
I feel grateful for time with my family these past four years. When I started Appeal Marketing, my kids were seven and five years old. I’ve been involved in PTO, classroom parties, girl scouts, and sports because I’ve had flexibility with my work. Today, at eleven and nine, they are healthy, happy, and extremely active in many spring sports. We are very blessed.
I feel hopeful that 2021 will be better than 2020.
And so, celebrate we will!
Many Reasons to Celebrate
Professional Celebrations
- Launched a new website!!
- Promoted developing a 2021 Marketing Roadmap and Budget Tips
- Spread good news with my non-profit community foundation client: creating newsletters, social media content, appeal mailings
- Supporting ongoing client communication while achieving awesome open rates for an electrical distributor.
- Landed new account management gig.
Personal Celebrations: Supporting TEAM OLIG
- As a mom, I kept my family healthy, enjoyed a lot of family time, participated in the COVID-19 Journal Project,
- As a mom / learning coach, I supported 100% virtual, hybrid and now face to face school,
- I also participated in many school board meetings on how to safely bring students back to school.
I had to change my perspective big time.
Community Involvement
- Continue to serve on the School Board of Menomonee Falls as current Treasurer
- Helped WiM Wisconsin host a wide variety of virtual events
- I worked on communications launch for the Brain Bags, an early literacy resource available through the Menomonee Falls Public Library.
One final cheer
It has been inspiring and re-affirming to look back on this past year. Have you done the same? What are you celebrating in your life?
Cheers, my friends, and THANK YOU for being along on the journey of entrepreneurship, motherhood, and life in general.