This last year has been an incredible year for me, full of learning, difficult challenges personally and professionally and bright white “aha moments” that led to change for the better. On the eve of Thanksgiving 2017, I wanted to take a pause and reflect on the gratitude I have for this year of growth and encourage you to take a second and do the same.
Tumbles
Many of you know but some may not that in Q3 of 2016 I had some business reversals. There are some who might think it odd to be grateful for difficult times, but I took risks and started a journey and focused on stepping out of my comfort zone after those reversals happened. Those tumbles and falls required that I pick myself up, but when I did that I started truly evaluating how I might learn from the situation and make steps to come back even stronger.
For example, one of the lessons I learned last year was that I had a few, really large clients resulting in “all my eggs in one basket.” When one client was purchased by another company and decided to consolidate their 4 agencies into one we were left with a big whole in our revenue stream. Within a few months I decided that it was not the time to tighten my belt but to INVEST in the business. I spent a big chunk of budget on sales training and it is continuing to pay off a year later.
Tribe
2017 has been the year of my tribe. I have depending on others more in this year than I ever have. If you fall within any of the following (and you know who you are) you have played a HUGE role in keeping me strong and sane through all the highs and lows. I hope you are lucky enough and willing enough to depend on your own tribe!
- Spouse (thanks Honey!)
- Parents
- Family
- Friends (even all of you guys I only get to chat with on Facebook!)
- Clients
- Colleagues and Networking Buddies
- And I can’t forget my…
Team
My team has really been my strength this year. I have depended on them to run the show while I was hustling, training, meeting new and current clients, recruiting additions to the team…and they have been amazing.
Jim has had to run the show more often than he or I probably ever imagined he would and he has done it with courage and customer focus. Clients rave about how Jim always has their back. Drashti welcomed a new baby girl this summer and bravely came back to work facing all of the challenges a young working Mom has without missing a beat in her important role here. My favorite senior SEO consultant Don has had my back whenever I needed him and I am so thrilled to have him lending his high level of search support to my larger projects. Oh, did I mention my great find Venus? How lucky was I to have such good SEO on my own website that when she started looking for a local digital agency she found us FIRST and I grabbed her before someone else could! And my interns, well these girls are the brightest of the bright and will definitely go on to do great things when they graduate.
I hope you all have a tremendous list of thanks to give this Thanksgiving. Enjoy the day, your family, friends, or whoever you may find yourself surrounded by on this very special day.