Well .. It’s been a minute since I’ve posted as I’ve been working away on several new projects. Of course, this is a good thing, but also hurts my ability to focus on new business initiatives. As a “one (wo)man stop shop,” it’s often hard to get to EVERYTHING you need to be doing. Prioritizing is super important, and often client work trumps administrative tasks. But with that said, I sit here on December 31st and reflect on what I want for myself, and my business, in 2014.
Now, I’m not big on New Year’s resolutions. Mainly because I think if you desire a goal or achievement, you should immediately get after it! Why wait until the New Year to start? But … I must admit that all the hype around this holiday has given me that extra push to really evaluate what I’ve been doing right, what I’ve been doing wrong, and how to improve for the New Year. I’m 6 months into this new Freelancing venture and really, REALLY hope to turn this into a long-term (lifetime?!) profession.
In 2013 one of my proudest accomplishments was the development of Mobile Application coding skills. With the help of an amazing client of mine (www.capiratech.com), I’ve been able to delve into the world of mobile design – a skill that I absolutely needed for the future of my design career. Using Photoshop, Illustrator, and Xcode, I was able to assist in the design of 2 mobile applications (still in development), with many, many more on schedule for early 2014.
I designed for some amazing events with By Yena Designs, a client that really adds excitement and freshness to my work. I love that each event is different (in venue, theme, aesthetic, etc), allowing me to work with a variety of materials and push my design concepts to new limits. Never a dull moment, right Yena?! 🙂
Steve Olsher has been, and continues to be an amazing client – we work seamlessly and quickly, something I think we both appreciate 🙂
And I can’t forget his mother Gail Zelitzky – referred to me several years ago – who continues to grow her business, her clients’ businesses, and in turn, mine! Gotta love when everybody wins.
I can’t begin to mention all of the amazing people I’ve worked with this year (and some I’m unable to mention, for projects are still in the works!), but I’m so grateful for each and every one and hope to continue to build these relationships both professionally and personally.
Now – reflecting on successes is all well and good, but addressing weaknesses is where the biggest room for improvement resides. With that said, my main goal for 2014 will be the development of my social media presence. I’m just going to say it — I’m the worst at Twitter. I feel like it always falls to the wayside (or completely off the grid, in some months), but realize it can be an essential asset for reaching new clients. 142 followers?! (That’s it?! sigh). So yes, that’s going to be a major goal. I’m also on Facebook and Instagram, but feel like these networks are more personal and private (although anyone can follow me, if you want to see adorable pictures of my niece and the occasional cat knocking over books to Miley Cyrus’s “Wrecking Ball”).
My other major goal for 2014 is to gain NEW clients. I think (or hope) this will inevitably go in tandem with growing my social presence, but I think I’ll also have to look to new marketing initiatives. Up until now I’ve been getting by with word-of-mouth advertising … but at some point I’m sure I’ll exhaust my current network and need to have my name out there to a wider audience. The verdict is still out on what those marketing tactics will be …. but, I know I’ve got to get moving!
So, here’s to a New Year — I’m wishing success and happiness for you all!