2019 Year in Review: My First Year In Business

2019 has been such a special year. As you may know, I launched my business in March and have been fulltime freelancing it ever since. I finally could set my own schedule, my own rates and wake up to something that was completely mine. And through all the ups and downs, I’ve been able to emerge. So here’s 2019, in review.

The Path That Led Me Here

I always knew writing was in my blood. I have notebook upon notebook of strange little stories I wrote as a child, to still strange stories I wrote as a teenager. Though, fearing the applications of an English degree, I decided to pursue journalism instead. College was when I really started freelancing. In my sophomore year I started writing for an educational publication, and then got in touch with one of my local magazines – edible Reno-Tahoe – and started regularly submitting stories to them.

As my little list of clients kept growing, and I tried out my hand in TV news, radio news, and marketing. The first one was a definite no. No star TV reporter career in my future. Though I liked radio and working for our local NPR station, marketing seemed to eclipse it just a little bit. In 2016 I graduated with a degree in Journalism and almost immediately started working at a digital marketing agency. I learned so many online marketing strategies – from website copywriting and email marketing to PPC campaigns and social media. But I didn’t love not being in control of my time, my income and not feeling genuinely happy each day. In early 2019, I took the leap to start my freelancing business, and have not once looked back!

A Business That’s All Mine

After being raised by two parents who successfully began and ran their own businesses, I knew I could do it too. A series of cold emailing (ugh!), perfectly timed responses on FB groups, and community referrals led to my first few recurring clients and a solid base I could work up from. I continued these strategies, and kept retaining new clients.

Over the year I’ve probably worked with  20+ clients on everything from website copywriting to SEO audits to ongoing blog posts. At first, I was taking anything and everything, but now I think I’ve officially found my rhythm. I know the things that I love to sit down and do, and also the ones that actually make me dread the day (I’m talking about you Google Adwords). I’m learning that my career can be based on solely sticking to the things I love (while also learning to be firm with my prices!)

Some of the year’s notable mentions:

• It was my husband and I’s first solid year in our new home! Though as he is a fulltime student and has a fulltime job, I didn’t get to see much of him! Here’s to him graduating in 2020.
• I finally finished the first draft of my fantasy book. Years in the making, writing a novel has always been something I dreamed of doing. This year I decided to make that a reality. I entered NaNoWriMo – and did it! (For those who don’t know, NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month where you try to spit out 50,000 words – or more – on your novel.) Now on to the endless edits.
• Experienced loss with the passing of my grandmother, but also the incredible family bonding that came along during that time.
• Prioritizing my mental and physical health was a struggle this year. As a new work-from-home (and sometimes coffee shops) professional, isolation was a real thing. Especially with my husband being out of the house from 6 am to 10 pm most days. I knew the things that made me happy – getting out, drinking water, going to an exercise class, and eating regularly – so I have been trying to make my mental and physical health a priority!

What I’ve Learned This Year

Turn off Notifications and Chuck the Phone!

There have been days where I’ve sat at my desk for hours – hours – just scrolling through FB on my phone. Or, I decide to play that fun game I downloaded just for a few minutes, and then discover it’s been two hours. I have learned that I literally need to throw my phone across the room in order to get any real work done. And that’s not a metaphor – I throw my phone (onto a chair with cushions – phones are expensive!). Otherwise, I think I can keep it on my desk and actually start writing the content that’s been sitting on my screen – but I know myself better by now and have wasted far too much time.

Closing the Email Tab

There are a few tabs I always like to keep open on my browser. My Google Drive and my email. I like being aware of each new email I get (I’m a little obsessive) and replying as soon as possible. However, that means when I am writing a blog, I am constantly shifting my attention aware from the creative process. When I would break in the middle of a paragraph to respond to an email, it would take me twice as long to finish a blog because I was no longer in the right mindset. When I close the email tab, I can focus on actually working. Then in two hours, I can check it again.

DIY’ing it Versus Hiring A Professional

I’ve also learned this year that there is a time to DIY it, and a time to give it up to a professional. I am the type of person where I think I can do it myself. I can look up videos, read blogs, and put in the work to accomplishing it myself, rather than paying someone else to do it. And that’s exactly what I decided to do with my website (version 1). Am I a designer? No. A developer? Absolutely not. But I did it anyway and it looked…okay. However, it just wasn’t standing up to the competition and when I partnered with a designer for some projects, she also let me know (in a very gentle way). So I let her redesign it, and now it is something I absolutely love. Let the professionals do their work, people!

Overall, this has been I year I am very proud of. My first business is taking off, and I love the lifestyle (as hectic as it may be!) that comes with it. Stay tuned 2020, I’m expecting great things!