Sharing My 2017 Goals with You!
Guys. I can’t believe 1) That 2016 is almost over and 2) that December 15th has come and gone, which means this business is a YEAR OLD! AHHH. Honestly, when I called Ryan and told him I was going to the bank for my business accounts because I’d filed all my other state/city paperwork last December, I didn’t know what would happen. I didn’t know if I would flop, or give up. I didn’t know if I’d book any shoots or weddings. I didn’t know if my heart would soar. But it did. Everything I wanted to happen my first year HAPPENED. Bringing this baby back to life after college really took on a different shape for me – I wanted this business to be right the first time. I wanted to be sure I did everything by the book and with my clients’ best interest at heart. It has been a wild year but I’m looking forward to what 2017 has to offer!
If you follow me on Instagram (handle: kdowler15), then you know I participated in the Rising Tide Society’s Recharge Challenge this past week. I was sharing all sorts of stuff about my goals for 2017, what success looks like for me and my hopes + dreams for next year – business and personal alike (which really, are the same things- this business is SO personal for me!). I thought I’d take a moment to really write down some of my goals with you. I have so many I’m working on but my favorites are here!
- Offer printed products in my packages! I want to make sure your memories live on and what better way to make sure that happens then to sit down with you, show off your beautiful images + help you decide which physical pieces will make your memories complete. I’ve been working to handpick all of the products I’ll be offering in 2017 including canvases, albums, and framed prints. This makes me SO excited!! Early 2017 this change will happen – I seriously cannot wait!!
2) Open up a print shop! I love being able to share the photos I’ve taken from around the world + right here in my backyard with the world. I would love to sell prints of the images but also things like note cards because I absolutely love snail mail – so it feels very natural to me to extend my business that way. Hopefully by the summer this will be ready to go!
3) Be almost ready to go full time! Being full time in this business (and being a virtual assistant) is a huge dream of mine but obviously takes some planning which is why I’m saying “Almost” (I know, it sounds like a cop out!). I am hoping to really push myself over the next year and get to a more stable financial situation in the business so I could go full time by 2018. 2017 is about laying the groundwork solidly to make that happen! This involves marketing, client work + building my experiences/pricing.
4) Invest in 2 more workshops + participate in more styled shoots! Anything I can do to make my business more rock solid seems like a great idea to me! The better educated I am, the better I can serve all of you who are reading this. So I really hope to invest in a great lighting course + a wonderful newborn posing/safety class this year! I’d love to increase my work with new families + in home lifestyle sessions as well which ties directly into these courses. Styled shoots are a great way to build more community with those around me + continue to increase my portfolio, which is always fun!
5) Refine my systems + customer experience! To me, there is always room for improvement and I’d like to really focus on making my customer’s experience absolutely MAGICAL this year. I won’t share all my secrets yet but I have some great projects coming in 2017 to make this amazing – because it truly does matter to me! Everything from booking to the actual session will see improvements next year! To me, this is also about focusing on what I love to do – which is portrait work (and fewer weddings!). I will still take on the right wedding client but I want to really focus on couples, families, senior portraits + newborns/children! Focusing my mindset means I am better able to serve the ones I love.
and 6) Expand my virtual assisting client base! I’d love to help out 2-4 more small businesses really achieve their goals by helping them with social media, blogging or even email management. If you’re a business owner who would love some help, send me a note here and we can chat more!
5) Refine my systems + customer experience! To me, there is always room for improvement and I’d like to really focus on making my customer’s experience absolutely MAGICAL this year. I won’t share all my secrets yet but I have some great projects coming in 2017 to make this amazing – because it truly does matter to me! Everything from booking to the actual session will see improvements next year! To me, this is also about focusing on what I love to do – which is portrait work (and fewer weddings!). I will still take on the right wedding client but I want to really focus on couples, families, senior portraits + newborns/children! Focusing my mindset means I am better able to serve the ones I love.
and 6) Expand my virtual assisting client base! I’d love to help out 2-4 more small businesses really achieve their goals by helping them with social media, blogging or even email management. If you’re a business owner who would love some help, send me a note here and we can chat more!
I’ve been working hard on Lara Casey’s PowerSheets to help myself realize which goals really matter to me, how to get there + how to best focus on the life I want. That means other goals are cropping up – better health, spending less on things I don’t need (AKA, being CONTENT!!!! More on this to come!), traveling more and most of all – loving Ryan better. How do you go about making your goals happen? What are you hoping 2017 looks like for you? Stay tuned to the blog – I’ve got a few more fun posts this week before Christmas and then some great ‘Best of 2016’ posts coming your way next week! (I can’t believe we’re at the time of year I can say that!).
XOXO,
Kristina
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