2021 Recovery and The Future

2021 WHOA friend! You were INSANE! I can’t remember being so busy, since 2019. Yea how comical looking back to my start of the year post in January. I wasn’t sure we were even going to be working or when we could. Well the answer was April and I officially wrapped the season December 21st! Wedding wise though… WHAT A RIDE!

My first post-covid wedding was on April 16th. It was quite the journey though to get there.

My couple Kenny + Rachel had quite the planning adventure that I truly wouldn’t want to wish for anyone. We had a Plan A, B, C and D. They had bookings at 3 locations all dependent on the size of the event they could host. The venue they originally booked had their own regulations to abide by. The issue though was awaiting any changes the state passed down. The Wednesday of their Friday wedding, we didn’t know where we were going to be!

The final decision was they could host 25 people at their original event location. They could get ready at the hotel in the same room. I could get ready/prep photos which I wasn’t able to do much in 2020. The biggest thing was no dancing or congregating together. Which was a blow. So these lovely people moved to Plan D, which was to have a wedding 2.0 celebration in the summer outside at Fox Hills Summerhouse. 

What a ride right?! How insane for a couple to practically have to plan, not just the original wedding day, but then also multiple other events. The amount of stress they went through to get to the wedding day, culminated in many many tears of joy. It was worth all the hassle. The good news is it would be my VERY LAST wedding of the COVID era with restrictions. Even moving forward masks were in limited use. We ended up filling our calendars beyond what any of us ever imagined. Rumor has it 2022 could be even crazier as we play catch up! 

Sure it wasn’t 2019 busy, but in comparison I was traveling more & shooting in more out of state locations than I ever have. Which equals more time away. Either way though… 2021… you saved me, you helped me recover but you have also TRULY allowed me to look at what I want for the future.

If you followed along with past yearly personal/business posts. You will know that I have been focusing on evolving my business. I have been working on a new client base, new market, basically changing the direction of where I want to be in business in 2-5 years. Focusing less on day to day. So every day I start looking at what will get me where I need to go + I try to implement or complete one task that will get me there. It isn’t easy, especially when many things feel so urgent. However, they are essential to the future. 

So let’s look at the goal recap! Everything I accomplished I crossed off!

Launch of Mini Session Course
Build a return client experience course
Build a new website I am happy with 
Finally Hire a copywriter for website
Hire an SEO specialist
Hire a blog writer
Increase pricing for 2022 + 2023
Book 20 weddings
Finally Book 1 out of state 2022 wedding
Book 75 sessions
Build a social media plan
Execute a social media plan
Create work hours 
Create a schedule
Use Click-Up to organize projects 
Hire an editor
Have all weddings edited + delivered before Dec 31st.
Have all sessions edited + delivered before Dec 31st. 
Build schedule for season
Plan mini session schedule
Plan mini promos
Continue a systemic way for clients to book sessions
Launch pre-booking of schedule
Fully setup flodesk strategy
Brainstorm passive income streams
Update 5 year plan
Learn FB + IG ads
submit taxes early by 3/1
Send newsletter 4x a year – 2x this year
Update + enhance client experience
Launch photo booth business
Launch mentoring business
Re-examine blog strategy 
Re-Evaluate the launching of the Florida expansion
Attend a conference – Reset Conference Waco 2021!
Attend a workshop
Apply to speak – Accepted to speak at The Reset Conference 2022!

Overall I did pretty decent at tackling some things for myself this year! I know I’m not perfect BUT as I work through this list I truly do focus on what projects I am doing in the day to day. Those small things for me keep me driving forward! Something I know doesn’t always feel like a win BUT for me it’s a reminder that I only have to be a better version of who I was yesterday. I am only competing with myself and no one else! 

What I learned from 2021… busy isn’t a badge.

While I had to survive + try to thrive at the same time it was difficult. There were times where my husband & I exchanged Adelaide in the airport lobby. Times when we were ships passing in the night. Times where I wondered if I was making the biggest mistake.

Can I tell you something crazy though? In October I spent TWO Saturdays with my family NOT working. I was able to say YES to things I wanted to say yes to! Not having had an October Saturday off since I started my business. I was able to close the calendar before Christmas AND more importantly it was the FIRST Christmas and New Year I didn’t sit on my computer the whole time. There was a great change in my heart about work and life with my family this year. Something I hope to grow on in 2022. 

With that, I close this post being optimistic for 2022. The 2021 Recovery and the future of my business really has be focusing on what 2022 will bring to me and my family together. With a new vision for the future of my business! I can’t wait to look back in 2022 to see where I am!

Ashley

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