Ok, let’s talk goals.
It’s that time of year again. Time to reflect on the months past and start dreaming for the months to come. I have to be honest and say that I’m not really a resolution-making type of person. I’m more of a “let’s see what comes our way” person than a “let’s go get it” person. In fact, I didn’t even write down any goals for my business in 2017!
Well, it turns out that measuring growth is harder when you don’t know where you started or where you wanted to end up!
Lucky for me, a few months ago the Syracuse Tuesday’s Together group came up with the idea for accountability partners (or Kick Butt Partners, KBP, as our group calls them). The idea was that this person would be someone who you could bounce ideas off of, who could give advice, and who would give you a little push to get going on those big dreams that might seem out of reach.
I paired up with my friend Carianne, the event planner/coordinator at Emerald Events. We are both in the first year of our businesses and had taken the same approach to making goals in 2017 (meaning that we hadn’t kept track of them through out the year). At out last meeting, we decided that instead of just waiting to see what happens in our businesses this year, we’d set goals and do all that we can to achieve them!
Hence this post. Today, I’m sharing a few of my goals for 2018. It’s not an exhaustive list because, let’s face it, that would be one looonnggg blog post. Instead I’m sharing some of the most exciting things that you can look forward to in 2018!
Let’s get one thing clear… These are not New Year’s resolutions!
These are not habbits that I’m trying to stick with throughout the year, but rather tangible marks of growth that I’m seeking to achieve. So here goes!
Samantha Ludlow Photography 2018 Goals:
- Continue weekly blogs. What started as a chore, turned into a habit, and is now truly a joy! I can’t wait to keep sharing adventures with you in 2018!
- Host a giveaway. This one I’m super excited for, so be on the lookout for more information soon!
- Host Mini Sessions. I’m hoping to do one in the spring and one in the fall.
- Create a referral program. It’s a win-win! You refer your friends, I give you a discount!
- Establish concrete workflows for portrait clients and weddings. This will keep me organized and ensure that all of my clients receive the best experience possible.
- Learn more about off-camera flash. Every year I try to invest in my education and continue to learn and improve. OCF is my education focus this year!
- Participate in a wedding styled shoot. Carianne and I have been dreaming up something for the summer, so stay tuned!
Any my Biggest, Best, Most Audacious Goal for 2018:
- Get published! This was something that wasn’t even on the radar in 2017, but I think might just be in reach! Submitting work to magazines and publications seems daunting, but I think it will push me to create my best work possible!
Even though it’s not my complete list, looking at these bullet points is a bit daunting. I know I may not achieve all of these items, and I might check some things off that weren’t written down. But hopefully when I sit here on December 29, 2018, I’ll have a distinct record of my growth to look back on!
