We’ve reached the final days of 2019 and I thought it’d be a great time to reflect on the past and share my 2020 goals. Yearly wrap-ups are not only some of my favorite posts to write, but also to read. It’s so inspiring to look back on goals and achievements as we move forward into the new year. 2019 was my first full year running The Blog Stop full time. That alone has been a huge goal of mine for years and it’s been a dream to see it come to life.
Business Highs
The Blog Stop Rebrand
This past October, I launched a rebrand of The Blog Stop. So much had changed since I started The Blog Stop in 2017. It was time for its branding, services & website to reflect what this business has become and who it serves. Since the rebrand, I’ve experienced huge growth in my reach. I feel more confident & excited to dream bigger with a platform that can sustain greater growth.
New Shop
As part of the October rebrand, I launched a brand new design shop, full of physical goods designed by yours truly. It’s been so fun to hold things I’ve designed in my hands and share them with my little corner of the web. Many more fun things to come for 2020 and I can’t wait to see the shop grow!
Financial Stability
I quit my day job in June of 2018 to travel the world with Levi. 2019 has been the first full year that we’ve both been fully supported by The Blog Stop and WE DID IT. It’s been SO much hard work but I’m incredibly proud of The Blog Stop’s financial standings at the end of 2019.
Business Coaching
One of the most game-changing highs of this year was the experience of working with a business coach. I started working with Ivirlei of Maven Mindset in August and it has CHANGED. THE. GAME. Having someone invested in my success and holding me accountable has been next-level and I attribute the last 6 months of my growth to the power of coaching (and Ivirlei).
Personal Highs
I started 2019 halfway through a 12-month trip around the world, living in a tiny apartment in Athens, Greece. Shortly after, I got to travel to Thailand, Japan, Bali, New Zealand and Australia. Traveling is something that makes me come alive. Spending a year seeing so many new places was a huge personal accomplishment for me. It’s something I’d do again in a heartbeat & I look forward to the travels 2020 will bring.
After one year of travel, I transitioned back to living in the US, landing in my hometown of Portland, OR. I’ve since had more time to invest in my business and have loved the extended time in one place with my family.
2019 Lows
As with any year, there were certainly low points. Transitioning from a life of constant travel to staying in one place was quite a bit harder than I anticipated. I deeply miss seeing new places and regularly having new experiences. I’ve had to shift my priorities and manage my day-to-day expectations.
Running a business means that income can come in waves and there will be slow months. This year was definitely a learning experience in balancing those seasons and making sure we had enough money from the busy months set aside for the slow months. I’m hoping this next year, I’ll have a better grasp of financial patterns and be able to more accurately anticipate slow seasons.
Favorite Posts
New Business tools
Flodesk
Flodesk has been a GAME CHANGER for my email marketing. Wow. If you haven’t jumped on the Flodesk train yet, don’t waste another moment. It’s the email marketing platform you’ve been waiting for. Also, you may or may not be seeing a Flodesk x The Blog Stop collaboration coming at you in the new year 😉
Honeybook
The last 6 months of my business development has been all about refining my client process. I want my clients to feel cared for from my very first interaction with them. I’ve transitioned to using Honeybook for all my client projects and have LOVED the ease of the experience (for both the client and me).
2020 Goals
Live Workshops
It’s been a dream of mine to host live workshops with other business owners in my area. I’m planning on 2020 being the year that dream becomes reality so keep your eyes peeled.
Product Photography
I want to put a huge focus on product photography this year – refining my skills, building a legit portfolio & working with larger-scale clients.
Brand Collaborations
I’m hoping to land a couple collaborations with larger brands wanting to feature my designs. This is a super scary goal to say out loud, but I know it’s possible.
It’s been an amazing year of new experiences, growth & dreaming big. I’m SO excited to head into 2020. I know even bigger things are in store. I’m planning on dreaming bigger, working harder and getting outside my comfort zone. Thanks for joining me on the journey.
Cheers to a brand new decade.
xx,
Ariel
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