However, as I look back, I’m SO THANKFUL that I wrote down my goals. It is so eye-opening to read through this old post and remember what life used to look like in this season! I literally wanted a CAR DECAL! That was one of my top priorities!! Oh it’s so entertaining to read through my thought process in 2010. We are now 6 years removed from this post and I can’t help but be so grateful for what we have accomplished over the last 6 years!! Take a look at what my business looked like when it was 1.5 years old! …..

A Blog post from 2010…..

“Oh the goals!! Goals are so crucial for me. They drive me. This past year and a half was my first year in business. I’m in college full-time and so I HAVE to have goals in order to continue to grow. Last year some of my goals included getting published (kinda happened), host a mini session day (got rained out), be sponsored by a venue, improve “my style” , host my first workshop, do 20 weddings, and custom build a website that I LOVE! So some of these were only 1/2 way accomplished but hey! I tried!

So…. for 2010!…drum roll…:

1. book 35 weddings (15 so far…got a ways to go!) – NOW WE’RE TAKING LESS THAN 20 NEXT YEAR, 2017!
2. after getting married next fall and graduating college in May, I want to do 4 anytime portraits sessions a month. – SOON AFTER I GRADUATED I QUIT PORTRAITS ALL TOGETHER!
3. 10 senior sessions – I’M NO LONGER DOING SENIOR SESSIONS BECAUSE I THRIVE MORE AT WEDDINGS!
4. host my 2nd “Basics” Workshop in the Spring and host my first “Business Basics” workshop in the summer. – WE’VE HOSTED OVER A DOZEN!
5. 5 photographer-to-photographer teaching sessions – WE HAVE COACHED OVER 50 PHOTOGRAPHERS 1-ON-1!
6. ooohhh… a window decal for my car with my logo and URL! – THIS JUST CRACKS ME UP!
7. 500,000 blog hits (130,000 this year so that might be a stretch!) – WE EXCEEDED THIS YEARS AGO!
8. I realllly want a promo video, all the cool kids are doing it! – 3 PROMO FILMS LATER… WE’RE STILL READY FOR A NEW ONE!
9. Sell more canvases! Sell more Albums! (really! these things are awesome, why don’t more people BUY THEM?!) – 90% OF OUR CLIENTS HAVE ALBUMS THIS YEAR!
10. Make an average of $250 a month from print sales – OH HOW THINGS HAVE CHANGED!
11. Improve my grammatical errors on the blog (I really type too fast!) – WELP, SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE!
12. Get published in print and web – I TRIED TO FRAME MY FIRST PRINT FEATURE!! I WAS SO EXCITED!
13. Raise starting price to $2600 fall 2010 and use extra $ to outsource whenever I want!! yay for getting my life back! – MICHAEL AND I NOW HAVE A FULL TIME EMPLOYEE & TWO CONTRACTED EMPLOYEES! 80% OF MY OLD TASKS ARE OUTSOURCED!
14. Be a better networker, form relationships with all vendors from my own wedding! – WE ARE STIL FRIENDS WITH THESE SWEET SOULS TODAY!
15. Win an award….I don’t know which one…. it’d just be nice to win something! – HAHA WHAT?! I WAS WEIRD.
16. Last one, promise! I want to attend 2 workshops besides WPPI – I THINK I ATTENDED ONE… BUT THAT’S BETTER THAN NOTHING!
17. I lied, I want to use SHOOTQ, QUICKBOOKS, and LIGHTROOM 2 to full capacity! – I’M CURRENTLY USING LIGHTROOM 5! TIMES HAVE CHANGED!

Whew! I’m normally scared to death to announce my goals! That means you all will know if I fail! But!, that’s even more reason to fight to accomplish them! ”

I feel like I just shared an ancient journal entry with the world but these old posts from 2010 are still live and available in the archives! We’re thankful that some of those goals didn’t happen and we’re grateful that so many did. If you have never made it a habit to write down your goals, start today! It’s almost a new month!! 6 years from now you’ll be entertained when you look back!! 😃