How's it been for you? Will you sit back with a glass of mulled wine and see it as a success? Excited about 2024?
As with many of us I'm sure, it's been an up and down kind of year but on reflection, I think it's been a pretty good one. 116 workshops, out and about a lot more doing the face to face delivery that I love (and the waistcoats were out again!), a couple of new clients, bit more food and drink writing, quaffed some great food and I've met some fantastic new people.
My workshops took a new direction early in the year when I started to go into prisons and talk to guys who are looking to go self-employed when they get released. Naturally, I was a little nervous, going into new and totally unfamiliar surroundings but I can quite honestly say that I have loved it! I've met some truly inspirational people with some incredible business ideas (I'll talk about origami furniture and miniature real gardens some other time) and even given their circumstances, some driven and engaging men, some of whom were unsure of when they may be back in the outside world.
The virtual workshops have continued and I've 'met' some great people, with some cracking businesses and because of the flexibilty and access to online workshops, I've chatted to people across the UK. The face to face delivery has taken me from Bolton to Brighton, Bristol to Bury.
Forgive the self indulgence for a minute but here are my business highlights of the year:
Prison workshops
More face to face delivery
A brilliant new food and drink client
A new workshop contract
Really encouraging feedback from all of the above
What are your top 5? I always find it a worthwhile exercise to reflect on the year and pick out the best bits. We often get overwhelmed by the struggles and as time goes by so quickly we can forget the good stuff.
And as for next year? I'm not a huge fan of resolutions as they can cause unnecessary pressure but I am a fan of objectives, which is a totally different thing. Some may call them plans and my top 5 for next year are:
Produce downloadable workshops that people can access when and where they want to
Finish writing the marketing book
More food and drink clients
Develop some resources for ex-offenders to access
Host some of my 'own' workshops
There, I've said it. They are out there and this time next year you can hold me accountable. Many people often say that you should keep you cards close to your chest with this kind of thing but I believe that going public with your ambitions and dreams, makes them more real. Where do you want to be this time next year?
If you need any help with anything next year...you know where I am.
Have a great Christmas and a brilliant New Year