Reflecting on 2022…Learning to Pivot and Grow as an Entrepreneur
What a year it has been. W+C celebrated its one-year anniversary, and I entered my second year of being an entrepreneur. I’ve learned so many things this year, the most important being, it’s all about the pivot, especially if you want to grow and change in your business. Granted, this is also great advice to follow as a human in this crazy, wild world.
Being an entrepreneur is not for the faint of heart. It’s hard, sometimes lonely, work. There are literally days where my dog is the only living being to hear me speak out loud (to catch a glimpse of W+C’s usually annoyed Chief Cuteness Officer, Gidget, be sure to follow @wordwomancreative on Instagram.). My poor friends can attest to those days because I become “Chatty Kathy” on the phone.
Of course, there are also days filled with Zoom meetings and events where I become sick of hearing my own voice. Truth be told, even this introvert, is extremely thankful for those busy days. We all need a little human connection, even if it is virtual.
Pivot, Pivot, PIVOT
Whenever I hear the word “pivot”, I immediately think of Friends. Not only is that scene a hilarious gem of comedy genius, but it’s also a perfect metaphor for being an entrepreneur. We’re always tinkering and testing things out and pivoting as needed.
It is definitely a challenge. Sometimes the word pivot can have a negative connotation, but it doesn’t always have to feel this way. Pivoting is an essential part of any business. It means you’re learning from what is working and what’s not. It can also mean you’re in an experimental phase, where you’ve brainstormed a new idea, are launching a new product/offer, or are testing out a new strategy.
In 2022, my entrepreneurial journey had numerous pivots, especially as I continued to learn new skills and strategies. For instance, I began building more of the back end of my business processes in Dubsado. My reasoning for this is to make interacting with W+C a more seamless process so I can better serve my clients.
I’m also feeling more inspired by a new social media strategy I’m creating. My goal with this is to grow my community and engagement with more thoughtful, targeted content. While both of these are huge undertakings, they are only a couple of the things I’m working on behind the scenes, and I know I will continue to make adjustments, where needed, throughout 2023.
Hopefully, all of these pivots won’t have me screaming, “Shut up, Shut up, Shut up”, like Chandler.
Growing as an Entrepreneur
This April will be the second anniversary of the founding of Wordwoman Creative. Thinking about my journey so far has me feeling a bit reflective. It’s amazing how much I’ve learned and grown as a business owner. I have so many dreams, aspirations, and goals for W+C, in 2023 and beyond.
While I’ve accomplished a lot, part of me feels like I’m just getting started. As I stated above, being an entrepreneur isn’t easy, but the reward outweighs all the trials and tribulations. I can’t explain the feeling I get each time I take a step forward or create something new for the businesses I serve. Don’t get me wrong, it can be terrifying and tiring, but I wouldn’t want it any other way.
In 2021, I shared a post on Instagram about my 17-year-old self’s dream of owning an ad agency. I didn’t remember writing about it until I stumbled upon my memory book from senior year. However, I do recall telling friends in college how one day I would have a building with my agency’s name on it.
But then life happened and so did my ad agency journey. Somewhere along the way, I became unsure if my dream would ever happen, or if I even wanted it anymore. A dot com bubble burst, a recession, or two, chaos in the country, and personal challenges can make you doubt yourself and your dreams.
During these turbulent times, I would often wonder if I was on the right path, or if advertising was actually my dream career. Each time those thoughts would arise, I would remember how much I loved to write and come up with creative solutions for clients.
It wasn’t that I wanted out of advertising, I simply wanted more control over the projects and clients I choose to work with. At first, I pictured myself as only a freelancer. I thought it was the only way I could achieve my goals, even though I knew I wanted more.
If I look at old resumes, I can see the spark of Wordwoman Creative, as I started calling myself that instead of Freelance Copywriter years ago. Although it took a bit longer than my 17-year-old self would have planned, eventually I made my dream of owning my own creative business happen.
Now, there is no turning back, only moving forward.
My hope for sharing my journey as an entrepreneur, thus far, with you is to provide both insight and inspiration. No matter where you are on your path, here are a few of my top tips for staying sane when things get hard:
Always remember your why
Celebrate all your wins, big or small
Don’t be afraid to pivot
Schedule time in your calendar for you
Don’t forget to feed your soul & your creativity
Progress over perfection is always a win
Surround yourself with people who support you
Ignore the doubters, haters, and naysayers
Find something to be grateful for every day
Small steps are as important as the big steps
I know I say this often, but I’m going to say it yet again, Thank you for being a part of the W+C community. I look forward to connecting and working with you soon. Remember, I’m always here to help so please let me know if you have any questions about advertising, copywriting, or building your brand.
Until next time, I’m wishing you a joyful holiday season. See you in the new year.
Have a favorite entrepreneurial tip? Share it in the comments below.
