Another peaceful afternoon in my neighborhood coffee shop, just waiting to meet with a client I had done pictures for before. While I sit waiting, I'm making my schedule for the new year's projects.
Finish the cosmetic renos on my condo on the river, organize and archive my last years accounting, digital files, and paperwork. My least favorite part of the business end.
I have a few different projects in the works for my photography that will all be revealed in due time, and making the business plan is pretty fun for me. Much more engaging than filing the last year's paper work. My new assistant Andrea and I having phone meetings making room for her in the bigger picture. By the way, Andrea works when she wants and is strictly administration so no, my dear photographer friends, you may not borrow her. She's busy with her family and in school so she really doesn't have any extra time. Any extra time she has, she very kindly donates to me. Lol! (for a price). PS thanks for the great boots AD and I must say, I think I got the better end of that deal.
As I've mentioned before, my last year, and some of the tough lessons are in the past, but I haven't missed the value in the lessons. Once the paperwork is all signed and the work Visa's are in place, I can announce my major projects for 2012. If I start discussing it before the paperwork is done, it usually ends up in file 13... Lol! I can say, I am slowing down on the non-profit stuff more than I expected in 2012. I have my one favorite client that is a mix of profit and non-profit, so my work with them will continue as usual and the projects I committed to before the financial meltdown of 2010/2011. I am focused on rebuilding my financial empire to what it was in the past life, and once that's in place, I will have more time to help out with all the non-profits that need a hand.
The funniest thing hit me while I was travelling somewhere last year. The flight attendants go through thier safety briefing everytime with the same schpiel, and we all pretend to listen but really, we're all making our own mental check list of our luggage, our trip, etc etc. They know no one is listening but they do it anyway because it's the law and their insurance underwriters insist on it. The WestJet staff on the flight down did not do the safety briefing as usual. They added a little bit of a punch to it and made it interesting. As I looked around, I noticed everyone on the plane was really listening and interested. The witty remarks the flight attendants added were serious in nature but sharp and funny in delivery that they immediately had everyone's attention. With all the miles I've logged on airtravel over the years, I have to say, other than the very first time I flew ( more years ago than I can actually remember ) I listened. Want to know what major revelation I had from that briefest of briefings? .... "put the mask on yourself before you place the mask on your (child, wife, husband, partner, companion)". How simple is that? Make sure you are in a position to help before you step up.
With that basic bit of safety information, I'm planning my next 4 years of business on that same thread. I can continue to help those that I've already committed to because those groups appreciate and value what I can do for them, and really, it costs me nothing but my time.
The direction for me this year especially... Just because I love everyone and want to help everyone, doesn't mean I can, and I better put my mask on before I try and help everyone else, because they will survive just fine if I take care of them first, but I likely will not. Lesson learned.
PS... Don't forget to check your Compass!
Cole
Finish the cosmetic renos on my condo on the river, organize and archive my last years accounting, digital files, and paperwork. My least favorite part of the business end.
I have a few different projects in the works for my photography that will all be revealed in due time, and making the business plan is pretty fun for me. Much more engaging than filing the last year's paper work. My new assistant Andrea and I having phone meetings making room for her in the bigger picture. By the way, Andrea works when she wants and is strictly administration so no, my dear photographer friends, you may not borrow her. She's busy with her family and in school so she really doesn't have any extra time. Any extra time she has, she very kindly donates to me. Lol! (for a price). PS thanks for the great boots AD and I must say, I think I got the better end of that deal.
As I've mentioned before, my last year, and some of the tough lessons are in the past, but I haven't missed the value in the lessons. Once the paperwork is all signed and the work Visa's are in place, I can announce my major projects for 2012. If I start discussing it before the paperwork is done, it usually ends up in file 13... Lol! I can say, I am slowing down on the non-profit stuff more than I expected in 2012. I have my one favorite client that is a mix of profit and non-profit, so my work with them will continue as usual and the projects I committed to before the financial meltdown of 2010/2011. I am focused on rebuilding my financial empire to what it was in the past life, and once that's in place, I will have more time to help out with all the non-profits that need a hand.
The funniest thing hit me while I was travelling somewhere last year. The flight attendants go through thier safety briefing everytime with the same schpiel, and we all pretend to listen but really, we're all making our own mental check list of our luggage, our trip, etc etc. They know no one is listening but they do it anyway because it's the law and their insurance underwriters insist on it. The WestJet staff on the flight down did not do the safety briefing as usual. They added a little bit of a punch to it and made it interesting. As I looked around, I noticed everyone on the plane was really listening and interested. The witty remarks the flight attendants added were serious in nature but sharp and funny in delivery that they immediately had everyone's attention. With all the miles I've logged on airtravel over the years, I have to say, other than the very first time I flew ( more years ago than I can actually remember ) I listened. Want to know what major revelation I had from that briefest of briefings? .... "put the mask on yourself before you place the mask on your (child, wife, husband, partner, companion)". How simple is that? Make sure you are in a position to help before you step up.
With that basic bit of safety information, I'm planning my next 4 years of business on that same thread. I can continue to help those that I've already committed to because those groups appreciate and value what I can do for them, and really, it costs me nothing but my time.
The direction for me this year especially... Just because I love everyone and want to help everyone, doesn't mean I can, and I better put my mask on before I try and help everyone else, because they will survive just fine if I take care of them first, but I likely will not. Lesson learned.
PS... Don't forget to check your Compass!
Cole
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