Whew. It’s been a MONTH. 🥱

(I imagine I’m going to feel this way for a while…)

It’s been only two months since I left my full-time job to start my own business, but it feels like a lifetime.

In a good way, overall — I’m feeling less anxiety and more freedom, more hope for my future + for our family finances. I’m confident I’ve made the right move(s).

But man, it’s been busy. Partly because my grandma passed away (see “February Lows,” below) — but partly because launching a business while starting a new part-time job is no joke, folks.

Still, I hold nothing but gratitude in my heart for how things have unfolded, at least career-wise, over these past several weeks.

Keep reading for a few of my high- (and low)lights from February 2021.

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February Highs 😀

I moved into my new office! 

After nearly a year of working entirely from home, I now have a charming downtown office to call my own.

….Well, half my own. It’s actually adjoined to Fisheye Marketing, which is technically leasing the space for storage.

But I’ve got my corner here by the window, overlooking Main Ave, doggie bed by my side + Fully bamboo standing desk before me…. Basically, it’s been a dream.

(And no — despite being separated by only a wall now, Troy and I do not commute together. We do, however, take occasional breaks for a dog walk or lunch!)

I sold two new clients.

Of the two leads to whom I pitched proposals (live, via Zoom), both accepted quickly. 🥳 Woop woop!

For a new business owner like me, any “yes” is welcome, and these clients will be wonderful.

Eventually, I’ll probably have to reevaluate my prices and even the types of projects I pursue — but for now, these deals are an encouraging boon to my business (+ budget).

I’ve had so (too?) much opportunity.

I’ve been actually blown away by the amount of possibility available to me right now.

Within 24 hours one day, I received five different project inquiries, followed up with two “hot leads” (yuck, did I just say that?), and was asked to go full-time at the agency where I’ve been copywriting part-time.

I’m sure this attention is partly due to having just launched my business, so my services are simply top of mind for people right now — but I’m very grateful for everyone who has reached out for help. I’ll take that over the alternative any day!

February Lows 😞

My grandma passed away.

After a tough week + a half of physical decline — and almost 20 years of mental decline, given her long battle with Alzheimer’s — my grandma, Helen Munce, transitioned from earth to heaven on February 24, 2021, exactly one week after her 91st birthday.

She was my last living grandparent, and I feel incredibly blessed to have spent her final days and even minutes by her side, along with all her closest (living) loved ones.

While her passing has caused my work to take the back burner, I wouldn’t trade the time spent with family for anything.

The Crowd Who Helps Us Run: Reflections from My Grandma’s Funeral

I didn’t achieve my goal of posting one blog post per week.

Given, well, all the previous points, I haven’t been able to devote as much time as I’d like to my own personal marketing, particularly my “weekly” blog.

I did get an article on copywriting published, along with my January 2021 recap, but that was it.

What Exactly Is “Copywriting”?

January 2021: Highs, Lows, and Tip / Trick / Tool of the Month

I know lack of time is just an excuse, but I also know that sometimes, life (or death) happens… and in the end, people > progress.

Although I do aim to post weekly next month, I don’t know if I’ll ever be the strictly scheduled, Seth Godin type of blogger. We shall see.

I’m super delinquent on my business to-dos.

See previous section. 😅

My Asana is literally filled with overdue tasks related to organizing or growing my business. At the start of February, I would simply drag these tasks to the next week… but now, I am now pretty much avoiding them entirely.

Most to-dos aren’t urgent or anything, but they still make me feel extremely behind. (Welcome to entrepreneurship, right?)

Tip / Trick / Tool of the Month 💡

Tip: Document your progress.

Last week, I started the third journal in my Rifle Paper Co five-year set. Before that, I went through a couple of Five Minute Journals as part of my morning routine.

Whether via journal, blog, photo, video, or, say, a monthly recap email 😉 — in both my personal + professional lives, I try to record, honestly, what’s happening + how I’m feeling.

My philosophy: No matter what stage of life you’re in, you’ll never regret documenting it. (And if you do? There’s always the trash bin — literal or digital.)

Trick: doc.new

Okay, I stole this one from Click Rain’s “Sweet Digital Shortcuts” video.

All of their shortcuts are great (+ ones I use myself), but the trick I’d forgotten about was typing doc.new into your web browser to start a new Google Doc immediately.

This shortcut works for form.new, sheet.new, and slide.new, too — big timesaver if you’re a frequent Google Drive user like me!

Tool: Loom

Showing is (often) better than telling, right?

With Loom, you can record video messages of your screen, camera, or both — a way faster (+ more personal) method of communication than typing or even meeting live.

The agency where I’ve been working as a copywriter uses Loom all the time to explain new ad campaign requests + other ideas; I myself have used it to record website trainings for my clients. Highly recommend! (Just remember to password-protect your videos when necessary.)

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That’s it for February 2021.

In March, I’m hoping for more discipline in my daily routine, more space to dream, and a better balance among my Till Agency work, my own client work, and my personal sales + marketing.

(Never mind the fact that I’m already behind on my PowerSheets “monthly refresh” for March. There’s always tomorrow, right?)

Thanks for following along my journey.

Until next month!

Favorite Photos from February 2021