I love this post by one of my copywriting heroes, Laura Belgray:

So, as I promised my own Instagram friends after sharing this post, I will not be starting this recap that way. 😆

Instead, let’s cut to the chase: my highs, lows, and key learnings from last month, which I hope are helpful to your own business (and life).

November Highs

I broke out the new brand photos.

I’ve told you about my fun brand photography session with Maddie Peschong back in October (and I promise this is the last time you’ll hear about it… for a while).

I got those photos back last month, and boy, are they blush-worthy! 😊

Maddie did a fantastic job, and I can’t wait to incorporate these photos everywhere my brand touches (currently, my website and Instagram, mostly).

As I wrote on Instagram:

“As marketers, @troy_klongerbo and I often say one of the best things you can do for your brand is invest in high-quality photography / videography. It makes you look legit, builds trust with your audience, and ultimately builds your business. 🙌 ”

So, if you own a business and have been sleeping on this brand photography thing…

Consider this your friendly nudge!

I had a couple of great meetings.

I’ve told you how I’m trying to be a “yes (wo)man” when it comes to meetings (at least at this stage in my business, and at least when the meeting seems like it could provide some value).

That attempt is so far paying off.

In November, I had two particular coffee dates (one virtual, one actual) that are highly promising, both in a business partnership sense and in a “this person is just really cool” sense.

Introverts: we can do this! 😉

I enjoyed some quality family time.

We kicked off November with a weekend in Wisconsin with my husband Troy’s extended family, who all came together at the request of his (and my) dear Grandma June. I think I can safely say we all cherished the time.

Midway through the month, I was surprised by my family with a French-themed 30th birthday party, complete with croissants, berets, and an epic charcuterie board.

Add in Thanksgiving, Troy’s and my sixth wedding anniversary, and various other events, and you can see how November was a blessed month for relationships.

November Lows

The month flew by!

I know I promised I wouldn’t say, “Can you believe it’s already December?!”

…But, can you? 😂

I feel like I was just writing my last monthly recap, where I shared with you how I’ve fallen behind on my online business courses and other admin-y things.

No real progress there. 😐 But I really am hoping for some time of reflection and organization this month, especially before we head into 2022.

Are ya with me?!

Tip / Trick / Tool of the Month

Tip: Embrace the season you’re in.

“Season” seems to be the word of the… er, season.

(Heads to thesaurus.com.)

When I say “embrace this season,” though, I don’t mean the holiday season. (Although that is certainly one to cherish!) 🎄

I mean the figurative season in which you find yourself.

A month ago, our team at Till Agency was wildly busy, creating Black Friday / Cyber Monday campaigns for our clients.

Now that BFCM is over, we’ve had a reprieve — and I’ve had more time to work on my own clients’ projects (and general admin stuff for my business).

I appreciate both “seasons,” but neither is sustainable on its own.

We can’t consistently spend 60 hours a week with our nose to the grindstone without burning out. Nor can we spend all our time “working on our businesses” without new sales to show for it.

And this is all just work related. What about family emergencies? Personal triumphs? Health crises? All threaten to interrupt at a moment’s notice.

We can’t control the tide of life.

So, let’s accept the ebb and flow.

Trick: “Shake to Undo” on iPhone

Troy was recently reading a Twitter thread about “8 things you still don’t know your iPhone could do,” so of course I leaned over his shoulder.

My favorite trick? “Shake to Undo,” which allows you simply shake your phone to the left and right to trigger an “Undo Typing” box.

This little hack could be a lifesaver if you’ve accidentally pasted or (gasp!) deleted an entire chunk of text.

This setting was already enabled on my iPhone 13, but if you want to turn yours on or off, just navigate to Settings > Accessibility > Touch > Shake to Undo.

P.S. The other tips on that list are worth a read, too!

Tool: Gusto

Gusto is the payroll system we use at Till, and I’ve liked it better than any others I’ve used in the past.

For one thing, it’s actually pretty. 😄 Hey, I can’t be the only employee who cares about aesthetics! And as a website designer, I place a high value on user experience.

Gusto is more than a great interface, though. It bills itself as an “all-in-one HR platform,” with tons of tools to help you manage your business:

• Full-service payroll
• Employee benefits
• Time and attendance
• Hiring and onboarding
• Talent management
• Insights and reporting
• And more

I will say, now that Till has recently switched our time tracking tool from Toggl Track to Gusto, I’ve found Toggl to be more reliable in that area.

All things considered, though, I highly recommend Gusto if you run a business with employees!

What’s your favorite business tip, trick, or tool?

Whether it’s something you’ve known for years or it’s one you’ve just discovered, I would LOVE to hear about it. I may even feature it in my next monthly recap!

Happiest of Christmases to you, dear friend. ❤️

P.S. Next month will be my last monthly recap — at least in this exact format. I’ll explain why, but know that I have more exciting ideas in the works. 🎉 If there’s anything you want to see more or less of in my emails or blog posts going forward, now is the time to let me know!

Favorite Photos from November 2021