my business year in review...

In 2011 I had dreams, but no plans.
I let the year take me where it wanted and I love where I have ended up!

JANUARY
working full time at my salon and my photo studio
started blogging again 
(i used to have a wedding blog & was a hostess on projectwedding.com)
opened the shop and made my first sale 'online' jan 19
bought my first sponsorship - on little miss momma
held my first giveaway on pink lemonade (then known and simply handmade by paige)

FEBRUARAY
kept the shop full all the time (how did i do that & work ft?)
posted on the blog everyday that month
applied for the queen bee market
started to make plans to sell my salon


MARCH
reached 200 followers held my first giveaway on the blog with my friend alex
had my first guest blogger jesse from sugar & spice
got accepted to the queen bee market
sold my salon <---what!?
held my first big giveaway on the blog featuring 15 other shops
made & posted my first vlog (used the word 'umm' a lot)
showed you my studio space

APRIL
started offering paid sponsorships on the blog after reaching 500 followers
posted my first tutorial on the blog
hosted my first big name giveaway on the blog (gussy sews)
officially started working at a salon rather then owning one


MAY
the queen bee market! (1800 round trip road trip by myself)
decided to go part time with hair
was gearing up for wedding season with photography
shared a personal story about my infertility struggles with you
moved the shop to big cartel from etsy

JUNE
made my first 'bridal party' & bride custom order
was booked every weekend shooting weddings
starting thinking i didnt want to be a professional photographer anymore
moved the shop back to etsy (i was scared of html)
had my first blog makeover
got arthur!

JULY
started coming up with product themes to release (summer feilds, pink lemonade, paris)
started the hang in my hood series
shared a personal story about my husbands change in job title
made the decision to go down to 2 days a month doing hair


AUGUST
started lovely diy designs series with acute designs
had over 250 sales in one month (my biggest to date!)
stayed insanely busy with weddings


SEPTEMBER
did my first product review ever of jo-totes bags
got the word that my products would be in an issue of seventeen magazine
got in touch w/ Penelope (kirsten vangsness) of criminal minds to get her hair goodies for her character
did a giveaway hosted by flea market magazine



OCTOBER
moved my shop back to big cartel.. yes i'm crazy!
did my first 'real' guest post on a blog.. i dont do many of these (insert sad face here)
shared my first recipe on here
got in contact with hart of dixie tv show and provided hair goodies for them
shared another infertility story with you
shot my last wedding of the year
got my pretty new branding & blog thanks to wonder forest




NOVEMBER
spent my first birthday (ever) alone & blogged about it
completely swamped myself with black friday sales
started brainstorming new blog goals for 2012
tried a little extreme couponing at a craft store


DECEMBER
held the 2nd annual indie crafters market
 (the market that inspired me to start my business last xmas)
quit facebook (personally)
grateful for over 3000 blog followers (reader, gfc, bl combined)
won tickets to snap! next april
got my year end totals and was so thankful for how many hair pretties have been sold (thank you!)
so amazed at the relationships I have built this year and cherishing them as we go into 2012...


THANK YOU FOR AN AMAZING YEAR, 
CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT 2012 BRINGS!

22 comments:

  1. Wow what a year girl!! Can't wait to see what you have in store for 2012!! Xoxo!!

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  2. It was AMAZING! to see you and your shop grow. You are my inspiration!

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  3. You are inspiring and so amazing! :) Im so happy for you!

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  4. oh heather, i just love ya! back when you first started teaming up with LMM i thought you were a seasoned pro...i had no idea that was the beginning for you! you are such an inspiration <3

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  5. Honestly so inspiring!! Just what I needed to hear.

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  6. So... basically you're awesome and I want your life. : )
    hah. So glad 2011 was so amazing for you. I hope 2012 tops it!

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  7. wow, what a year! congrats on all the success :)

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  8. wow what a year! congrats! you are an inspiration for me to give up and to just keep trying.

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  9. Heather!

    I am so grateful for stumbling across your blog. You are an inspiration. I'm currently in the process of building my blog (I just launched in December) and crafting for an etsy shop. I can't wait to get started and I hope to have half the banner year you did. I would be interested in having you do a guest post, though right now, I don't have many readers. Also, I love love love your philosophy of using your sponsorship money to sponsor bigger blogs and keep this all full circle.

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  10. WOW Heather! You are such an inspiration. All the best for 2012 too :)
    Veronica

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  11. What a GREAT YEAR! I loved reading about the progress of your blog!

    Hope this year is just as fantastic for you!

    Jenna
    www.thelifeofthewife.blogspot.com

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  12. I can't wait to meet you at SNAP!

    -Kelsey :)

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  13. WOW! That was an amazing year.

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  14. SO happy for all of your success (uh, can you rub some off on me?) and wish you continued success in 2012 and beyond!

    You're an inspiration! I loved meeting you at the Queen Bee Market and I'm excited to see you again at Snap! xo!!

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  15. What a great year 2011 was for you! I'm wishing you a happy 2012.


    http://shannonhearts.blogspot.com

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  16. I LOVE this!!!! What a great year you've had:) Such an inspiration!

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  17. I LOVE this!!!! What a great year you've had:) Such an inspiration!

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  18. i can't believe that was all just in a year!!! you are AMAZING!!! seriously. you are such an inspiration about following your dreams and having the courage to put yourself out there. it can be SO discouraging... but you make it look easy :)

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  19. That's an inspirational recap! Congrats on a successful year! Thanks for inspiring this newbie blogger.

    www.theshinylife.com

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  20. Just found your blog via Gussy Sews and oh my gosh, I'm in love with this post! You sound just like me, with all the changing of the mind and going back and forth with the business decisions. I can really identify with this. I felt like I was reading my year in review. I actually feel a little embarrassed by it sometimes and I really wish I didn't care what others thought so much. Are we weird? Maybe this is more common than we think ;)

    Rachel
    xoxo

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