2017 Goals for My Freelancing Business

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Whew, another year has come and gone. It’s January and time to review 2016 and set the tone for 2017. Goals are essential in business planning, so let’s look at the goals I had last year and what my plans are this year.

Reflection on 2016 Goals

At the end of December last year, I shared five goals publicly on my blog. They were:

• Launch a Full Course
• Earn $30K
• Connect with Other Mompreneuers
• Get a Blog Face Lift
• Write a Homeschool Writing Curriculum

Time to dive into how these goals went!

Launch a Full Course

My course is complete and available on my website. If you’re interested in minimizing your decisions, integrating your kids into your business, and getting more done, check out Balancing Diapers & Deadlines.

Earn $30K

Um. No. I fell short.

I earned just over half of this amount. Here’s a look at my 2016 income and expenses:

Total earned: $17,112.64

Annual Expenses: $4002.64

Total Net: $13,110

With of course 25% of that number going towards taxes.

To put it another way, here are my average monthly numbers:

Average Monthly Earned: $1426.05

My average Monthly Expenses: $333.53

Average Monthly Net: $1092.50

So what happened?
Well, my priorities changed over the course of 2015. When I made this goal, I was working close to 25 hours a week. By the time the end of the year rolled around, I was putting in less than 10.

Why?

I completed 15 college credits to keep my teaching certificate active.

I found out we were expecting a baby, and my sleep needs increased as I got further along.

My disabled child’s sleep problems came back with a vengeance and we’re still trying to adjust meds to get him sleeping and not seizing again.

Life Happened.

And I’m learning to be okay with that! Next year I’ll be putting in more hours. At least once baby is born!

Connect with Other Mompreneuers

Yes!

I have a great group of mamas I got to know well over 2016, and am looking forward to getting to know more this year.

I joined Mamapreneur Mastermind as a Beta member last year, and am so glad I did. Having a community of other moms who are trying to balance life with kids while growing their business has been incredible.

I’ve gotten job referrals, made connections, gotten feedback on my business, and just gotten to know others. When you live in the middle of nowhere and work online, having a community is important.

That mastermind group eventually closed, but I still stay in contact with a couple of the gals from it!

Get a Blog Face Lift

Yes!

My blog looks so much better now thanks to the work of Blogelina. (aff. link). It’s easier to read on mobile devices, and looks more professional.

After the face lift, I also had Rebekah of August Dreams create my fabulous logo. That was the finishing touch my space needed! I love it now.

Write a Homeschool Writing Curriculum

Not yet. I did finish my reading curriculum for grade K, Teaching Reading Through Play though.

It’s currently available on Schoolhouse Teachers (aff. link), and you can also buy it here: https://teachingreadingthroughplay.com/

My 2017 Goals

Reflecting on our goals is important. I was able to see where I fell short and what I accomplished. 2016 was definitely a year of growth for me. I stretched myself out of my comfort zone in many areas, and am proud of what I accomplished.

I’m learning the importance of not comparing myself to others. I’m me, and the journey I’m taking is unique.

There are other mamaprenuers out there making loads more money than I am.

Some met all of their 2106 goals.

And that’s great, I’m glad they’re able to accomplish so much.

But, if I focus on what others are doing, I lose sight of all that I’ve done. So don’t get stuck in the comparison trap! Just be the best you you can be!

So what exactly am I hoping to accomplish this year?

Here are my top five business 2017 goals, with a little explanation about why I chose each.

Get Teaching Reading Through Play to Market

I’m not in an exclusive agreement with Schoolhouse Teachers, which means I can market my curriculum on my own. It’s almost 400 pages, and contains 180 short daily lessons designed to teach kindergarten students how to read.

I currently have a mom testing it for me, and am going through it again with one of my kids.

My job for 2017?

• Get it converted to PDF and ensure everything looks great.
• Pay to get it professionally proofread
• Set up an affiliate program for it
• Market (including writing guest posts)

I’d love to sell 50 copies of my curriculum in 2017. I know my biggest target window will be spring-summer when homeschooling families are gearing up for fall, so that means I need to be ready by then.

Buy it here: https://teachingreadingthroughplay.com/

Get a Better Delivery System for Balancing Diapers & Deadlines

I currently have my course available through a learning management system here on the blog, but I don’t really like it.

I paid for the course wear, so I really wanted to make it work. (I’m definitely frugal minded!) But, it has some limitations. So this year, I need to:

• Research other options and get my course moved
• Set up an affiliate program
• Do a better job marketing

Publish an eBook

This one is already in the works, and I’m so excited about it! My tentative title is 75 Material Free Travel Games for Kids, and it goes along nicely with the content on my homeschooling blog.

I’m learning I LOVE writing about education and teaching through play, so this goes right along with that.

Integrate More Video

My internet sucks. But video is important in today’s marketing.

So I need to find a way to integrate more video.

My husband has an awesome camera that takes great video. We have a portable studio including lights.

So all that remains are excuses. I don’t like getting in front of the camera. But, it’ll be good for me.

But this is a rather vague goal, so here’s what I’m currently thinking:

• Add video posts to my Tanner Learning blog at least once a month to demonstrate an activity (I get to have a child with me on this one so it’s less intimidating to start with!)
• Add a video to all three of my blog Facebook pages
• Record video to enhance some components of my Balancing Diapers and Deadlines course (things that are easier to show than tell)

Am I scared? Yes! But it’ll help me grow.

Earn $40,000

I didn’t meet my income goal last year, so why am I raising it?

Because I have a long-term content editing gig for an educational company that’ll put about $14000 in my bank account between now and June.

So when you subtract 14 from 40, that leaves $26,000. That is a little less than my goal from last year, but about $10,000 more than I actually made.

I think it’s doable!

And…

I need to pay off my student loan, our final remaining debt. Our plans to become missionaries to Missionary Acres are dependent on paying that loan down initially (have to be below $18,000 to apply), and then off completely.

We probably won’t make it by the April cut-off this year, but my job will make it possible for us to apply next year. Then we can start down this path the Lord has been directing us to.

I’m excited!

It’ll mean I have to work hard. But that’s okay! Life isn’t meant to be easy. And I can’t wait to be debt free–we’ve been paying off debt since 2009 and I’m ready to be done!

What are your 2017 Goals?

I’d love for you to share or link to your goal post in the comments. Let’s encourage one another this year to hit it!