Julie Barrett is a freelance writer and photographer based in Plano, TX.

2017 Wrap Up

Fresh when it gets here from Julie Barrett
Saturday, December 30, 2017



So I thought 2016 sucked swamp water? 2017 Hasn't been a lot better. I have been able to take about a week and a half off at the end of the year, and yes, we did get that vacation we've been trying to take for years. Thanks to a last-minute Etsy sale, I think I've managed to slide into a sliver of profitability this year. No thanks to the people who haven't paid up on jobs. That's part of the deal when you freelance.

Last week we finally got the last major bits of the estate in place, and the attorney has been busy with the follow-ups on that. We're not finished. I still have things to do - including taxes - over the next few months, but at this point there are few hard and fast deadlines save for the one imposed by the IRS. It's going to be good to get that monster off my back.

One business positive is that I did manage to carve out a little time to work on a three-year business plan. I'd pretty much declared the year a total loss back in the fall. Honestly, a few Etsy sales saved my bacon this year. While I have some plans in mind, there are still too many factors outside of my control, and some "I knew the job was dangerous when I took it" commitments that I don't feel comfortable dropping. And some I just can't. Hey, I'm in charge of a trust, now! I'm going to have to do a LOT more delegating and a LOT more of just saying no to things that either don't pay or pay too little to cover my time. Juggling things and learning to delegate and say no will be my biggest challenges.

So, what's on tap so far for 2018? Check the Events page for a start. I'm also looking at some local craft fairs. I have ideas for expanding my line, which I must do if I'm going to attend more shows. I'm working up a plan to to tutorials/streaming video for Steam Cat. I have mixed feelings about that one, but I can't fail spectacularly if I don't try. I have to raise my social media profile (to bring in new customers) without being all "buy my stuff" all the time. I'm planning to learn some new skills. 

Let's just say that I'm very cautiously optimistic about 2018. But things are still precarious enough that it can all fall into Excrement Estuary at a moment's notice. We'll see what happens, eh?


Filed under: Life            

 

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