This post is admittedly as much for me as it is for you. I spend a lot of time in go-mode, and that often means that I forget to look back and see what I've accomplished. If ever it was important to do this, 2020 is it.
At a Glance
15 clients served
27 projects completed and still have a few in queue for early 2021 wrap up
Helped 62 IDs develop their skills through the Upskill Experience's 2 self study courses (Scripting Voiceover for Video; From Data to Design), 5 workshops (Zoom into Learning; Bookkeeping & Business Basics; Scripting Voiceover; Needs Analysis 101; Storytelling in eLearning), and 1 digital product (Build a Brand Toolkit)
Empowered more than 120 IDs to start or grow their freelance careers through the IDOL eLearning Freelancer Bootcamp
29 episodes of Learning Pro Intros produced, meaning I got to hang out with 29 really awesome people from the L&D industry and learn from them
Grew the Freelance Instructional Designers, eLearning Developers, & LXDs group to 1.3k members and ran 4 portfolio challenges
Was an invited panelist 3 times (HireHigherEd; Philo4Thought; Learning Reimagined! LIVE)
Was an invited solo presenter 5 times (SCORE; TEDxAsburyPark; Lunchbreak; Learning Personas Summit)
Was a guest on 5 podcasts:
Learning with Belvista Studios "How to Write Scenarios for Learning Design" with Kim Tuohy & Hannah Grennan
Learning Experience Leader "Ep. 34 34 // Writing Content for Learning" with Greg Williams
The L&D Lounge "Need to Sharpen Your Instructional Design Skills?" with Yolanda Fraction
Curate the Future "Say Yes to Everything" with Sumayya Essack
An episode to be released in 2021 with Dr. Luke Hobson
New Adventures
Building and launching my own online courses on the Upskill Experience
Coaching coaches through online course ideation, development, implementation, and marketing - two launched their courses and one released their podcast with a plan to launch their online program in 2021 🥳
Working with amazing Junior IDs (shoutout to Maile & Margaret)
Investing in a start up and joining the co-founder team as the acting CLO - can't wait to tell you more about this incredible group of people and the project in 2021!
Participating in a professional conference via VR (HR Global Summit)
Getting a live office plant... that I have not killed yet 🤞🏻
Best Things I Did for My Business This Year
Monthly meetups with IDOL's Dr. Robin Sargent and Belvista Studio's Kim Tuohy
Found the confidence to finally go live with my own online courses and digital products via the Upskill Experience and IDOL's eLearning Freelancer Bootcamp
Signed up for a mystery project and then helped to build Learning Reimagined! as the Communications lead alongside Christopher Lind and Team Awesome
Participated in Amy Porterfield's DCA and met my amazing podmates, Amanda, Amy, and Laura
Started using ClickUp to keep myself organized
Improved my marketing
Learned how to use MailChimp and Zapier more effectively
Started keeping a record of nice things people say about my work for those times when I'm feeling unaccomplished or insecure
Glitches
Overdoing it in the last quarter -- I took on way too much and spent a good 6 weeks working absurd hours without days off
On a related note... planning to outsource tasks and then getting too busy/waiting until last minute so that I couldn't actually do that, further exacerbating my work-life balance issues
Underestimating just how tired one gets during the first trimester of pregnancy - whoa, it's no joke!
Buying more books than I had time to read 😂 (I think I do this every year)
Takeaways
As cliche as it is... you can do anything, but you can't do everything. Tried a lot of things, now it's time to niche down again.
I can accomplish more than I think I can when I let myself.
I need to practice more of what I preach and document my processes and accomplishments.
Preplanning and block scheduling work. Do more of it!
Hopes for 2021
I can continue serving my clients solutions that help them to grow their businesses.
I can continue serving the instructional design community and expand my offerings (perhaps a Storytelling course?).
I can dabble a bit in building in Unity and stop getting motion sickness when playing in VR.
I can find a balance between being a new mom and a business owner.
I can continue to develop relationships with colleagues and learn from them.
How about you? What did you accomplish this year? What do you hope to accomplish moving forward? It's never too late to start setting goals!
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