Happy New Year friends! It is hard to believe 2016 has already come and gone. As the saying goes, the days are looooooong, but the years are short. 2016 was truly a year of balance for me, both personally and professionally.
As a working momma, it is a constant balancing game to ensure I am present in my family life, while also running a multi-faceted business.
Since launching One Stylish Party in 2012, my business has largely been sustained through sales of my signature product, the Jumbo Confetti Balloon with Tassels. However, 2016 brought a major shift to the jumbo balloon trend, which meant I needed to balance it out by creating and seeking additional revenue streams for my business. I fully anticipated this shift, so I had plenty of time to thoughtfully determine my next move.In April 2016, I refreshed the branding for One Stylish Party, updated our website, launched an e-commerce portal and released an all-new line of boutique party products (including our latest signature product (the DIY Balloon Garland Kit!) that is sold both direct to consumers and wholesale to businesses.
While I remained focused on the product portion of my business, I also worked tirelessly to develop industry relationships both locally in Cleveland and afar. I knew that aligning myself with the right vendors and corporate partners would be the key to successfully growing the styling portion of my business.My greatest blessing in 2016 came in the form of my friend and colleague Brittany Gidley Photography. We collaborated on seven styled party photo shoots and I had the opportunity to contribute to a half dozen of her Dream Sessions over the last year. By marrying my passion for styling and her artistic eye for photography (plus insane editing skills), we were able to secure a print feature in Mingle Magazine and had our work featured on Style Me Pretty Living, Best Friends for Frosting, HWTM, Kara’s Party Ideas, Pottery Barn Kids, Inspired By This, Pizzazzerie and more!
I also had the opportunity to work with a number of brands in 2016, such as Tiny Prints, Shutterfly, Pottery Barn Kids, Rent the Runway, Children’s Place, Webstaurant Store, Vinley Market and more! I vividly remember setting business goals at the start of 2014, hoping that one day I’d have the opportunity to do styling projects on behalf of corporate partners. It is a great feeling to step back and realize through hard-work and determination that I was able to secure brand partnerships this year and I hope to only see this aspect of my business prosper.
As I look ahead to 2017 and start to set my goals for the upcoming year, I plan to build upon the momentum created in 2016. To continue to push myself creatively, to remain focused on what is working for my business and streamline areas that are not. To maintain a superior level of customer service and personal attention to detail on each and every order I produce for my customers. And lastly, to afford myself grace and not hold myself to a standard of perfection.I’ve decided that my word for 2017 is INTENTIONAL. With so much going on in my business, I think it is more important than ever to be intentional with every project I take on, every order I produce, every blog I create, every new relationship I form, as each one of these things has a unique way of impacting the direction and growth of my business in 2017. And more importantly, to be intentional in my personal life, with the time I spend with my family and loved ones, in the way my husband and I raise our two sons and in pursuing happiness in everything that I do.
Did you set any goals for the New Year? Do you have a word to describe what you’d like to accomplish in 2017?
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