regrouping -- reorganizing -- rediscovering -- relaunching

that is my goal for january. for my life. for my biz. just all around. for all of 2009 actually.

i want to tap into the things i love this year. i don't want my packed calendar to run my life. i took two weeks off of everything at the end of december and i feel refreshed and refocused. i still have a long way to go, but i feel like i'm getting there.

one of my 2009 goals is to read through the Bible this year. day 6 and i'm still going strong. i've spent a lot of time over the past 6 years doing Bible studies and going to church and listening to messages and reading books, but i've never read the whole thing cover to cover. i started a couple years ago, but i quickly fizzled out. i think i got bogged down in the old testament. so i found this great new Bible in a year version where you read some OT and some NT and a psalm and a couple proverbs every day. it's a cool format. it's working for me. i'm excited!

the goal i'm quite focused on right now is my business relaunch. in the past few weeks i: 1) got an EIN number, 2) joined the PPA (professional photographers of america), 3) sent in my application to officially become an LLC, 3) opened a business checking account, 5) bought a book about "building your photography business", and 6) hired a CPA (after reading the book). all in that order.

i still have to get all of my tax stuff figured out, but i'm feeling quite accomplished at this point. i officially own my own official business. (that's a lot of own-ness and official-ness). it's so crazy.

next on my list is creating a new logo, new branding, and a revamped website. i'm working on developing my business plan, a marketing plan (which will include lots of client perks) and i want to get more focused on my blog as part of my marketing/communication. also thinking through how to incorporate facebook and sites like that. lots of exciting stuff coming up!

over this past year i've been learning so much about myself professionally and personally. it was kinda a crazy year, but i feel like i've come so far. with my business i feel like i've learned A LOT through trial and error and also by getting feedback from all of my wonderful clients and from my amazing and encouraging friends. i'm honing my skills. i'm realizing the value of spending time on my business and putting my clients first, and not just on taking photographs. i'm figuring out who i am and what my style is. so i'm taking this month to regroup and i'll hopefully be relaunching the new and improved illuminate photography on february 1st.

stay tuned!