Tag: 2019

50 days left…

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There are 50 days left in 2019. You read that correctly. 50.

I can’t believe it, I have not yet accomplished all I set out to do this year, I am not ready for 2020 to be here, and I am slightly freaking out about this. Then again, I have 50 days. So here is what I am doing between now and then:

  1. Holiday gifting planning. Yes, I am starting now, and this is possible the funnest project ever.
  2. Compiling a list of everything I have accomplished so far in 2019. It feels good to see that while I am not close to checking off everything on my goal list, some goals have indeed been achieved.
  3. Starting my “2019 year in review” project, something I tend to do early January (looking backwards). This year, I decided to do this earlier so that I can still course-correct if there is something that needs to happen before 2020 that has not yet been put in motion.
  4. Daydreaming (not planning) about 2020. Letting my brain imagine things that can be next year, so that when the actual planning begins (later in December), I will have some creative, out of the box ideas.
  5. Reviewing my financials. Personal and professional. So that I don’t have any surprises come December 31st, and can make adjustments where need be, if need be.

How are you preparing for a successful end of 2019?

Seasons… of the Land, and of Business

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I have had the privilege of hearing Seth Mattison speak at various industry conferences and have always come away from his presentations feeling inspired, energized, and motivated. Earlier this month, I had the opportunity of hearing him speak once again, in a more intimate setting over breakfast, and what I came away with was inspiration, energy, motivation – and calm and faith (in the process).

Having grown up in a farming family, Mattison spoke of the seasons of the land and drew parallels between the rhythm of farming and that of business. “When you are close to the land,” he reminded us, “you are close to the seasons of the world.” And “seasons,” he continued, “are relevant not only to farming, but also to business and to life.” As I remember working at my great-uncle’s farm harvesting corn when I was a young teenager, the connection between the cycles of the land and the cycles of business resonated particularly strongly with me.

“Winter is a season to rest, reflect, look back, and recharge.” Indeed, this is very much the symbolic of the months of December and January – months governed by analysis and planning.

“Spring is a season to plant and put seeds in the ground. Diligently, faithfully, every year.”

Summer is a season for monitoring growth and making adjustments to changing (weather or industry) conditions.

Fall is a season for harvesting, the season during which the year’s planning, planting, and labor yields fruit.

I have a love-hate relationship with January. I love the “newness” of it – a blank slate, the ability to start fresh. And I hate the “virgin-ness” of it – all (or most) of the business metrics I measure start back at 0. I don’t like 0s.

Mattison helped me understand that January can never be September, as that would just not be natural.

He helped me understand that I should love January (and winter) for what it offers, and work with the rhythm of nature, not against it.

He helped me understand that in business as in farming, there are many things we cannot control (the weather and the markets for example).

And finally, he helped me understand that while we must “surrender the outcome, we simultaneously must diligently work on the controllable.”

Celebrating 2018, Looking Forward to 2019

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Growing up, one of my favorite traditions was our family New Year’s Eve dinner. My parents, my three sisters, and I were most often somewhere in the Swiss mountains. The table was nicely decorated, the food lovely, and the atmosphere festive. My favorite part of the evening, however, was a tradition I remember my mother starting. We all (youngest to oldest) were asked to share what we were most proud of having accomplished this year, and what we were looking forward to in the New Year.

Somehow this tradition provided closure and appreciation for the year coming to a close, and also introduced the concept of New Year’s resolutions in a fun and casual way. Often times the conversation led to memories from the same conversation the previous year – and to laughs about what we thought would be our highlights versus what were our highlights. This tradition, as most traditions do, created a sense of continuity and family. For me, it became a ritual.

December 31st has since been a day of reflection, gratitude, closure. It is also a day of excitement, a day of butterflies in the belly. Tomorrow, I start anew.

Thank you 2018. It wasn’t always pretty, yet I am proud of my work accomplishments (teamwork, revenue targets achieved, a new product launched), and of my personal accomplishments (in my marriage, in my friendships, in my relationship with myself).

2019, I can’t wait to meet you. I am looking forward to the books I have not yet read; to the runs, I have not yet run; to the challenges, I have not yet faced.

Wherever you are right now, I hope you take a moment to reflect on your accomplishments this past year. Take a moment to pat yourself on the back for thriving, or for surviving. And to set your intentions for 2019.

Roundup of 2019 Beauty Conferences & Tradeshows

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Yesterday, I realized that there are only 33 (now 32) days left in 2018. This realization was immediately followed by excitement for Christmas, full-on panic, pulling out my 9-grids and reviewing my 2018 goals, and an urgent need to start planning 2019.

A key part of planning 2019 involves deciding which tradeshows and conferences to attend. Thus, I started looking for dates and locations. After spending over an hour online, I realized there really should be a list, somewhere, that someone compiled – but I couldn’t find one.

So, for my (and hopefully your) benefit, here is my roundup of 2019 spa, salon, beauty conferences and tradeshows.

January

February

N/A

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

N/A

A few conferences are still finalizing their dates and locations. And I did limit this list to beauty conferences (and thus omitted some of my favorite “outside my industry conferences” such as Brigadoon – Sundance Utah, February 24-26).  And I am sure I missed a couple – so please help!

Also, I can’t decide if I am less or more stressed having compiled this list… maybe there is a reason it does not exist anywhere! You’re welcome.