This year was always going to be a significant year for me. Knowing I would reach a major birthday milestone I wanted to ensure I started my next decade from a great place, a place of growth, new challenges and raised expectations. So in January, I set myself three main goals for the year:
Set Up My Own Business I have never been self-employed, but grew up in a family business, and have always been surrounded by friends and family who were entrepreneurs. Their drive, focus and determination always impressed me. I also loved how they were able to set goals that fully aligned with their personal vision and values and over time see those goals realised. They did not have to compromise their personal vision to align with that of an employer. The satisfaction of ‘doing it for yourself’ seemed to always be so much sweeter than delivering as an employee. In February I launched my Digital Communications Consultancy, a soft launch, as I examined what the market required, and what within that requirement I was happy to deliver. Happiness was key for me, working with people whose company I enjoyed, on projects that aligned with my values and delivering the results the business needed. As the demand for my services grows through word of mouth and referral, I am able to concentrate on work that makes me happy and develop a very clear vision of my offering as I work towards a more formal launch of my business
Extend My Personal Network Over time we all grow more and more comfortable with the network of friends and colleagues that we gather around us in our college and early career. We know each others stories and perspectives, we have travelled the road together. As we get older many of us remain almost exclusively within our established networks. I was lucky enough to be introduce to the concept of My Personal Boardroom towards the end of last year, and it was an Aha! Moment for me. I am lucky to have many wonderful people in my personal and professional network, but working through the exercises in My Personal Boardroom, I realised that my ‘boardroom’, needed updating with a few new additions. So in January I joined the Dublin chapter of PWN Global, this has been the most wonderful experience. In six short months I have attended, in person and virtually, several events that were both informative and inspiring. I was delighted to participate in the first PWN Mentorship programme, and the advice and support I received as I set up my business was invaluable. The culture of the organisation is positive, encouraging and values the sharing of ideas and advice. I have made great friends with women at many different stages in their careers, from a wide variety of sectors, contacts that have brought a wonderful energy to My Personal Boardroom. All invaluable to me setting out on my Entrepreneurial journey.
Return To Education Through PWN Global I am now realising my third goal for 2020 as tomorrow I start on the PWN Virtual Entrepreneurship Program. This program is delivered in association with the prestigious EU Business School and already the pre-program webinars, collaboration and relationship building has been really wonderful. It will be a challenge, returning to education while building a business, but one which I know will help me grow both personally and professionally and above all raise my expectations of myself and my capabilities.
So today I sit here, on my significant birthday, reflecting on the goals I set for the year, and the fact I have achieved them in only six months. A six month period that has seen the entire world thrown into a chaos we could have never imagined. People have lost those they love, lost their own good health, their jobs and businesses as COVID 19 has spread across the globe. However from that uncertainty has also come certainty. We have all been forced to slow down, and take time to consider what we value most, family, health, friends, human contact, the ability to travel, a comfortable home and the technology that allows us reach the outside world from that home. In January I set what I thought were somewhat unattainable goals, against the backdrop of a strong economy and the ability to travel where ever my work, study or social life required. Learning that those goals are achievable, in a short timeframe, and very uncertain times has given me great confidence for the decade ahead.