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Hi Reader,

Like much of the entrepreneurial world, I’ve been doing a lot of reflecting on this year.

The beginning of this year took us both by surprise in ways we didn’t expect.

Like many of us, we came into the year with big goals and aspirations. We started taking action on those goals & making them known, only to be met with resistance we didn’t anticipate (something that doesn’t shock me at all now, but at the time felt like a blow to the stomach).

There’s a phrase that is attributed to Myron Golden, “Disruption follows intention” and boy did we experience a whole lot of disruption for the first few months of the year. (Some of it we brought onto ourselves, some was outside of our control).

Uncomfortable conversations.

Health issues.

Unexpected funerals.

Building a new business.

It took a lot of constant pep talks and checking back in on our why to keep going.

This was our pivot year.

If you’ve been in our world for awhile, you’ve seen our various evolutions and expansions. The small pivots. The big.

This year was the biggest of them all.

Making the very intentional decision to close our doors to photography business in February in order to go all-in on business coaching was one of the best decisions we’ve made – but, the aftermath was one of the hardest.

The identity shift that came with pursuing new territory required constant pep talks and support from safe spaces. It required being courageous enough to try again, to ask for help, and admit that we couldn’t do it alone.

This year stretched me in ways I never expected. And I’m incredibly grateful for that, because it’s given me life experience and lessons that have shaped me into the leader I want to be. But as you know, you don’t get a diamond without intense pressure.

It’s funny, I was watching one of Cambria Joy’s Youtube videos earlier this year and she made the point that oftentimes, when you begin to experience some type of resistance or if you’re in a season that is stretching you, it can be correlated to something that you prayed for. That caught my curiosity; she shared this thought during a season where I was indeed feeling a lot of stretch and resistance. Intrigued, I went back through my journal to see what I’d prayed for. You know what I found?

“I want to not feel so much fear around others’ opinions of me. I want to be confident and bold in what I have to say.”

When I read that, I literally laughed out loud. Funny enough, I was on the heels of delicate conversations that brought me face-to-face with others' opinions, where I chose myself and the standards I desired over their comfort. And I was experiencing the consequences. Without realizing it, I got what I prayed for.

When we set our North Star for 2025, we set the intention that we wanted to be the go-to Business Coaches for Creative Entrepreneurs by the end of the year.

In our minds, we envisioned a waitlist for coaching clients, people referring us to others often, etc. What we didn’t have on our radar was building a membership for Creative Service Providers. That one took us by complete surprise. If you had told me at the beginning of this year that by December, we’d have a membership with 14 incredible business owners inside, only 6 weeks after launching…I’m not sure I’d have known how to respond.

Truth be told, this membership almost didn’t happen.

I was terrified of stepping into the role of “Community Leader”. Somewhere along the way, I’d picked up the narrative that I wasn’t allowed to lead communities. I played the part of “hype girl” and encouraged everyone around me to step into their roles of influence, but didn’t feel like I could completely own it myself. And yet, when I looked back in my camera roll I couldn’t ignore the evidence piling up like a stack of objects you shove into a closet when company comes over. Over the years, we’ve pursued community often. Workshops. Coffee chats. Going out of our way to connect with people we met on Instagram in real life via lunches and co-working dates, when we find ourselves in the same city as them.

Once I went down the rabbit hole, I couldn’t unsee it.

I’d been cultivating community all along. I just hadn’t allowed myself to see it. To fully own it.

[On that Note: What do you need to give yourself permission for? The thing you’re afraid to own might be exactly what you need to lean into.]

Someone told me the other day, “The bigger the fear, the more people need to hear it.” She was referring to a fear that I’m currently working through (being bold enough to share my opinions, despite the fear of offending others – yes, I’m still working on that one), but I think it can apply to stepping into new identities & seasons for yourself, too. The bigger your fear, the more people need it – whatever “it” is. The pivot you want to make, the thing you want to say, the offer you want to launch. You know what it is.

I was absolutely terrified to lean into the role of community leader – and claiming the title of a coach for that matter – but, I knew in my soul that if I didn’t, I’d be making one of the biggest mistakes of my life. All the signs pointed towards pursuing it. I just had to trust God, and myself.

Fast forward and now, we’ve had the absolute honor of coaching 18 different business owners this year (and the results speak for themselves).

We have a membership filled with the most rad business owners you’ll ever meet. They’re smart. Witty. Passionate. Creative. And they fiercely support each other in ways that make me emotional (in the best way).

And we launched a group program called Pivoting in Public that walks other business owners how to pivot in a way that feels good (and brings in sales), too.

None of it would have ever happened if we hadn’t been courageous enough to step out of our comfort zones and change our business model.

This year has come with a lot of “unexpected” – on both sides of the equation. But, you know the biggest lessons I’ve learned?

1. Your biggest insecurities are your greatest edge – there’s a lot of noise out there, that noise can lead to a lot of comparison. Don’t let that distract you. Those qualities of yours that you’re a little unsure of are quite possibly your biggest strengths and differentiators. For instance, when we first rebranded our business this year we went with a very editorial, “high-end” feel to our branding because we wanted to present a brand that felt worthy of others' investments. But, that wasn’t us. When we re-branded (again) to a more sunshine-y, approachable brand, we connected with our ideal clients and felt way more aligned. Do you. Lean into your personality and unique approach. It will set you apart (and feel way more aligned).
2. The most rewarding outcomes rarely make sense on paper – the things that don’t make sense on paper, but feel right in your heart, are always worth paying attention to. There have been so many moments this year when we’ve felt God nudging us towards a certain action & it rarely made sense. But, it always had rewards – whether a sense of peace, deeper connections, more alignment in our business, or unexpected income. God is always working on your behalf. One of my favorite quotes is “Our job is obedience, God’s job is the outcome” and this year has been a testament to that.

It is absolutely wild to me to look back on this year and see how much it has shaped us.

This was the year when we left behind what no longer served us in order to pursue something bigger.

The year we found our people.

The year we owned our title of being business coaches.

The year we stepped into our role as community leaders.

The year we learned what we will and won’t tolerate.

We went to conferences and met some of the most incredible, down-to-earth business owners (looking at you, Craft & Commerce).

Lyndon hiked Mt. Kilimanjaro (which is honestly such a good metaphor for what this year has been).

I re-connected with my best friend and found safe spaces that reminded me how supported I am.

We grew so much as individuals, as a couple, and as leaders.

I’ll always look back on this year as the year that shaped me & us into the leaders we want to be. The beginning stages that set the foundation for everything to come.

What do you need to give yourself permission for? What are the fears that are holding you back? What are you praying for?

Don’t be surprised when you start feeling resistance around your vision – it means you’re on the right track. It may feel counterintuitive, but that’s the moment when you lean in. And a year from now? Phew, you'll be so grateful you stuck with it.

Thank you to every one of you who has supported us this year, we can’t thank you enough. You've made this year incredibly special and meaningful.

Cheering for you always,

PS, if you feel on the verge of a pivot in your own business we’re hosting one more round of our group program Pivoting in Public. We start in January, so you can start the new year with a plan for your offers, marketing, and sales process. Click here for all the details.