My 1-Year Anniversary Performance Appraisal
My favorite mug, designed by my niece Tessa (when she was 7 years old).
Today, September 13th, 2022 is my official one-year anniversary of going full-time with Projects By Molly, LLC. Once of the best parts about being my own boss is that I don’t need to write or read performance appraisals anymore, however, I find myself wanting to look back and reflect on what the year has taught me. So, today, I’m turning my blog into my 1-year performance appraisal / reflection log. If you would like to submit your own feedback for consideration into my review, please feel free to leave a comment or send me a DM - I’d love to hear from you!
Overall Rating: Exceeds Expectations
Overall, being a solo-prenuer has turned out to be far better than I thought it would. At the beginning of the year, I remember being nervous about whether I could keep myself on-track, and whether I could actually achieve the goals that I set out to. I remember feeling anxious about my ability to make decisions, to focus on the right priorities, and to actually create something that I would feel proud of.
Turns out, most of those fears didn’t come to fruition. I spent a good deal of time in my first three months defining my branding, establishing partnerships and figuring out what I most wanted to put out in the world. I didn’t know whether my weekly blog post and almost-but-not-quite biweekly newsletter would be enough to generate business, or whether I was focusing on the “right” things, but being that I met my [very basic] revenue goal for year one, I think it’s safe to say that the things I spent my time on paid off.
Were they the “right” things? I don’t know who can even tell me that answer… One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned in my first year of entrepreneurship is that nobody is going to tell me what to do. Everybody has ideas, suggestions, advice about what worked for them, but nobody else has got the answers I am seeking. So far, all I can do is do whatever I think is best in the moment, and sometimes it pays off, and sometimes it doesn’t. Either way, I’m learning to trust myself more and more each day, and that is something I haven’t always been able to say about a job.
Social Media: What Expectations?!
I really floundered on what to give myself as a social media score. I know how important it is to have a presence, and gosh have I tried to create one this year! I have gotten several very kind emails, DMs and comments about my content, and I’m so glad to see that I’m creating tools and articles that resonate and help others… And, one of the first things I learned about social media for business is that you’ve got to be consistent to grow an audience. This is where I sometimes did AWESOME this year, and sometimes did NOT (i.e. the last three months).
Additionally, I’ve gotten so much conflicting advice about social media that it’s hard to say whether I did or didn’t live up to expectations. Some folks claim that you’ve got to post every day. Others say 2-3 times per week. Others say, “Hey- get to it when you can and you’ll still be better than 80% of other companies out there.” So, what’s a girl to make of all of this? Ultimately, back to my first point, overall, I think I did pretty okay with social media this year. I have room to grow with consistency, and I also want to figure out ways to share and re-share content throughout the year. There’s a concept called “evergreen” content that I know I could be doing a better job leveraging, so that goes into the plan for the year ahead. Getting better at using what I’ve already got! :)
Clients: Exceptional
This section is not so much about me, but more about my clients. Whom I love. I have gotten a chance to support several new managers and directors, some of whom are taking on people management for the first time, some of whom are struggling to create processes that stick (for themselves and others), and others who just need a brainstorming partner or someone who’s seen what other organizations do. I’ve loved supporting each of my coaching clients in all of their unique paths and development areas, and I am very much looking to expand and grow my coaching practice this year. The theme that has emerged for me with many of my clients is that of “big sister” manager… IDK if that is going to be the new official name of my coaching packages, but gosh do I love supporting people who simply need a friendly ear, and someone who’s been through what they’re going through before. This is some of the most fulfilling work I’ve done this year, and I am so glad to keep doing it.
Additionally, I’ve been doing actual project management work and consulting, and there too, my clients are phenomenal. I’ve been especially delighted to help out a dear friend who is literally on the forefront of making healthcare, education and life itself better and more equitable for older adults. As my own parents age, I have become more and more aware of the struggles they are going through and have found myself needing and wanting resources to better support them (and myself). I am quite literally honored to be helping the front line heroes who are actually making gains on this front, and am excited to be continuing my work with them this year.
Partnerships: Exceptional
One of the first networking conversations I had when I was thinking of opening my business was with my friend Julie Ha Truong, who’s been a solo-preneur for years now. She encouraged me to build partnerships with other consultants and firms, to help me get through the lean times and amplify my voice/messaging. BOY was she RIGHT! Not too surprisingly, one of my first partnerships was guest speaking for one of her talks - I provided some tools and hands-on practices for first time supervisors in November, and working with her was a pure delight.
In another one of my first networking meetings, I met Andy Kaufman, who has quickly become one of my most important and valued partners. Andy runs the Institute for Leadership Excellence and Development, and by attending his training sessions, I was able to obtain my PMP certification in November, and began teaching as a facilitator for his corporate and individual masterclasses on project management. Andy has been a bright light, guiding me on my path this year, and I am so grateful for all of the opportunities he has provided me this year. I am looking forward to another year of partnership with Andy, and will hopefully be able to support him in taking another vacation next year!
Freedom: Better Than I Ever Imagined
I didn’t know how much I would enjoy completely owning my own time. In the beginning, I was intimidated by it. I was worried I would get sucked down the rabbit hole of social media, waste my days on email, and who knows what else… Now, I’m not going to say that none of those things ever happened. They 100% did. However, pivoting back to what I wanted to do was much easier this year than I had ever experienced at any job. Ever.
There’s something about knowing that literally every minute I spend working is adding up to something- whether it’s a corporate contract that I’m billing out for, or investing my time in a coaching client relationship, or networking to meet new friends (like Annie & Deb!!), everything I do now has a purpose. And I am the one who created that purpose, wrote it down, tracked my performance on it every month, and updated my mentor (hi Steve!) on it. I had the freedom to create all of those goals, spend my time on them (or not), and to call myself out on it when I wasn’t meeting my goals (i.e. the section above on social media). I have never had more autonomy in a job, and I never knew quite how much I needed and appreciated it.
Enjoyment: Better Than I Ever Imagined
This is my favorite job of all time. I love what I do every day… Not every minute of every day, but at least once per day (usually MUCH more). That has never happened for me at any other job. Ever. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy my past work, or have great weeks/months/years. I absolutely did. But this year, I felt more enjoyment, satisfaction and fulfillment than I have ever felt on a daily basis.
Variable Pay: Needs Improvement
That said, all of that enjoyment is easy when you’re getting paid… And this year, I encountered both feast and famine cycles. The feasting is great- I had invoice after invoice coming in, and it was very exciting! But then, there were some months where I had nothing coming in. Yep, nothing. Zero. Zilch… And, while I saved and adjusted my spending and all of the things you do to mitigate a variable income, I want/need to make major improvements in this arena this year. A lot of it boils down to being more proactive and consistent with my sales game and prospecting, and the good news is, I’ve found many different resources who can help me out with this (see: time spent networking adds up to something, always). I am hopeful and excited to make progress in this arena in the year ahead, and will be sure to keep you all posted on how this is going.
Summary: Let’s Do It Again!
I had a wild time this year. I learned a lot about myself, business, sales, coaching, partnership and hard work. I had a blast trying writing content and creating tools, recording videos, coaching clients, and lending a hand on all things project-management related. I am excited to see what Year 2 in business will bring my way! Thanks for joining me on this journey!
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Did you enjoy my performance appraisal? Do you have thoughts/feedback/questions to share? Please leave a comment on the blog or shoot me a DM on the social media. I would love to hear whether and how this resonating for you!