Having a Word of the Year helps anchor your business decisions and navigate to our goals. Check out a handful of our members’ words and the meaning behind them.
Jennifer Andos
What is your business and how would you describe it in 60 seconds or less?
Paperfish Creative is a graphic and web design company celebrating it’s 10th Anniversary, and recent winner of the Home Based Business of the Year in Loudoun County, Virginia. 15 years ago I escaped the agency world and started my mission to bring my branding training and experience with Fortune 100 companies to small businesses. I design logos, branding, websites and have printed millions of pieces of marketing materials. Paperfish brings agency quality work to small business.
What inspired you to choose this word, SWAGGER?
“The Year of Yes”, by Shonda Rhimes. When I read this book it really resonated with me, and where I find myself today. I am the person who always apologizes for my success, never takes a complement and has very hard time selling herself. Many women have this problem. Ms. Rhimes used a Year of Yes to accept every opportunity that came her way and own it. As a result, she said she found she finally has swagger. I want to get me some SWAGGER. So, I’m currently in my own year of Yes. I have lofty goals. It is time.
What are your 2017 goals associated with this word?
In honor of my 10th year, I made goals by 10s. 10 book pages written a month, 20 three-day weekends, etc. I drew it out as an infographic, to further attach myself to these goals. By completing these 10’s, I will be well on my way to having some SWAGGER.
Kaira Boston
What is your business and how would you describe it in 60 seconds or less?
Kaira Inc. supports women business owners to get visible with their Someday Goals for growth, then achieve or exceed those goals with a well crafted plan that incorporates creative strategies of head and heart to make the impact and income in a life lived on purpose.
What inspired you to choose this word, THRIVE?
Selecting a word for the past three years has proved to be such a guide for myself and my business that I knew I needed to select carefully. Last year was Elevate and that I did again personally and professionally. This year I wanted that elevation to be consistent and also be a theme that explained how I would be supporting my clients so I will thrive while assisting my client’s to thrive.
What are your 2017 goals associated with this word?
My goal is to eradicate someday for all! I believe it is when we are thriving that we are resourced enough to progress towards our someday goals. In 2017, I will support my clients and myself to thrive and thus remove the longing for someday to complete goals and instead do it today!
Alice Buchanan
What is your business and how would you describe it in 60 seconds or less?
I am a Realtor with Long & Foster in Richmond, VA, specializing in buying and selling residential real estate. I love hunting for the right home for a buyer, or helping a seller achieve the goal to move on from their current home. No two real estate transactions are the same, and I am always up to the challenge to make sure my clients are successful. I have a great support team behind me; put my team to work for you today!
What inspired you to choose these words, LEARNING TO PLAY BIG?
When I work consistently at anything, good things happen, and I know consistent focus on my business is critical to achieving my goals and my clients goals!
What are your 2017 goals associated with this word?
A full pipeline of potential clients while serving current clients for more regular and frequent successful sales!
Librada Estrada
What is your business and how would you describe it in 60 seconds or less?
Librada Estrada Consulting and I am a life and leadership coach that empowers women to self-manage perfectionism, grow their confidence and embrace their unique strengths to take action so they create the life they desire. I help women sift through the BS running in their heads so they push outside of their comfort zone, show up how they want to be and stop holding themselves back from what they want.
What inspired you to choose this word, LIMIT-LESS?
I chased a lot of rabbits this last year, and while in the process I learned a great deal, I also lost myself and my vision. I want to share my expertise, be more visible, and to create my own opportunities instead of waiting for them to come. And, I also am using it to remind myself to focus and stay the course by being strategic about what I take on and being realistic about what I can achieve on a regular basis.
What are your 2017 goals associated with this word?
1-To establish myself as a subject matter expert on women’s empowerment by being more visible
2-sharing my strengths and talents on my terms by creating my own opportunities
3-systematize more processes
4-maintain personal boundaries and honor myself daily and 5-focus on quarterly products
Mina Habibi
What is your business and how would you describe it in 60 seconds or less?
I’m Mina Habibi, photographer and portrait artist of Goddesses, Lovers and Bright Souls that desire photographs that allow their true spirit to shine through rather than cookie cutter images. My vision creates innovative art and portraiture that captures the magic that lies within you, often revealing more than you can see.
What inspired you to choose this word, SIMPLIFY?
The chaos my life has become in trying to be a business owner and manage a household, looking for documents to send clients or rewriting the same emails or having to redo things because I don’t have processes and systems in place that create a smooth workflow, having to continually research certain technical things that I can’t remember because my brain is over flowing.
What are your 2017 goals associated with this word?
I will create a workflow for repetitive business related tasks, create files with technical instructions to reference when needed, and create check lists for projects.
I will spend 15-30 minutes each day taking care of small household tasks (rather then letting them slip and pile up all week) that create a more peaceful and balanced home, and I will refine my offerings.
Radiance Harris
What is your business and how would you describe it in 60 seconds or less?
I am the founder and managing attorney of Radiance IP Law. I protect start ups from lawsuits and IP theft so that they can focus on doing what they love and have peace of mind about the rest. Unlike other attorneys who bill hourly, I offer exclusively flat fees so you do not have to worry about time tracking or surprise invoices when working with me.
What inspired you to choose this word, ABUNDANCE?
I chose this word because it inspires me to claim what is rightfully mine and to shut down any self doubt or limiting thoughts or behaviors.
What are your 2017 goals associated with this word?
Napolean Hill once said, “[w]hatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.” My goal is to have an abundance mindset when it comes to my family, my health, my finances, and my business no matter what. My circumstances do not determine my future, but my mindset does.
Naomi Hattaway
What is your business and how would you describe it in 60 seconds or less?
8th & Home Real Estate + Relocation. We work with families who are on a journey to find a home in a community where they can thrive and flourish. We go deeper than the color of the siding and the layout of the kitchen! When we work with heroes (military, fire, police, teachers, healthcare providers and first responders), we give 25% of our commission directly back to them as a way to say thank you for their commitment to our country and communities we live in. I also run I Am a Triangle, which is a online community for global nomads on the hunt to find the place they fit in.
What inspired you to choose this word, DISRUPT?
I have been on a trajectory to impact the relocation industry and the global temperature around living abroad since our family first left for our overseas life in 2009. By showing up consistently in the space of life abroad and following my passionate desire to help others “fit in”, I have been given a platform, and a voice. I wanted to up my game, so to speak, and change things up, inject some hutzpah and modern day answers into it all … I want to disrupt norms and comfort levels!
What are your 2017 goals associated with this word?
1. Launch an online course for Real Estate Mastery
2. Publish an anthology
3. Land 2 speaking gigs on the topic of community building and/or global responsibility during life overseas
4. Create a functioning real estate network for referrals within my Triangle group
5. Develop a course / package for HR / relo companies / global mobility reps to use for either consulting or purchase
Sara Lewis
What is your business and how would you describe it in 60 seconds or less?
Mix Fitness – I am Sara Lewis, aka “The Uncool Trainer.” I help my clients correct muscular imbalances. This highly personalized approach builds a rock solid foundation for my clients to work out on. My clients are empowered with exercises to make their body resilient!
What inspired you to choose these words, LEARNING TO PLAY BIG?
I created my Big 5 — the five things that have to happen this year to make 2017 a success. A couple of the big five have to do with me learning more. And all lead to playing the business game bigger than I have in the past.
What are your 2017 goals associated with this word?
I will:
- take a writing course to entice the readers of my list to read more emails and blogs,
- place a heavy marketing focus on my Restore the Core program to increase sales;
- increase registrations for my Fit Mama Training programs via deeper engagement with my new mom audience;
- I will improve my anatomy skills by taking a palpation class and getting certified in NeuroKinetic Therapy;
- I will own my area (within 10 mile radius) thus making me the top of mind trainer.
Lisa McLaughlin
What is your business and how would you describe it in 60 seconds or less?
District Line Co. is a locally-inspired t-shirt brand. We help people show their love of local in shirts that feel like home!
What inspired you to choose this word, LAUNCH?
It is the place I feel my business is in. Going into our 3rd year of business this year, we are really ready to launch into new areas, new customer bases, up-level processes and make some big moves! To me, Launch means not launching new products, but launching into a new phase of our business.
What are your 2017 goals associated with this word?
Launching into new areas and we will be starting with a Richmond, VA tee; launching into more wholesale which means we are up-leveling systems and bringing on team members who can help us do better work more efficiently; and launching creatively means we will be trying out some new kinds of designs to offer our customers something new. After several years of growing our business slowly, we’re excited to see where a year focused on Launching will take us!.
Heather Myklegard
What is your business and how would you describe it in 60 seconds or less?
Social Moxie. We specialize in social media management and strategy and work with businesses who see the value in social media but do not have time to do it themselves.
What inspired you to choose this word, DRIVE?
I have a fierce drive in me that started peeking right around October. I want to drive my business to a place it is never been and one I never thought possible.
What are your 2017 goals associated with this word?
Onboarding 3 team members, reaching a financial goal each month, and becoming the CEO of my company allowing others to do the day to day work and I am able to continue to DRIVE new clients in on a weekly basis.
Kelley Sanabria
What is your business and how would you describe it in 60 seconds or less?
Femworking – we provide mastermind meetings for female entrepreneurs. When women work with us they’re able to skip the learning curve, build partnerships, and grow their businesses faster.
What inspired you to choose this word of the year, NOURISH?
It’s easy for me to nourish my business, I love it and can go non-stop. But what falls by the wayside is nourishing myself. I am inspired to nourish myself because I’m learning that in order to do big things, I need to carve out time and truly nourish myself. The healthier and more nourished I am, the more I can do in the world.
What are your 2017 goals associated with this word?
My goals are to nourish mind, body, and soul. This means getting good sleep (and enough of it!), meditating, journaling, working out, nourishing my body with food, reading, listening to music, and having FUN.2
Caitlin Sharp
What is your business and how would you describe it in 60 seconds or less?
Sharp Plant Designs. We create custom-made and handcrafted accessories, embroidery, and designs. Sharp Plant Designs has developed a line of accessories which include: reusable snack bags which allows your family to save money and reduce waste and Snap Infinity Scarf which is a configurable scarf that can be worn and used in infinitely different ways. Sharp Plant Designs is able to provide custom graphic shirts as well as embroidered apparel to both individual customers as well as large companies and organizations with no order minimums.
What inspired you to choose this word, TENACIOUS?
It blends well with all three roles that I serve: business owner, wife, and mother. I need to be tenacious with my business. Not every day is a success and I need to keep going regardless of what might be bringing me down. When it’s late and I need to get one last thing done. I know that I will succeed and my tenacity to do so will see me through.
I need to be tenacious in my marriage, work at it, and make sure that I am supporting my husband in the ways that he has supported me. Even when we have a bad day I need to be tenacious in holding on to the love and commitment we have to each other.
As a mother I need to be tenacious both with and for my children. I need to advocate for them when they need it and I need to know that they will eventually become adults and it’s my responsibility to make sure that do that. I need to make sure that they know everyday they are loved fiercely.
What are your 2017 goals associated with this word?
Take my snack bags into retail stores.
Grow my sales by 20% this year.
Grow my commercial clientele.
Lisa Shaughnessy
What is your business and how would you describe it in 60 seconds or less?
InkerB Consulting. I help small businesses who are serious about growth and success create business processes that result in feeling less stressed and more focused, organized, and motivated in their businesses. Through consulting and workshops I help businesses get their daily activities and tasks out of their heads and into repeatable processes that save them time, money and frustration.
What inspired you to choose this word, PURPOSE?
I chose the word purpose for several reasons. First, I’ve finally found my professional purpose which is helping small businesses with their processes. I never thought I’d use the word “calling” when talking about what I do. But every time I help a small business open space for growth and success I realize that processes are my calling and I need to focus on providing those services to help businesses succeed and be prosperous. Second, I’ll be doing everything in my business with a purpose in mind and doing it purposefully. I’m fully committed to my work and growing my business. For the first time I’ve set revenue goals and have a lead generation funnel associated with those goals. I’m doing more networking and intentionally seeking out clients.
What are your 2017 goals associated with this word of the year?
Finding ways to speak directly to my target audience about who I am and what I offer; specific monthly revenue goals; and attending more networking events.
Marcia Sheehan
What is your business and how would you describe it in 60 seconds or less?
Charmed Cardinals, a women’s empowerment society called Charmed Cardinals. We empower women with our recurring scheduled monthly meetups that allow our members to have fulfilling “me time” and we have intimate monthly sister meetings that are formatted with exercises that cut through the crap and allow us to really understand what is happening internally. We also have monthly experiences which consists of us creating something together.
What inspired you to choose this word, FOCUS?
I kept going to the word mindfulness but that word has always confused me. I mean I get the definition and idea within eastern teachings but that word just doesn’t do it for me on a business level. So I chose “focus”. In this day and age with as many distractions that we have it’s growing increasingly more difficult to focus our full attention on one thing. And that is exactly what we need in order to be successful at completing tasks or being fully engaged in the moment no matter what it is.
What are your 2017 goals associated with this word?
World domination. J/K! Being more organized within my own brain and externally. Reassurance that there is enough time for everything. Confidence that I can affirmatively say when other people or projects come up “this is not my priority right now.” Trusting that I can ask myself internally what it is that needs my focus at any given time and then doing the damn thing. Yay!
Ronalyn Wentz
What is your business and how would you describe it in 60 seconds or less?
Ronalyn Wentz, Owner of Clark Virtual Business Solutions. I am a virtual assistant and I help small businesses with their administrative needs and social media presence. I give the owner back their time so they can concentrate ON their business and not IN their business.
What inspired you to choose this word, LEVEL UP?
This phrase is used in gaming meaning you have to work at getting to the next level. Whether it’s a skill or just putting in the time, you have to work at it. In my case, it’s the TIME. I feel like I have the skill for my business, but I haven’t been putting in the time that I need to for my business to go to the next level.
What are your 2017 goals associated with this word?
Have at least 1:1 with someone in my network after EVERY networking event I go to.
At least 1 speaking engagement per month – whether at one of my network events or create my own event.
Look into possible JV opportunities with others in my network.
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