2021 Blades Creative Year in Review
I'll be the first to say: 2021 was a long (and interesting) year. While many of us faced our own challenges and had our huge wins, I know that reflecting on the year past helps us all prepare for the year ahead. I also think that reviewing our progress and really celebrating our accomplishments can help us feel better about where we are, and the goals we’ve set for ourselves.
I know I'm not alone when I say I feel like I am always trying to do too much at once, and I am already planning "big" things for 2022. But first, I want to talk about what we at Blades Creative Design Studio did in 2021 — and what seeds we planted!
Rebranding Blades Creative
Of course, one of the biggest events in 2021 for me was our rebrand! The new Blades Creative was unveiled on April 1st, 2021, but it was a long time coming. You might’ve seen me tease the rebrand on Instagram back in March when I shared the original Blades Creative logo.
At the time when I was working on the rebrand, Blades Creative was about five years old. Over those five years, so much changed, from the work we do to the people we choose to serve to the look of the brand itself. A fresh brand that truly represented Blades Creative’s focus and process was in order. Hence, a rebrand.
I knew I wanted to celebrate this rebrand with a big, fantastic party. Even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, I went all out planning a celebration. I gave out gorgeous printed invitations in collaboration with a local shop in Chattanooga, Wonderpress Printing, and planned a fun virtual event hosted by some of my lovely clients.
We even got to enjoy:
A cocktail class by The Bitter Bottle
A cast iron care demonstration by Lodge Manufacturing
And a classical guitar recording from Michael McCallie of Guitar Chattanooga
The rebrand and the virtual launch party were everything I wanted them to be. And because the party was one of the most involved things I’ve ever planned, the fact that it was a success was a huge boost of confidence.
Working with amazing clients
When you’re a business owner or entrepreneur, there’s an ever-present, nagging feeling that all your clients will up and disappear one day. It just comes with the territory. And when you rebrand because your ideal client or services have evolved? That elevates the intensity for sure.
Because I knew the intention behind the Blades Creative rebrand and had a huge focus on who I really wanted to serve (and how), the shift after the rebrand was magic! I had the pleasure of working with 15 amazing clients, a third of which were return clients. I was so thrilled to continue working with previous clients and embark on new relationships with new ones.
I have a very big-and-exciting project coming up in 2022, where I’ll be designing my first-ever physical product. I can’t wait to share more details with you on my Instagram.
Guest appearances on podcasts
If you know me, you know I looove the Being Boss podcast. Partly because it’s such a fantastic podcast about being a creative business owner, and partly because the host, Emily, is a good friend of mine IRL!
I’ve been a fan of the podcast since before Emily and I became friends, and I started listening to it when I was 24 — before Blades Creative even officially launched! Emily, who lives in Chattanooga, eventually connected with me through Being Boss events, and now I am proud to call her a friend.
So, when Emily asked me this past June to speak on the podcast, you could say I was just a little bit excited. Emily and I chatted about business and rebranding and being an entrepreneur, and I had a blast.
That wasn’t my only podcast appearance this year. I was also featured on:
Moving to a brand new city
If doing a complete overhaul of a business, working with new clients, speaking on podcasts, and training to become a yoga teacher (more on that in a minute) wasn’t enough, I also packed up and moved from Chattanooga, Tennessee to Austin, Texas. Phew.
Chattanooga had been my home since I was 16. School, work, lifelong friendships...not to mention starting my own business there; Chattanooga has always been home to me.
Why did I uproot and relocate to Austin? It was time. I felt myself getting pulled in a new direction again. I was sad to say goodbye to a city that I love so much, but thrilled to explore everything that my new home has to offer.
Completing yoga teacher training
Did you know that I completed yoga teacher training with Yoga Landing at the end of October? Maybe you caught the news on the Blades Creative Instagram when I traveled back to Chattanooga for my last weekend of training. (A bittersweet but lovely moment with my classmates!)
Did you also know that my teacher training began at the end of February...right around the corner from when I began to tease the Blades Creative rebrand? Phew! It was a busy time for sure. As hectic as things could be sometimes, I truly cherished the nine months I spent working hard to complete my training.
I’d been practicing yoga for about ten years prior, and it has helped me so much...not just mentally and physically, but also in my design practice and business. Completing yoga teacher training felt like the natural next step for me. I want to pass the healing power of yoga on to others.
My goals for 2022
There’s no denying that 2021 was a whirlwind of growth and change. But I know those seeds that were planted are important — and I can’t wait to see what comes next in 2022. I’ve learned so much about my business and myself, and it’s led me to plan some big things for 2022.
My top five goals for this year are:
Make six figures (which has been a goal of mine for a while!)
Get a retirement plan
Create a course on how to launch your new brand
Become more involved in Austin’s creative and business community
A super secret goal that I can’t divulge just yet (about that physical product I mentioned earlier!)
It’s been a long and eventful year. I’m so grateful for everything that came my way, and I’m proud of everything that I made happen in 2021. Now, what will 2022 hold for me and Blades Creative? Stick with me to find out!
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