ONE YEAR! It’s been exactly 365 days since my first post on The Strategy Studio’s Instagram account. 

While I didn’t officially launch The Strategy Studio until March 2019, starting the Instagram account felt like my first real step into publicly sharing what had been a passion project / side hustle of mine for more than 4 years.

My hope was that The Strategy Studio would become a thriving little business where I had the opportunity to do work that I love while uplifting fellow entrepreneurs and giving them tools and techniques to run enjoyable, profitable businesses. 

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine the fulfillment these first 12 months in business could bring. 

To celebrate, here are 10 first-year moments I want to remember. 

1. Booking my first official client in Bloom Culture Flowers.

2. Writing Instagram captions for 33 followers and being so damn excited about it. (I still feel that way 700 followers later!)

3. Receiving notes from clients with messages like “What we talked about is working!”. Hearing excitement in a business owner’s voice, particularly after a period of feeling quite defeated, gives me endless joy. 

4. Simultaneously serving clients on three different continents. It was the moment I acknowledged my business truly was global. 

5. Recording my first podcast episode as a guest with If I Made. (Episode dropping soon.)

6. The day I realised I’d brought in more income running my own business than I’d ever earned as an employee or contractor. The satisfaction and sense of accomplishment was worth every late night and weekend spent at my desk. 

7. Flying into Atlanta and being asked by a border agent “What do you do for work?”. I answered “I own my own business…” to which he responded “You go girl!” Still makes me laugh.

8. Booking my 50th client and being equally thrilled while also acknowledging I was nearing physical/mental/emotional capacity. This was the day I started my 2020 client wait list. Also a big moment!

9. Watching Lydia hop up on my desk chair at my computer and pretend to type while saying “I do work like Mumma”. (She was always wearing her pyjamas which is equally accurate!)

10. And rather fittingly for the last one, admitting to my husband that my Instagram post with the most engagement to date is one featuring him. He still thinks that means he’s trending!

Thanks for helping me celebrate my first “Instagram Year” in Business! Here’s to MANY more!