Year two and some thoughts on "growth"

If I can think of one word to describe what 2017 was all about for Social Centric, that word would be growth. Whether it was growing up, growing into new things or even growing out of certain things, that's what Social Centric (and I) did in 2017.

This year we had some amazing highlights; here are some of our top nine memories from 2017:

1. We helped launch a new location in McKenzie Towne for one of our very first clients, Fergus and Bix.

2. We got involved with an amazing collaboration between Millarville Racetrack, Olde Towne Okotoks and Okotoks MarketSquare called the Foothills Roadshow and helped spread the word to support local vendors and community in the Foothills area.

3. We summited some of Alberta's most beloved mountains with True North Cannabis to show our support of Canada 150 and our gorgeous backyard.

4. We learned and grew our skills by attending Social West 2017.

5. We learned about Riparian Restoration and watched as key parts of our City were rebuilt and salvaged from flooding as local earthmoving company Devcon Inc. repaired popular pathways, important riverbanks and recreational areas in southern Alberta.

6. We launched the Pin Your Purple Campaign in recognition of Family Violence Prevention Month and promoted it at events alongside the Calgary Domestic Violence Collective and Sagesse.

7. We were honoured to attend and support many amazing community events such as the Dress for Success Fashion 150 fundraiser, Canadian Business Chicks Women of Inspiration Awards where we watched good friend and client Lea Romanowski of Designing on the Edge receive a Lifetime Achievement Award, Eat Play Love Fundraiser to end the cycle of domestic violence and we were proud to support and volunteer with Doors Open YYC 2017.

8. We joined the Marda Loop BIA (Business Improvement Area) marketing team to garner attention to the Marda Loop area and showcase its diverse and historical offerings to Calgarians.

9. And finally we travelled to New York, Portugal and Toronto for both personal and business reasons where we grew, met amazing people and saw more of the world.

In all of the ways in which growth occurred this year from the above experiences, I've learned some key things that I'd love to share with you:

1. Don't ever be afraid to GROW. Change, new environments, new things and new people can be terrifying, but once you've allowed yourself to open up and develop into something that works better for you, its a feeling of accomplishment like no other.

2. Don't be afraid to take risks. This year, I required space outside of my home office. I needed a place where I could hire someone and this required a more professional setting, I required space to conduct workshops and training sessions and overall, I missed human contact at work. So I found a great shared space in the newly renovated Edison Building to suite Social Centric and my needs.

3. Honour and hone your tribe. This past year I've technically run Social Centric on my own, but I've also found and developed an amazing community of supporters, contractors and people who drive me to be my best. I honour them by supporting them back and we all do this by honing one another's skills by working together rather than trying to "do it all".

4. Don't try and be everything to everyone. Figure out what you're good at and stick to it. Don't try and be a team of 12. Create a team by finding other solo-preneurs that can offer valuable services to your client base. Stay tuned later this year for a list of amazing professionals and friends I'll be working with to make Social Centric that much more versatile.

5. Take time for YOU. I recently wrote an article for fellow solo-preneur and friend Brittany Brander about taking time for yourself and separating social media from your personal life. It is important to feed time back into yourself and to enjoy the life you've worked so hard to have. You can read it HERE.

6. Nurture your people. Don't get caught up in more clients, more money and more success. Take the time to nurture and BRING IT for the clients, community and supporters you already have. Once you've done all you can for them, think about how you'll grow and before you know it, you likely already have.

Here's to 2018!