Well, well, well, here we find ourselves again – another year recap and goals for the upcoming year!
In 2018, my word of the year was GROWTH.
This meant growth in…
- My business, The Quirky Pineapple Studio
- Personally – growing into who I want to be
- Professionally – as a copywriter, content strategist, and leader in this industry
- In my Spanish skills
- My community – in Madrid, Spain and around the world with an international audience
GROWTH ended up being the perfect word for 2018. So much growth personally, professionally, emotionally, and more. Ready for the dirty recap of it all? Grab your wine glasses, y’all, it’s about to go down…
PERSONAL GROWTH
Moved to Madrid, Spain! & transitioned to my new lifestyle
I packed my bags and bought a one-way flight to Madrid, Spain to start a new life (together) with my boyfriend! After dealing with long-distance for a year and a half, we decided that one of us had to take the leap and move. Since Spain has a “more lenient” (this is relative), immigration process, I decided that I would move to Madrid with my boyfriend and we would see where life takes us afterward!
Started life as an entrepreneur
When I decided I would move back to Spain, I knew that I didn’t want to financially depend so heavily on my boyfriend for everything, nor did I want to teach English as a career. I figured this was the perfect time to try something new and give entrepreneurship a shot! Thus was born The Quirky Pineapple Studio, a virtual studio providing copywriting and content strategy services for business in tourism, hospitality, and gastronomy! And that’s where the entrepreneurial journey began – I had to learn how to forecast my revenue, business expenses, how to pitch myself, how to manage client expectations, and more. Y’all, I don’t think anyone teaches this to you in school…
Money mindset
Money mindset – it’s a thing. I didn’t know I had personal fears, stigmas, and other strange beliefs around earning, making, asking for and using money. My “money mindset” is still a work in progress, but I realized this year that how I used to see money was REALLY unhealthy. Actually, many times, I used to think that by making a lot of money, I was superficial and had to spend the money! Then, I actually thought that money was scarce and if I never made money, I could never spend money. Now, I’m learning that money ebbs and flows – like it should, and it is merely a tool to live a life that I want!
Self-worth
You know when you grow up and you start realizing things about yourself?
Like… the reason you’re scared of dogs is
Or that the surroundings you were in have shaped certain beliefs about who you are and how you are?
Well – entrepreneurship, being an expat, “reinventing” my life in a new country and different language has taught me a few things about my self-worth and a lot more things about comparison.
To give you the quick and dirty recap – these are daily personal reminders I have to tell myself:
- I am ENOUGH! In all my quirks, habits, failures, and mistakes – I am enough and I am learning.
- Passing the torch (or the microphone) does not lessen my value or my worth, nor does it take away from me. Using my platform to give others the opportunity to share their expertise does not take away from me.
- Gotta’ cut myself some slack. I’m working hard and towards my goal everyday.
- What others say or believe about me really isn’t my business. I need to be happy with myself and work to better me.
Ya’ girl got her Spanish residency card!
Some personal growth in the “Spanish” department has been:
- Getting my Spanish residency card and dealing with immigration on my own (in Spanish!)
- Figuring out my public health insurance, going to the specialists and the doctor, and getting my health insurance card (YOU GUESSED IT, IN SPANISH!)
- Opening up a business bank account – in SPANISH!
Most of these things I would have never been able to do a few years ago… but I really had to push myself to be proactive in all of these processes and make sure I understood everything I was being told. You’d think it sounds simple but coming from such a different economic system and culture, I really had to sit down and wrap my mind around some of the concepts like public healthcare, immigration, Spanish taxes, and how to make sure I was protecting myself!
Travel & appreciation
The biggest growth was in personal trips and the appreciation I had during each of those adventures! Waiting for my residency card meant I couldn’t take flights out of the country – but Mario and I were still able to take advantage of short vacations to explore more of Spain. Of course, travel is one of my biggest motivators and my favorite activity! Having the opportunity to discover more areas in Spain and travel through two countries in Latin America, as a digital nomad, has been an amazing experience.
PROFESSIONAL GROWTH
Started The Quirky Pineapple Studio
The Quirky Pineapple Studio officially became a service-based business and NOT a lifestyle and travel blog! Although the transition seemed like a quick change in branding and name, I had to rewire my entire brain to think like a business owner and not a hobby blogger. Imagine blogging for over 10 years and having small successes with your blog and now switching over my mindset to gaining clients, positioning myself as an expert, and more.
WHEW.
I had lots of days that I questioned what I was doing, lots of crying, feeling stressed, and worried that I would fail. I had moments where I couldn’t leave the house because of social anxiety – for no reason! There were days I thought I needed to fly home and get an office job, again. My professional growth and confidence in my business has grown immensely since I started last December. Here’s to many more opportunities to continuously grow The Quirky Pineapple Studio!
READ: My Brand Relaunch: Introducing The Quirky Pineapple Studio
Working with clients!
I built an entire client list! Which is nuts!
I worked with businesses and brands in the hospitality, tourism, and gastronomy industries – writing copy for them, planning their content strategy, and working on witty captions for their Instagram handles. I had clients who worked with me on building their brand, re-imagining their business, and digging deeper into their brand story!
I am in my ZONE when I’m working on website copy or content strategy – working with entrepreneurs and business owners to make sure they cohesively share their message and build a community of loyal clients!
Looking for a copywriter or content strategist? See how we can work together!
6 presentations
What. What. What. Who would have thought I would be giving PRESENTATIONS on copywriting and content strategy? NOT ME.
I never imagined I would be asked and invited to speak at groups, coworking spaces, and giving webinars on two things that I enjoy doing and helping others with! I even gave presentations in English AND Spanish – which has completely boggled my mind! The presentations I gave this year:
- “Copywriting & Content Strategy for Tourism Brands” – Madrid, Spain, March 2018 with Travel Massive Madrid
- “Como Crear Contenido
Consistente paratus RRSS” – Madrid, Spain, April 2018 with La Piscine Coffice - “5 Tips to Revamp Your Content Strategy for your Travel Business” – Online, July 2018 with Travel Massive
- “Content Planning Success with Editorial Calendars” – Madrid, Spain, September 2018 with Madrid Blogger Network
- “Blog Your Way to Location Independence” – Madrid, Spain, September 2018 with
Wanderful Madrid - “Me to We: Ne Te Quedes Sin Ideas” – Buenos Aires, Argentina, October 2018 with Andrea from it’s a Travel O.D., in partnership with La Maquinita SoHo and Job Trippin’
I learned that I LOVE giving presentations and workshops on topics that I know I can help people with! Pushing myself to give presentations in Spanish has also taught me that I need to improve my Spanish skills (haha) and that I can give presentations in Spanish (woohoo)!
My good friend, Molly from Molly Ho Studio, and I decided we wanted to start a Facebook mastermind group for women creative entrepreneurs who wanted to create and improve their personal brands. Our group called, Your Soulful Branding, was a space for people to talk about the tough stuff, the mindset shifts we have to make when creating and building a personal brand, being vulnerable online, and more.
We ran the group for a few months with Facebook Lives, Instagram Lives, creating graphics, AN ENTIRE 100+ PAGE WORKBOOK, and more! In the end, however, we realized that the Facebook group and our goals/wants for it were different. The group started taking up more time than we expected and we learned that what we wanted to give and how we wanted to help wasn’t aligned with where our group members were.
Towards the end, Molly and I decided to archive the group and shut it down to focus on our own businesses and brands. It was awesome to work with someone who is equally as passionate in their business as I am and we even considered ourselves the extroverted/introverted twins! It was a great learning experience to understand how to grow a group, keep it engaged, and how to partner with someone – even if we had to shut it down.
Content- Driven Success Group program
ONE OF MY PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS IS THIS GROUP PROGRAM: Content-Driven Success!
I’ve always wanted to create a group program for creatives – and the best way I found to do that and to help, was to create it based on editorial calendars. The best part – IT SOLD OUT! *insert happy crying tears here*
This online group program is created for creative entrepreneurs, bloggers, and content creators who want to create content that brings in brand loyalty, engagement, and creates a community of loyal clients. It is a 5-week program, complete with video tutorials, a private Facebook group, and group coaching calls.
Content-Driven Success was a huge learning experience for me to run my first program, learn how to streamline communication with the participants, how to continuously provide value, and make sure that all the learning objectives were met. I’m still in awe that this program came to life and helped 8 women with their content strategy!
I have dreamt about creating digital products since I started blogging.
Alright, that might be a stretch – but I have been wanting to create and sell digital products for a long time now. I’ve dreamt about having a virtual shop with tools and resources to help others with their content marketing, blogging, and branding strategies and NOW I’VE GOT ONE!
Can I get a *WOOP WOP*?!
Currently there are 3 products in the shop, but my idea is to expand and offer piña inspired socks, tote bags, and even a physical journal or planner to help you ORGANIZE YO’ LIFE. Or at least your content marketing strategy! Stay tuned, y’all! *wink*
COMMUNITY GROWTH
Before arriving to Madrid, I made a goal for myself that I would start incorporating more events into my brand and my business. I love gatherings, hosting, and providing a safe space for people to discuss important topics or just get creative!
That event blossomed into the Instagrameo Picnic, for creative entrepreneurs, content creators, and anyone to come, hang out, eat and drink, mingle, and find an Instagram hubby or wifey! It ended up being a success, despite the rain and switching locations only a few hours ahead of time!
I’m excited to start brainstorming more ideas for this community and connecting with different people!
Collaborations & International Community
Another one of my proudest accomplishments this year is being able to collaborate with people all over the world to continue building and growing a community. I’ve been moving around Madrid (and the world), meeting people, networking and connecting, and putting in the work to create REAL relationships.
Some of the collaborations this year have been with:
And that’s just a few of them! This is my favorite way to find like-minded people and get inspiration. Collaborations are one of the reasons how The Quirky Pineapple Studio has grown so much, just this year!
2019 Goals & Word of the Year
- Create a steady revenue/income stream monthly
- Hire a Social Media Manager by Quarter 2
- Host one retreat by Quarter 3 or 4
- Continue to grow my community in Madrid (in EN & ES) and an international community of content creators who want to make an impact with their content
- Improve my Spanish speaking, writing, and reading skills
I’ve got so many plans for The Quirky Pineapple Studio – plans to grow my business, to continue to be a resource of copywriting and content strategy information, and a place for others who want a community to cheer them on and live a life they’re proud of (whatever that might look like)!
My 2019 word of the year is (in Spanish!)…
PODER
noun / verb
Noun
1. power
2. authority
Verb
1. be able to
2. can
PODER – in Spanish has two different meanings and can be used in two different ways, either as a noun or a verb. I LOVE the concept that poder can either mean “power” and “be able to” at the same time, depending on the context!
Heading into 2019, I want this year to be filled with sentiments of POWER and CAN. The power in myself, as an entrepreneur, expat, business owner, and who I am (in general) to BE ABLE TO achieve whatever I set my mind to. To grow my business, to achieve Spanish fluency, to create a sustainable business, and to be able to live a life that I am proud of! The power I have in myself, to take responsibility and action, and the attitude that I can do this, that, and more.
I don’t want to have the mindset of fear and “unworthiness” to take over and push me to hide, worry, or doubt myself and my abilities. I also don’t want this fear to take away from my community and cause me to dim myself down. 2019 will be the year of “
What’s your word for 2019? What has been your biggest lesson this year?
Enjoyed this post? You might like these, too:
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