I recently heard someone say that January felt like a whole year. Do you agree?
While this month has felt pretty long, it’s been a nice respite from December that felt like a whirlwind of ALL THE HOLIDAY THINGS. It wasn’t until I sat down to reflect on what has actually happened this month that I realized just how far I’ve come.
As promised, I’m giving you a peek behind the scenes of what I’m working on to create a business that lets me RV more often, be present with my children (and boy have we had some sick days this month), and still earn an income for our family.
A few things before I dive in:
You’re invited and encouraged to do the same! My hope for you is that you experience the same moments where you say to yourself, “Dang, I’m on fire!” because, let’s face it. As entrepreneurs watching plenty of others post all the shiny bits on social media, it can feel like we’re not making the type of progress we’d like. Let this be an encouraging exercise for you.
This progress report is meant to show you how I’m building a business behind the scenes and give you some insight into what really happens. It’s vulnerable. It’s honest. It’s real. Here’s to authenticity. Being truthful with yourself can open that feeling of grounded progress, insulating you from the whiplash of all the highs and lows that accompany this wild adventure called entrepreneurship.
Final note: No comparison syndrome allowed. If January felt slower for you, that’s okay. I’ve heard the same from many other successful entrepreneurs. This is your journey. There’s no right or wrong. I’m simply here sharing what’s ‘working for me in hopes that there might be a spark of an idea to keep your own campfire going.
Ready? Let’s start with what happened this month.
January Progress Report
As a promise to be transparent with you on this business-building journey, let me fill you in on what’s been happening over here in Roadpreneur-land.
1. Launched a New Column for Roadpreneur
You’ve likely seen the start of Featured Friday! Selfishly, I’m loving this new column because it’s so much fun to read other people’s stories about how they build businesses that let them hit the road and live a life of adventure. I have SO many more in the works that you’re going to want to stay close for.
Are you an entrepreneur who builds a business from the road? Submit your application to be part of these Featured Friday columns here!
2. Got Crystal Clear on Cruisin’ + Campfires (and Cried a Bit Too)
Quite a few new faces are joining this list. Hi and welcome!
To get you quickly up to speed, last year, I released my subscription box to someone who is much more suited to do the business well. You’ll be meeting her soon in a Featured Friday column! Releasing the box was to make room for me to create a product line using original designs.
The struggle I bumped into at the end of 2023 was that I didn’t know where those new designs should live. I had so many ideas that I quickly realized I had to reign them in and focus on one product line before inching my way out rather than launching one or two of each type of product.
This month, I committed, and it feels amazing. I’m focusing solely on the products I love to design and love to use myself — greeting cards, notebooks, and planning notepads for camping travel.
I also settled in on my aesthetic, a design type that honors what I love to draw and my background, having lived in Denmark. These new designs will continue to combine the Scandinavian and American cultures of finding joy in the outdoors. I teared up a bit when I first opened the box of the final copies. They’re perfect!
3. Received New Wholesale Orders Out of the Blue
All that clarity has gotten 2024 — the year of big wholesale goals — off to a great start! I received multiple wholesale orders out of the blue.
That wind in my sales also gave me more confidence in reaching out to dream shops I’d love to have my products in because I know they’d be the *perfect* fit. The momentum is building!
4. Sent Offers for Land Investment
In addition to Cruisin’ + Campfires, my husband and I have started working together on investing in land. This is another income stream we can do from anywhere, so it’s a perfect fit for our lifestyle. Plus, we get to go scout out some really cool places.
This month, I sent out quite a few more offers to people, and the phone has been ringing! It’s an exciting process and one I never really thought I’d love as much as I am.
5. Held Several Book Clubs for Discovering Something Greater
Discovering Something Greater, the book I co-authored with three other women launched in November and quickly rose to bestseller status (wahoo!). This month, many of the readers who purchased the book are holding book clubs, which allowed us to sit in living rooms and on Zoom calls with those who are reading the work we spent a long time putting together.
It’s been an absolute JOY to hear from readers and get to know their stories! It’s probably been my favorite part of the writing process, actually.
If you’d like to be part of our virtual book club (it’s free!), come join us on Zoom the next three Wednesdays as we talk through balance (today), voice (next week), and resilience (on Valentine’s Day). You don’t have to have read the book yet to get a lot out of the discussion time. You can also catch the replays here.
6. Started a New Health Journey
This feels so uninspired to share in a January update- doesn’t everyone say they started a new health journey in January?
But here I am, living the cliche.
This health journey has been different than those I’ve tried in the past, and I’m actually half loving it. Rather than just saying I will get healthy, I gamified it and put numbers behind it (more on that below). I downloaded an app to track my macros, and WOW do I get to eat a lot of protein. That was a fun win! I also haven’t really felt hungry.
The part I don’t love? I chose to do a ten-week to 10k program and actually kind of hate running. It’s a great way to push myself, something I’m a huge advocate for, so I will see it through. Still, I declined when my mom asked if I wanted to do Tucson’s Gabe Zimmerman Triple Crown race series. How’s that for committal but non-commital at the same time?
7. I’m Consistenly Going Through the Bible Recap
For the past two years, I’ve said I want to read the bible in a year, and each time I’ve fallen short. Here’s hoping this will be lucky number three when I follow through on that goal. What I’ve done differently this year is I’ve bought Tara Leigh-Cobble’s hard copy book of her Bible Recap. There’s a plan, and I get to read the recap right after, which is the perfect way to wake up or go to bed at night (depending on when I decide to read). I’m loving it so far! Have you ever gone through this study?
January Lessons Learned
An accomplishment isn’t truly an accomplishment if you don’t learn a lesson from the win. After I congratulate myself on the work done, I reflect on what I’ve learned from the process.
1. Clarity is Fuel
Getting the clarity to bring those new designs into the world was the fuel I needed. The clarity of inviting others to share their story in written format was the fuel I needed to keep this newsletter pumping. The clarity around my health was the fuel I needed to create a plan.
Lesson: If you’re feeling lackluster about the start of the year, it’s okay. It also means you’re probably lacking some clarity. Get clear on why it matters to you and what you value. Then, let all the other shoulds fall away and go do your thing with simplicity. That leads me to the next lesson…
2. Simplicity is Critical
I’m the queen of overcomplicating things, diving in head first without much of a plan, and just trying something for the sake of trying something. Many of you have probably noticed. This year, I’m working on scaling that side of me back and leading with simplicity.
Case in point:
I have a thousand ideas for a product line, but I am starting simpler
I have an idea for a whole new column to bring to this newsletter, but I am starting by adding one new one.
I have ideas for more areas to offer land investment but I am starting with just the one for now as I get my real estate feet grounded in the process.
Lesson Learned: Don’t rush to complexity. Start with simplicity, find your rhythm, and then ease into a good flow.
3. Make a Game Plan
A huge part of simplicity is making a game plan. When you know where to show up, scheduling your days becomes a lot easier.
You know what to say yes to and, more importantly, what to say no to.
You know what you want life to look like and can blur out the rest.
With my health journey, I downloaded the app and gamified the process towards losing the 12 lbs I want to start losing. I’m tracking macros and working hard via the app to get all four checkmarks daily, saying I met my goals. I have a workout plan, which makes it easier for me to know what to do – no excuses made.
For Cruisin’ + Campfires, I’m clear on how I want to grow awareness around the product line. Wholesale. Pinterest. Instagram. Those are my platforms, and I have numerical goals around each one.
For Roadpreneur, I know I’m publishing on most Wednesdays and Fridays. Once that rhythm is set, I may add the other column I’m dreaming up or put that elsewhere. For now, I have my game plan.
Lesson: Making your game plan will help you know where to show up so you can get your checkmarks each day and have more time for fun, adventure, and the open road.
Start - Stop - Continue
Looking ahead at February, here’s what I plan to start, stop, and continue. I encourage you to do your reflection and end with this exercise so you can walk into a new month feeling clear-headed and ready for what’s ahead.
Start
I know what’s working this month, so I’ll start doing more of that. More pitches. More pins. More power behind my actions rather than fiddling my way through the day to find my footing in the new year. It’s go time now, baby!
Stop
It’s felt good to back away from the work that no longer serves me. It’s also felt really vulnerable to admit that there’s work that’s no longer serving me and make a pivot. I’m going to stop living in that vulnerability hangover and move toward the confident progression I’m excited to be taking — because if I’m letting my worry of what others think of me stand in my way from fully showing up from you, aren’t I doing us both a disservice? That’s stopping!
Continue
I’m so thrilled to continue all I shared above! This month has been hugely eye-opening, and the momentum building in 2024 is palpable. I hope you feel it in your business, too! Join our chat and share what you’ll start, stop, and continue this month so you can commit to continued momentum and growth.
~ Kimberly