Happy Holidays! It’s December 10th, (the 11th in Australia…”G’day mates!”) and as we say every year… where did the time go?!! 2018 blazed by! I’d like to honestly share about our year and a key lesson that I hope will bring value to those reading this.

2018 was a pivotal year for us as we transitioned into a new office, re-positioned team roles, and pursued new and more aggressive goals – everyone worked extremely hard and if I may be truthful, stress levels were high as we were all challenged to meet big demands. 

For me as the business owner, it was my most demanding year as we took some big risks with our move to a new office which equated to new financial responsibilities (read: stress). The development of the Beyond Marketing brand felt like the launch of a whole new startup that needed to develop quickly in order to support the changes we’ve been making. I’m happy to say that it’s paying off, but it wasn’t without serious hustle that equated to 12-14 hour days and weekend work.

That output did something to me. It made me forget to enjoy the journey we’re on. This year, I didn’t allow myself the time to appreciate what we were accomplishing. Once we had a client victory or launched a new website, I was immediately moving on to the next “thing.”

One of our core values is “To Enjoy The Journey and Have Fun.” I lost sight of this value which is so important for longevity. I’m still passionate about what I do, but if I want to keep that passion burning, I’ve got to be consciously taking care of myself and celebrating the wins.

This past Friday, our team met to recap the year. We reviewed what went well… and what didn’t and talked about how we can be better in order to improve going into 2019. Following that, we popped some Prosecco and celebrated 2018 – a year of challenge and growth. Taking the time to recap the year and celebrate with each other was worthy of the time it took from our busy schedules (it’s web design season for us). We need to do more of this… not just at the end of the year!

I have recommitted myself to ensuring that our team takes time to celebrate every victory along the way and to ensure I’m taking time to rest in order to recharge my batteries so I can be better for my company and my team.

Have you taken time to reflect on your year? Have you thought about the changes you want to make in 2019 and most of all… have you scheduled time to switch off from your business… even for a week? I invite you to make the time to do these things – it’s necessary.

The skydiving industry has never been more competitive and if we’re to be at our best, we have to reflect, learn and ultimately rest.

Here’s to a prosperous 2019 to each of you. Thank you for a great year!

Our Latest Work – Website Design

2018 was a busy year for us in web design and that trend continues as several DZs and manufacturers are preparing for the 2019 season. If you’re needing a new website for next year, please touch base with us – we’d love to work with you!

Our most recent site launches came in both November and December – the first for Shannon Pilcher and the second for Mike Doke, DZO at World Skydiving Center.

Not surprisingly, working with Shannon was a pleasure; as the industry knows, Shannon is a class act who will be in the Hall of Fame for both his accomplishments and for being a an ambassador for skydiving throughout the world.

Mike Doke used to do some tandems for us at Skydive Carolina many years ago, and it was great to reconnect with him as a DZO actively growing his DZ in Jacksonville. We’re grateful to both Shannon and Mike for entrusting us with their projects!

PIA Bound!

If you’ll be in Dallas, Texas – we hope to see you at the 2019 PIA Symposium. We’ll be arriving on February 1st for PIA Meetings and then attending the PIA Symposium from February 4th through the 8th!

Please stop by our booth! This year, we will be making several presentations that include the USPA DZO Conference as well as during the PIA Symposium with new messaging you’ve not heard from us before. Here’s what we have on tap for the PIA:

PIA Seminar Topics:

• • How To Thrive in a Deeply-Discounted Marketplace presented by James La Barrie

• • How To Maximize Instagram for Your Business by James La Barrie

• • Understanding and Maximizing the Google My Business Page by James La Barrie

• • How To Run a Great Skydiving Event by Melissa Nelson Lowe

• Growth Hack Marketing – Getting the Most Bang for Your Buck! by Melissa Nelson Lowe

We wish everyone all the very best for 2019! May it be a great year for you all!

– James