CELEBRATE YOUR PROGRESS

I’ve been watching too much Ace of Cakes, obviously.  Last night I decided that building a gingerbread house can’t be *that* difficult and went to work with royal icing and a slightly-deformed icing bag.  Um.  The coffee table is covered in a thin layer of icing.  The front Christmas tree is leaning to the right.

For God’s sake, the snowman has a unibrow.

horrid photos courtesy of my iphone

This is also, I have to remind myself, a first attempt.  I’ve never piped icing from a bag or assembled a house made of gingerbread.  The fact that it’s still standing is a testament to my progress in the happenin’ world of gingerbread houses.

The same principle applies to business.  If this is your first business, and particularly your first few years in business, you’re a work in progress.  It’s easy to say you’ve effed up your application of royal icing or your snowman is leaning precariously to the side.

For a moment, though, let’s consider your progress.  This year, have you:

• seen an increase in web traffic?
• created a blog?
• maintained a blog?
• learned about search engine optimization?
• learned about marketing?
• expanded your e-mail marketing list?
• learned about topics critical to your business through books, blogs, or workshops?
• grown your client list?
• marketed your business through another business?
• launched a new website?
• tweaked an existing website?
• tweaked your pricing for maximum profit?
• made a photographer friend?

Your gingerbread house of a business may not be perfect, but I’ll wager that it IS making progress.  Take a moment to remind yourself of your own accomplishments.  And even if you’re following a gumdrop master in the ways of business, take heart.  NO ONE has it all together.  No business owner’s past is free of mistakes and failures.