Hello 2018!! I am soooo excited to celebrate you in such a big way. Usually January is my month of planning my new year goals: profesionally, personally and spiritually after I access how the previous year ended. And this by far has been one of my most AH-HA kind of years!!
Professionally, I celebrated the opening of #3 and #4 Island Glow and one of our locations located in a college town, Farmville Virginia. What I have learned is that each location has its own character because of the demographic area and potential client base. Not each location will look alike and even offer the same price structure and extra products. At first, I didn’t like this idea but as we grew in building our studios I have learned to embrace the individuality and offer as much support as I can.
I also launched g.l.o.w. cosmetics™ a small brand of cosmetics designed more to “mature skin” to create a simple and natural look to all ages. As nervous as I was to give it life, it has been such a hit and popular to all ages. Our soft launch in November 2017 has taught me so much of what I will be offering to all our clients.
Glow Boxes!! Yes we launched our monthly mail order subscriptions to bring our ever-so-awesome self tanners to to the privacy and comfort of your home. Each box arrives at the first of each month and offers everything needed for the “Perfect Glow” - self tanner, body butter, bath soap and bonus skincare product.
Best of 2017!!! I was totally blown away when Island Glow™️ was voted BEST Airbrush Spray Tan in Powhatan County. First EVER to be recognized and won ..... this feeling just never gets old!!
Wedding Glam Squad was formed with the most AH-MAZING talent of makeup and hair stylists in the RVA!! We completed 15 weddings and was even featured on the cover of Richmond Weddings Magazine. WOW!!!! In addition to our best year ever ..... we were featured in 4 published blogs from some of the BEST photographers in Virginia.
Personally, it was a great year of pride watching our daughters spread their wings in different cities (still in Texas) while they are building careers, relationships and expanding their fur baby family. Timmy and I celebrated 16 years of marriage and was able to schedule more travel time and recreational sports that we enjoy playing together. We loved the “down time” so much that we already scheduled 6 trips in 2018 and have learned play time is just as necessary as work time.
Spiritually it has been challenging due to work schedule and change in my church “congregation dynamics” that didn’t line up with my core standards/expectations. I found myself watching my church online every Sunday or reading more books of pastors that inspire me. It wasn’t until Timmy and I attended our annual church service at Suffolk Church of God on New Years Eve is when I got my much needed attitude check during the sermon. I heard what I needed “let go of my hate and detox my heart to look beyond what I was experiencing”. You can’t change people but you can change your attitude. It was such a soul-cleansing sermon that literally when we left I told Timmy that we needed to get back to Sunday church service. Our home church has 3 locations ... so if I dont prefer the people in the main location, we will travel 45min to the closest one. Needless to say, I am excited to connect back to our church resource!!
2018 has already opened doors of abundance and new opportunities .... so many I cannot list right now. So what I have decided to commit to is writing a blog post for each city I travel; whether work or pleasure, each new thing that happens; good or not so good ..... and anything in between. It’s a great way to share what my world looks like off social media and my hope is to inspire you too to celebrate all of your weekly and monthly wins.
Happy New Year to you!!! I wish you all the success, happiness and sanity 2018 will bring you!!
Michelle