Today is finally here. The last Monday before school starts again…and it’s come way too fast!! Gahhh!!! I am so excited to get back into the routine & meet my new kiddos…but I’m not gonna lie, I’ve definitely loved these few months off! (And if you’re not a teacher I know you probably hate me right now…but that’s okay :) )

I remember thinking I would get SO MUCH done this summer & accomplish so many things. I mean, a whole summer with NOTHING to do?!?! But geeze. Life just isn’t like that!!!! The fact that I needed a vacation from my “vacation”…ayayay it was a crazy summer!!! And while I have gotten a lot done, there unfortunately are still a few things on the list that haven’t quite been finished…so those will get moved on to Fall goals!

So, as a rehash…I am going to share what I had planned to get done this summer via my Summer Goals post last June. I did accomplish quite a few things I hoped to, but just not everything….soooo in the name of being real, here it goes:

1. Organize my business finances with awesome cute files and folders :)

• Luckily, I did get this one somewhat completed! Many excel charts were created, and a few cute Target filing guys were added to my repertoire; however, when we decided to move in the middle of the summer, the “cuteness” got left a little behind…I still have stuff sitting in boxes :( However, we have an AWESOME front sunroom that I am slowly converting into my home-office, and I can’t wait to show you pictures once some more progress has been made! I definitely see an Ikea trip in my near future :)

2. Improve and standardize my workflow

• Happy to say I’ve done a lot on this topic as well! Will have to be a later post with more details…but for now, I’d love to share a few of the posts that helped me out a lot!!  This post by Stephanie Messick and this post & this post by Abby Grace Photographer were big inspirations — I am so thankful for all the “for photographers” category a lot of my favorites rock on their blogs :)

3. Become an LLC officially

• Application is submitted as of this morning :) Woot woot!!! HUGE thanks to Chris of Langholz Law for all of his lawyer help! Any NE Ohio small biz start-ups, I highly recommend him!! Plus I took his headshots, so obviously he’s great :P

4. Blog 3+ days a week and have an internet presence 5 days a week

• 90% successful :) I have loved blogging this summer & have come to really truly enjoy this part of my business! It is so neat to see how blogging has helped build my brand & expand my network, and I am so thankful for the extended time & opportunity to do so! Plus I love writing….#englishteacher. While I’m not so sure this goal will be able to continue throughout the school year, I definitely will be on here as much as possible!

5. Purchase a new external hard drive

• So, I actually have not purchased a new drive yet; HOWEVER, I did start using the one I already own! Smart, right?! Haha, I figured that made more sense and would be a better use of my money for the time being :) We will see what happens in the future!!

6. Meet and network with other NE Ohio photographers

• Okay, this goal has been so. much. fun!!!! I literally couldn’t have named a single Cleveland photographer last spring — not good, guys!!! Thank goodness for social media, because instagram has been my best friend in this process :) I started using #clevelandweddingphotographer and #clevelandfamilyphotographer & stumbled upon some really neat people — one of whom I even got to shoot with & have all sorts of adventures! Emily Cunningham of Emily Millay Photography has been such a great photog friend & I am so excited to work more with her in the future :) I also got to grab coffee with Lane Baldwin before my headshots, and it was just so refreshing to talk all things photography :) And I got together with a more NW photographer who I met while still in Indy — Angie Gerber!!! She is SO great & I can’t wait to second shoot with her next May!!!

7. LAUNCH MY NEW BRAND!!!!!!!

• Well, obviously you guys know this one happened :) And of course, the amount of time it took to complete this one is a big part of the reason some of the other goals weren’t quite all there…eek! I am still working on completing business cards & updating all of my filing info…but otherwise this is definitely one I can check off the list :) :)

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That’s what I got. Not perfect…not everything I wanted…but still a step in the right direction! I know from the last two years of teaching that the first two months back are always the hardest & busiest of the whole year, so I’m not even going to TRY to put together a new to-do list outside of rockin’ all the awesome weekend sessions planned for this fall & making my 2015 brides so so happy!!!  :)

And because no post is complete without a photo…here’s what you have to look forward to this week on the blog!

Happy Monday!!!

Sami :)