Celebrating 4 Years of Serve Me the Sky Digital
/This May marks four years of running my own business full-time. A four year anniversary may not be a big deal to some, but it feels important to me. Four years of successfully running my business, even through an unprecedented global pandemic and economic turmoil? It is a big deal!
As I said in my newsletter this week, running Serve Me the Sky Digital is the most satisfied I’ve ever felt in my work life. I spent four years in higher education and earned a master’s degree in educational administration, then pivoted to nonprofits and worked in marketing at a startup incubator. I learned a lot at those jobs, but both were not a great fit for me.
Since diving into self-employment full-time, I’ve had opportunities I never would’ve guessed would come my way and have been happier all around. Glowing testimonials from clients I love working with make me proud of how far I’ve come and thankful to be where I am in my career right now.
“Emily is hugely proactive and approaches all projects with enthusiasm and efficiency. She has become a trusted and valued member of our team providing first-class social insight and community management services for our digital channels. Emily has been instrumental in helping grow our engaged audiences.”
Let’s get into some of my favorite projects, lessons I’ve learned, and a glimpse ahead!
Favorite Projects
I work with four amazing clients on a monthly retainer basis; I appreciate each of them and am grateful to work alongside them! Here’s a snapshot of some of the other projects I loved working on this past year.
Social Media Strategy for PUSH Physical Theatre
I always enjoy working on strategy projects–since they’re more in depth, I get to do benchmarking research on peer organizations, evaluate which tactics are working and which are not as effective, and develop creative strategies. This project was particularly enjoyable because the PUSH team is incredibly enthusiastic. They were eager to hear my ideas, no matter how unusual they sounded.
The strategy project laid a strong foundation for me to start managing their Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts, creating and scheduling content, engaging with their community, and reviewing analytics. PUSH is always thankful for my efforts; it makes a big difference to feel seen and appreciated!
“Emily is responsive, creative, professional and delivers on-deadline every time! Knowing that Emily is communicating our most important news to the world makes the rest of our work so much easier. My only regret is that we didn’t bring Emily on sooner!”
Blogging for Campspot
Campspot is a software company that serves campers and campground owners. Writing blog content for Campspot is always fun because I get to write about the outdoors and learn new things! I also work with a great editor there whose feedback makes my writing stronger. Here are some of my favorite posts I wrote for them in the past year:
TikTok Consultations
I’ve always offered one-on-one consultations as part of my services, but lately I’ve been focusing more on TikTok. I’ve immersed myself in TikTok for over a year, conducting research and sharing my findings on this blog. During one of my favorite consultations this winter, a content creator asked me excellent questions about strategy, generating ideas for videos, and managing the relentless cadence of TikTok content creation. They got a lot out of the session and I walked away feeling excited for them. That’s a wonderful feeling!
“TikTok for Writers” Class for Five Minute Lit
People are hungry to learn about TikTok and I love being their entrypoint! Once you realize that it’s not just teenagers doing dances, it’s easier to see just how valuable the platform can be. Many folks are nervous about creating video content (showing your face on camera doesn’t have to be scary!) and I enjoy helping them see how it can be not just approachable, but fun.
This class was very well received–people especially loved seeing examples of different types of videos! Who doesn’t like watching Pedro Pascal memes in a class? I’d love to offer variations on this class for different audiences.
Cancer Wellness Connections Book Club
This year, I was asked to lead a book club for Cancer Wellness Connections. I’ve run my own book club for over three years, so those skills have been helpful in this role. I select the books, develop discussion questions, promote the meetup, and moderate the discussion. Though this service wasn’t among my usual offerings, as an obsessive reader who read 160 books in 2022, this was a perfect fit for me!
Sponsored Content
I occasionally write about my reading habits on this blog and often share about them on social media. I was thrilled when a nonprofit asked me to partner with them on sponsored content last fall. They had an upcoming luncheon with a speaker and author; they sent me a free copy of the book and paid me to post on my Instagram and run a giveaway. This was a wonderful way for me to help a local nonprofit, make some income, and it was on-brand. I’d love to do more paid partnerships like this on TikTok or this blog!
Lessons Learned
Trust Your Gut
This is a continual lesson. I’ve gotten better at assessing whether or not a client is a good fit and saying no when it’s not. Sometimes on a Zoom call, it will come through loud and clear that it’s not a good fit. Even if it’s hard to articulate precisely why, I’ve learned that I should trust my gut when it’s telling me something.
Ditch the Guilt
I haven’t worked for someone else since 2019, but I still feel guilty if I’m not at my desk by a certain time. When I worked in higher ed, if we were 15 minutes late, you had to call your supervisor and let them know, then they would email an announcement to the entire office. “Emily running 20 minutes late today <eom>”
Now, no one cares if I’m 20 minutes “late”–I’m my own boss! But I still chide myself if I’m not sitting down to work “soon enough.” Ultimately, it doesn’t matter what time I start or end my workday, as long as the work gets done. I’m trying to be kind to myself, but my ADHD coping mechanisms can make me obsessive about sticking to my own routines.
It’s Okay to Leave Social Media Platforms
In 2021 I left Twitter for good and haven’t missed it since. I have one client that I still use Twitter for and it’s been shocking how disgusting the platform has become under Elon Musk’s leadership. Content moderation is practically nonexistent, and as a community manager, I regularly see spam, death threats, swastikas, genitalia, and other disturbing content. I have no qualms about telling my clients that Twitter is no longer a platform worth engaging with. I know it’s been one of the main giants for a long time, but it’s okay to walk away, especially when the space has become deeply harmful.
On a personal level, I’ve continued to reflect on my mixed feelings about Instagram and shift my relationship with the platform. I don’t enjoy it anymore and it feels like pressure, so I’m posting and engaging less. While I feel like I should post on Instagram because I am a social media consultant, I’m under no obligation to post. I’m scaling back my presence and leaning into what I enjoy more (if you guessed TikTok, you’re correct).
Keep an Open Mind
I’ve worked on some fun, surprising things this past year because I kept an open mind! Sometimes an outdated website or an email with a seemingly brusque tone will make me nervous about a meeting and then the conversation goes great! I’m trying not to jump to conclusions based on a brief first impression or rule out a project because it’s not one of my typical offerings.
Get Out of the House
This is a work in progress too! In January, my husband left his day job to run his business, Tenderchomps Art, full-time. He’s an artist focused on murals, illustration, and design, and is also keeping an open mind about unexpected projects! As scary as it is to be a household of two self-employed people, I’m incredibly proud of and excited for him.
That being said…I need to get out of the house more! Spending every minute of every day together can be exhausting and sometimes distracting (quick chats, dog walks, and long lunches add up). Moving forward, I’m going to aim to cowork from a coffee shop or library once a week. I think it will help with my productivity and mental health!
Looking Ahead
TikTok Consultations
I’d love to do more TikTok consultations! It’s my favorite social media platform and has strong growth potential. A one-on-one consultation is a great place to get feedback and strategic advice.
Blog Writing
This has been on my list a few years in a row! I’d love to add more regular blogging clients to my roster. Social media marketing is draining and writing feels more sustainable to me.
Sponsored Content
I was surprised to be approached for sponsored content last year as a nano-influencer, but it was a fun project! I’d enjoy doing this again if it was a good fit.
User-generated Content
TikTok has been full of people promoting the idea of being a UGC content creator (and often selling their own courses about how to become a UGC content creator). While I’m skeptical of their courses, I’m intrigued about UGC content creation as an offering. It would utilize skills I’ve developed as a social media strategist and doesn’t require me to be a full-fledged influencer. I’m hoping to explore this more over the next year!
Whatever Surprises Come My Way
If you asked me last April, I never would have guessed that I would do a paid partnership on Instagram or be paid to run a book club. I’m always down to explore other ways I can use my knowledge, creativity, and expertise to help others.
Thanks for celebrating and reflecting with me! If you’re curious, you can check out past reflections here: Celebrating 1 Year / Celebrating 2 Years / Celebrating 3 Years.
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