Well my friends, it is time. Time for me to pound the pavement and tell procrastination to take a hike. It is time to get serious about my projects and aim for the stars. What am I talking about? Is this just me rambling so I have a blog to post? No. My friends, I see the hope and the possibility of some exciting things and I am determined to start them, finish them, or do whatever needs to be done. So let’s dive into this blog and talk about the biggest goal of the year for me.
It is Time to Lock in
I have been working on some project ideas. And I honestly don’t know how they will all turn out but it is time to lock in and get things done. There are a few ways I plan to make some extra cash to help pay down debt and help pay for some of the other things in this blog. One of them is honestly a surprise to me as I didn’t think I would be doing anything like this. Let me gloss over the projects here and then I can break each one down and talk about them. So, obviously I plan to keep blogging. That won’t change. But the other projects I want to try this year are; selling desserts at markets, starting a podcast, and the big one – publishing my first book before the end of the year!
Desserts
I don’t plan to go to every market that I can possibly get into. These will just be at the three markets that the hotel hosts every year. Usually at these markets I run the canteen. And it usually does well. I’m constantly playing with the menu and the last two times we have done them I’ve put a dessert option on the menu. My boss and I each make 1 or 2 desserts and we sell them for a decent price. What I’ve noticed – my unbaked cookies always sell out. At the last market I had to find someone to watch the canteen while I made more cookies because we sold out so fast. People absolutely love them!
It is Time to Profit
Now, because the canteen is always run for the hotel and all proceeds go to the hotel, I am limited on what I can do. After all, it’s my boss’ dime as she pays me for the time to make the desserts and then run the canteen. So, I asked her if she would be okay with me selling desserts at the canteen on behalf of myself. And she said yes. So, at the next market that we do in summer, I’m going to run a trial run. And I have thought of a great way to promote people buying my desserts. The proceeds will all go towards another project. Let’s see how much money I can make.
Podcast
You’re probably wondering where this idea came from. It seems a little out of left field. I have been humming about it for a while, but I didn’t truly pursue the idea because I had no idea what sort of podcast I would have. Lately I have come up with an idea and when I tell others about it they say it sounds interesting and they would probably enjoy it. What’s the premise? Hotel stories. Lots of them will be based on employee stories; the good, bad and everything in between. But we will probably do one a month that focuses on guest experience. Maybe even branch into hotel reviews.
It is Time to Get Serious
Now, you may have caught the we in there. I didn’t want to do a podcast on my own, so I asked a coworker to join me. She was so excited and we have so many ideas for it to be fun, for growing the audience, and even long term goals. And each time we talk about it we get really excited. Currently we are looking at getting all the equipment we need and then we will discuss the script. So, if you have any hotel stories as either an employee or a guest, hang onto them because I will let you know when you can submit them.
Publishing
I know what you’re thinking. Steph you have mentioned this before. Is it still just talk? My friends, I am happy to announce that it is a very real goal for this year. For those of you who have been waiting for a novel, sorry. You still have to wait. This book will not be a book that I thought I would be publishing. In fact, I was certain it would not be a genre that I would enter for a long time because I struggled with it. My friends, I will be publishing a children’s book! What!
It is Time to Publish my First Book
No, I didn’t win the lottery or fall into a pile of money. But, I have started to get serious. I found a formatting tool, and an illustrator. I’ve reached out to a publishing platform for more information on self publishing. And I have sent my illustrator what I want for the cover of my book. The story, in my head, is complete and I’m working on writing it out and tweaking it. The next steps are to finish writing it and find an editor. And I’ll be putting money aside from each paycheck to pay my illustrator so I can get her started. If everything goes to plan, and I’m praying that it does, I will be selling my book in time for Christmas! I can’t believe the reality is so close. And there will be tears.
Can I Do This?
I really hope so. In fact, I am praying that everything goes well. The money I make from selling desserts at the next market will go towards publishing my book. This is really happening and I can’t believe it. As I have shared this hope I’ve had people telling me to keep them posted so they can buy a copy. I believe I have 6 people already lined up to buy. I’ll have to look at how much children’s books sell for. Now, none of these projects are get rich quick. They take time but I’m here for it. So, I will keep you posted on the progress and we will make dreams a reality this year. After all, anything can happen if I try!
