Starting over...

ladymay

Evening,


Not much to report other than I managed to get everything done :T the brownies have the seal of approval from my housemate so they're good to go. I had my dressmaking course again tonight and now have the bodice for my dress sewn; only spend was £1.85 on some matching thread.


Plan for the rest of tonight is shower, Netfl!x and bed.


Tomorrow:


- workout
- meeting with fellow project leaders
- head to my grandma's with my mum for tea and brownies
- Empty front seat of car so mum can actually fit in!!
- car wash
- overnight volunteer shift 12-3am


I'd also love to get some website work done, we'll see if I have time.


Happy hump day! xx

ladymay

All done except the car wash - somebody crashed into it yesterday!!! :eek: I'll have to get it done elsewhere before Monday. Only scheduled work this weekend is a local gig tomorrow night.



I'm off work for all of next week (slightly terrifying!) so before that, I've got a lot to get done:


Business
- Three new pages for website
- Put togethr April email for nursing homes
- Connect with wedding businesses I've met recently
- Check out local wedding fair
- Social media posts
- Edit and sort out my LinkedIn account


Life
- Work out x 2
- NSD x 3
- Sort out room PROPERLY
- Put up my pictures
- Sell my 'to sell' pile
- Any surveys that crop up


I'm starting with the room - that includes adding to the sell pile, sorting all my paperwork and receipts and finding a home for everything.


Happy Friday! xx

ladymay

Day seven of a stinking cold :mad: despite this, I had a wonderful week off and am gradually coming out of my post-holiday grump.


I thought that I'd do a quick round up of the first three months to see how I'm getting on...

• No new nursing home clients - this is totally down to me and my hatred of sales. I need to make it a main focus for a while
• Residency at local hotel - I'm getting several gigs a month at a hotel just down the road, and they're also pushing me for weddings and other hotels becase they're lovely
• All bills are covered :j March was the first month where all my bills and business expenses were covered by my income. I still have a long way to go before I can start saving again, but April bills and expenses are already covered
• Three new weddings booked in - I was really hoping for more. I think I need to focus more on marketing (both physical and digital) for my wedding fairs
• My friend and I lauched the duo! We're now part of the Motown band but have a lot of work to put in to get the work we want.

Finances look a bit rubbish right now - there's a lot I have to buy for the business over the next couple of months that'll have to go on the credit card if I don't get a lot more work in, and while my week off was amazing and I wouldn't have changed seeing my friends, a week in London is pretty expensive and I'm dreading having to look at my balances today!


I think my main problems are time management and my business mindset.


Time management - I have SO MUCH to do and I'm really struggling to find a work-life balance that suits me... If I have to say 'no' to seeing friends and family because of work, I feel guilty. If I put off work to sort out life stuff, I feel guilty. I wonder if it's worth going to the library to find some books on the subject? Mind you, that'd be another thing to add to the list... :rotfl:


Business mindset - I don't entirely know why, but I'm not putting in the work I need to in the business. Don't get me wrong, I'm learning songs and working hard on the music - but that's not where I'm lacking atm. I need new clients and there seems to be some mental block on doing the work for that. I'm not sure if it's that I'm subconciously waiting to fail or what, but it's really frustrating me and I need to figure out how to change that.


Anyway, with that being said here is my April list:


Solo
- Gain 10 new nursing home clients
- Increase social media followers by 10%
- Book in and record new promo video
- Start my blog and write two posts
- 10 new pages on website, including set lists
- Order banners
- Order more flyers and business cards


Duo
- Put together showreel
- Start contacting agents


Community project
- Find venues and communities to work with
- Get funding application sorted


Life
- Finish changing addresses with everything
- Hang pictures on the wall
- Keep selling stuff (I made £150 in March!)
- Finish dress
- Workout x 10
- NSD x 15
- Final Irish tax return
- Close Irish bank account
- Sort out my LinkedIn account


Tonight will be spent organising and cleaning - nothing like a spring clean!

ladymay

Today has been super productive :j



1 x work out (walking downstairs is currently a slight issue)
1 x NSD

I have also:
- sent 40 marketing emails
- sorted my social media for the week
- worked on my dress
- prepped for an interview I have tomorrow for some ad hoc tutoring work
- completed some research for the community project (next meeting is on Friday and still a lot to do)
- sorted my volunteer shifts for the month
- hoovered
- caught up on finances
- made a batch of veggie shepherd's pie
- baked a tray of blondies


If every day was as busy as today... well, I'd be very tired :rotfl:


Tomorrow is just as busy but more fun!
- interview for tutoring work
- take the Mothership shopping
- work on dress more before..
- final dressmaking workshop


I might try and get some more emails/research done in the evening, depends on how my eyes are after a few hours at the sewing machine



Night night xx

UncannyScot

^^^I'll have a pint of whatever you're drinking missus^^^ :beer:

Well done on that progress... WOW

ladymay

Nice pint of vintage cider, Uncanny... It'll have to wait til next week though, I'm too busy!


Thanks for the good cheer, yesterday was a good day.


Had my interview for the tutoring role this morning, the immediate feedback was good but not amazing, so we'll see... should find out over the next few days if I've been accepted or not.

ladymay

Mum's poorly again, her medication gives her a lot of nausea so I went shopping solo. Other than that, it's been a great day.



My certificate for the dementia course came through :j



My credit card with Mr S have not only increased my credit limit (which I wouldn't normally count as a win), but have written to inform me that I can use the increased limit for another 0% balance transfer which definitely takes the pressure off a little - I can buy equipment interest-free for the business :j


My final dressmaking workshop was lovely :j although I still have so much to do on the dress!


Had tea and cake with my grandma :j


Plan is to tinker on the website til midnight, then crash.


Aaaand plan for tomorrow:
Business

- networking event
- social media
- more marketing emails
- more research for meeting on Friday
- catch up on previous networking
Life
- work out
- finance catch up and plan for the next couple of months
- finish changing addresses


So much more to do, but I'm trying to not overload myself!

ladymay

Well, today's been a bit pants :rotfl:


Woke up with a migraine that had me in bed with my eyes covered til 2pm, at which point I read the email that informed me that the tutoring job had gone to someone else, and then I found out I might not be able to go to LA to see my aunty because of flight times...


On the upside, I've sent out another 30 marketing emails, made a batch of veggie chilli and am no longer feeling sick or headachey. And because I couldn't go to networking it was an unexpected NSD


Hoping for a good night's sleep tonight so I can get loads done tomorrow...

ladymay

Well, last week was a bit of an emotional wash out! I was in a major anxiety cloud (not helped by a further migraine on Sunday) and just couldn't snap out of it, even after a lovely couple of gigs on Saturday. But these things are only temporary and I'm much more positive this week, not least because IT'S MY BIRTHDAY TOMORROW!!


I've also managed to acquire two new clients (one community group, one wedding) so really happy about that. Work has fallen by the wayside a little - between the anxiety, migraines and lack of sleep I decided to give in and relax a bit. Trying not to stress about the pile of work I now have stacked up for Sunday now :rotfl:


Anyway, definitely feeling better, and another couple of gigs coming in this month has helped relieve the financial pressure a bit too.


A couple of emails to send before I start celebrating with my loved ones.


It gets better xx

ladymay

HOW ARE WE HALF WAY THROUGH THE MONTH???


HOW AM I A YEAR OLDER??? :rotfl:


Well, I had a wonderful few days off - quite spendy too with escape rooms, dinners out, cinema trips, crazy golf, but totally worth it - and it's back to it now for a solid month with a solitary day off next Sunday.


One fun work thing that's happened is that I've been hired as a cover singer for a local close harmony trio (think Andrews Sisters)! It's been yonks since I've done any major harmony work so I'm really excited! First gig with them is 11th May so I have lots of learning to do before then.


I'm going to post a financial catch up this evening, but for now this is my list for the week:


Work
- List and order the equipment I'll need over the next few months - this will be mega spendy... :eek:
- Go over all music I need for this weekend
- Invoices
- Catch up on emails Done
- Add five new pages to website
- Arrange photoshoot
- Email local group about performing at the festival Done, they're still trying to get sponsorship
- Contact potential clients near the boy's flat (if I'm up there every month, I may as well try and get some work up there!)
- Send current set list and schedule to harmony trio to arrange rehearsals Done, just waiting for them to get back to me
- Blog post
- Have a listen to all the tracks the trio have sent me
- Edit duo video
- Sort out which networking events I'm going to over the next month
- Figure out music for St George's Day
- Rearrange gig with the community group
- Call Motown band leader to arrange rehearsals for summer show


Life

- Clean car
- Book Dr appointment Done
- Order prescriptions Done
- Finance catch up and budget for next few months
- Meet cousin
- See Mum Done
- Rearrange volunteer training Done
- Take last few bits to boutique to sell
- Buy brother's present Done
- Shopping Done
- Edit story ready for critique session next week
- Put sample paints on Mum's bathroom walls
- Work out x 3 one down, two to go
- NSD x 4


Yeah... busy week! Five gigs to fit in as well. Who needs sleep? :rotfl: