JANUARY 2023: SUCCESS IN THE NEW YEAR
Contents
1.
THE INDEPENDENT VIEW: TREAT YOUR RESOLUTIONS AS YOU WOULD YOUR COMMS PLAN
PIC Chair Jacqui DeBique describes her resolution-setting evolution and how she plans for success in all areas of her life.
2.
3X3: RESOLVE TO MAKE 2023 A SUCCESSFUL YEAR
Have you set any goals for the new year? Find inspiration in the plans Patience Badze, Yvan Marston and Heather West shared with Brent Artemchuk.
3.
PIC PERSONALITY: MEET KATHRYN HOLLINRAKE
Photographer Kathryn Hollinrake tells Sue Horner that discipline is the key to success as an independent.
1.
The Independent View: Treat your resolutions as you would your comms plan
By Jacqui DeBique
In my teens and into young adulthood, I was “Resolution Girl.”
Friends could set their new year countdown clock by when I had completed my list of resolutions. I would not be caught January 1st without my handwritten list of commandments for the 365 days ahead. With pencil in hand to check off the “must dos” as the year unfolded, I had a stronghold on my list that bordered on rigid and compulsive. At the end of the year, the list was discarded and a new one started.
When I discovered vision boards, it’s safe to say that at least one of those friends needed a compass to find the new year. As a scrapbooker, I found vision boards to be a natural evolution. Armed with Bristol board, stacks of old magazines, scissors and glue sticks, “Vision Board Girl” started and ended her new-year planning in late fall.
Maybe it was the creative expression of working in vision boards that led me to relax my expectations. I realized it was okay to make gradual inroads on some of my goals and fully achieve them over the long term if not in one calendar year. Thanks to this weightlifting concept, many of my most meaningful vision boards still adorn my walls and versions of those goals permeate later iterations.
About five years ago, I morphed again. I turned to free, online word cloud generators to create text-based representations of what I wanted to focus on. Then, I tried digital vision boards. I was able to render both as 8.5” x 11” image files, which I printed, framed and hung above my desk in my home office. As these were less work and more fun, the ease of doing them moved my start and end dates into the new year.
For 2023, after years of success using a Bullet Journal for my work life, I adopted one for my personal life. It includes a one-page, year-at-a-glance overview and a two-page spread that is explicit about the areas of my life to which I want to bring more intention. My approach and outlook this year were the most relaxed ever. In fact, with the other half of January still to go, my goals are still a work in progress — unheard of when I first started in the resolution-making game.
The fact that I was not freaking out about this hit me around the same time a New York Times article by columnist Melissa Kirsch landed in my email inbox. In Broken Promises, Kirsch says that we start the year with good intentions (our resolutions) and all too quickly tend to “break” the promises we make to ourselves. But what resonated with me most is her notion that we should resolve to “always be resolving.” Yes!!
Rather than allowing our resolutions to gather dust, go untended and ultimately unrealized, we need to treat them as we would our communications plans. Refer to them often, update them as we implement the strategies and tactics, and be ready to respond when something is or isn’t working well.
The contributors to this issue of The Buzz have given me so much fuel to propel my year in the direction in which I want it to go.
Yvan has motivated me to revamp my reading goal with a specific target for the number and nature of books I will read. As a lifelong learner, I will be joining Heather in having a more defined professional development plan for this year. Patience’s words were music to my ears and a family vacation is coming my way in the next 11 months, with everyone playing a part in deciding on a location. Kathryn, our PIC Personality, has validated my decision to be more disciplined about starting the days in my home office dressed for success, much as I would when heading into my downtown office. Goodbye, shawl-tossed-over-hoodie just before a virtual meeting!
The ideas continue in the many articles cited at the end, each of which can help us reflect on the past year and plan for the one we’re in.
Thanks, as always, to everyone who played a role in this issue, and may we all have the year we will continually resolve to have.
2.
3x3: Resolve to make 2023 a successful year
By Brent Artemchuk
The act of making a New Year's resolution appears to have existed as early as the 17th century. And while setting goals can happen at any time throughout a year, the beginning is the typical time to take stock and make plans.
We talked to PIC members Patience Badze (she/her), marketing specialist and strategy director at edgeBD Inc.; Yvan Marston (he/him), senior healthcare communications writer; and Heather West (she/her), writer, content strategist and corporate communications professional, asking how they planned to set themselves – and their businesses – up for success in 2023. We’re hoping their resolutions will inspire other PIC members to think about achievable goals as we start 2023.
1. How are you planning to make 2023 a successful year?
Patience: I dedicated most of 2022 to working on a new tech-based business called LocalOn and launching our mobile app, where.a.bouts. Getting the business to its current stage has been a steep learning curve because I’m not a tech expert. However, because of the lessons I’ve learned on this journey, I’ve been able to set clear goals and plans for 2023:
- First, be more intentional in building a public brand. This means planning the content I want to share, the types of events I want to attend or be a part of and even organizations I want to join or support.
- Second, execute the sales plan. We’re taking a big goal and breaking it down into monthly, quarterly and annual targets and really getting down to the details of how our daily operations will need to look to be successful.
- Third, make room for quality family time. This includes having dinner together, keeping weekends work-free, reading bedtime stories to my children every night and taking at least one vacation each year. Those moments centre me and help me de-stress. They also motivate me to imagine what business success would look like for my family. For me, success is not necessarily a monetary figure but what it means to the quality of life for me and family.
Yvan: I plan to make 2023 a more successful year by developing a better reading strategy. I’ve always been a pretty avid reader because I think reading is fundamental to being an effective communicator. Yet most of us don’t give ourselves the time to do it.
So, this year, I want to read more. I plan to adjust my schedule to read more often and more deeply. I’ll get up early and carve out between 45 and 60 minutes to simply read and take it all in. I don’t want to rush. I want to spend time with it. I also want to focus more on what I’m reading. To accomplish this, my strategy is to read two books at the same time, one fiction and one non-fiction. My goal is to get through 20 books in 2023 as I believe it will help me be better at what I do.
I already have two recommendations: The Nineties by Chuck Klosterman and Your Happy First Draft by Daphne Gray-Grant.
Heather: I’m looking forward to more collaboration in 2023. I started conversations with a colleague I met through IABC at the end of 2022 about services we could package and deliver together and I’m excited to get started. I’m looking forward to brainstorming, creating and delivering alongside someone else on a regular and recurring basis. We’ve already started to support one another when we bump up against challenges with our independent client work. It’s nice to know I have someone in my corner; I think she feels the same.
I’m also going to focus on professional development. My previous employer was a proponent of learning. She didn’t just encourage professional development, she expected it. That stayed with me. I’ve regularly invested in myself and my business by seeking assistance from coaches as well as attending seminars or conferences. Last year, I completed the Digital Marketing and Communications Management Certificate at U of T.
2. What will these plans do for you and your business?
Patience: My goals will help me set success measures, such as reach and engagement across our social media audience, the number of successful partnerships or collaborations and of course, our sales numbers. Overall, we need to create enough value that our customers are eager to keep purchasing our product.
Yvan: I’m not solving problems that haven’t been solved before. They may look a little different, but ultimately problems and their solutions have been written about somewhere. It’s my task to figure out the solution I’m seeking and then create a reading list that will help me work my way through the challenge. I’ll always learn something new and I can bring that to my client through my work. So, in a nutshell, it’s about learning more and using that knowledge to be more successful.
Heather: I know it’s essential to keep my pipeline full; however, as a solopreneur, that isn’t always easy. I’ve often fallen into the trap of getting so swamped with work that I didn’t take the time to market myself. I’ve always had to manage the dual fears of too much or too little work. Building relationships that allow me to share the load and offer new services will not only relieve some of this pressure, but will also help reinvigorate my passion for my work. Professional development helps me grow my business, I meet new people and I’m engaged in critical conversations about the future of our profession.
Last year was my busiest year since starting Fresh Communications 10 years ago. In fact, I had requests coming in at times when I couldn’t absorb more work. One of them was a great opportunity I knew I couldn’t do alone as it would run over a couple of months. At the time, I didn’t have someone I could call to work with me. It bothered me to turn work away, so I’m determined to build relationships to prevent that from happening again.
3. What do you wish the communication industry itself would resolve to improve in 2023?
Patience: From my experience supporting clients' internal communications needs, I’d say the biggest issue post-COVID is keeping remote employees engaged. I believe as we move forward and continue to settle into this new normal, it will become more important for communication experts to find ways to re-engage and then maintain that engagement with employees.
Yvan: Most content creators like me are asked to write based on things the client wants. But what about the audience? To build more meaningful and relevant communications, we need to learn more about what an audience wants and focus less on what we think they want. So, I think content creators need to focus on listening as much as writing.
I think this way of looking at things comes from my background as a magazine editor. When you’re an editor, you tend to look at audience needs first. I’m still looking for a book that addresses this need. Until I find one, I’ll continue to look to online influencers or coaches who specialize in this subject.
Heather: Without a doubt, pay more attention to mental health in the workplace. I work with several experts to help people understand the importance of promoting it. Much of the content we generate encourages leaders to recognize the importance of self-care. Everyone needs to be mindful of this and communications professionals are no exception. People are burning out. And for some, the economic downturn has resulted in colleagues leaving or being laid off. This translates into more work and responsibility.
So, we need to attend to our mental and physical health. Not to be cliché, but we need to put our oxygen masks on first to help others, including leaders, navigate the new world of work.
Thanks to Patience, Yvan and Heather for sharing their professional goals for 2023. Whether you’re a seasoned independent communicator, or just starting out, these insights might help you be more successful in the coming year. Happy new year to everyone.
3.
PIC PERSONALITY: Meet Kathryn Hollinrake
By Sue Horner
Kathryn Hollinrake (she/her) of Kathryn Hollinrake Photography has been making people, brands and businesses look “pretty” for more than 25 years. An expert at photographing people who don’t like to be photographed, she helps even her most reluctant clients love the process and the results. From some of Canada’s favourite authors to some of its largest financial institutions, clients rely on Kathryn for her energy, creativity, skill and experience. Learn more about her on LinkedIn and her website, find tips for better photos on her blog, email her at at kathryn@hollinrake.com or call 416-465-8280.
When did you launch your independent business and how did it come about?
1994. My journey as a professional photographer was a winding one. I moved from Vancouver to Toronto to take “Film and Photography” at Ryerson (now Toronto Metropolitan University) to learn the craft. I got a B.Tech. but ended up being hired as a technical sales rep at Kodak – selling film to the people who were doing what I had gone to school to do! Not what I had in mind.
Kodak had sent me to Edmonton, but I quit and moved back to Toronto. I started assisting professional photographers, doing commercial photography for ad agencies. Once I felt ready, I started shooting for my own clients. It didn’t come without relentless effort. I also exhibited as an artist, did wedding, animal, food and product photography, took acting classes and acted in TV commercials. It was only in the second half of my career that I found my niche and started growing my expertise in corporate and portrait photography.
What do you enjoy most about being an indie?
I know everyone always says this but I enjoy the flexibility. And I enjoy the sense of control and accomplishment when taking on a job I landed myself, completing it successfully, making a client super happy, and knowing I can keep the lights on another day and keep creating.
What don’t you like about being an indie?
I am really good at what I am really good at, my craft. Shoot days, shoot planning days and retouching days are the best because there is no doubt in my mind where my focus should be. The in-between days are less awesome and I don’t love the uncertainty.
I never actually wanted to be a business owner. I thought that like a plumber or electrician, I would ply my trade – I would build it and people would come. It turns out that photographers are mostly self-employed and you need to market yourself. That’s not me. I just don’t enjoy administrative stuff, or business development and self-promotion. Sometimes I wish someone would tell me what to do every day so I could just do it, instead of constantly having to figure it out myself.
What advice would you give someone new to independent life?
Be disciplined. You have to be the boss who tells you to get up every day consistently at whatever o’clock because it’s time to go to work. And then stay at work until whatever time. Even during the pandemic lockdown, I still got up at the regular time every day, got dressed, put on makeup.
Yes, there is room for flexibility, but it will pay off if you are clear in your mind about when it’s time to work, and when it’s time to goof off. The balance will be different for everyone.
How long have you been an IABC and PIC member and what value do you get from your membership?
I joined IABC in March 2022 specifically because of PIC. The local aspect is most important to me, because I have to be in the same physical space as my clients.
Although as a photographer I am in a slightly different niche of communications than many IABC members, I’ve had the chance to contribute to and be a part of a community. I have met a bunch of interesting and inspiring people and have already worked with at least one new client. I look forward to attending more in-person events, working with IABC and making more interesting connections in 2023.
Beyond the boardroom: Creating a culture of conscious collaboration
In 2020, following the death of George Floyd, organizations across North America made commitments to increase the diversity of their workforce, create more inclusive environments and help combat anti-Black racism. While some companies have made significant strides towards these promises, in general, the changes have been incremental at best.
In recognition of Black History Month, PIC will host a free panel discussion on Zoom on Thursday, February 2 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. We’ll explore how communication professionals – working as independents, in-house or within agencies – can create a culture of conscious collaboration. What could it look like to go beyond a social media post in recognition of the month, and enact strategies that empower Black and racialized communication professionals?
Don’t miss this opportunity to:
- learn from the diverse experience of Black communication professionals across a range of industries
- explore strategies for combating anti-Black racism through conscious collaboration
- network to create lasting connections.
Free to all.
This event counts towards professional development credits to maintain the IABC Communications Management Professionals (CMP) or Strategic Communications Management Professionals (SCMP) certification. (Learn more about these certifications.)
Your guide to The Buzz in 2022
We want each issue of The Buzz to offer advice and inspiration for indies. In case you’d like to revisit past issues, we’ve pulled the details together in one place to help you find the themes, 3x3 participants, meeting recaps and PIC Personalities appearing in 2022.
January: The entrepreneurial spirit
- 3x3: All about entrepreneurs, with Linda Andross, ABC, MC, John Bromley, ABC, and Patience Badze
- Guest post on fostering the entrepreneurial spirit, by Jacob R. Robinson, who led IABC/Toronto’s Student Communicators Circle
- Photo from the festive social Dec. 14
February: Reality 2.0/The new ‘not-normal’
- Get ready to cross the AI bridge; recap of Martin Waxman’s talk Feb. 10
- Branding with AI in mind, by Nathalie Noël
- 3x3: Coping with the new ‘not-normal,’ with Meline Beach, Austine Fischer and Vanessa Holding
- Meet Maureen Hosein, ABC
March: Pick a niche / International Women’s Day
- Recap of the March 22 Speed Learning Express, with Meredith Adolph, Patience Badze, Priya Bates, ABC, SCMP, MC, IABC Fellow, Eileen Chadnick and Catharine Heddle
- 3x3: Narrow your niche to spark success, with Charlotte Davis, Nkiru Asika and Nancy Miller, PhD
- Meet Meredith Adolph
April: Your IABC network is your superpower
- Report on the IABC special interest group, with Sharon Aschaiek, Priya Bates, ABC, SCMP, MC, IABC Fellow, Jacqui d’Eon, ABC, MC, Daniele Dufour and Cyrus Mavalwala, ABC, MC
- Meet Patience Badze
- 18 road-tested ways to level up your business, with Warren Weeks
- 3x3: What it looks like to level up, with Priya Bates, ABC, MC, SCMP, IABC Fellow, Carolyn Black and Daniele Dufour
- How is the corporate world embracing DEI, a chat with Pride at Work Canada’s Colin Druhan
- 3x3: Inclusive comms starts with us, with Maureen Hosein, ABC, Phil Sach and Rucsandra Saulean
- Meet Christopher Trotman
July/August: Expertise – Growing it, sharing it
- Lynne Olver reports on pros and cons of the World Conference
- Tips for business success from the Mastermind Meetup in June
- Meet Anna Relyea
- The “Weeks Effect”: Business-building tactics being used by Daniele Dufour, Kathryn Hollinrake and Phil Sach
- Report on the IABC shared interest group for consultants
- Meet Laura Dunkley
- Recap of Sept. 22 in-person networking event
- 3x3: The value of referrals, with Heather Finley, Elena Fordham and Arlene Amitirigala
- Meet Marian Neglia
- Insights while leading change; recap of Edmond Mellina talk
- 3x3: Change management in real life, with Brent Artemchuk, Michael Blackburn and Dennie Theodore
- Meet Phil Sach
December: Your gift of expertise
- Engaging professional engineers by Jacqui d’Eon, ABC, MC
- 3x3: Public speaking and sharing the gift: Arlene Amitirigala, Brent Artemchuk and Priya Bates, ABC, MC, SCMP and IABC Fellow
- Meet Sharon Aschaiek
- Photo from the Dec. 13 festive social
Changes to the PIC member list due January 20
As a PIC member, you can gain visibility on the PIC member list on the IABC/Toronto website. Send your updates to PIC’s Director of Membership, Maureen Hosein, ABC, at maureenhosein@yahoo.com, by Friday, January 20. For new profiles, send your:
- Name
- Company name
- City (to help us know who’s in our neighbourhood)
- Email address
- Telephone number (optional)
- Website and LinkedIn URLs
- Social media accounts, if any
- Business description (up to 80 words).
If you are already on the list, does your listing include your LinkedIn profile? Have you earned an OVATION, Silver Leaf or Gold Quill award you can brag about?
See you on social media!
Build and strengthen your connections, advance your business and network with other PIC members on social media. In case you missed them, recent posts shared on our social media channels include:
- Happy New Year! To close off 2022 and get ready for good things this year, Eileen Chadnick has 12 questions to help you, like “What went well?” and “What was the good in the bad?”
- Look at your client roster, set targets, have conversations with clients and other ways to plan for a new year via SoloPR.
- “You do not want to be the Two-Buck Chuck of copywriting. (Or whatever it is you might do.)” Five elements that build a roster of terrific clients, writing and otherwise, by Sonia Simone and Copyblogger.
Who we are
Professional Independent Communicators (PIC) is a special interest group of IABC/Toronto. PIC’s mission is to support independent IABC/Toronto communicators through professional development, networking and marketing. The Buzz informs members about upcoming events, shares professional development tips from past meetings and keeps us connected.
IABC connects communicators from around the world with the insights, resources and people they need to drive their careers and their professions forward.
Editor: Sue Horner | Designer: Austine Fischer
Executive team
Chair: Jacqui DeBique | Past Chair: Arlene Amitirigala | Membership: Maureen Hosein, ABC | Marketing & Sponsorship: Brent Artemchuk | Communications & Social Media: Austine Fischer, Sue Horner | Programming: Catharine Heddle, Christopher Trotman