Lessons I Learned in my Business in 2023

Wondering how much I made, what worked for me, what didn’t, and what it taught me? Read on.

Recap of my goals

MY JOB:

1. Be a patient mom (did well until postpartum hit)
2. Sustain my biz (CHECK ✓)
3. Be an intentional wife (tried my best)

BUCKET LIST:

1. Trip to AZ (CHECK ✓)
2. Go somewhere beautiful in WA (wish I would have done more)

NOT going to do:

1. Sleep in (I had a baby… what do you expect?)
2. Excuses about why I can’t go to church (well…)
3. Rush breastfeeding (CHECK ✓)

Here it is – my 2023 Business Review

Each quarter brought blessings, challenges, and growth for my business.

Q1 – TOTAL REVENUE – $6,194 (but we all know that’s not what goes into my wallet). Business after taxes & expenses (final take home income) was $3,170

Q2 – TOTAL REVENUE – $13,102 Final take home income = $8,468

Q3 – MATERNITY LEAVE! TOTAL REVENUE – $9,209 Final take home income = $6,371; Paid Family Medical Leave Washington state = $12,756

READ MORE: How I Am Making $2,000-$5,000 a Month During Maternity Leave as an Entrepreneur

Q4 – TOTAL REVENUE – $8,995 Final take home income = $6,048

Coming off maternity leave produced a whole new experience for me – Postpartum depression. I’m not fully ready to share all that entails, but it definitely made business growth difficult. I decided to take December off social media and it has been great for my mental health.

READ MORE: No Instagram + Business Update

If you’re wanting to take a month off your business, but don’t know how, READ THIS BLOG. I was only 2.5 years into my business when I took my first sabbatical, but I made a month off a priority and it made a lasting impact.

What worked for me

Giving myself a lot of grace. As I navigated being pregnant with a toddler in Q1 and Q2, having a newborn and 2 year old in Q3, and working through intense reflux/ colic issues with a baby alongside an emotional toddler in Q4.

DAYCARE! My kids only go once a week (I’m increasing it to twice a week in 2024) and that one day was a GAME CHANGER for my mental health and being able to complete work tasks.

Email marketing and SEO. I cut WAYYY back on Instagram and honestly I don’t get a lot of clients through Insta anymore.

Do you know you need to add email marketing to your biz, but are overwhelmed with the idea of adding/ learning ANOTHER platform? That’s why I choose Flodesk. Honestly? I kinda enjoy designing emails on this platform. #worthit Lock in 50% off your first year through my link. *

The best things I purchased for my business

We see many entrepreneurs gloating their 6 figure years, but I always wonder how much they paid contractors or other expenses. I have always chosen the DIY route (not having kids and having ample time allowed me to do that effectively).

This year I was only working 1 day a week so I didn’t have a lot of time to invest in a course to learn a new skill. The best purchases for my business were things that helped me streamline my processes so I could spend more money on the money-making tasks.

Contractors – for a while I helped a podcaster with her social media. I knew nothing about editing, so I outsourced that. I charged them $550/ month and paid about $250 for the editing. I also paid an assistant during maternity leave to do my social media clients’ work. This was about $375 for 3 months.

Flodesk – $20 / month
Showit website yearly – $314 / year (use THIS LINK for free month)
Dubsado – $265 / year
ThriveCart course platform – $495 (one time fee – LIFETIME)

Most popular YouTube videos

What 2023 taught me

I miss my business. If you read my first post of 2023, you will remember I was EXHAUSTED and burnt out. I was even looking for other part-time jobs. Giving myself the grace to not grow, not really market on Instagram, and not make as much money, reignited my passion for my business.

I can’t WAIT to see what 2024 has in store for Rebekah Read Creative!

READ MORE: I like these recaps! Read 2022 review, 2021 review, 2020 review, and 2019 review.

READ MORE: What Made Me Quit & the Biggest Lessons From My 5 Years in Business

READ MORE: Business recap – 4 years in biz (I share how much I made in year 1, 2, 3, & 4)

Are you wondering what to focus on in your business in 2024 for growth?

I would suggest:

1. Search Engine Optimization – go through my SEO challenge, you won’t regret having Google do the marketing for you so you can stop showing up daily on Instagram.
2. Goal setting/ business planning at the beginning of the year so you have some direction – focus on how you want to feel
3. What do you need to make at minimum and then take time off once you make that

READ MORE: Want to add something to your business? Here’s 10 questions to ask yourself to figure out your calling and next service in your entrepreneur business

* I only share about companies that I truly believe in. Some of the links in this content are affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase through them.