6 years running Allison Carter Celebrates. 6 years of connection, relationship building, social media, email marketing, selling, pivoting, learning, failing, succeeding, investing- the list literally could go on for days.

6 years ago I started my business as a party planner for busy moms and after many transitions, I’m now a personal branding and visibility coach for small businesses. I help you build brand awareness, increase your traffic and reach and make people fall in love with you and your brand with simple PR and content marketing strategies.

I thought it would be fun to take a second to reflect on what I’ve learned 6 years into building and running my creative small business.

What I’ve Learned These Past 6 Years as a Business Owning Mom

• Balance doesn’t exist, but boundaries do- find yours and prioritize them above all else
• It’s not that serious- I have a lot of responsibilities, but when it comes down to it…no one is dying because I don’t check my email or post on IG
• The freedom you have as a business owner is a GIFT- never take that privilege for granted
• My kids are not excuses why I can’t get things done- it me not prioritizing my time
• I get to build whatever I want to build on my terms- my biz, my rules: my life, my rules.
• The more I do things my way, in my own rhythm, and lead with FUN and what my gut tells me to do- the more money I make
• It’s okay to change your mind, experiment, and let go of things that no longer work for you. Each stepping stone in your biz adventure leads you to your next stop. You aren’t flakey, lack consistency or are seen as untrustworthy if you stop and start something. It means you’re tuned into your intuition and are brave enough to try new things.
• Life’s too short to not be having fun
• In order to grow, you have to do shit that scares the crap out of you. You have to spend money and trust that it’ll come back to you tenfold. Invest in the coach, the event, the retreat, the part time employee. Just do it.
• I will bet on myself over and over again, because I can do hard things and everything ALWAYS works out for me in the end. Trust that.

Are you also a small business owner? What lessons have you learned over time? Share away!