I’m the CEO, the Intern, and HR – Welcome to My Mid-Year Self-Review

One of the weirdest things about being self-employed? No performance reviews or anyone sitting me down to say “great job!” or “you need to improve your strategic alignment” (whatever that means). Just me, in an oversized sweater, toggling between too many browser tabs and a to-do list I keep rewriting instead of finishing, trying to decide if I’m crushing it or mildly spiraling.

So every January, I make 3 to 4 business goals. Not because someone told me to, but because I genuinely like having a plan, even if I immediately go off-script and start improvising like a toddler in a tutu at a dance recital.

And since I’m a sucker for transparency, and because it’s halfway through the year and I need to remember what I even said I’d do, here’s where I’m at with my 2025 goals:

1. Connect with a dream client in child abuse or domestic violence prevention.

Current status: Not yet, but dreaming hard.

This one’s close to my heart, but surprisingly hard to crack. Almost every JAC client has come through referrals, which is amazing, but it also means I’m not great at saying “Hey! You, over there! Let’s work together!” without sounding like a LinkedIn bro or a walking email funnel.

So yeah. I’m working on being more intentional. Less “fingers crossed they find me!” and more “maybe I should, like, tell people.”

2. Hit a revenue goal that matches both my value, and the age I’m turning this year.

Current status: So close I can smell it.

I won’t tell you the number (or the age, for that matter), but let’s just say I’m aiming for a grown-up kind of abundance, and I’m within spitting distance. One or two more dreamy, aligned, not-going-to-make-me-regret-everything clients and we’re there! If you know someone who wants a grant writer with both strategy and sarcasm? Send them my way. Bonus points if they are in the child abuse or domestic violence spaces! 

3. Raise $3M+ in primarily private grants for clients.

Current status: Over halfway there, but sweating a little.

We’re past the halfway point, which is great. But I didn’t factor in the whiplash economy, a few curveball deadlines, or the general chaos of trying to do anything during an election year. Still, momentum is building. Several six-figure proposals are pending, and hope is still alive!

4. Build a small-but-mighty team + a pipeline for social workers to enter the grant world.

Current status: The “small” and “mighty” parts are happening. The rest? TBD.

In January, I had big plans. In classic “me” fashion, I started sprinting before I checked my shoelaces, and ended up overcommitted, overwhelmed, and Googling “how to hire people without becoming a micro-managing monster.”

But we’re turning it around. Enter Shay: my new admin assistant and the calm, capable energy I didn’t know I needed. The pipeline part is slower, but still a top priority. I want more social workers in this space. I just need to build the infrastructure without breaking my own.

Moral of the Mid-Year Story? Self-employment is equal parts freedom and “what fresh chaos hell is this?” There’s no gold star and no manager popping in with feedback. Just you, trying to carve out clarity in the blur of Zoom calls, never-ending deadlines, and existential spirals