What a year it has been, I still can't believe how fast it flew by. I have a whole lot to reflect on from this past year both good and bad. This is a letter to 2019...

2019 was a year full of hustle that came with great strides and some incredible opportunities. I am thankful for every mistake I made this year that's helped me grow and know exactly how I want to handle certain parts of my business to continue to grow. 

My Professional takeaways: 

1. Take care of things early. This year was the first time I actually started prepping for the Holiday Season in July (in the past I would start in September) and it was amazing because I felt so prepared and way less stressed as the holiday season approached. Even with starting in July there was still some delays and missteps along the way, but it would have been way worse if they would of happened with a much shorter time line. 

2. Know when to say no. After burning myself out in 2018 this year I made sure I didn't make that mistake again. There were so many events and collaborations I wanted to say yes to, but I know in the end I would not have been able to put my best foot forward by saying yes to everything. This was so helpful because it made me look inward to figure out what was truly the best for the brand in that moment as well as the direction I was heading. 

3. Set your goals at the beginning of the year. One of the best things I did at the beginning of this year was actually writing down my goals for the year, and then worked backwards on how I could achieve them. One of my favorite moments from this year was the Boss Babe Photoshoot. It had been something I had been wanting to do for years and it finally happened! I love how powerful it is when you bring like minded women together. You get a sense of community and that you truly aren't alone in your struggles. We've been there and we can all learn from each others hardships owning our own businesses. I truly felt like I could conquer the world after that day.  

My personal takeaways:

1. Self-care is so important. After burning myself out last year I really focused on listening to my body this year. For the most part I gave myself at minimum Sundays off from any work just so I could relax and recharge for the week. Sometimes I'd treat myself to a facial or I'd do some at home pampering like a hair or face mask. I also did my best to exercise regularly even though it became really difficult during the holiday months because I am still running the entire business by myself, but hey I'm still learning and improving. 

2. Spending quality time with loved ones. This year I truly made sure that when I was "off" of work I was spending quality time with my husband, family and friends. Not paying attention to my phone, checking emails or worrying about my to do list for the week. I was truly in the moment which was amazing and so needed. Everyone should try and at least make one day a week a technology and work detox day.

3. The little things are important too. Whether it was doing something small for myself or with my husband, I tried to at least do one thing daily. During the hectic holiday season it was something as simple as going to get coffee with my husband in the morning before work to start off my day in the right mindset. Taking our pup Hazel for a walk or going to the gym together was also a little something we could do together, talk, and connect during the hectic moments of the year. 

And to all of you ...

All in all 2019 was amazing and I truly feel like I'm closing the decade on a high. Nikki E. Designs has grown so much and I couldn't have done it without all your support and love over the last 3 years since I started. My favorite is when I see you guys out wearing my pieces or when you girls message me saying you never take off your jewelry or that you told all your girls about Nikki E. Designs. It truly means more than you could ever know!! And because of each of you ...

• We are now sold locally in 4 different states - California, Texas, South Carolina, and Florida.

• We have shipped orders to 32 out of the 50 states in the US.

• We have shipped internationally to Canada, Australia, France, Spain, South Korea, and the United Kingdom.

• And last but not least with donating 10% of our proceeds we have donated a total of $5,850 to various charities such as Style Saves, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Lotus house, Nest of Love, the ASPCA, and the Chapman Center of downtown Miami.

Thank you for your support of my small business and making a difference in the community! 

Xx,

Nikki E.