We made it!
Y’all….2018 was really rough. From political strife (both in the burlesque community to the larger world), to a seemingly never ending stream of fuckery to a general sense of “oh my GAWD, when will this end?!?!?”, this year has taken its toll.
However…there were some good things about this year and it’s important to look back to celebrate those successes. And yes, this is the most obvious time to do a year in review, but you know what? I’m grown and I do what I want 🙂
That said, here is a list of (burlesque) things I’m really proud I accomplished in 2018:
- Incorporated as an S Corp. The Professional Adult is a real, live corporation (and one that pays taxes). I’ve moved most of my performing under that banner and will move more of my consulting and teaching in 2019.
- I made 5 figures as a performer. Being a performer is my second job and my primary one demands quite a bit of attention and focus, so being able to consistently work and be paid well is really important to me.
- I performed in 112 shows this year. That averages to just over 2 shows a week! Again, with the day job there have been a few days where early morning meetings needed to be rescheduled. I want to thank EVERY SINGLE PRODUCER that hired me (and especially those who continue to hire me). It means so much to me to be able to share my talents and do something I adore. I hope I represented you well and that you consider booking me in the future.
- Created, booked and successfully completed a tour. ShimMAY was my very first tour and not only was it such a blast, it was also profitable!
- Performed in 10 cities and 7 states.
- Performed in a live band punk show. Talk about getting out of my comfort zone! Up to the moment my name was called, I wasn’t sure I would be able to pull it off….but it worked! Thank you Lily Rascal and Fae Beguile for the opportunity.
- Introduced a new class. My new class is “Get it Together” where we talk about organization and keeping your ducks in a row. As with everything, it’s a work in progress, but I felt it was pretty well received
- Performed in Toronto. International, baby!
- Hosted 2.5 times. This year, I wanted to stretch past just being a performer and thanks to Kiss Kiss Cabaret and Parlor Tricks, I finally got on the mic. Here’s to more hosting in 2019.
- Went on vacation that had NOTHING to do with performing. Amazing what happens when you aren’t on all the time 🙂
Whew, that’s pretty awesome. So, what’s up for 2019? I have specific goals that I will keep close to my vest, but here are the themes:
- Validation. I’ll talk about this in more detail later, but this year is the year to validate “do you know what you think you know? How can you tell?”
- Returning to the fundamentals. Part of that validation is to review the basics. This means going back to class, doing drills and breaking down motivations.
- Adding on. What else can I add as a value prop? What is my “but wait, there’s more!”
- Stop chasing the tiger. Your path is different than others, don’t be wistful for what others are doing.
- Come into your own. What happens in you focus on what you offer?
I’m really looking forward t0 2019 and what it’s going to bring. Let me know what you are proud of and what you are looking forward to doing next year. Also, sign up for my newsletter with tips, pics and updates.
LET’S DO THIS!
Image from FreePik: Designed by Kjpargeter