I'm on a mission this year for a better work life balance. I have decided to create a few new initiatives for not only for myself, but for my team. It's not like I had a huge reality check, but I've always put the "work-life-balance" on the back burner. So I'm considering this my belated New Years resolution to live every day to the fullest with out feeling bogged down by work.
It's important to me that my clients also feel this balance. So here is a quick run down of what's new for 2016 and beyond.
CLIENT INITIATIVES
We've instilled a limited client roster for all of our planners. This means we only take a certain number of weddings per year to ensure each client never feels second inline. This has been in practice for almost two years now and it's been a great move.
We have the pleasure of introducing our new intern Allie Darwin for our 2016 season. She will not only be onsite but also managing all client files. You most certainly will be hearing from her :)
I've been researching for a few months for a visually pleasing cloud platform for not only my team but also for my clients to use as a tool to collaborate and stay organized. After testing several companies we've found a winner and have been transferring all of our existing clients. Once your details have been uploaded you will have live access to your timeline, budget, design studio, calendar, check lists, tasks, guest management etc.
TEAM INITIATIVES
I enjoy working from my home office as well as my office in Ottawa. This year I will be encouraging our team to work from home with the flexibility to make their own schedules and client meetings.
Having a creative outlet is important to me. And showcasing our talents are key in conveying our sense of style to potential clients. Which is why all team members will be slotted with their own chance to design their very own style shoot to enhance their portfolio.
Mentoring and educating my team is very important to me. I want my girls to have the best access and opportunity to grow. This year we'll be researching creative workshops to inspire our team.
A healthy mind is so important in our industry. The amount of information and logistics we have to manage - burning out half way through the wedding season just isn't an option. So I've hired a personal yoga teacher for a weekly private team yoga session.
There are so many more things in the works which I'm excited to implement and I am happy to have shared this glimpse into our creative work philosophies. If you have tips or cool ideas you'de think we'd like, share bellow in the comment section. I'd love to see what you have to say!