I remember starting the year with a deep sense of contentment.
After spending 2023 creating an offer suite that felt truly aligned, I thought 2024 would simply be about refining what I had and scaling Silent Storm as a group programme.
Life, as it often does, had other plans.
As the year unfolded, my offer suite evolved to accommodate more deep work, copywriting, and the flexibility needed to navigate another of life’s curveballs.
Let me share my reflections through three simple questions that might resonate with you too:
- What went well?
- What didn’t go well?
- What’s my focus in 2025?
Let’s get into the 2024 reflections.
WHAT WENT WELL?
Offers
Silent Storm evolved
What started as a group program transformed when I began receiving more requests for one-on-one work.
While the group program included unlimited 1:1 support, it turned out my fellow introverts craved an even deeper connection – which, looking back, makes perfect sense!
The more I leaned into this intimate coaching format, the more it lit me up.
Having the time and space to dive deep with clients led to incredible results: some became fully booked, and others signed five new clients within weeks of creating their LinkedIn profiles.
But the most rewarding part? Witnessing their transformation in confidence from day one to completion.
Their success came from getting crystal clear on their message, finding their authentic voice in content creation, and following a simple, repeatable process that made everything feel easier.
This was my lightbulb moment – THIS is exactly what I’m meant to be doing.
The shift to 1:1 work has led to exceptionally high client retention, with many transitioning to my Cheerleader Package after their initial six months for ongoing accountability and support.
Yes, I’m “trading time for money” and it’s less scalable than group programs, but the impact I can make on someone’s business – and the joy it brings me – makes it all worthwhile.
The lesson? Do what feels right for you – it’s your business (even though I sometimes need reminding of this too!)
You can find out more about Silent Storm here.
Digital Products
I know I just proclaimed my love for 1:1 work (😅), but as anyone who’s worked with me knows, my mantra is “Try it and see what happens” – so I did!
I decided to test a hands-off version of my personal branding course, Roots (Silent Storm’s first module).
It was meant to give people a taste of my teaching style, and the response showed clear demand. This experiment earned its permanent place in my offer suite.
Another successful test was creating a 90-day content calendar of prompts tied to my P Squared Framework as a tripwire when someone downloaded a freebie.
It proved so popular that I eventually made it available to everyone.
Both of these are perfect introductions to my work, showcasing the depth and detail I provide, often leading clients naturally into Silent Storm.
They’re staying – maybe I should promote them more!
Return of Ghostwriting
This wasn’t in my original plan, but the universe had other ideas.
While working on content tweaks inside Silent Storm, I realized how much I missed writing for others.
As if on cue, perfect-fit clients appeared through referrals at the end of Q1!
Diving back into capturing unique voices and writing on their behalf has been pure joy.
I’ll admit – the predictable income has brought some welcome calm to my nervous system.
The absence of constant sales hustle aligned perfectly with my energy, and it turned out this stability would be crucial in the months ahead.
Audience Growth: Quality over quantity
While my social media numbers didn’t skyrocket, meaningful growth happened in unexpected places.
What made the difference:
Meta Ads
I launched a new guide which was received well by my existing audience, so I decided to try a Meta ads campaign to grow my email list with it.
It worked – more than doubling my email list with a relatively low cost per lead. Better yet, it generated sales and consultation calls straight from my welcome sequence – proof I was attracting my ideal clients.
You need to be really clear in your messaging when it comes to ads. Without it, you risk attracting the wrong audience, wasting both time and money.
Though I have experience running ad campaigns for clients, finding the right formula still requires testing and tweaking.
I’ll continue running ad campaigns at various parts of the year, as they helped me stay visible when I couldn’t be online for a while.
Community
This year brought beautiful opportunities to connect:
- Speaking at The Quietly Influential Summit, connecting directly with my people (introverted business owners)
- Engaging in various podcasts, Instagram, and LinkedIn Lives with complementary audiences
- Having The Snapshot featured in Freelancer Magazine, reaching thousands of new freelancers
- Becoming a Theo Paphitis SBS winner (I’m still buzzing about meeting him in February and getting that certificate! 😅)
I’m lucky that most of these opportunities found me rather than pitching for them (except for SBS). While I’m grateful for how organically these connections happened, perhaps there’s room for more proactive outreach in 2025?!
In this last quarter I joined a networking group, and it’s been so nice to reconnect with the local community again.
Sometimes it feels like you’re surrounded by millions of people doing the same thing as you online (because you are), but when you go out and about it’s different.
Most of the time I’m the only “social media person” or one of a few, and it takes a while to get your head around, but it’s been another good way to get referrals – and also get out of the house!
I’m looking forward to attending more in person events in 2025 as there’s a different energy about being in a room of entrepreneurs.
WHAT DIDN’T GO WELL
If you read last year’s review, you know about my husband’s diagnosis with a lifelong health condition.
While we’ve found our rhythm there (touch wood), life threw another curve ball when my mum fell ill mid-year. The journey to her diagnosis involved countless tests and unwavering support.
Both of them have rare conditions (one in a million – which they truly are! 😊), and being home-based means I’m often the go-to for appointment support.
I’m deeply grateful for a business that allows me this flexibility – being there for family is important to me. But as an empath, this takes its toll.
Client work often took priority over my own business growth, and my social media presence became more sporadic.
Instead of my usual batch-created content, I posted when energy allowed. While engagement dipped, the stability from retainer work and automated ads provided crucial breathing space.
My work-life balance wobbled for a while, with work happening in unexpected pockets of time (often evenings), but I’m grateful things have stabilized as both loved ones respond well to treatment.
I don’t often share deeply personal matters, but as an introvert, energy management is crucial.
When life demands more in one area, it’s okay, necessary, even, to ease up in others.
FOCUS FOR 2025
Balance isn’t just a goal anymore – it’s a necessity.
I finally bought a Sitar (indian classical instrument) to rekindle a passion from my school days. After some recent lessons, it’s meditative sound brings pure joy and I need more of that in my life.
And now for the exciting announcement that wasn’t even on my radar until recently…
🎙 I’m launching a podcast!
The mic is ready, the name is chosen, and it’s all about helping introverts market their businesses.
While speaking solo into a mic would have terrified me at the start of 2024, now? I feel ready.
It’s all an experiment – I’m committing to one season to see what unfolds.
Sure, there’s that classic worry: “What if no one listens?” quickly followed by “OMG!! What if people DO listen?” (I know you know what I mean! 😅)
But I won’t know until I try.
This was meant to be under wraps, but writing it here makes it real – to hold me accountable.
I’m stepping into 2025 with newfound clarity, purpose, and voice (eek).
Everything feels aligned, and I’m ready to embrace whatever comes next.
I hope you’ll join me on this journey.
Anita xx
Oh I forgot this was also the year I embraced my curls which means new brand photos also coming soon 😅
If you got this far. Thank you for reading!
Come and find me on Instagram or LinkedIn and tell me what you’re focusing on this year. I’d love to know.
Recent Comments