Reflecting on February
February was an exciting month, filled with new creations and learning experiences. One of the biggest highlights was launching The Black Girl Magic Collection. This collection was all about celebrating influential Black women, with each journal featuring an inspirational quote from a trailblazing figure. I absolutely loved diving into research, selecting quotes, and designing these covers.
The feedback I received from my network was amazing! Knowing that my work resonated with other creatives was such a motivating force throughout the month. However, I’ll be honest—I didn’t get to promote the collection as effectively as I had planned. The main reason? A frustrating issue with setting up an ad via Meta (trust me, I could write an entire post about the struggles of being a small business owner navigating Meta’s platform). Despite this setback, I’m still proud of how the collection performed and will continue finding ways to amplify its reach.
Beyond launching a new collection, I also embarked on another learning journey. Last month, I mentioned completing a six-month business accelerator program in January. Well, it turns out that I can’t stay away from learning for long! I recently enrolled in an entrepreneurial studies certification program through Rio Salado Community College. Funny enough, I didn’t actively seek out this opportunity—someone in my network told me about it, and I decided to give it a shot.
Classes started on the 18th, and so far, it’s been an insightful experience. I’ve already learned about the nine different entrepreneur types (who knew there were so many?!) and the foundational steps for building a successful business. I don’t have any set expectations for this program, but I’m excited to expand my knowledge and see how I can apply what I learn to Annie Sharae Creations.
Checking in on My February Strategies
At the start of the month, I set a couple of goals for myself. Let’s see how I did:
1. Uplifting fellow creatives
I started off strong! The first two weeks, I was intentional about sharing and supporting creatives within my network. However, towards the end of the month, I didn’t engage as much as I would have liked. Moving forward, instead of setting a strict target for how many creatives I uplift each month, I think a more natural approach would be to share content that genuinely aligns with Annie Sharae Creations’ values and brand.
2. Experimenting with content types
I definitely played around with different content on my Stories, which led to some solid engagement and even a small boost in my follower count. However, I didn’t explore as much with Reels or Posts. Next month, I’d love to step up my game and experiment more with Reels to see what kind of response they generate.
Areas of Growth for March
Between starting classes and running my business, February was busy—but in the best way possible. As I step into March, here’s what I want to focus on:
1. Leaning on my entrepreneurial network more
I want to be more intentional about tapping into my network for advice, inspiration, and collaboration opportunities. Being a solo entrepreneur can sometimes feel isolating, and I know there’s so much value in connecting with others who are on similar journeys.
2. Strategizing content for social media
I’m challenging myself to take a more thoughtful approach to my content strategy. Instead of just posting when inspiration strikes, I want to plan out what types of content will be the most impactful.
3. Pushing my creative limits
Creative blocks are real, and I definitely experience them from time to time. But I’ve noticed that when I launch a new collection or highlight an existing one, I feel more inspired to create—not just new notebook designs, but also the accompanying social media content. So, my goal for March is to design at least 7-10 new notebooks for the Spring collection and use that momentum to fuel my creativity.
I’m looking forward to seeing where this next month takes me and sharing my progress with you all in the next Reflect & Grow post! Thanks for being on this journey with me.
Until next time, Annie Sharae