Linda’s Look Back at 2014
It Was a Very Good Year for Very Good Reasons
I have a whole heap of gratitude for 2014 and all the opportunities afforded to me. While the U.S. economy continues to improve, I think I’ve been granted a little piece of the burgeoning pie. Our business is not where I want it to be yet — but it certainly is going in the right direction.
Ray Access Is Thriving
First and foremost, I am grateful for a superior partner. We’ve heard so many horror stories of partnerships gone terribly wrong that I am especially honored to have in Mark Bloom a steady, reliable partner who motivates me when I need it and offers up his shoulder when I need it to cry on. He’s also a fantastic editor and great writer — Mark puts the humor in our pages that is especially difficult to write.
I love that I get to meet so many cool people through our business. Sure, we’re an online company, but behind ever website and blog is a person trying to send a message. I’m grateful for the opportunities we get to play a small role in the growth of so many wonderful companies and the people who run them.
Shared Through Classrooms
I’m a typical Ashevillian who cobbles a number of jobs together to meet my financial goals. And it’s so cool that I get to practice the skills at which I excel. As an adjunct teacher at AB Tech, I’m grateful for the students who enter my classes. I can share my experience, strength and hope with them as they look for ways to improve their lives.
Whether I’m in the women’s prison teaching students how to manage money or on campus giving students an inside look at how we create content at Ray Access, I get to talk about those things I’ve learned and hope the information makes a difference. Why learn lessons, after all, if you don’t have an outlet for sharing them?
Selling Success
Through Ray Access, Mark and I make numerous pitches to sell our services, though they usually sell themselves. This process taps into another of my strengths — the ability to sell something I love. While writing and research is my first love, I also get to practice this skill every so often working at Rug and Home, an Asheville icon in the retail industry.
The owners like my style and I love their products. We make a really good fit and I am grateful for the open door they provide me to work when I have extra time. The rugs and furniture are so tempting, though, that I have to be careful to make more than I spend there.
The Homefront
Finally, I’m grateful for my husband Gary, who stays out of my way when I’m busy writing in my office and who supports my dreams. He’s my biggest cheerleader, something most important in a life partner. Our extended families can try our souls sometimes (although our two grandkids are exceptional). But in the end, no matter what happens among friends, co-workers, the community and the world, we feel safe at home with each other.
Thank you, everyone who touched our lives this past year. Oh no, I’m getting ready to tear up now — not a common sight. But, yes, my work and my home are so very special that they are worth the water works. So let it flow! Happy holidays to everyone!
Ray Access is a content marketing firm that delivers targeted words to empower your business. Contact us about your specific project to receive a quote or discuss your needs. We write website copy, blog posts, e-newsletters and more. Everything we do is thoroughly researched, professionally edited and guaranteed original.