2023 Mash Up (Year-In-Review)

My social media team did a lite version of the 2023 year in review. This is the remix of my personal and professional highlights. 🌟

The year had its fair share of wins and losses. There was a time to celebrate and a time to mourn. The most fun part of the year was having all five of our children in our home for a short period.

The end points of 2023 were numerous birthdays, 3 funerals and 1 wedding!

⏯ Here is what happened in between:

⛄ January – Death struck and my grandmother passed unexpectedly. She lived a full life, and I am grateful that we celebrated her 80th birthday the prior October. On the business side, we had one of our best months in revenue. I hired a Tax Team Lead to fully take me out of the day-to-day of taxes. #LifeLines

💖 February –We (Team Leads and I) focused on EOS and getting in the rhythm of weekly L10 meetings. I enjoyed this month most because I stayed put and spent quality time with the people that matter most to me. #RocksandGravel

🌹 March – My mom turned 32 (again) for the umpteenth time. Yes, she’s younger than me. Call it a miracle. She goes by River on social media. That is not her name but she’s a performer. #StageMomTakeover

💰 April – The Payroll Team Lead became the Managing Partner of our payroll company. She does a phenomenal job of leading our team and managing the client experience based on our core values of CRIIT-R (Competence, Relationship-Drive Client Experience, Integrity, Innovation, Teamwork, and Respect). This frees me up to work ON the business and pursue passion projects. #DreamTeam

💌 May

• Attended one of my favorite events of the year, Accounting Salon in Seaside, FL.
• Received an invitation to be the Vice Chair of the ENGAGE Practitioners Planning Committee. Thank you to Anna Monroe , Lisa Simpson and Carl Peterson for seeing in me what I initially didn't see in myself.
• Contracted with a Process and Automation Specialist to improve operations. Best investment ever! This shout out goes to my bestie Jessie Williams, CPA, MBA and her hubby!
• Oldest daughter graduated from college with a degree in ACCOUNTING! #WinningSeason

🌤 June

• Led sessions at AICPA ENGAGE and Woodard Scaling New Heights.
• Reconnected with old friends and made new ones throughout conference season. #SpeakingGalore

😖 July – We parted ways with our Tax Team Lead. Yes, the one I hired in January. This required me to be more involved during the tax extension season. #BahHumbug

If you're an EA or CPA looking for a new role, holler at your girl.

🥂 August – The hubs, J W Davis , and I celebrated 20 years of marriage with a 10-day international trip to Barcelona and cruise around Italy and France. The hubs also celebrated another year of getting more ZEXY! Y’all…I love this man! #ChillMonth

🎂 September – #TheKid turned 5. If you didn’t know, he is obsessed with vacuums. He’s owned more vacuums in his 5 years of life than I have my whole life. So of course, we bought him another vacuum for his birthday. #TheDancer (my 10-year-old son) also celebrated a milestone birthday. #BirthdayShenanigans

🎃 October

• Celebrated another trip around the sun along with our youngest daughter, Maddie.
• Released my seat as part of FreshPAC to focus on other endeavors. #CX3ply
• Recognized by my alma mater, Grambling State University , as one of the Distinguished 10 #D10. I would be remiss if I did not mention this incredible honor from the place that made me somebody. Thank You!

👩🏽🤝👩🏽 November

• Launched The Modern Bookkeeper Coaching Program with bestie Barbara Richardson . Listen! We are two black women that are unapologetic about how we design and define our lives.
• Received an invitation to serve on DCPA Advisory Board. I'm super excited to work with Kacee Johnson and the team.
• Attended AICPA Women’s Global Summit and connected with some phenomenal women. Shout out to Jeannine K Brown and Kimberly N. Ellison-Taylor for being leaders every woman needs in her life.

During this month, I got crystal clear on who I wanted to serve on a go forward basis. #BossMoves

✈ December – This month was exhilarating and exhausting. I traveled for work more this month than any other month. I was a speaker of DCPA, Ensuring Success, Reimaging Tax Practice Series, and New Money Summit. #Whew

• Invited to be a member of Intuit’s EAS.
• Announced that I will be a main stage speaker at Scaling New Heights in Orlando next June (2024).

(The picture below is #TheKid breaming with delight. My mom took the three youngest children toy shopping for Christmas. They each had a $100 budget. The oldest two returned home with bags of toys. #TheKid returned home with one shiny new BISSELL Homecare, Inc. vacuum. Color, green. It's his 3rd or 4th one.)

2024 will be the year of Disciplined Aspirations. This means saying “YES” to only those activities/roles that align with my goals and values. After having a conversation with Kenji Kuramoto and being influenced by his wife, Rachelle Kuramoto , I plan to be more strategic and serious about where I am and where I want to go. ☺

In planning, I think in terms of making moves and countermoves. It may not make any sense to anyone outside looking in but it works for me.

As such, I want to give energy and time to people, places, and things that are valuable to my overall physical and mental well-being. ⚡

Keeping that in mind, I will continue to live by my 3E philosophy, Execute Excellence Everyday.

Here's to 2024, living, loving, and laughing out loud as often and as long as possible. #TheEnd

#NewYear #yearinreview #business #family #personal #professional #life #adulting #Christmas #December #beginning #end #January