A letter to myself from the year 2024

Hey, this is Angela from the future – year 2024 to be exact!

Remember that letter in 2023 that you wrote to yourself?...

Well, look around. Like, really – lift your head ALL the way up. It’s been almost a full year since you left your full-time CHRO job in April of 2022 to start your own business. It’s also been a full year of accomplishments, re-directions, rejections, failures, and triumphs. And there’s more to come…

Since my last letter to you, you’ve spent a lot of time connecting and re-connecting with your origin story, your purpose, and your why. Because why start a business, start a movement, start a platform without feeling and connecting back to the reason behind it. This IS our responsibility as business owners after all – to create something that will leave the world better than how we left it.

This has been a guiding force to your business model, and it’s not what you accomplished in 2023 that has been the centerpiece this year, but instead, what you’ve said “no” to and stepped away from:  

1. You’ve rejected the idea that business ownership and entrepreneurship need to equate to "hustle", 60+ hour weeks, falsely engrained ideas of success, fierce competition, or endless sales funnels. You’ve found your own formula for success and how to do business that breaks traditional paradigms. In 2026 you’ll write about it and re-tell a narrative that equates sustainability, community, and regenerative business practices to happy and fulfilled founders, fulfilled missions, and wildly successful profits. But I’m getting ahead of myself!

2. You’ve reduced your work within the business by 75%. Not because you don't love what you do, but because it deserves and must be scaled to make the impact you desire. Both the IMPACT Culture Program and IMPACT Culture Cohort are well-oiled machines, tried, and tested. You’ve turned your program for culture change and impact to organizations into an experience that can scale. This has created opportunity for your now 5-person team that has taken both programs FAR beyond what you ever imagined.

3. You’ve said “no” to playing small. This may seem like a minor detail as you’re reading this, but it’s created an ascension into a different tier of your career and defined success. Your time has become a commodity that can’t be negotiated down or traded for “exposure.” You’ve stopped taking on ancillary projects that don’t align with the tried-and-true process, work, and commitment you know that is needed for true change and transformation. Playing small is no longer an option for the integrity of your growing business.

You also have moved the needle on your goals in a sustainable way. You continue to place health, mindfulness, and movement at the very top of your list because a sound body and mind are THE most important assets to your business.

1. You’ve furthered your yoga practice and have become a Certified Yoga Teacher. You don’t do this to open your own yoga studio (but hello retirement plan?!), but rather to further learn about yoga’s roots and to incorporate these philosophies into the practice of healing leaders, organizations, and systems through tough culture change work.

2.  You’ve incorporated dance and movement back into your life. This started with your enrollment in Aerial Hoop Lyra back in 2023, but it has blossomed to mastering new skills and centering a lifelong passion of dance.

Your word in 2023 was FLOW, and you embodied that beautifully. Saying “no" and embodying a healthy body and mind were the rock solid formula for a foundation of what shapes up to be an explosive year of accomplishments:

1. You successfully launched your DBA with a full re-brand– separating your Angela R. Howard brand from the platform you’ve been building. I won’t mention the name because I know this is still in ideation for you 😊
2. You successfully booked and completed 5 highly commitment clients to your comprehensive IMPACT Culture Program offering and mobilized your team to deliver on 75% of the program for these new clients. These clients are a result of your successful and generative partnerships with your well thought out referral and partnership program. This has allowed you to increase your team to a total for 5 with 2 full time employees – scaling your business to $500,000 in revenue but also creating economic and fulfillment opportunities for others to join your mission.  
3. You successfully developed the IMPACT Culture Cohort service and community with the first cohort of 5 participants in June of 2023. This allowed you to polish the program, create the online community, and plan for quarterly cohorts in 2024.
4. Being an Alternate at a local TedX event was just the tipping point for ascending your speaking career at some of the most impactful stages and platforms in the world. You’ve been able to spread your message at Ted (the big stage!), Workhuman, AfroTech, CNN, CNBC, SXSW, The World Economic, Forum Conference, and many that have booked speaking engagements and conversations with you. 2023 was the year where you topped 5 keynotes at locations all around the world.
5.  The Social Responsibility at Work Podcast reached 10,000 downloads in early 2023 but increased 10-fold at the start of 2024. With 100,000 downloads achieved and high caliber guests continuing to see the podcast as a meaningful and impactful platform, you’ve attracted some impressive and value aligned sponsors.
6. You spent 2023 successfully marketing your first published book contribution and anthology with Alex Brueckmann and Wiley Publishing: Secrets of Next-Level Entrepreneurs. You also completed the manuscript for your own book that outlines your culture change process and how it can create broader impact to social change! It was picked up by a large publisher that matched your values and vision, and you’re on your way to publish and get it out to the world on your 37th birthday – September 4, 2024! All your writing in 2023 has elevated your presence in some of the worlds most prominent and respected publications including The Root, Forbes, Quartz at Work, Harvard Business Review, just to name a few.  
7. You’ve continued your work serving on profit and non-profit Boards and successfully land your first paid Board position!

Lastly, your love for travel, rest, and play doesn’t go away. As a matter of fact, it becomes important for your soul-work, innovation, and creativity. Not only do you get the opportunity to visit multiple countries and cities with your client and speaking work, but you also continue your annual quasi sabbatical to take a month off for adventure and discovery. This year, you choose one of the following: Portugal & Spain or Fiji and New Zealand. I’ll keep the destination a surprise too, but you experience it all heart and wonder abundant.

I’ll close with this – what you’ll be most proud of is not just your impact, but the fact that you feel more like yourself than ever before. And your transformation and growth will not be without tears, pain or tragedy. This is life after all. But the grounding to your purpose and to your mission will create healing in others – in your personal and professional life.

I’m so proud of what you’ve become. Until next year!

<3

Angela