Welcome to my favorite tradition of the year—a real, no-filter look back at the last 12 months! This isn’t just a recap; it’s like opening a time capsule and inviting you to step into the behind-the-scenes of my life and business.

If you want to compare my progress, you can find my 2022 recap and 2023 recaps on this blog too.

Ok let’s dive in and spill the beans on everything that happened this year.

Wins + Good Stuff

1. My income this year was GREAT!

I’m not sharing this to brag, but when I started the year I was a brand new mom with a 3 month old who was waking up all hours of the night. I was worried about what going back to work was going to look like.

My husband also threw me a curveball this year when he told me he wanted to drop down to part-time work and stay at home with our daughter to avoid enrolling her in full-time daycare. This completely freaked me out at the time and felt like a huge financial risk, but we made it work and things turned out fantastic.

I’m going to dive more into income later on this post, but I made $129,352.35 in my business in 2024 which is my best year yet.

2. Dream Clients

One of the absolute highlights of this year was the incredible clients I got to work with. I mean seriously – there were so many clients this year that were absolute dream clients.

Some of the opportunities I had this year (some of which I can’t fully disclose publicly) were projects I used to daydream about.

My clients this year were supportive, kind, super respectful about boundaries (and my new mom status) and they are doing all sorts of cool and inspiring stuff in the world.

They brought their A-game, trusted me with their visions, and made the whole process not only rewarding but so much fun. I feel incredibly lucky to have collaborated with such creative, kind, and downright cool humans this year!

3. Friendships

Motherhood can be such a lonely journey at times, but this year, I was lucky enough to experience the power of some truly out-of-this-world friendships. I had friends who made sure I was seen and heard, even on the toughest days. These were the friends who checked in on me regularly, sent thoughtful messages, and talked for hours during long walks with my baby.

They reminded me that I wasn’t alone in the chaos, and those connections were absolutely priceless. The support, love, and laughter they brought into my life made all the difference, and I’m so grateful for them.

The Hard Stuff

1. No Consistent Childcare Help

One of the tougher challenges this year was the lack of any childcare help. Without family nearby and my husband working part-time, this year was a constant juggling routine. One person would be on baby duty while the other person worked, slept or did whatever else they needed to function like a human.

Date nights were essentially non-existent this year and honestly, there were times when I felt like I was drowning in the never-ending to-do list. It wasn’t easy, but we did our best to make it work and find little moments of connection, even if it meant getting creative with how we spent time together.

There were a couple of specific weeks that were extremely hard to not have any backup support we could call in for a couple of hours. Things did get easier as the year went on and as our baby started sleeping through the night.

I’m still hoping in 2025 though we’ll find some sort of solution that allows us to have some part-time care. We tried a few different options this year and nothing ended up being the right fit.

2. Small House Woes

The lack of space in our home was a big challenge this year. We live in a relatively small house, and with a baby, two dogs, and two adults working from home, it often felt like we were on top of each other. There was barely a moment to breathe, and finding a quiet corner for work or just some alone time was nearly impossible. It definitely tested our patience and forced us to get creative with how we used every inch of our space. While we made it work, there were times when I longed for a lot more room to stretch out and breathe.

3. Aging Dogs

It feels a little silly to put your dogs on this list, but our aging border collies (10 and 13) aren’t as spry as they used to be and both had their fair share of health issues and anxiety this year. We had to see several specialist vets and change some of our home routines to make everything work. Everyone is currently happy, healthy and in a good groove but there was a portion of this year where we were worried about both dogs and sinking a bunch of time into getting them extra support.

How much money did I make this year?

$129,352.35

As I shared earlier in this post, I feel SO GOOD about this number. Most of this came from working one-on-one with clients to help launch or support their online courses. I also made some money this year through speaking, affiliate income and business coaching.

You can read all of my monthly income reports on the blog too!

• January: $13,338.33
• February: $10,616.89
• March: $10,663.22
• April: $9,450.00
• May: $14,410.47
• June: $11,802.66
• July: $10,317.08
• August: $9,829.90
• September: $8,515.20
• October: $9,278.20
• November: $12,678.40
• December:  $8,542.00

How much money did I spend this year?

$21,991.34

Personally I think this is kind of high. Most of this money was paying for contractors I work with and a large part of the contractor expenses were for one specific project where a client wanted me to handle and manage a large part of a project that we needed to contract out. The specific situation made up 50% of my contractor fees this year and was something out of the ordinary.

But I’m still looking at tightening up my expenses for 2025. I don’t think a lot of the money spent here had a huge ROI on the success of my business.

My Best Purchases of The Year

1. The Bookkeeping Template for Creatives ($49.50)

One of my best purchases this year was this Google sheets bookkeeping template. It’s been a game-changer for keeping track of all the numbers in my business. Managing expenses and profits can feel overwhelming, but this template made everything so much clearer. It’s incredibly user-friendly, and I love how easy it is to update and organize my financials. With it, I’ve been able to stay on top of my spending and really get a clear picture of my business’s financial health. Honestly, it’s been such a stress-saver!

Here’s a peek at what mine looks like:

*Some of the numbers on the spreadsheet are different from my income reports because I have one client who pays me through a W2.

2. Makeup Lessons ($150)

One of my favorite purchases this year was the makeup lessons I took with my best friend. We had a makeup artist show us how to use all the products we already owned, along with some of her recommendations for a more streamlined routine. Not only did I end up simplifying my makeup routine, but I also switched to cleaner, less toxic products that make me feel so much better. Plus, I saved a ton of money by finally stopping the cycle of buying random products just to realize I didn’t like them. Now, my makeup feels easier, more effective, and I’m way happier with the results!

3. Full Focus Planner ($49.99)

I still love my Full Focus Planner. This is my 3rd year in a row using one and this year more than ever it was such a relief. It’s one of those tools that consistently works for me, helping me stay organized and focused throughout the year. I love how it helps me streamline my work and keep track of my goals in a way that feels manageable and productive.

Read More: Full Focus Planner Review – What You Need to Know

4. Tax Strategy Call ($1,000)

Oof – this one hurt and I almost didn’t make the investment, but I am so glad I did. I paid an accountant to review all of my finances and give me some tax strategy advice. My business has grown a lot in the last few years and we now pay my husband a small salary out of the business as well. I wanted to make sure we had the best setup and were taking advantage of every deduction we could.

Other Honorable Mentions:

• My timer cube that I use every single day (my old one died this year so I bought a new one!) 
• Liz Wilcox’s $9 Email Marketing Membership – This is my 3rd year as a member and I still love it. 
• Tiny Target shopping cart for my daughter that she loves to push around the house
• Noise Canceling Headphones ($50) – so essential for working at home with a small child. I should have bought these much sooner

Final Recap

As I look back on 2024, it’s clear that it was a challenging year—though not in the ways I expected. The obstacles I faced weren’t the ones I’d anticipated, and they taught me a lot about adaptability, resilience, and what really matters.

And most of the things I was worried about when the year started weren’t actually a problem. So I guess what I’m saying here is that you can’t always anticipate your challenges or the hard years.

Despite a lot of challenges this year, it was also my most rewarding year – personally, professionally and financially.

I’m headed into 2025 with a ton of excitement and inspiration! I’m so grateful for another year of working for myself in this business that I started 6 years ago now because I took a chance and believed it was possible.

May 2025 be a year of growth, love, fun and so much more for all of us!