Scarlett the Frankenstein tree

“This is the season she will make beautiful things. Not perfect things but honest things that speak to who she is and who she is called to be.” ― Morgan Harper Nichols

Shortly after my husband and I moved into our home 10 years ago, we planted a tree in the front yard. Since she is a blaze maple that turns bright red in the fall, we named her Scarlett. Each year, my husband stands beside her for a photo so we can document how much she has grown, and it’s a joy to see her leaves bud out each spring and then change a brilliant red each fall.

Somehow Scarlett has survived me forgetting to water her, deer rubbing their antlers on her trunk, bunnies eating her bark from their perches on snow drifts, and her first major trimming. Each time, the event left a scar of sorts, but she keeps growing, keeps leafing out each spring, and keeps turning red each fall.

In September 2019, before Scarlett’s leaves started to change, we woke up one morning to devastation in our neighborhood. Three tornadoes had touched down in Sioux Falls overnight, and while their paths didn’t cross our neighborhood, the high winds and a very wet year combined to rip 40-year-old trees out of the ground by their roots. Many landed across streets and on houses and vehicles. Thankfully, the two huge spruce trees that fell in our yard missed our home. Somehow.

I took the scene pretty well through my sleepy eyes until I walked out front and noticed Scarlett’s new scars. The high winds had been too much even for a smaller, young tree, and her trunk was beginning to split in half from the top down. My eyes welled up with tears. Someone else had planted those old spruce trees, but Scarlett was ours.

I posted photos of the destruction in our yard on Facebook, and a couple friends saw Scarlett and knew they could help. They came over with all the tools to cinch her tight, drill holes through her trunk, and secure bolts with washers and nuts to hold her together. Within minutes, she was a Frankenstein tree and had a few scars we put there on purpose to make her whole again.

In contrast, my own pursuit of wholeness has usually meant a pursuit of perfection. I have been a perfectionist since my toys and stuffed animals all had to be lined up just right before I could go to bed as a toddler. I bought my first planner in fifth grade. Being organized and on top of things is one of my defining traits. But I am learning being whole has nothing to do with striving for perfection.

Wholeness is recognizing the areas of our lives we don’t appreciate and understanding how they make us who we are.

Wholeness is sitting in the church pew remembering the people in our lives who are missing and knowing some holes can never be filled.

Wholeness is acknowledging our scars, each weakness and failing, and still knowing we are valuable and loved. And even loving all of those things about ourselves.

Wholeness also is not shying away from our strengths, not minimizing them or diminishing them because we want to make others feel better about themselves.

Wholeness is agreeing to believe we are complete right now. Nothing more is necessary for us to be enough.

Wholeness is my word for 2020 because my efforts toward perfection have left too many scars of their own. It was a pointless, disappointing, and destructive journey that was never going to end well. Instead of focusing on the microscopic details of my life, I need to recognize myself more as a whole person and be proud of who and where I am right now, today.

This is new territory for me. 40 years as a perfectionist will take a while to deconstruct. But even that history is part of what makes me whole.

Scarlett did turn red this past fall, even with three long bolts piercing her trunk. Her bright leaves lasted for what seemed like forever this year, too. But the true test of Scarlett’s wholeness will come this spring when her leaves either bud or don’t. If she makes it, some day her bark will even cover the washers and nuts to the point that no one but us will know she was ever ready to split in two.

When I look back on 2020 someday and remember the times I was ready to split in two, I will recognize the scars where the bolts, washers, and nuts are holding me together. That’s wholeness. And each season between now and then will be an opportunity to celebrate the buds, leaves, brilliance, and starkness of life.

Read about “Arise,” my word for 2019, here.

The Arc of Dreams in Downtown Sioux Falls

Owning my own business is a fairly recent dream. I didn’t have ambitions of being a business owner until I was deep into my career, and the life I live now is quite different from how I pictured adulthood when I was growing up. As cattle ranchers, my parents were their own bosses, and answering only to yourself seemed like the definition of success, but I didn’t really envision it for myself.

However, my independent spirit worked on me for quite a few years until starting a business of my own seemed like the only option. I haven’t looked for jobs in years. After five years of public service, and more than a decade before that working for mission-focused organizations, I didn’t want to find just another job. Starting a business and using my brainpower to help others solve problems became the only pathway forward.

Quitting my job and filing LLC paperwork was a leap of faith for sure, which is why the new Arc of Dreams sculpture in downtown Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is so stirring for me. It’s a massive stainless-steel structure that spans the Big Sioux River, two pieces nearly touching but forever reaching for each other. The sculpture’s most inspiring feature is that 15-foot gap between the two halves, which artist Dale Lamphere says represents the leap of faith dreamers take to see their dreams come true. The sculpture feels like a landmark to celebrate every entrepreneur who decided it was up to them to chart their own futures.

Now, more than a year into this adventure, I have learned so much about business, about life, about myself. As I reflect on 2019, here are some of the lessons I have learned as a first-time entrepreneur.

Some people will disappoint you, but many will surprise you with their kindness, too.
I have had to come to terms with the friends, acquaintances, former colleagues, and others who haven’t returned my phone calls, text messages, or emails since I started this business. I have had to shift my expectations to keep from being disappointed and to learn to recognize when others don’t have my best interests in mind. But I also have seen God show up in incredible ways, most often through other people who have championed me, invested in me, sustained me, and encouraged me in ways I can never repay.

You will disappoint you, but you will surprise yourself, too.
Answering only to yourself means there are days you are mad at yourself, too. Since I am my own boss now, I understand the challenges all of my former bosses must have faced. After years of running after deadlines and due dates, I now can set my own pace and am both the boss and the employee. I have rediscovered my inner strength and am learning to give myself more grace. I also have reaffirmed my area of expertise and know my niche experience is valuable to others.

It’s okay not to have the same goals as other entrepreneurs.
I don’t have aspirations like making a million dollars or signing a certain number of clients or having my face all over the news. I already had the rewarding but stressful job working tons of hours and decided I didn’t want that anymore. Now, I aspire to leisurely drink my coffee in the morning. I am allowing time for the lining of my stomach to grow back. I strive to never miss an opportunity to spend time with people I love. Yes, I want this business to be successful, and I am working hard to ensure that it is, but H Squared Communications is only a small part of my big, wonderful life, and that’s okay with me.

Some aspects of running a one-woman business are mundane but important.
I have learned how to file sales taxes every month, pay estimated quarterly income taxes, send invoices, document business expenses, and that’s just the start of it. None of that work was why I started this business, and none of it is fun or exciting. Owning a small business is challenging but sometimes boring work. All of it, however, is worth it when I can make my own schedule, take on only projects that bring me satisfaction and use my gifts, and feel like I am making a positive difference.

All of my past experience has led to this, and I am ready.
This year I had to have hard conversations with potential clients, with paying clients, with advisors, with loved ones, and in the mirror. It’s a good thing I have plenty of practice having hard conversations. I have presented to groups large and small, standing on a stage sharing my wisdom. It’s a good thing I have plenty of practice with public speaking. I have had to make recommendations and give advice that was hard to say out loud. It’s a good thing it wasn’t the first time. I am so grateful God prepared me for this moment, and I can put all of those past experiences to good use in helping others.

It’s been a hard year in a lot of ways, and doubts have crept in when I least expected them. But I still have never looked for a job, and I even turned down a job offer. It felt good at the time, but when what I had done sunk in, I questioned my own sanity. That’s really what owning your own business does to you every day: makes you question everything, including your own judgment.

But I know I will never regret the leap of faith that got me here and has allowed me to create the life I want for myself, my family, and my future. Every worthwhile decision has a 15-foot gap you either can leap over in faith or allow to stop you from following your dreams. I am so glad I made the jump.

If improving communications to your customers, clients, or community members is a priority for you in 2020, I can help. Let’s leap into the new year together.

Let the light shine on your message. [Needles Highway, South Dakota]

If you have ever been diagnosed with influenza, you know the ramifications of a virus. Basically, you feel like you are going to die for seven days. I have somehow acquired the flu at least three times in my life, and each time has been a reminder to slow down and take care of myself. Life had been moving too quickly, and I wasn’t prioritizing personal health and wellness.

A virus is basically a poison, whether it infects your body to make you sick or infects your technology to infiltrate your data. In either case, it spreads, sometimes regardless of the efforts you take to stop it. Why we also use the word “viral” as an adjective for a rapidly “successful” social media campaign is obvious but also worth exploring.

“Going viral” seems to be a popular goal for social media campaigns these days. Essentially, it means you want millions of people to see your Instagram, Facebook, or YouTube video. I can understand why teenagers promoting a brand of lip balm or doing skateboard tricks want to produce a viral video. But if your organizational goals include a viral social media campaign, do not hire me.

The State of South Dakota recently revealed a new advertising campaign, and the topic made it to late night comedians’ monologues pretty quickly. The slogan used for the campaign caught many people off guard, so much so that some were immediately calling for it to be discontinued. Others touted it as a great success because of the attention it received and how many people had seen it.

I have been a part of many different marketing campaigns. Sure, you want a catchy tagline, but if your catchy tagline becomes a huge distraction, is anyone truly hearing your message? After all, the message should be the focus of the campaign.

The four basic steps to creating a great communications or marketing campaign are:

1. Goal: What is the organizational objective that this marketing or communications initiative can help achieve? Any marketing or communications effort should reinforce overarching organizational goals. Creating a viral social media campaign is not a good goal in and of itself. What is it you want people to learn or know or do?

2. Audience: Who are you attempting to reach? Where will your message have the most impact? The answer to those questions is very rarely going to be millions of people. I doubt a worldwide Twitter following is really the target audience of any advertising campaign. Just like a movable message board is the best way to reach affected commuters about an upcoming street construction project, sometimes a simpler approach is more cost-effective and will reach the people who need to hear your message.

3. Message: What is the important message worth spending advertising dollars on at all? How do you make sure it doesn’t get lost in the mire of all the other messages? If the focus of the campaign becomes a particular person, the company or organization, or the campaign itself, the real message is lost. Focusing your message on a few key words and a consistent tone will make a greater impact.

4. Tactics: How does the audience consume information? What tactics will have the greatest benefit with the least amount of effort? The answer just might be a social media campaign, but leave the viral part out and you are sure to find more success.

It’s a common mistake to skip steps one, two, and three and jump straight to tactics, but this money you are investing is far too precious, and your reputation far too valuable, to jump over three important steps. I have been saying it since day one: Message matters. Don’t jeopardize your worthy message by throwing out strategy and instead betting on a viral social media campaign.

We are again entering flu season. Viruses are out there waiting to invade our bodies. My public health friends tell us to prioritize our health by eating right, getting enough rest, washing our hands, and most importantly getting vaccinated.

If you are responsible for your organization’s advertising dollars, now is a good time to vaccinate yourself against this dream of “going viral,” too. If you have some big, crazy goals and are serious about spreading an important message to people who need to hear it, I would love to hear from you.

Autumn can create a long to-do list and an uneasy sense of urgency because winter is near.

Fall is the absolute best time of year. Everything tastes like cinnamon and warmth. The trees teach us about courage not only in letting go but also in being vulnerable and open. If joy and vibrancy had a color, it would be autumn. Even the smell of the decaying leaves makes me feel calm and peaceful.

But fall can also turn into the season of doing, at least in our part of the world. We all have a very real deadline, but none of us knows exactly when it is. Winter will come, and soon, so there is an uneasy sense of urgency. Before the snow flies, I need to: trim back perennials, drain the sprinkler system, rake leaves, put hoses and pots and patio furniture away, have the furnace inspected, make sure the snowblower works, wash the windows, and more. It can be hard to find the joy in the work, and the fall preparations remind me that winter is near.

Our professional work can reach that point, too. The longer we are in our occupations or roles in our organizations, the longer our to-do lists become. Years in (or sometimes just months in), we can lose sight of why the work is important. Sometimes we know the work is no longer important, but we keep doing it anyway because it’s what we always have done.

Sometimes when I meet with potential clients, they bring a long list of items they want me to help them with. It can be a hard conversation, because I have to tell them that no, I am not a graphic designer. No, you don’t want to pay me to monitor your Facebook page. No, I don’t do video production. Yes, I do have experience in all of those areas, but no, that’s not the type of work I do today. Inevitably, the next question is: So … what is it that you do?

I don’t blame them. It can be hard to see past your 100-item to-do list. After all, those are the urgent things calling your attention. They are the tasks you are paid to accomplish. But my goal is to make sure those 100 items on your to-do list are worth doing.

When was the last time you reassessed your goals and evaluated whether or not your tasks are helping you reach them? Who are the people you want to reach with the graphic piece or your Facebook page or the new video? Is that the best tactic to use to place your message in front of them? Is your message impactful enough that your audience will be moved to act? Are you even including a call to action in your message?

When you ask yourself these questions, you might find only 50 of the items on your to-do list still are worth doing. A number of items that will help you reach your goals faster and easier might be missing from the list, too. And when you focus your efforts and target your message to the right audience, you can accomplish more with fewer resources and less time.

This is communications strategy, and that’s what I do. My job is to work with you to create a strategy, a plan, and a message that helps you reach your organizational objectives. Whether it’s your overall communications strategy, your social media plan, a crisis that just bubbled up, or a project that needs buy-in from the public or your employees, I can help you define the audience, message, and tactics to help you reach your goals.

If you could use some guidance in this area, I would love to hear from you. Let me be the dedicated resource who can objectively evaluate and prioritize your work and help you find the joy in it again.

This fall when I am outside trimming back my lilies and putting away the Adirondack chairs, I will remember the why behind the work and maybe take a few items off my to-do list. Let winter come, but let it come slowly and with a little bit of warning. This is the time of year that brings me joy, and I want to remember to be grateful.