It’s time to wrap up the year at SMM Headquarters and let my conclusions, reflections and thanks spill onto the page. And oh boy do I have things to say about 2020!
What a year, huh? 🧼
First and foremost, I truly hope that you and your loved ones have stayed healthy, safe and in good spirits despite the hardship and the tragedy of the pandemic.
I know you were affected. We all were. Many of us made sacrifices we never thought we would have to. There has been a lot of ugliness and polarization in the world besides the general suck that’s COVID-19. Still, I hope we’re turning the corner and learning our lessons!
Our clients were hit the hardest.
The first lockdown in Toronto affected us deeply yet indirectly. The business itself was never in danger—I have always run it from home and have made enough pivots —but its impact on my mental health shouldn’t be understated. It was bad, for a while. Yet, I wasn’t the worst off.
Small businesses—the very clients SMM Headquarters serves—felt the weight of the closures first and suffered the most. I commend each and every one of them for emerging, more determined than ever, on the other side.
The business was not immune to financial uncertainty. But the darkest times gave me the biggest opportunity to work on the business itself, re-focus and re-evaluate. I was far from calm and collected throughout but, ultimately, the first wave of COVID-19 shaped my business more than ever. What’s more, with the easing of restrictions, our clients slowly but surely resumed their operations, getting their own customers back and reaching new ones.
2020 has been the most successful year for SMM Headquarters to date. I am deeply grateful for the clients we have served and started serving in the midst of the pandemic—I have never and will never take that for granted. Thank you.
What changed in 2020 🌑
I’ve been fortunate to work on so many meaningful, exciting and deeply fulfilling projects with clients from so many sectors. From non-profits to ecommerce, we made some outstanding things happen on social media, with Google Ads and Facebook Ads!
In 2020, paid ad consulting became the core tactical service of SMM Headquarters. I also introduced the big and bold strategic package that you will hear a lot about in 2021!
I haven’t announced it explicitly, but I have also stopped offering social media management to new clients of the agency. I’m still very, VERY happy to consult on issues related to social media, especially when it comes to strategy. But all the social posting, calendaring, and planning is no longer a standalone service you will find on our updated website.
Fret not! If social media management is something you need, I have a fantastic network of powerful, talented women in marketing. If I can’t help you directly, I for sure know someone who can. 2020 was the year that taught me the power of community—I would never hesitate to show up and ask for help again.
What’s in store for 2021 🌕
2020 was a pretty sh*t year overall, but it was the reset button I needed to figure out the purpose of SMM Headquarters and to take it to new heights. Which is pretty much the plan for 2021!
Next year, the focus will be sharp, the work will flow, and the ads will get clicks like never before. I plan on publishing more, not just on Instagram and here on the blog, but on LinkedIn and in my newsletter as well.
At the same time, I’m remembering that plans are just that—plans. Life happens despite them. So whatever life throws at me, at my business and at my clients, I know we’ll deal with it. Together.
My warmest wishes to you and yours!
I hope that you have found something to be grateful for this year as well. I wish you great health, lots of love, abundance in life and business, and the best of wishes for the new year. Please take some time off and allow yourself to rest. We’ve all earned it.
✨ And then let’s see what kind of magic we can make happen in 2021! ✨
With love,
Katya Ryabova
SMM Headqurters founder
