Hey Gang!!
Happy belated holidays!
I purposefully waited until post Christmas, Kwanzaa and into the new year to bring you my latest blog post. Which consequently is all about my 2023 goals and … blogging/ blogging and podcasting MORE!
Before we get started tho, let me invite you to save the date and RSVP to my first event of the new year ~
I’m so excited that we’ll be launching our pop-up activation brand, Ink & Release for 2023. At leach, we’ll make the entire site live before your eyes and talk about the 4 ways we can work together in the new year – private tattoo sessions, tattoo & book tour, client-only events and Japan retreat. ^.^
Dreamers Gon’ Dream
As we enter 2023, I wanted to share with you the 3 C’s that you MUST have to make all of your dreams reality.
Yeah yeah … I know we have this new magic word “mainfestation” but it’s a VERB. Which means you’ll have to take action. Here are your tools ~
Hi I’m Baby And I Sit ME In The Corner
Since the panini, I have sat my a$$ down and kept my head low to really fill in the gaps of my business. I didn’t know what a gap analysis was before 2020 … but once I saw that my private studio could be in trouble, I quickly learnT for the success of my biz baby.
That shared, it seems like in the past two years, of sitting my ass in the corner to really get the foundations of my business together, I’ve forgotten or left behind the simple pleasures of sharing my journey.
Like THIS win!! 👇🏾
Everything feels like it needs to fit into a content bucket of sorts. And I’ve found myself overthinking stuff I used to do effortlessly, in a need to understand what I’m doing, innately, so that I can recreate success …
I got multi-multi-six figures on my mind ^.^
BUT in all of that data-chasing and foundation building, I have left our connections behind.
For this, I TRULY and DEEPLY apologize. Because I started this space, yet another blog by Imani K Brown, to connect intentionally and share.
And then … I disappeared or became sporadic in my showing up.
All that shared, that is the #1 thing on my heart as we dive into my 2023 goals and ish ~
This blog, is not just me sharing my goals but live accountability to the squad I recently guided through their goals in our virtual planning party. ^.^
If you need helpp setting your goals for 2023, grab my Ultimate goal setting toolkit here.
This post is based on my goal-setting process. You can explore that here for a quick break down of my process + resources & tools.
A Journey Into 2023!
So, NGL. I’m not too sure where people find or follow me from, but that’s ok! If you’ve ended up in this or any space curated by me, you haven’t found it by chance or accident.
This year is all about getting out of my own way, radical rest and taking you on. the journey WITH me … not me waiting for you to find me. which that is the story of my life *kanye shrug*
That shared, I’m actually excited about my creative goals and focusing on simply executing ideas, as it relates to content instead of sitting on them waiting for the perfect time to curate a story. That’s what repurposing is for YES?! And the goal of this journey inspire other artists and creatives to visualize, ideate and write down what they want from their careers. TO OWN DAT ISH!
Often my own goals were not that specific in the past and that’s because I’d be scared to own them, take action and measure my gains. Instead I like to be whimsical, giving myself space to fail to avoid my harshly scolding inner dialogue hat would often check me then my expectations are high, but my actions don’t match the expectation. It was my way of lowering my own bar, if ou will. But then I had to have a coming to Jesus moment to say SIS! THAT AIN’T YOUR STYLE!
I’m here because of my high AF expectations of myself. And while the world says be kinder to yourself. All I can think is that’s possible. But also diamonds don’t shine without pressure. *boop* Peep our roadmap. I made this almost 7 years ago …
And we are on the GLO UP, bay-bay! In fact, we just did my first EOY checklist 
My COO had more to say about my personal growth & how it’s helping the company grow (gonna share those emerging CEO gems in an IG reel 
)
My pink tattoo concept studio is growing wings. All because I decided to commit to the uncomfortable work. 
We outside all 2023!
And thanks to the good sis and boyb creative DonYe Taylor, I’m definitely creating a full 2023 Goal List Synopsis where I’ll list the goals set forth from this blog IN SPECIFIC and revisit them next end-of-year planning season. Then, together we can analyze my goals and I can provide context as to why I did or didn’t achieve them.
For 2023, I’m getting super specific and giving you all a sneak peek at my goals because self-expectations should be normalized.
Lastly, I’m doing this is because I love taking you all on my journey with me. And want to return to that communal flex of if one of use wins, we all win. UGK style!
So let’s dive right in!
My 2023 Intentions
What is planning a year without having a North Star? So before we deep dive into my over-achieving are goals, let’s look at what my intentions are for 2023.
Most people say set your intentions with a word, but I say it’s more powerful when you have these three ingredients:
- a word
- a phrase
- a VIBE
So here are mine ~
My word: SANKOFA
Sankofa is an African word from the Akan tribe in Ghana. The literal translation of the word and the symbol is “it is not taboo to fetch what is at risk of being left behind.”
My Phrase: RADICAL REST TO RELEASE and RECEIVE
In today’s microwave society everyone thinks, eats and creates on the go. Stillness is no longer valued. And in Black culture, consciously choosing to rest is both a form of resistance and a way to reground yourself, releasing things that don’t servee you and making room for things that help grow you.
Also, I have a personal theory of tattoo being a form of radical rest, in the light of regrinding and making room for growth.
My VIBE: I AM MY ANCESTOR’S WILDEST DREAMS
And for a bonus … looked here, as not scripture citing and non-Christiany as I am, I KNOW when a word is for me. And I shared in my Kwanzaa emails about my name – Imani Kuumba NIA Raha Brown. And something I never said just flipped off the tips of my fingers as I typed –
A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.
Proverbs 18:16
It’s a scripture I remembered from when I was little. I held onto it and always used it to argue why I’d be a full time artist, someday, to my mom and mentors. HA! We’re bringing that back for my full circle year – 2023.
Gone Goal Diggin’: 2023 Goals
Goals listed in bold are my top priorities and will go on my goals synopsis sheet for 2023.
🌸 Financial 💸
- Generate $200K in business revenue
- Book $150K in Tattoos
- Generate $25K from coaching/ DFY & DWY brand services
- Book $5K in Speaking Engagements
- Start making measurable steps towards learning about business credit/ funding
- Clear all credit, pay all bills on time & limit overdtaft fees for 12 months
- Get up to date on taxes
🎀 Professional 👩🏽🎨
- Host & Produce a year-long tattoo therapy brand activation
- Launch Black Tattoo Anthology brand – community, podcast & book
- Host quarterly in-person meetups for my tattoo & coaching clients
- Help 10 creative entrepreneurs lay the foundations to reach their first sustainable 6-figures in business
- Open my tattoo apprenticeship program to 5 people
- Book 10 podcast interviews
- Have 3 intentional collaborations
- Find and employ a Black CPA/ Bookkeeper to manage our money
- Ideate more Afro-Japanese-themed ornamental/ decorative art layered with textures and patterns
- (Seriously) imagine & curate my personal social media as creative lifestyle influencer spaces
- Apply to become a Statusphere influencer
- Explore the following awards for a tattoo therapy marketing campaign that I produce/ ideate
- Create & Launch Shoppe Gal A/W Collection #003
- Host a Keynote/ Workshop at an event in Japan
- Create a consistent content strategy for myself that is encompassing of my main platforms – YT, blog (x3), podcast, IG & Tiktok
- Find, Train and employ a personal creative assistant to assist with my projects for 2024
💖 Personal 👩🏽🎤
- Get murried!
- Reach out to a friend a month, just to say hi ^.^
- Find a local content buddy to go explore and snap flicks with
- Engage with the gyaru community more & create more relatable style content
- Reimagine & position Afro-Kawaii Style into a platform and apparel aimed at providing young Black girls with the resources & access they need in order to create their own brand.
- Reimagine & position DC Kawaii Style & Kawaii-in-da-Hood into non-profits aimed at providing kawaii creatives and urban youth the resources & access they need in order to pursue a creative career.
- Grow my local library teen girls mentoring circle
- Ideate & Publish (5) Tattoo Therapy Theories/Methods
Social Growth 🌱
- Grow Shoppe Gal G.A.N.G. (VIP learning community) to 1000 members by EOY 2023
- Grow Instagram Following to 20K by EOY
- Grow Twitter Following to 3K by EOY
- Grow TikTok Following to 10K by EOY
- Grow Youtube Subscribers to 10K by EOY
- Grow Newsletter Subscriber list to 15K by EOY
Consistency 🔁
- Create & shoot Gyaru looks 2x per month
- Educate my audience on business, branding & marketing 3x month
- Post on YouTube & Podcast 2x month
- Post to LIPS & Ink and Release blogs 2x per month
- Post to Shoppe Gal blog 1x per week
- Post on Linked-In at 2x week
- Post on TikTok, IG & Twitter daily
- Publish a Substack Shoppe Gal | The Black Tattoo CEO Newsletter 1x month
- Publish Motivational Monday NEWS to my email list every Monday
January’s Goals 🎍
- Launch Ink & Release site
- Complete Apryl Beverly’s copy certification
- Complete Trainual certification & shool
- Create & shoot 2 Gyaru looks & content
- Curate & execute 1 tattoo + lifestyle brand shoot
- Post on YouTube & Podcast 2x (biweekly)
- Post to LIPS blog 2x (1st & 15th)
- Post to Shoppe Gal blog 4x (1x p/ wk)
- Post on Linked-In 8x (2x p/ week)
- Post on TikTok, IG & Twitter daily
- Publish a Substack Shoppe Gal | The Black Tattoo CEO Newsletter 1x
- Publish Motivational Monday NEWS to my email list every Monday (in inboxes @ 9A)
- Schedule BTA Artists & community circle
Keepin’ It A BUCK!
To keep me dedicated to my financial growthh and goals, I took time to calculate what my time is worth. This way I can truly understand how my time is worth money. I think this trick helps artists and creatives become OK with the art for trade, pricing and barter games.
How Much My Time Is Worth:
Annual goal 1,000,000,000 /
Time worked 36 weeks x
Working Hours 25 hrs p/ week =
Hourly rate, $12000
OK, Your Turn ~
I want to challenge you all to create a very specific list of financial, professional and personal goals that you want to accomplish this year. Feel free to use my list as a guide. And if you want to really go in depth with your planning, get my Ultimate planning Toolkit here.
This toolkit comes with plenty swag to help you plan & prosper in 2023!
- 2023 Virtual Planning Party Replay – 2 hours
- 2023 Goals Synopsis Sheet Template
- Dream It. Block It. Do It. Ideation Template
- Budget Planner & Financial Template
- 30-Day Creative Content Calendar
- Ultimate Organization Toolkit
- S.M.A.R.T. Goals Mini-Course
A kind reminder, compliments of DonYe – not accomplishing all of your goals doesn’t make you a failure!
In fact, you may accomplish so much in 2023 that wasn’t even on your list. For example, reaching an additional $25K in biz grants wasn’t one of my 2022 goals, but it happened!
Feel free to share some of your 2023 goals by commenting below, and always remember, THINK BIG B*TCH!
Was That Helpful?
As always, I’M ROOTING FOR YOU!
GAMBATTE, NE!
About Shoppe Gal G.A.N.G. Created Special for Artists & Creative Misfits of the World – Neurodivergent, Struggling, Emerging & Growing
I’ve spent the last few months listening to the cries of artists from all walks of life wailing about not being able to build a sustainable art business. In fact, a lot of artists I’m surrounded by wish they could live their art & creative dreams. Instead they’re burnt out working jobs that don’t even feed their creative passions taking them farther from their dreams – all in the name of survival.
And you know what … I get it because years ago I was THAT ARTIST trying to figure out how to rinse and repeat the successes I DID have so that I could build on my own art dreams.
And the universe heard my cry so that I could make it and then in the grand gesture of each one teach one, I’m now equipped with a special set of skillsets that help me advance creatively … but in the business world.
But with that, my mask is secured and it’s now come time that I help another secure theirs – reaching back to do my part to help lift while I climb.
It doesn’t matter if you have all the answers right now. In fact, you’re not going to have all of em at this moment – it’s a process. BUT you can START. And that’s what I want to see you do NEXT. Simply, lead with your heart and let logic follow ~
The NUMBER ONE question I’m always asked is how did I get to be so confident and authentic in my art business? Welp. Here’s my helpful answer –
SHOPPE GAL G.A.N.G.
I want you to be able to DIG IN – visualize your new success and what it feels like to take those forgotten creative dreams off the shelf and really start bringing them into your reality. For real for real!
Last but not least, it’s important to know that a lot overall growth spurt feels – negative self-talk, imposter syndrome, anxiety, depression, etc. – are common and you’re NOT alone.
BUT also we’re all artists, anxious beans, and introverts. And it’s not likely that we’ll reach out to get the supporting intel from other people along their journey. We often watch from the sidelines trying to piecemeal and DIY our dreamy ideas to life. And well … that can be long, tiring, and daunting.
So, this is me being proactive, especially if you’re watching my growth and success from the sidelines trying to put it all together. Why would I give you my secrets to success? Well friend, I really do care about your success.
Aiight fam. Here’s to chasing your audacious creative dreams and showing up as the BAWSE af art entrepreneur you are ~
With love, from your intentional healing, unapologetically happy and profitably creative gal pal here to say CHASE YO’ DREAMS! It could cost your the world if you don’t.
Shoppe Gal Diaries 