Hayli Morrison

As the temperatures turn cooler, the workload heats up. It never fails that December and January are my busiest months in terms of client projects, and this season is gearing up to follow suit. It makes perfect sense when you think about it. Who doesn’t want a new image, slogan or brochure, a web site overhaul or a major marketing push to ring in Christmas or the new year?

After all, Thanksgiving and Christmas signify the busiest shopping season, which naturally has a ripple effect across many other industries. And the new year means a fresh start with fresh hopes for many business owners. Professional PR and marketing certainly has its place in helping those hopes become reality.

All business owners have probably fallen into the trap of working so hard in the business that they forget to work on the business. But it’s important to take inventory of goals and progress. Success is impossible without knowing which specific direction you want to go and creating appropriate strategy. So why not give your business an honest, critical look — and even an extreme makeover, if needed — now before the holidays hit?

Reduce end-of-year stress with advanced preparation and reap the rewards of a prosperous holiday season, sailing smoothly into 2011!

Summertime in Kansas has proven fairly similar to Tennessee – same humidity with a bit more wind. We have enjoyed all the free family activities and outdoor recreation on-base and in the surrounding area. We’ve yet to make it to the Wizard of Oz museum, but it’s on the agenda soon!

After working on a product brochure for an oil cleanup technology company and ghostwriting a health book, I’m finally settling down to enjoy the last few weeks of summer. The aim is for that to include more pool and garden time than computer time!

This fall, the pace quickens as my son starts part-day preschool five days a week, preparing to transition into full-day Kindergarten the following year. My husband and I will both be part-time college students, so will no doubt fight over the laptop until we purchase one for him!

I look forward to two graduate classes at Kansas State’s Journalism and Communications school and accepting an assistant role there in some form, whether research or teaching. This new and exciting challenge will mix things up a bit and make life very interesting. At only 10 to 20 hours per week, this job will help with tuition while still allowing plenty of time for freelance writing.

It seems we’re at our best personally and professionally when we challenge ourselves to step beyond the status quo, so I expect K-State to create a positive ripple effect across my family life and freelance business. Here’s to broadening horizons and seizing new opportunities!

The name of the game over the last two months: moving and settling in. Thankfully, that horrific task is mostly complete and it’s back to the grindstone. Routine is a beautiful thing and we’re relieved life has settled down, allowing us to line up final details like a new preschool, church, etc.

Professionally, I am done “coasting” with my few dedicated clients, as necessitated by our move to Kansas. Now that things are settling here at Fort Riley, I will take on extra summer projects and perhaps work on magazine pitches.

Upcoming months will bring new opportunities in the classroom, both as a teacher and student. This fall, I will take two graduate classes at Kansas State University – PR Campaigns and Communication Theory. These are the first steps toward my longtime goal, a graduate degree in Journalism and Mass Communications.

Secondly, I will enter the classroom to teach a class or two on such things as writing/editing for print and web, blogging, entrepreneurship, marketing, etc. These will be among the many diverse offerings on base for Army spouses and youth in Fort Riley’s community education program. A similar opportunity with Metro Nashville Public Schools Community Education fell through last year due to lack of funding, so it’s exciting to finally get into the classroom and share insight from four years of self-employment. Best of all, such classes will particularly benefit Army families, who lead transient lifestyles and need highly portable sources of income. And if I can inspire Army spouses as much as they’ve inspired me, it’s a worthy endeavor indeed!