To some it may be putting a lot of pressure on a few short weeks, but I have always believed that the first few weeks of the new year can really set the tone for the year…in business and personal.  I like to get myself organized, get the year started off well with my team with some teambuilding, morale boosting exercises.  I like to get my house in order, set some family goals.   I mean…I really take to the whole “new year resolution” thing.  You know…some “housekeeping.”   I know some like to coast into the new year and take advantage of a little slower pace before things start to pick up steam.  Our hospitality industry seems to be either one extreme or the other…either burst into the new year full steam ahead, or ease into the year smoothly without any ripples.   Well, I’m generally not the “ease into anything” kind of person.  Ask my husband.  I like to “RIP off the band-aid” as we like to say, or as other say “dive right in.”  This approach has served me very well.  Well, until last year…

So, basically this all means that in 2012 leading into 2013 I must’ve been out of my mind and done absolutely none of this, because 2013 was comparably AWFUL…one of the worst years on the books.  By my facebook statuses (yes I am pathetically using Facebook as my barometer) from 2013 leading into the new year…I don’t think I’m alone.  It seemed like many just wanted to move on and close the books on that dreadful ’13.   Let’s just say it loud and clear (forgive me father, for I rarely swear in my blogs), but 2013 was a Bitch!

Now to be fair, the year wasn’t a complete bust.  I made some great memories, learned some valuable lessons, rekindled friendships, watched my beautiful babies grow into toddlers, helped some fantastic hotel partners grow their business, made some lasting business partnerships, learned a lot about myself.  So, yeah…I might be blowing it up just a little bit.  There are people who had FAR worse years than I did for sure.  But, seriously it was one challenging year.  I shed more tears of frustration and angst, learned lessons about humanity that I did not wish to learn, was “taken” by people who I trusted, made some gut wrenching decisions, missed out on some really amazing moments due to said gut wrenching decisions, and just came toward the end of  the year gasping for air, exhausted and begging for mercy.

All that said, and I am still standing.  Plan B Consultants is in an amazing position in 2014 looking to blow up the industry with some cutting edge business development strategy & products.  My family is healthy, and I’m once again revived by this time in the new year when I can “get my house in order” and focus on the really important things.  I’ve learned a tremendous amount from that hard-nosed, pushy, unkind 2013.  I’m ready to move on into 2014 more focused, more determined, a little wiser and maybe with a bit thicker skin.

Here’s to a healthy and prosperous 2014 for all our friends, family, employees, business partners and future business partners.  Let’s make this a year full of reward!