Jasmine’s End of Year Letter - 2021
Dear friends, family, and supporters from all over—
First of all, thank you. I might have said it before, but it never feels like enough, so THANK YOU for being here. Thank you for encouraging me. Thank you for making introductions to help me spread the word about Compass. Thank you for believing in my vision.
I am one of so, so, many people who have decided that life is too short to do work that feels meaningless. Work that contributes to someone else’s goals. Work that leaves you asking, “Does this make the world a better place?” (And the answer doesn’t feel like yes)
In 2020, five years after my husband Allan died, I was ready to use my skills and experience to help other people going through similar experiences: when emotions are high, the paperwork is intense, and it’s tough to know what to do or where to go. That’s how Compass Coordinators was born. Then, in 2021, my side hustle turned full-time.
Here are three of the many lessons that I’ve learned this year, pursuing my passion and building a business that has a meaningful impact on people’s lives.
Lesson 1: Find a New Way to Set Goals and Stay Focused
The first lesson I learned in 2021 was how to set goals and stay focused in an environment that was constantly changing. You would think that I would have learned this before now, but nope—my brain craves structure, and I was planning (and hoping) for more consistency and getting really thrown off when my plans crumbled and goals went unmet.
In June, I got myself a new best friend: a planner. (Did you know they make ones that start mid-year?) I had been doing OK with my calendar + notebooks before, but the game-changer was taking the time to write out my schedule for each day, have a separate place for tasks & reminders, and then flip forward to add notes to my future self.
“Dear future self, don’t forget that summer camp registration is in January for some reason”
Lesson 2: Physical and Mental Health Cannot Be Ignored
I’ve always been inconsistent at best with exercise, eating well, meditation, journaling, and really just resting. What happened in 2021 was I started noticing a DRAMATIC difference in my attitude and motivation when I neglected those things. It was all up to me to remind myself what I was doing and WHY every single day. In order to show up as my best self with networking connections, prospects, and clients, I needed to take the time to take care of myself first.
Lesson 3: “The Hustle” Is Really Marketing and Sales
I love a good start-up story! I love the positive energy and inspiration that can be found in entrepreneurial communities, too. But I hate the word “hustle.”
Calling what entrepreneurs do in the beginning of starting a business “hustle” glosses over and glorifies what you really have to do: tell people what you do and who it helps. If you have time, maybe stick in your “why.” Over and over and over and over again. Go to networking meetings. Get so good at your elevator pitch that you can do it in your sleep. Schedule video meetings. Post on social media and engage with other profiles. Go to coffee. Speak at events. Mail out flyers. Etc, etc, etc.
Question any narrative you hear that goes, 1. Write a business plan 2. Put up a website/storefront 3. Serve customers. NOPE. You have to tell people who you are and what your company is all about until you feel like you can’t repeat it any more—and then do it some more. Many people are hesitant to be that first customer, so it could take a while to build up trust and testimonials that lead to consistent revenue.
As we say in our house, “Hathaways can do hard things,” and I definitely feel like I am living that message for my seven-year-old daughter. Starting a business (in a pandemic) certainly isn’t easy, but I am so grateful for the opportunity and resources to do it. If you’d like to connect, here’s how to do it.
Happy New Year,
Jasmine Hathaway
Founder, Compass Coordinators
