Reflecting on Six Years of McMillion Consulting

It’s that time of year again. Each September, I find myself in a state of reflection as I celebrate another business anniversary. This month marks six years of McMillion Consulting! While my team and I are keeping our celebration pretty low-key this year, (never forget last year’s month-long Big 5 celebration) it's still a significant milestone. Every year of business has taught me something valuable and has informed the way I want to approach the future. This was no different. 

There’s a lot I could say about this Year 6—both personally and professionally. My 2022 word for the year is “Improve,” and I think that sums up this past year of business well, too. From expanding my team and finessing processes to saying “yes” to new growth opportunities, there’s no doubt we’re entering Year 7 better and stronger than we were a year ago. Here’s what stands out the most from the past 12 months. 

Accomplishments 

McMillion Consulting has accomplished a lot this year. Through The Profile Transformer™, as well as numerous training sessions, speaking events, podcast appearances, original content, and more, we’ve helped countless people improve their use of LinkedIn. I’m so proud of the way we continue to serve our clients with excellence. 

One of my biggest goals for the year was to launch a brand new McMillion Consulting website—one that better serves our visitors and improves the user experience. I’m proud to say we’re well on our way to accomplishing that. Our brand new, beautiful site will be live very soon. I can’t wait! Join our email list to be the first to know when we launch. It’s truly been a labor of love, so I’m excited for you to experience it for yourself.

Changes 

I made a few intentional changes in Year 6 that made a tremendous difference in my mindset and productivity. For one, I committed to reconnecting with God and prioritizing my relationship with Him. As part of this process, I pursued reading the entire Bible in a year. I knew when I set out to do this that it would require significant change to my normal routine, but I never anticipated how much I would change in the process. 

The peace and perspective I’ve gained simply by refocusing my attention has been a game-changer for me and my business. For example, our team has changed a lot in the past year due to life transitions. Instead of feeling defeated, I’ve been able to take a beat and lean into the joy of developing new talent. Teams aren’t forever—and that’s okay! I’m celebrating where we are today and where we’re headed.

Lessons

If you’re a regular LinkedInsider reader, you know I’m constantly sharing what I’m learning. (Not a subscriber yet? Sign up here.) As a self-proclaimed lifelong learner, I’m quick to embrace new opportunities for growth. Quite honestly, though, not every lesson is fun. In fact, sometimes learning can be a little painful and even humbling. 

This year, I discovered that it’s okay to slow down. Rigorous exercise has always been a part of my everyday routine. After a biking accident earlier this year, however, I was forced to take a step back. I paused my Orangetheory Fitness membership and picked up slower forms of exercise like yoga and walking. As a result, I’ve enjoyed a better sense of mental and physical balance than I have in a long time. I’m not going to bed sore and achy from pushing it too hard in the gym, and I feel refreshed. While I am back at it, I’m doing it with a clearer perspective on what nourishes my mind and my body. 

Challenges 

This year, I embraced new leadership challenges, both within and outside of the context of work. One goal I’ve had for a while now is to become a better speaker and teacher. I decided to commit to growth in a big, vulnerable way this year by hiring two coaches to review recordings of my speaking and group training engagements. It’s never comfortable to expose yourself to constructive criticism, but I’m already seeing the fruit of this decision. 

In a similar vein, I committed to significant leadership responsibility outside of work, too. I helped launch a re:generation program at my church. Along with my co-leader, I lead a closed group each week, aimed at helping people experience spiritual healing and recovery. This intensive experience has pushed me in more ways than I could have anticipated. I’m proud of the way I’ve persevered through the challenges and emerged from them stronger than ever. 

Looking Ahead

As I look ahead to Year 7, I can’t help but feel excited. We’ve accomplished a lot this year, but there’s so much more I want to do! Although “Improve” was my 2022 word, I expect it to carry into the next year of business as well. I am particularly hopeful about improvements in the way we manage time and grow to meet demand for our services. We’ve done a great job of setting “S.M.A.R.T.” (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-Bound) goals this year, but I think we can do even better in the year to come. Hold on tight, because we’re not even close to becoming all that we want to be! 

Summary 

Being a business owner brings the dual blessing and challenges of freedom and responsibility. By far one of my favorite aspects of owning McMillion Consulting is the freedom I have to shape it, grow it, or even step away from it when I need a break. I love being my own boss. At the same time, it means I have to be extra intentional about change and community. The joy and the struggle of this business (or any business for that matter), is balancing that dual sword of celebration and ambition. 

Enough about me. Let’s talk about you for a moment. What do you need to take the next step toward your goals? Maybe growing your network is on your to-do list. Or perhaps, you’re hoping to improve your sales tactics. Why not start tackling it today? My free Rock Your LinkedIn Profile guide is a great first step to build confidence and optimize your profile for success on LinkedIn. I’d love to help you nail your first impression and make traction toward your goals.