Do You Know Where You're Going To?


Last summer I began my small business Literacy Speaks Volumes. It began as a blog (the one you're reading now) and a Facebook page. My original idea was to do the research, which I was already doing for my job as a 7th grade English Language Arts teacher, and share ideas with teachers. Why? Because that's the sort of thing that I loved myself. 

As I researched ideas, I came across this site called Teachers pay Teachers that was chock full of free resources and many more resources that were inexpensive. Ta-da...the lightbulb went off! Why couldn't I sell my resources also? I was already creating them for my classroom and sharing them with others. So, my first store was launched.

But it didn't just end there...one blog became three and then of course there was the obligatory Twitter account. Now, I've opened another store on Teachers Notebook and one on Etsy. I also developed a website to go along with this business.

Now after one year, I need to ask myself. Where am I going with this? It can't be a hit or miss venture. This has to be a viable business that can soar on its own. It's been difficult to stay focused and on task in the summer time when work is not tugging on me. It will be even more difficult to do this once school starts back up.

So, today I'm reflecting. I'm pondering where I'm taking this business. Do I need to drop a blog? Do I need to merge my website with my blog? Do I need to pay for advertising? What is it that I really want to do? Research? Write? Can I still do all of them? 

The song title really does fit in this case as I'm searching for the answer to it.

Melissa Reese Etheridge

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