In so many ways, this has been a year I couldn’t imagine. I’m now a full-time consultant. I have no relationship with Reach. I’m about to become a father. Each of these experiences has felt like both an opportunity and an obstacle. I never expected a year like 2022, but I actually find myself excited about 2023. I’ve licked my wounds. It’s time to move on.

This year, I worked with six different clients. I worked on my first political campaign (interesting, but a one-time thing) and facilitated my first strategic planning retreat (more please!). Of the five consulting engagements that ended in 2022, three clients have already hired me again. That feels like good feedback. Finances matter (see: impending fatherhood), so I’m proud to say I made more than I did in my last year as an executive director.

That’s not to say the year didn’t come with challenges. I’ve learned the need to clearly define consulting engagements. I’ve learned that health insurance is too expensive. And, I’ve learned that DC’s parental leave policy isn’t as friendly to independent consultants as one might hope. I've learned that, despite having spent the last thirteen years addressing DC's literary crisis - an area in which I'm a proven expert - I feel both my past and potential contributions have become invisible in a community I worked so hard to support. I've learned that the narrative of my departure from Reach has been fed by false assumptions which I know I can't stymie, but they hurt nonetheless.

I also find myself frightened at times. I have plans for an online course that’s been in production for too long. And I have an entrepreneurial idea that remains stagnant. I write in spurts, repeatedly silenced by fear that no one will want to read what I produce. I find myself scared of being judged. My confidence is shaken. But, I’m beginning to feel that fear subsiding.

There are some significant changes ahead. As mentioned, my wife is due to deliver our first child early in 2023. And, let me tell you, that’s motivation! And, another big change is coming. We’ve decided to move back to our hometown, Philadelphia. The distance I've felt from DC's nonprofit community and the consulting work I've done with clients outside of DC has reminded me that I can be helpful anywhere. And, if I can be anywhere, I might as well be 10 minutes from my mom. More on that some other time…

So, what’s in store for 2023? I’ll share a few goals below:

1. I’ll release an online course on using children’s literature to build literacy skills in high school classes during the first quarter of 2023.
   

2. I’ll find at least six new clients, including one strategic planning client, one philanthropic advising client, and one coaching client.
   

3. I’ll pressure test an entrepreneurial idea I have to determine whether it deserves further vetting - at which point you might hear about it!
   

4. I’ll make more than I did this year.
   

5. And, I’ve waited a long time to be a dad. So, I’ll soak that in, dedicating specific days to childcare while investing in outside care so I can continue to earn and maintain the trust of every client I engage.

If the last 18 months taught me anything, it’s that I can’t predict the future. But I know I plan to continue doing solid work for causes that matter. And, if you have ideas about how I might be helpful to an entity you care about, I’m ready. Let’s get to work.