Well, 2014 is on the way out. What a year. I like to do these posts every year to reflect on the passing year, and set some goals for the next.
Let’s reflect on my resolutions for 2014:
- Ship great products: I did a lot of this in 2014. Between some sizable new features at CrowdTwist, some major new additions at ShootProof, and additional features being added to my iOS app, FloodWatch, I’d say that I shipped quite a bit this past year. Ninety percent of my focus continues to be on the web application side of things, which is still a ton of fun.
- **Find fun and satisfaction in all that I do: **I joined ShootProof in July, which spoke directly to this goal. I’ve found working in a smaller team to be much more satisfying, and our team is incredible. It’s truly a joy to go to the office everyday; I believe in the team and the direction we’re headed.
- **Say “no” more: **I’ve done a good job on this, being sure not to bite off more than I can chew. As a result, I’ve been largely absent from blogging, speaking at conferences, and writing articles. This is a bummer, but has been necessary to keep a good balance.
Now, what to tackle in 2015?
- Continue to help propel ShootProof forward: we’ve got a lot of great things in store for 2015, and I’m so thrilled and honored to be a part of it. I’m going to keep giving 110% so we can keep improving our products, and further solidify ourselves as the most comprehensive online solution for photographers. It’s been a great six months, and the next 12 are going to be incredible.
- Continue to improve FloodWatch: my little iOS app, FloodWatch, has been near and dear to my heart since I started on it in early 2010. With over four years in the iOS App Store, it still continues to be discovered and useful to thousands of people throughout the US each year. It’s not super lucrative, but there are a few more key features needed for it to reach its peak utility. I plan to add some features early in 2015, and ultimately want to feel 100% satisfied with its feature set in the coming year.
- Blog and/or speak more: I’ve done a lousy job of this in 2014, as exhibited by the fact that I published two posts last year. It’s so easy to write, yet I’ve failed to make it a priority. This has to change in 2015. Less talk, more action! I also need to speak a time or two, either at Atlanta PHP, or maybe even a PHP-centric conference. It’s been far too long.
- Launch a new iOS or Mac app: I’d like to branch out a bit in 2015, hopefully launching a second iOS app, or my first Mac app. I continued to find this to be an enjoyably platform in which to work, mainly because it’s so vastly different from web development. The introduction of Apple Watch also seems to be a great opportunity on many levels. I’d love to attend WWDC, too.
On a personal note, 2015 should finally bring about my jaw surgery where my underbite will be corrected by moving my lower jaw backward, and my upper jaw forward in order to close the discrepancy with my bite. This will involve a few months-long recovery process, but it is a worthwhile pursuit in terms of my long-term health. I’m not looking forward to the procedure, per se, but I am looking forward to it being over and having recovered. This past year was quite disappointing on this front, due my experience with an unethical and irresponsible Atlanta-based oral surgeon’s office (more on that later).
I’m also looking forward to finally having flying cars, Hoverboards, and food rehydrators.
Happy New Year!