OPINION: Learning to celebrate your own mini-milestones

ONE of the hardest things I’ve had to learn since starting my own business is celebrating mini-milestones and personal successes – no matter how small or trivial they might appear.

I’ve never been one to talk up my own achievements or successes and very often it’s only the people closest to me who actually know about them.

But starting my own media business turned that up a notch and I must admit I’ve felt like an outsider from time-to-time.

I’ve felt like the spare wheel at press briefings or media events because my Good News Fraser Coast brand – and audience – is still growing.

I’ve read quite a lot about imposter syndrome and I think its fair to say I’ve experienced some of that since Good News Fraser Coast went live at the beginning of February.

How is a small media business going to compete with massive, well-established companies that are household names across the Fraser Coast, Queensland and even Australia?

Where am I going to fit in and do I have a place?

These are all questions I’ve asked myself and have, at times, struggled to answer.

But at the same time, I’m realising how important it is to recognise and celebrate my own mini-milestones and successes.

This week has been Good News Fraser Coast’s busiest week online.

I’ve received multiple calls, Emails and DM’s asking for media coverage of events or news stories.

These are all things that happen in real newsrooms! Oh yes, this is a real newsroom.

And constructive criticism is just as important. When I’ve dropped the ball, let me know. Feedback is really important – whether it’s good or bad. How that feedback is delivered is what matters.

So, to celebrate what has been a great week online at Good News Fraser Coast, here are a few things I’m pretty proud of:

• May’s pageviews to date are already more than 6 times the amount recorded in February 2021.
• Nearly five times as many users have visited the website so far this month compared to February.
• Good News Fraser Coast achieved its best engagement statistics on Facebook this week, meaning more people are seeing the content, branding and original articles.

So, while these might be trivial successes in the eyes of some, when you work by yourself, you often need that reassurance that things are going well, you are having an impact and what you are doing is paying off.

When you are no longer in an office environment with multiple colleagues who might walk past your desk and say, “good job on that story” you need to learn to do that for yourself.

And not be afraid to tell others about it either.

So here goes…

Good News Fraser Coast is taking off. More people are becoming aware of the brand, the content is being read and the posts on social media are being seen.

And most importantly, it’s obvious that there is a space for positive news content from the Fraser Coast. Good news stories are there and people are starting to share them.

Top five stories on Good News Fraser Coast this week:

1. Tenders called to build major Hervey Bay link road
2. The countdown is on for River Heads Rocks
3. Direct Sydney to Hervey Bay flights take off
4. Animated fly through of proposed 16-storey Hervey Bay development
5. New whale mural celebrates Hervey Bay’s whale heritage

Good News Fraser Coast went live at the beginning of February 2021.