One year ago I had just gotten laid off from working as an account executive in charge of Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker’s pr efforts and wasn’t sure what my next step was going to be.

One year ago I walked into the Sonoma County Tourism Bureau to pick up tickets I had won from @InsideSonoma for Barrel Tasting 2009.

One year ago I met the “Great” Tim Zahner, Marketing Director of the Sonoma County Tourism Bureau.  One year ago he asked me if I wanted to teach social media classes to Sonoma County businesses that signed up through the Bureau.  Oh, and one year ago I said yes.  This meeting that I thought would just be a simple hello ended up kick starting my marketing career and small business ownership.

I realized after this meeting that I could actually turn my passion of social media, marketing and Sonoma County into a business.  Now I sit here at the Two Five Media headquarters, watching the Oscars on Philp Wyers’ second computer monitor, writing a press release for Vibranz Beverages, a new kombucha company that  I am working with and realizing that I haven’t seen A SINGLE movie in 2009 that has been nominated for the Academy Awards.   Not even Avatar.

I know I have been busy this past year since Tim and Keri from @InsideSonoma believed I could help Sonoma County business owners with their online presence.  But so busy that I didn’t see a Pixar or Quentin Tarantin film.  Wow.

What I have been up to:

• Started consulting on social media for wineries from my home in Healdsburg.
• Started blogging more about wine and going to more and more events, building up my knowledge on varietals, how wine is made and why a spit bucket is important.
• Started teaching classes to Sonoma County businesses with the tourism bureau.
• Took over Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey’s online presence because of a chance meeting with her daughter at a wine event.
• Traveled through the South on my market research study on Millennials and wine (with @TheBeerWench) called Project Y-ine.
• Spoke at several different wine, food and hospitably events/conferences/meetings.
• Found an office and took my business to the next level with my partner Philip Wyers by starting Two Five Media, a full service digital marketing agency.
• Worked with Tim and Keri once again for the first annual Sonoma County Restaurant Week.
• Started working with Vibranz Beverages, a start up kombucha brand based in Healdsburg.
• Finished my first website JS Makeup Artistry with Philip Wyers, him as creative director /web designer and me as the project manager/copywriter.
• Worked with so many amazing clients in the wine, food and technology industries.
• Began the process of starting up even more new projects, to be announced VERY soon!

Even though I am a relatively young small business owner, I have been in the marketing industry for almost ten years and I couldn’t imagine my life in any other industry.  This has been one amazing year, one that I am so thankful for.  Thank you to Tim and Keri and all of my clients that I have had the pleasure of working with.   I cannot wait for even more great years with Two Five Media and Sonoma County…

Maybe even a year where I get to see some movies….