It’s the first newsletter of Q3 and the second half of the year. That means it’s scorecard time. If you’ve been here a while, you know I’m a big believer in being transparent about progress and holding myself accountable to the same standards as the founders and teams with whom I work.

If you’re curious, this is where we left things after Q1.

The midyear is another point to pressure-test assumptions and strategy from the beginning of the year and, if things have evolved, make the appropriate changes.

The TL;DR for Q2? My Rock performance leaves a lot of room for improvement. Despite that, revenue is up 3x YoY, and I’m kicking off Q3 with two new partners I’m pretty excited about.

I focused on four things in Q2, and the major theme was revenue acceleration. Three of the four objectives were directly tied to the top line. Importantly, I was focused on repeatability and quality of engagements as well.

How do I feel about my performance related to those objectives? Eh, “opportunities” for improvement.

I’m an achiever. I don’t like to see that many misses on the board. At midyear, I also know that a few of these misses require I reforecast what’s possible for the back half of the year (and yes, I already went through that exercise).

During my quarterly reset two weeks ago, I took a closer look at the quarter to pull out the learnings and also what actually went quite well.

I may not have started with a new Empower Complete partner in May or built a truly repeatable pipeline, but here’s what did happen in Q2:

Four things stood out when I stopped and reflected on the past three months:

Building a business (ANY business) is hard. Integrating fun into the mix is an important way to keep learning and allow for creativity. My way of creating space for fun last quarter was publishing and iterating on an app I built entirely by prompting AI. It's tied to something I value and enjoy: travel.

I conducted a bunch of user testing in April, and the early signals gave me enough motivation to take it to the next level. Earlier this week, I released v2. A quick preview below.

If you enjoy a good wanderlust and want to take the app for a spin, let me know, and I’ll send you the link. I’m still unsure where this is headed, but I know one thing: I’ve learned a TON in the process.

I continue to lean into my word of the year: rhythm.

I do feel my adaptability has enabled me to work on new and interesting projects the past six months, and I’ve been able to find flow in the work.

The job the rest of the year is building a rhythm of repeatability and predictability for the business overall, so it’s sustainable and I can drive the impact I know is possible.

I recast the plan for the second half of the year. I’m going to own what I control.

I gave you a very honest look behind the curtain today. Perhaps it gives you the courage to do the same.

If you do go through a similar exercise (or maybe you already have), what’s one thing you’re carrying forward this quarter? Hit reply and let me know what it is.

REED is a national full-service PR and marketing agency that was founded in 2012. Named Nashville's Best Boutique Agency, REED specializes in helping local, national and global brands achieve measurable and successful campaigns, unforgettable events and powerful brand messaging.

Q: When did you know you were destined to build a business?
A: “As the child of entrepreneurs, I grew up seeing firsthand the risk and uncertainty that come with building something of your own. For the first eight years of my career, I thought I wanted the opposite: stability, predictability, and the security of a W-2 job. But life had other plans, as it often does, and I found myself an accidental business owner. And thank goodness! Within just a few months of starting REED, I knew entrepreneurship was in my blood, and never looked back.“

Q: What’s the most unexpected thing (+/-) that’s happened along your entrepreneurial journey?
A: “The most unexpected part of my entrepreneurial journey has been realizing that my business could become a platform for good. I started REED to do great work for great clients, but I did not fully understand how much community impact would become part of our purpose. Through Be The Good, REED’s giveback initiative, we’ve created opportunities for our team and community to serve locally and globally, from international service trips to local nonprofit partnerships and sustainability efforts. And through Wealth of a Woman, alongside my co-founder Teresa JW Bailey, we've been able to help create a grassroots storytelling movement that encourages women to have more honest conversations about money and build healthier relationships with wealth. That impact has become one of my greatest motivators as an entrepreneur, and none of it would have been possible without REED as the foundation.“

Q: When did you hit your first scaling challenge, and how did you overcome it?
A: “My first major scaling challenge came when I realized that growth in a people-driven business is both an art and a science. In public relations, you cannot scale without talent, but staffing perfectly is almost impossible. Hire too early, and you feel the financial pressure. Hire too late, and the team is stretched, the client experience suffers, and you risk burning out the very people helping you grow. There were definitely seasons when I staffed up too late because I was trying to be cautious. I wanted to make sure the revenue was there before adding expenses, which is the responsible instinct as a business owner. But over time, I learned that in the right moments, hiring is not just a response to growth; it is what makes growth possible. The biggest lesson was learning to trust my gut. When I made the right hires — people who elevated the work, strengthened the culture, and created capacity — the work usually followed quickly. Scaling REED taught me that you cannot always wait until every number feels perfectly safe. Sometimes you have to recognize the momentum, invest in the team, and trust that the business will rise to meet the capacity you are creating.“

Q: If you were starting all over, what’s one piece of advice you would give yourself?
A: “Don't worry so much! It all works out.“

Q: Do you have one ask or offer you would like to share with the Empower community?
A: “After a year-long sabbatical, I am energized, recharged, and back in scaling mode. I’d love to be connected with like-minded companies, founders, and marketing executives who are also focused on growth. Even if they are not actively looking for PR services, I gain so much energy from connecting with other ambitious leaders who are building something meaningful. I’m always grateful for thoughtful introductions to founders, business owners, and marketing leaders who are thinking strategically about their next stage of growth.”

Q: A fun one, what’s your all-time favorite restaurant and where is it located?
A: “I love Chauhan Ale and Masala House in Nashville!“

To learn more about REED, their work and the team, check out their website. You can also follow along on IG or LinkedIn.