Laying the Foundation for a Great Year

As we head into the New Year, we at Buckeye Interactive want to share with you our professional and personal goals for 2019. These goals are very meaningful to us and we hope they resonate with you. They give you a glimpse into how we want to grow and what we want to achieve. Maybe our goals will inspire you to set some of your own or add to what you already have planned.

Brad Griffith: I resolve to focus on leadership for growth in the new year–growth of the business and growth of each individual team member. The type of leadership that stabilizes a group and maintains its size and quality of work is different from the leadership needed for sustainable growth. My leadership that’s gotten us here won’t get us to our next stage. I will focus more on the Deming Management Method and the system changes needed for healthy growth while continuing to empower the team by executing our business strategy.

Away from work, I resolve to nurture my family’s growth into new volunteer and career opportunities for my family (Abbey may reenter the workforce in a couple of years). I will be in the New Albany Schools at least twice each month–once to substitute teach and once to volunteer in the Dads of New Albany group I just co-founded with another dad. I will discuss goal setting with my family and contribute to everyone’s growth journey wherever possible. Vacation and time at home will be focused on connection and quality time with my family. Our amazing team at work will keep the wheels turning, barely noticing when I’m not there.

Taylor Cochran: Professionally, in 2019, I would like to strengthen my client service skills and cater every experience with the Buckeye Interactive team to how we are serving each client. Personally, I want to read one book/month for the entire year (hopefully more!).

Lorraine Shill: Professionally I want to continue to grow, learn new skills, and to be challenged. Personally, I want to get in better shape and take care of my health. I also want to travel to see my children as much as possible.

Tony Todoroff: In 2019, my biggest goal professionally is to push boundaries with design. I want to try new, uncomfortable styles and aesthetics out and see how they help me grow creatively. Additionally, I’d like to try using Sketch on a few projects this year to see how it can complement Adobe’s offerings and make my designer toolbox even stronger. In my personal life, my goal in the coming year is to get healthy. It’s a common resolution, but I’m hoping that 2019 is the year that I turn from Chris Pratt in Parks and Rec to Chris Pratt in Guardians of the Galaxy.

Tosha Studmire: In 2019, I would love to learn more Adobe Creative Suite skills. Personally, I want to read at least 7 books and continue towards my goal of being a fitness instructor.

Paul Tela: The theme for my 2019 professional goals is “systems thinking.” This means I’ll be focusing on building my operational leadership skills with the end goal of continuing to grow Buckeye Interactive in a stable and effective manner. I’m particularly intrigued by the work of W. Edwards Deming and Walter Shewhart, and I would like to more fully integrate that work into our company. On the personal side, I want to focus on learning. This year I would like to become an amateur beekeeper and produce a jar of honey.

Brandon Caylor: For 2019, I would say that my professional goal is to enhance my current development skill set, which would include a strong focus on Laravel, Drupal, Linux, and Python. My main personal goal for 2019, though quite frequently listed, would be to experience more international culture and travel.

Scott Brady: Professionally, I would like to learn as many new programming languages and frameworks as possible. It’s not a very specific goal. But I’d like to challenge myself to find new ways of solving old problems as I’m programming. Personally, I’d like to become a homeowner in 2019.

Pranav Gaikwad: In 2019, I would like to learn more about PHP, ACF’s, and other software development skills. I have also planned to develop a single page 3D website. Personally, I will try to complete all skydiving certifications and be a professional skydiver.

ShaLise Simmons: In May of 2019, I will be graduating. So, I would like to focus on life post-graduation. More so, the start of my career. I am working on developing my marketing skills and tapping back into design. Personally, I want to make time for reading and getting back in the gym!

Mil Mijatovic: In 2019, I’d like to learn more coding tips and tricks, and I want to become a self-proclaimed SEO expert. Personally, my goal is to read as much as I can, as often as I can. Also, I will keep working on my writing craft, no matter where I am or what I am doing. In general, I want to be a better me – academically, professionally, and personally.

Our wish for you is that you enter the New Year with your goals firmly in mind. We hope that you achieve some, if not all, of those resolutions you have for yourself. And throughout the year, we hope you continue realizing new goals, and we hope you continue growing!