2020 RECAP: THE YEAR OF CHALLENGES AND PERSONAL GROWTH

Hello Friend! I am sitting here writing my first blog for All American Maker, and I wanted to do a quick recap of 2020. This past year was full of insane unknowns and hiccups of epic proportions. Three months in, I lost over $75K in potential business through my media business, and this company (All American Maker), that I initially started as a side business and podcast, has now become my main focus and the source for providing for my family. To say that 2020 was hard would be an understatement. But I feel that it was one of the greatest years of growth for me.

2020 taught me a lot about product development, marketing my business in crazy big ways, and the importance of connecting with more people than ever before! I had an incredible opportunity to travel across the country, not just once, but twice!! The first trip was 7600 miles! I started it out by spending 3 weeks in Sheridan, Wyoming filming with Bison Union Company. An online apparel company that has diversified into owning a coffee ship and Bison Ranch.

I drove from there to Washington state and met up with Bryant Hamblen who is the owner of Hog Doggins, then drove north to spend a day with Allen who is the owner of Rustic Red’s Leather, drove south from there to spend an afternoon shooting and chatting with Christian (Denim And Whiskey), and then proceeded to drive down to Salem, Oregon where I filmed a podcast with Luke & Gillian Summers who are the owners of Agape Custom Shop!

One of my biggest take aways from 2020 is that people are truly the most important part of life! Making money, building a business, creating a life, are all meaningless without surrounding yourself with the right people. People who challenge you to be better at what you do, people who call you out on your crap, and people who will lift you up when you fall down. Life is nothing without people, and I have vowed to make 2021 a year for the people! Next week I want to share some of the vision I have for the new year, and my crazy big vision for the maker community! I can’t wait to share it with you! ~Brendan