One of the many things I love about the holidays is celebrating the past year. But what if we wove this practice into our weekly practice? From the significant to the silly. What are you celebrating today?
In the spirit of celebrations, for the last four years, I have created a top 10 list featuring moments, highlights and announcements that made the year memorable. Click on the years to check out those past posts from 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016!
So here is 2017, in no particular order…
The Ahlquist Top 10 of 2017
10. The Cool Aunt & Uncle
9. Two-Time Triathlete
8. Swimming with the Fishes
7. Back to Back Emmy Nominations
6. The Educational Entrepreneur
While there wasn’t one moment or event to feature in this category, 2017 was the year I finally called what I was doing a business and I an entrepreneur. From growing the podcast (Josie & The Podcast) with a sponsor, offering executive coaching and expanding my speaking and consulting programs, I stopped thinking about a “plan b.” What struck me this year was to go “all in” and build an educational empire (haha well that will take many more years) – that included a team. As a result, I hired a marketing coordinator and podcast editor. With additional support, I’ve been able to double my content creation and even creativity.
5. Epic Studios Release
4. LinkedIn’s Top Voices in Education
At the tail-end of 2017, a delightful surprise arrived in my inbox. I found out that I was selected as LinkedIn’s Top Voices in Education – joining a roundup of 10 other professionals in education from professors, presidents, researchers and more. As a cheerleader of the platform for colleges students and young professionals, now I have another reason to give them for being engaged on LinkedIn – they take notice! Connect with me on LinkedIn here!
Incredibly excited to announce that LinkedIn has named me as a top voice in #education! See their full list here: https://t.co/w29620qXJT pic.twitter.com/nelg1rsIr0
— Dr. Josie Ahlquist (@josieahlquist) December 12, 2017
3. Jurassic 5 Tour
Lloyd hit the road with Jurassic 5, as their opener for a couple shows in June. As a long time fan of J5 music, Lloyd was ecstatic for the opportunity. He got to perform music from his new album Here, some of my favorite songs include Break, Silk, and Goodbye. Touring is definitely in Lloyd’s future, from showcasing his own music to jumping in with other established artists.
These dudes were the best! pic.twitter.com/1MiyNqzKMT
— EpicLLOYD (@TheEpicLLOYD) June 26, 2017
2. A Big Birthday
2017 kicked off with a big birthday bash – as we celebrated a milestone for Lloyd. We rented out the Theater for a bit of a hip-hop show and then the next day left for Baja Cabo, Mexico! We were joined by eight other friends to celebrate both Lloyd and our good friend Derek’s birthdays. From jet skis, horseback riding, whale watching and just relaxing by the pool, we had lots of adventures and R&R.
1. Kirk & Tim’s Wedding
In April, we headed to Florida to celebrate a very joyous occasion – the wedding of Lloyd’s oldest brother Kirk to our new brother-in-law Tim! Even my parents joined in on the festivities. We loved being part of the wedding, but even more, love being part of their lives.
What’s Next in 2018?
This year has been transformative, both for rebuilding health, adding family members, as well as growing work ventures. Here is a sneak peek at our next year.
In the early chapters of 2018, I will be wrapping up my first solo book for Higher Education professionals on Digital Leadership and quickly shift to proposing and writing the second book for incoming and current college students. I’m also loving producing the podcast and maybe even starting a second one. I will continue my travels as a digital leadership educator for college students, campus administrators, and faculty – from conference keynotes to campus consultant – this last year I traveled over 85,000+ miles! I will also continue to teach online at Florida State University and serve as a Research Associate for the FSU Leadership Learning Research Center.
Lloyd has “tricked” out his home studio and digs the ability to whip up a new song or project. Apparently, my 2016 Top Ahlquist post got a lot of debate on the internet/ Reddit, as I shared ERB was taking a break. But rap battles continues to jam, including numerous live shows and project possibilities. Lloyd has gotten back to coaching and teaching again at the theater where he is a co-owner, Westside Comedy Theater. Want to find out what Peter was up to with his “free” time? Check out the latest ERB news below. We are very excited for him and Kristen!!
So here is to another year of highlights. These years seem to go more quickly than the last. The lows came too, but those make these celebrations stand out even more. What are you celebrating in 2017? What is on your radar for 2018?
From our corner of the world to yours,
Josie & Lloyd
…and the rest of the Ahlquist Animal House: Izzy, Parker & Dakota
Please subscribe to stay updated with us and all the things I’ll be working on in 2018!
