When does entrepreneurship begin? Is it the moment the idea pops into your head? Or the second you say YES! I’m going to do this and put the first actual step into motion? I guess that’s up to the individual. For me, I feel like my business ownership began when the idea came and I couldn’t get it out of my head.
I had sewn and worn my own bodysuit for years. The others all left me less than comfortable so I created something that answered my needs but also felt great on my body. I was happy I had something that worked for me and I went on about my … business.
One day, my boyfriend was listening to me complain (yet again) about my job at the time and in passing and with a chuckle, said “one day you will sell your bodysuits and then YOU will be in charge”. In the moment, it took me by surprise. I had never expressed to him the desire to start a business or sell my bodysuit, for that matter. The comment was completely out of the blue and never before discussed. Weird. I laughed it off and we left the room and went about our day.
After that, I could NOT stop thinking about what he said. It was a moment in time that I will never forget. One of those pivotal…”something has shifted” moments that we have and sometimes don’t even realize until later. It was like he literally opened a door in my mind and that was it. The more I thought about it, the more excited I became. The more excited I became, the more powerful I felt! WHY THE HELL NOT??? I can do this! I know so many people who have done this!!! Why won’t this idea leave my thoughts? When your intuition speaks, when that nudge to do something is so strong, there is no other path than FORWARD! If I don’t try-I fail. I KNEW I had to try.
Starting your own business is crazy! It’s amazing and fun and terrifying all at the same time. No matter if I have a huge day where something fantastic happens, or a day with 10 setbacks, never have I considered not doing it and giving it my all. I have been in the apparel business for over 15 years. I would never start another fashion tee shirt line and am not interested in haute couture. I started this company because I created a product that I truly believe will help women feel better about their bodies and outfits. THAT is my passion and I love every interaction with each stā BODY wearer. That is what fuels my tank and makes me never want to give up. I’m not interested in ego driven fashion. No, that is not for me. I personally have an issue that I know millions of women share and have found a way to fix it. Now I want to share it with the world!!! We have options besides the big box offerings! Isn’t it wonderful? That is why YOUR idea can work too!!! Stop and think of the possibilities. You are not limited in any way, SHAPE or FORM :) woop woop! HAPPY DANCE!
Since starting stā BODY, I have learned a ton. I have so much more to discover, but a few things stand out to me that I wanted to share with anybody who might be thinking of starting their own adventure. I love getting insight from those who have gone before me and many books have helped with my journey. Always be on the search for inspiration and wisdom from people who have tried and failed, tried and succeeded…or just TRIED at all! We can always learn from each other. We can lift each other up to help reach goals that are COMPLETELY attainable no matter how out of sight they may seem.
YOU MUST HAVE THAT PASSION. A DON”T GIVE UP ATTITUDE. YOU MUST LOVE YOUR MISSION
Your idea and mission MUST be something that you absolutely love and believe in and have a strong desire to commit your life and time to. This is not a hobby. This is a dedicated plan to use every spare minute, and sometimes moments that you really DON’T have - to your business. That is why you must love it and live and breathe it. You know how sometimes you have an interest like say…arranging flowers? You tell yourself,” I love arranging flowers – I think I’ll get a job arranging flowers”. So you get a job arranging flowers and now, you hate it! It’s no longer fun. That is a completely different animal than your entrepreneurial road ahead. There is a hobby or interest, and then there is your life’s path or mission. You must find that something and have an unwavering devotion to it. A desire to see it through, to bring it to fruition, to give all you have to it. It will demand it and it is not going to let you pick and choose what work you do or what days you can lay on the couch. When you feel like relaxing or being with friends, but you cannot because you have a deadline or a meeting or something that must be done…that something has got to be more important and ultimately what you would rather be doing. You are the boss, the employee of the month and the captain of the ship. Without you, the ship will literally sink and you have to have that force inside that makes you enjoy the process. There should be no other place you’d rather be than steering that ship. It’s a lot of work, but you want to do it. You really almost need to do it!
YOU ARE ALWAYS AT WORK
When you decide to have your own business, your life does change, but the way you THINK changes as well. You are no longer just a consumer. The minute you become a business owner, you see everything in a different light. You look at advertisements and how things were produced and how they could be better and jingles and possible retailers and so on and so on. You are likely to be called regarding something at any time of the day, not just 9 to 5. You are now engulfed in the thoughts of how I can improve my business, get customers, make more/better products, fix this or that, ads, photography, social media, prices, costs, licenses…the list is endless. That is why you are now relatively “always at work”. You are an entrepreneur now. You ARE the business. You ARE always at work.
DON’T EXPECT HELP OR TO HAVE THAT OPRAH MOMENT. THERE WILL BE SET BACKS
I came from a fashion background. I have worked in the garment industry for a very long time. Over the years, I have developed many relationships and have worked with countless people. Together we collaborated on tons of projects that gave both sides fantastic outcomes. I thought for sure those people would be instrumental in my own business and would undoubtedly do whatever they could to help me get the word out. Guess what? They haven’t. Once your big title is gone, you are on your own. If I reached out to somebody with the big name line I used to work for, it for the most part was easy peasy to get them to respond and want to participate. Now, without that well-known name in my signature…I’m sorry to say, they aren’t interested in helping. It sounds harsh and actually was a bit shocking to me and hard to swallow at first, but you know what? IT’S OK! We must understand that people have to do what is best for them and what they think will further their position. We cannot blame them or take it personally. That is just the nature of business. They will call…eventually they will want to be a part of it. I look forward to that day. Another thing I’d like to point out is all of the well-known, glittery stories of success that are out there. We hear about women companies getting the call from Oprah 4 months into opening their store or whatever and then boom!!! That’s it! They are household names and can’t keep enough stock to meet demand. They must sink or swim because they are so overwhelmed with orders and exposure and hype. These stories my friends are the extreme exception. NOT THE RULE. I know, it’s easy to get caught up in the idea that that will happen for you and we all secretly wish that. I’m not saying that it is impossible but it is definitely not the norm. If it doesn’t happen that way for you that does not mean that your idea is not going to work. You have to be steadfast and continue through every set back, be it physically, financially or emotionally. Setbacks will happen. They will. Know that going in and you will be prepared. Setbacks generally are positive for you in the long run. Learn to embrace and welcome them and you will learn how to handle them with grace… Like a boss!
All in all, it is hard. It is work, it is a long road and it’s a gamble. Do you believe in yourself and your product? Do you love your product, do you use it? Do you have a fire in you that compels you to share it with the world? This is your time. Be smart. Be brave. You can do this. If not now, when? If you are the girl that has wanted to go out on your own and have been waiting…get on it! If you don’t want a business but are on the fence about saying yes to something you are scared of…TRY IT! If you don’t try…then how will you ever know if it is something that will change your life in an amazing way? Do it smartly, slow and steady and you will get there. And when you get there, do me a favor. PLEASE help others that are up and coming. Other women’s success is not going to compromise yours. I thank those women who have taught me to be strong and smart, and to make something out of nothing. To have a goal and a dream and realize that I can do anything I set my mind to no matter where I started from. Those women and their stories have absolutely shaped and inspired my path. Be the girl who inspires. Be the girl who you wanted to be when you grew up. Be the mentor that you longed for when you were little. Grab the moment. Grab it now!