Facing your fears to uncover your passions!
It’s scary, it’s daunting, it can be damn right intimidating to step into your own greatness. I’ve built and sold my own company. I have published pieces of my writing in books, magazines and now I’m speaking on the topics at Madison Center for Entrepreneurship. Yet, I still deal with bouts of self-doubt and I still don’t have all the answers. I’m my own worse critic. If you want to be a leader, you must be willing to stand alone, you need to be bold enough to put your ideas out there in the world and strong enough to face the reaction to them.
My ideas aren’t any better than your ideas. I think we all have this creative energy inside of us, we all possess great thoughts that could materialize into great products or a new spin on remarkable service experience. James and I love to bounce around inventive business ideas that could spark an enterprise. It’s just that most of us aren’t brave enough to act on it. We are too afraid to put our money and time behind the thought. We let doubt and fear steer us to something guaranteed, secure and feasible even if that means doing something we aren’t passionate about.
Start Up
It’s been a little over a year since I launched Swurly and this is the second year of writing for Laufty Life. These businesses are in their infancy and I don’t want to claim success just yet, but look at all the little wins. We are wholesaling in several salons in the Madison area, we have a pop-up shop in Macy’s at the premier mall; Lenox Square in Atlanta, Ga. I wrote down goals back in 2016, and one was to be a published author. One of my post “Microblading and Ombré Microshading, mom hack on makeup application time.” is in the current October issue of the Umoja Magazine. I now have four published pieces and our website drives significant monthly traffic. Corny as it is, your goals are achievable, but first you have to find the courage to reach for them.
Easy Money, Fast Money!
Do you want easy and fast money? Hmmm, I’ve never had any of that. This boss life isn’t for the meek and meager. If you think you will have instant success and more money than you can spend, I have news for you. Nah baby, it doesn’t work like that. There will be hurdles in your way. There will be stress on your back and probably issues with your bank account.
My major is in Psychology, I never intended to be a business owner when I went to college. I thought I would take a salary position with benefits and a 401k., that just wasn’t my path. I don’t have a marketing background, nor did I ever attend business school. People say, you are so lucky. I didn’t inherit any money or marry rich. I’m from the school of the hard knocks and I learned by living, on the job training if you will. I am super proud of the fact that I built a business from nothing and turn it into a profitable company that still generates revenue today. There was nothing easy about it.
Resilience and Determination
Ever heard of a business that was built successfully without facing some type of adversity? Me Either!
At some point, you will think you should give up, you will ask why you started in the first place? However, if you can persevere, there is something so dope on the other side. When you see the fruits of your labor it’s just that much sweeter, because them plums came from you, your vision and your dream. How Juicy!
Boss Up: Like Minded Individuals
I went from having thirteen employees to writing from home, just me and my chocolate phantom Bernedoodle, Irie. It’s quiet, and every move I make is internally motivated. I advise you to find a group, a network of other creatives who are in the same space as you. They can provide tips and resources that will elevate your business. These peers can enhance what you’re doing and give you the support you need to press on.
I belong to several business groups and I just recently joined another one. We did a week-long challenge to drive more sales and profits to our business. Every day there was a live Facebook class and homework assignments. A couple members of this group also have pop-up shops in Macy’s. I spoke to a group member and vendor at Macy’s on the phone. She encouraged me to go to Atlanta and work my shop. Real talk, no one can promote or sell your product like you can.
Obstacles
I was super nervous, afraid of traveling alone as a female, in my mind I was for sure going to look vulnerable, get snatched, raped and killed. I graduated from Georgia State University and we bought our first home there but I hadn’t been back for thirteen years!! I had anxiety thinking no one would stop and talk to me at this mall where celebrities shop. With so much going on at home; school just started for the girls. James and I both have birthdays in September, I had excuses up the Waa zoo. The investment in custom packaging for the pop-up had hit my bank account and I was worrying about adding additional cost. What if I didn’t drive any revenue by going there? How would I justify my travel expenses?
Mind you, I’ve had successful events and beat my own goals every time that I’ve attended one, yet here I was hesitant to step into my own greatness. Once I checked into my hotel all my fear dissipated, the trip was a total success. I knew in my heart I was exactly where I was meant to be. Not only did I sell more in two days than the team had sold prior to my arrival, but after hearing me pitch, my sales have continued to grow after my departure. I reconnected with old colleagues and I proved to myself, I can kill this shit.
Step into your greatness
Listen, we all have something unique to offer. It is a lot easier to sit back and critic what someone else is doing than to put yourself out there. You can be the creator or you can be the critic sitting back watching and talking smack about what the movers and shakers are doing. It’s up to you.
This month I’m going to be speaking and running a workshop at Center for Entrepreneurship at Madison college. It’s going to be focused on how to overcome obstacles to succeed in business. If you have an idea for a product you want to launch or a company, you want to start but you are letting your fear hold you back we can chat about what challenges you are facing.
If you are thinking about stepping into your greatness but you are afraid, or maybe you made the first steps towards your dream but you are struggling, let’s talk it out. Anyone is welcome to attend the workshop on how to overcome obstacles in Business, pick my brain. You don’t even have to buy me a drink this time!
Overcoming Obstacles in Business
- Date: Oct. 30
- Time: 5:30pm – 7:30pm
- Location: Madison College Truax Campus
- Room Number: D1630B
Eventbrite Link: https://overcome-business-obstacles.eventbrite.com
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