4 Lessons from My 1st Year as a Small Business Owner
JGP Styled Me turned one this spring. In some ways, it doesn’t feel like it’s been a year, and in other ways, it feels like it’s been much longer than a year. I continue to learn so much along the way. Believe it or not, “build it and they will come” doesn’t really work that way! I reflected on my first year as a small business owner and the learnings that got me to where I am today, and what I continue to do to keep going and growing.
Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable
I learned this one pretty quickly! You know how they say to do something every day (or is it every week? every month?) that scares you? I do this all the time now and cliché as it is, it does get easier with time. I attribute some of that to age because at 46 years old, I care a lot less about some things. Still, doing something for the first time or showing up someplace by myself gives me heart palpitations sometimes.
When I launched this business, I had to force myself to post videos on Instagram. It made me all kinds of uncomfortable. It still does most days! I don’t know many people who love seeing and hearing themselves on video much less filming themselves. All I hear is my Midwestern accent. But that’s who I am.
I went to events by myself and continue to do so. Sometimes I was the first one there. Awkward. Once, the event was canceled but they never sent a cancellation notice. Super awkward. I’m not going to be the only person who shows up alone, I’ve learned. And I can always leave! But I’m happy to say I have yet to bolt on an event and more often than not, the events I attend are better than anticipated. Way back in the day when I used to travel for work sometimes, I’d go to movies or a restaurant by myself and that felt a lot more awkward than showing up to an event alone. I’ve made some meaningful connections by shoving my fear down deep and putting myself out there.
Invest in Yourself
Something I didn’t think about enough before I started this business was the actual business piece—you know, the main part of it?! <facepalm> I was so focused on my desire to help women and styling, that that’s where I focused (see “build it and they will come” mentality above). I can style pretty much anyone but styling skills and running a business skills are two entirely different things. The overwhelm I felt was suffocating.
Still, I was anxious about investing in myself. So many negative “what ifs” crowding my mind. Then I started thinking about investing in myself and my business as if I were investing in my education. It’s really no different. One of the best things I did was hire a business coach and I only wish I had done it sooner. She helped me create structure and strategy and was an unbiased sounding board. No one tells you how quiet and lonely it can be starting a new business, especially one that’s relatively niche.
Investing in myself has also meant consciously making time for my whole self—mentally and physically. I’m a one-woman shop over here so there is always work to be done. Always. And with that comes a mind that’s always on, always racing and often worrying. Taking time to take care of my mind is arguably the most important thing I’ve had to learn to do—and it’s my biggest, constant work in progress.
You Can Go Your Own Way
There are a lot of personal stylists out there, not to mention retailers offering styling services and subscription styling services. And even though those things are all very different, the fact remains that styling is a crowded space. Running my business my way and showing up on social media as I choose has been so important and quite frankly, freeing. I’ve learned how important it is to run this business my way and avoid (as much as humanly possible) comparing myself to others in this space. And just keep going.
Celebrate Wins
I’ve had big wins and I’ve had little wins and I make a point to celebrate them, even if celebrating means just breathing a sigh of relief! I consider all of the learning that I’ve done and continue to do to be a huge win. Often it’s the silly little things that I figure out that make me feel most accomplished. At a minimum, I make it a point to acknowledge my efforts.
