The reality...

Owning your own business is TOUGH! Who knew?

I love being able to do what I do, but there are days, weeks and full months where I ask myself why I'm doing it... why I don't just get a job and the security of a pay cheque to do what I want with... work 9-5 hours instead of 24/7 with sleepless nights thinking over orders and how to change and improve things!

It's a great thing knowing so many others who also have their own businesses, because I know I'm not alone! Its a tough and competitive retail market out there, and even if you do offer that something a bit different, the work involved of getting people aware of that is ENORMOUS

I've had a bad couple of days... A lot has happened and I've taken a lot to heart that (in hindsight) I probably shouldn't have! You have to be pretty impervious to things to be in this (which I did think I was) but there is only so much I can take.

The Wedding and fashion industry are probably the most brutal industries I could have got into - but where's the fun in anything different, right? I daily take comments from people that I wish I didn't have to and as much as people tell me not to.. I ALWAYS compare myself to other designers. I've heard the whole "It's never as good as they portray" speech 1000 times over, but it still doesn't make you feel any better! Nothing kicks you in the gut harder than knowing someone doing the same thing who found the right contact has a little bit up on you!

I'm definitely one of those people that thinks to myself
"If they've got one up, I'll get one better"

I'm also a right stubborn twat. I like to think that helps me in business! I had SO many people telling me I would never open a shop and yet here I am, 23 and I've had a shop for a year and a half!

Anyway, what I'm getting at is that if you own (or are starting) a new business, don't let other businesses over shadow you and turn all of your negatives into a positive. Take the negatives and use them as your motivation!

Keeping my chin up is a constant lesson

There are some days I find it very hard to do it but eventually, it all works out.

♥