Being an Entrepreneur is Hard

Although I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Management and have 15 or so years of management experience under my belt… being an entrepreneur is hard. It’s one thing to own a business. It’s another to build it from the ground up. It’s one thing to manage people or processes or projects, and it’s another to do every bit of everything by yourself. It’s another when you have a product and you want to sell it and then use those funds to scale up. It’s another that your business is not really scalable unless you intend to expand past yourself when your product is a service.

And every month, every week, or even every single day you vacillate between loving what you do or wanting to throw in the towel and go back to the world you know didn’t fulfill you. The rollercoaster of feelings is constant, but the length of each revolution is completely outside your control as it’s related more to external forces than anything.

Acting as the CEO, CFO, COO and the Legal, Marketing, Human Resources, and Accounting Departments (and on and on and on) with zero direct supervision but with an onslaught of access to knowledge and resources regarding every aspect of what you’re trying to do (books, videos, online support groups, networking events….) it’s all simply just overwhelming. And humbling. But so very exciting! and FUN!

Thank goodness I had the wherewithal to know before I jumped all in with SESTIVA that this would be the case. So, as I promised myself: just keep walking. One step at a time. Every single day, I am further than I was before I started. And farther than where I was even just yesterday. I started this when I was 35. And I told myself “I wonder what it’ll look like when I’m 40." Because in five years I’ll still be 40 anyway and at least this way I can say that I tried.

But for now, I’m not giving up. I’m so proud of how far I’ve gotten in two years: fully registered trademark, having CPA, a social media following, building my network and getting referrals from clients, and I’m in the black. All while leading by example for my children about walking the walk, instead of just performative activism. Supporting small business and organizations that are owned by anything other than “the man” and helping women, minorities, and others fulfill their dreams.

I’ve told some clients that I excel at preparing them to be in the spotlight, while staying on the side of the stage in the shadows with a clipboard ready to transition you to what’s next. I want to get as many people that want to be in that limelight noticed. Their voices have been left out for so long. And my niche is supporting clients who have so much to share with the world. I love them and I want as much of the world to know them too. They’re beautiful and wonderful. Many of my clients become my legitimate friends afterwards. I hold deep respect and adoration for all they’ve endured and overcome to fulfill their own dreams.

So I don’t plan to give up. I just have to ride the wave. Tomorrow will be a new day and a new opportunity to crush it.

Progress, not perfection.