Welcome
back to my blog series on starting and running a quilt pattern business. If you have missed any of this series, be sure to check out Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4. Last week I continued
to talk about the commitment to starting a business, focusing more on the time
commitment. This week, I want to highlight a few of the unexpected benefits of
starting and running a business. These benefits are not centered around just a
quilt pattern design business. Still, I believe it would come with running
almost any small business.
When
I was introducing this blog series, I talked briefly about that when I started
my business at the time, I was a government employee. I was working in
Washington DC and felt like I was not going where I wanted to be in life. I
guess I felt like I was not in control of what I was doing and was not satisfied.
It is kind of hard to explain, but mainly a feeling that I wanted to do
something that I would be excited to get out of bed in the morning and get to
work. Instead of having to drag myself out of bed, dread a long commute only to
be stuck in an office. Then have another long commute to get back home, only to
have a few hours to relax before going to bed and then repeating it the
following day. I am sure I just described half of the working people in America,
but that is how I felt.
With
a focus on wanting to do something I enjoyed, I quit my government job and went
to work for myself. In doing so, I achieved the goal of finding a job I genuinely
want and look forward to doing every day. Now, don’t get me wrong; there are a
lot of challenges and frustrations that come from running a business. That is
where I have found several unintended benefits that I was not expecting.
To
better understand this, let me describe my personality a little bit. First, I
am an introvert and generally on the quiet side. I always had some difficulties
talking to strangers and was never comfortable speaking in front of a group of
people. Also, as a result of growing up with some learning disabilities, I have
struggled with self-confidence. In running a business, I have been forced to overcome
all of these issues. That is not to say that they are gone, I have more learn to
recognize them for what they are and do what needs to be done.
To
run my business, I have become a certified instructor in both the Studio 180
Design Tools and the Sue Pelland Design Tools. To do this, I had not only to
learn the tool but demonstrate that I could teach others to use them as well. It
is forcing me to deal with being in front of groups of people. Additionally, I
have hosted booths at a couple of Quilt Markets, actually running the first one
all by myself. It is incredible what it does for your self-confidence to be
able to drive several days across country, set-up, and operate a booth in a
major trade show. Then pack it back up and go home and to receive positive
feedback from your peers in the process. Now, I know for some that may sound
easy. For me, this was a huge undertaking, and I will admit that I was very
nervous about the whole thing.
The
point of all of this is that I found, no matter what challenges are thrown at
me. I have learned that I can overcome them. I know I have strength in myself,
and I am accomplishing things that I would have never dreamed of ten years ago.
There will always be challenges, and I have also learned that it just takes the
mindset to be willing to step up and face the challenge head-on and overcome
it. Then move onto the next challenge.
To
summarize, the unexpected benefit from starting and running a business is
learning to have confidence in myself and that I can accomplish a lot when I put
my mind to it. Please join me next week as I continue my blog series.
See you next Tuesday,
Tina
