Comments on: On Business

By: Sarah B

Sarah B — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 19:35:38 +0000

Thanks so much for this post! After deciding to go completely independent last December it’s been a ride. Mostly good, but there are days when you just feel the weight of it all so much. I am relieved to hear I am not the only one, and that there is a network of support out there.

Thanks and love, Sarah B

By: Nubbytwiglet.com » Blog Archive » Link Love: 4.26.12

Nubbytwiglet.com » Blog Archive » Link Love: 4.26.12 — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:05:33 +0000

[...] you realize it or not, most small business owners share the same struggles. It’s important to reach out and build a [...]

By: Tara

Tara — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:25:47 +0000

This is such a true true statement… being in charge of your own destiny is a lot of responsibility and I think about it often. It is also hard to work like a dog and find time to utilize your community. Thanks for the post, what a great reminder… xox

By: indreams

indreams — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 04:37:19 +0000

i just started a weekly chatting ‘session’ with another work-from-home friend, so we can discuss our problems, solutions, and alternate work strategies, and it’s been awesome so far. it’s so easy to get ‘stuck’, so we always think it’ll be hard to get ‘un-stuck’, even if it’s something quite easy that we just haven’t tried yet. it’s so good to have a sounding board! or in your case, a bunch of sounding boards. :)

By: indreams

indreams — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 04:32:51 +0000

“without vulnerability there is no connection”

jenny – that is the most concise version of my inner struggle i’ve ever come across. i hope you don’t mind if i steal that as a personal mantra! (sorry to butt in here, btw. it’s just so perfect!)

By: miss crowland

miss crowland — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 01:10:16 +0000

Thanks for sharing. I am in the middle of juggling several balls, and I have yet to see what will work out…right now it’s too much worrying that leads to me having a difficult time knowing what to do first. I hate feeling this way, but I have to just have faith that ultimately things will work out for the best. It’s hard, though.

By: Julia

Julia — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 22:33:34 +0000

What a great conversation! Thank you for talking about this. When I first started my business, I felt I couldn’t ask anyone for advice. I think I reached out to one or two people I admired, but I never heard back and I think as a result, it made me feel like I was being a pain. So I gave up – which is so typical me! But I kept trying in my own introverted ways! As I made a niche, things seemed to fall into place and there seemed to be a community, and gradually, I began to feel a part of that. But, that was all online, and while all of that has been amazing, an email or a tweet is so different from a face to face conversation! Actually being able to sit down and hear someone struggle with the same things you are, or be inspired by one another, now that’s something special! Every time I get a chance to do that I feel so lucky and rejuvenated.

By: brianne

brianne — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 22:15:23 +0000

I am taking Rena’s mini workshop in Seattle in July and I absolutely can’t wait for all of her knowledge. We have just begun to get a couple wholesale/consignment orders and there is so much to know other than “hey, this is cute, maybe I’ll try and sell it!” Would always love to hear more about your business experiences.

By: anja

anja — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 20:07:18 +0000

I can’t agree enough that talking to your peers is infinitely helpful and inspiring. Honestly, I think a lot of people are scared to ask questions or to reach out because they don’t want to be that person who gets passive-aggressively tweeted about for asking too much about someone’s business. Obviously there is a big difference between asking for someone’s resources out of nowhere and actually wanting to have a conversation about business, but there’s definitely this vibe out that you might make some huge faux pas just by asking a question.

I guess my point is that it’s really nice to see people talk openly about different aspects of their businesses, and to encourage their peers to learn from each other and talk that shit out! I can’t even tell you how grateful I am to every single person who has offered me advice since I launched my little handmade line, I would probably be doing a lot of things wrong if it wasn’t for their friendly and supportive words of wisdom.

Good luck with the move to making a collection & all that! I’m trying to do the same, less limited edition and more pieces that can be recreated. I loved the color palette you posted recently, perfect Kate vibes!

By: jennygordy

jennygordy — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 18:15:41 +0000

Part of what is exciting to me about business is the challenge of constantly evolving to meet my customers and my own needs. It’s scary, and sometimes I’m forced to make hard choices, but it’s so exhilarating when the outcome is positive. I like what you said about how talking about your business out loud forces you to realize truths about it that you hadn’t fully considered. Yes, we business owners do need each other! I’m in favor of sharing and supporting each other. I met with business ladies in NY back when I lived there, and we shared our struggles. I miss having that as much, no longer being in NY. Now I have therapy. It’s been through talking with my therapist about my business that I’ve sloooowwwly come around to realizations that have helped me make good decisions.

I’m excited that, like me, you are making changes to your business to make things easier on you and to make it run better. Besides that being a good business decision, it’s a good life decision. I think I left that out in my post. It’s not that I don’t love making clothing collections. I love it so much that it’s a detriment to my life and relationships. I’m no longer willing to not have a life in order to be a slave to my dream job. Compromise is important. My goal is to do something creatively fulfilling, but that allows me enough time to connect with those I love and have other hobbies, but that also makes me a good enough living to afford to enjoy life and have a family. It’s a compromise from my original dream, but it’s time to start enjoying my life more!

I’m glad you posted this. Like you, I had made the decision to be more private with my blog. I’ve been burned so many times, and I wanted to protect myself. But right now I’m learning that without vulnerability there is no connection. If I can be aware of and accept my own flaws, then I won’t be so bothered when other people point them out. I so much admire you for knowing yourself well enough and having enough courage to say these things.