37 years ago, today I started my own business… I joined the ranks of the “Self-employed” – The Brave Entrepreneurs - The Mavericks - Pretty fluffing amazing! As my friends in Jamaica would say “Big Up Yourself”
In the seventies and from my working-class background no one told girls at school they could have a meaningful lifelong career, still less run their own business… My advice to young women wanting to start their own business today with all the fantastic global tools at their fingertips and drawing from my funny, amazing, harsh, brutal yet brilliantly rewarding career journey (No regrets whatsoever by the way) would be – Dream very fluffing big, anything is possible, you don’t get there on the first class train in the early days, however you will arrive at your destination and it will feel fantastic... Never sell yourself down the river, know your worth- even when you don’t have a £ in your bank account, go for it, plenty will want to exploit you, make you feel less than the amazing unique creative person you are. Be clear on what your offering, never lose sight or focus on your “why” who you are and what your business (you aim to achieve) Ride the storms, there will be many, lick your wounds, go within when you need to, ask yourself the questions and don’t allow yourself to be defeated, sometimes we can be our own worst critic. There is no such thing as a mistake. Every decision you make is a learning experience, and the only real mistake you can make is not to try in the first place or be defined and kill yourself (mentally) over your perceived failures (sometimes these so called failures can take you down and I mean really take you down) the light at the end of the tunnel goes so close to being out that in your mind that’s it, your crap, you totally doubt yourself, spiral into periods of awfulizing “I am not good enough, look what I did wrong blar, blar, blar” Fluff it get back in the fluffing saddle girl! At least you had the balls to own your own businesses – you went for it; you took that big risk in the first place. Learn from these experiences and don’t stay down for long, if you do it’s so much harder to come out from under that cloud, get your ass up and get back out there. Tap into that goddess intuition which is there just wanting to support you every step of the way, to help you, guide you. Don’t wait for the right moment to start. As Richard Branson says “Screw it just do it” The longer you wait the harder it becomes to start. If circumstances prohibit you from starting, then do something towards that start. (This applies to starting your business or coming back from a SETBACK)
Next year I celebrate 40 years in the Spa & Wellness Industry. It seems like only yesterday, I still feel that optimism, passion and joyfulness (and adrenalin rush) that absolute self-belief I had back then. I think that’s the marker for a career, taking risks and going for it as - A well-made decision. No excuses – Screw it just do it!