So, what is involved in running a small business, and how do you do it?

People would often comment to me, and I was guilty of it, thinking, “You will have so much more time.” I was leaving a secure, reliable job and income to pursue my vision of owning and running my own business, working out of my workshop in my home. Little did I know I wouldn’t get those “mandatory” fifteen-minute breaks or the half-hour lunches I was entitled to when I was employed. Oh no, I traded what little freedom I had to end up working three times as hard and long as I had before.

In the beginning, I was in the “honeymoon” stage. I woke up on my internal clock. I would be able to stop what I was doing whenever I wanted, just take a break, and go play in the gardens. It was great! I could sit outside sipping on my coffee, enjoying the sun while planning what I needed to do when I went back in.

Next, I was entering the “post-honeymoon” stage. Things got a little busier, and I started realizing I had more to do than I thought. Throwing a post on my Facebook page and calling it good was not going to be enough. After Facebook had crashed and was offline for a day, it made me think I shouldn’t keep all my eggs in one basket, if you know what I mean. I needed to get my business name out there and show what I stood for and what I could do for others. It was time to build a website.

Armed with absolutely no computer programming or website-building skills whatsoever. I recruited the help of my husband and son to help get the website up and running. I was proud of what we had accomplished and felt that we were on the right track. I had a little less time than I had hoped. To do what my business is all about. Primarily painting and creating art dolls for therapeutic purposes. But we were growing.

I had built the business from the ground up, sinking every dollar I had into the materials needed. Whether it was for doll components, sculpts, kits, paints, tools, and much more. That first year was incredibly challenging, but I felt pretty confident about it. We filed the necessary paperwork to “claim” the business name and create an LLC. We had opened a business account and hired a tax lawyer to ensure we were doing everything right. Then there was more paperwork to obtain our EIN and create an account with Customs. There were so many things I needed to learn that I had not even thought about.

I often remember those breaks you’re supposed to get when working X amount of hours. I wasn’t taking as many breaks as I originally thought I would have. Instead, I would fill that time by working on the website. Learning about plugins, different programs, and providers. Did I mention the crazy amount of research that went into figuring out how to do everything, where to source materials, and eventually distributors for our clothing lines? I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

Fast-forward almost five years now. The most valuable possession in my arsenal of tools, skills, and knowledge is time. My time is so incredibly divided. Every minute of free time I get, I treasure it. When being your own boss and owning a business, you not only wear one hat but a hundred more. I am the owner, artist, logistics, distribution, office manager, marketing team, accounting, HR, compliance and legal team, operations manager, social media marketer, customer service manager and so much more! Trying to get everything done from day to day can be overwhelming at times. But every time I get an email, comment, or someone telling me how happy they or their loved one was or is, it makes it all worthwhile.

So while some days I struggle to find balance, feeling defeated or not good enough, there are days I couldn’t be happier. And none of this would be possible without the love and support from my family and you! So thank you from the bottom of my heart for supporting our journey and making our dream a reality! Treasure your time most of all, as it slips by so incredibly fast!