The difference between my second and fourth business

In 2007 I started my first business. It wasn’t intentional. 

All I wanted was a creative outlet, so I started experimenting with pattern design and shared this on a blog I had setup.

I’ve been a blogger since 2005?! Can you believe it?

I digress.

After a few months of blogging and receiving really good feedback on my patterns I came across another pattern designer’s blog who had her patterns printed on fabric.

I loved the idea and gave it a go. 

I created a store on etsy and my first business was born. 

My second business was a more evolved version of the first one as not long after setting up my etsy shop I connected with the designer of the other blog and together with a neighbour we started our own textile screenprinting studio. 

Although creativity is something I need in my life, it’s not something I was born to do on a daily basis so I left a few years later to go back to a marketing job. 

Everything I have done and created in my life has been around business and marketing and it took me a few years to recognise that this is what I’m meant to be doing. 

I started my current business unintentionally as well. I fell into it so to speak.

A few friends with businesses asked for help with their marketing, social media and email marketing. 

I said I’d help and all of a sudden I had a business helping other business owners with marketing and growing their business. 

Back to the main point of this post, which is that there is a big difference between that second business and my current business (aside from the product offering!).

I realised this massive point of difference a few months into my current business as I found it challenging to grow my business (even with a degree in marketing!) and I struggled to find all the answers.

What’s the difference?

I was alone. 

A solopreneur.

A lone wolf. 

You see, when we started the studio there were three of us to brainstorm and come up with ideas and answers, plus we weren’t afraid to ask for help so we connected with people who had built successful studios before us. We asked them about screen-printing tables, inks, tools, best practices etc. 

We found mentors who could teach us the tools of the trade.

Of course we had to learn a lot of things by trial and error as well but we weren’t doing it alone. We had each other. 

We had a small network of trusted mentors.

We basically had our own little mastermind without knowing what a mastermind was at the time.

When I finally realised why business felt ‘easier’ back then, I knew I had to find a mentor or a group of peers who were on the same journey. 

There are a few lone, amazing entrepreneurs out there, but most successful entrepreneurs would agree, relationships with others and accountability have played a key role in getting them to where they are.

Since that realisation I have been part of a number of masterminds and groups of entrepreneurs, who have all in their own right been part of my business growth. 

I’m going to say this here and it might resonate with you…. I cannot build this business alone. 

Sure, I can try and at some stage I’ll probably get there but I don’t want to wait another 5 or 10 years. I know what I want and where I want my business to go, but let’s face it… I’m only human, I don’t have all the answers and I certainly don’t always have the focus to do what I know I should be doing.

Being part of a mastermind gives me:

• Accountability
• Structure
• A place to ask how others do certain things
• People to lean on when my mindset is wobbly (yes I still feel insecure at times!)
• A group of people who are on the same journey and understand what it’s like (sorry but my husband just doesn’t get it, even though he supports me 100%)
• Friendship
• A loving kick up the butt
• A group of inspired people who share my work (and I share theirs)
• Opportunities through working with each other or refering each other’s work

I can literally go on and on about the amazing friendships I’ve built as a result of being in masterminds and many of them have become clients or referred clients. 

Being connected and having a ‘support team’ is most definitely what changed my business.

If you’re wondering if a mastermind is for you, I would like to invite you to read all about it on the Flow & Flourish mastermind page and if you feel called, I invite you to apply.

Applications close 11:59pm AEDT on 29 November 2019 and interviews will be held on 4 and 5 December 2019.

I cannot wait to work with you and help 2020 be YOUR year to truly shine in business and life. If you’re even just thinking about the Flow & Flourish Mastermind – I love you already. 

Just think what we can do together over an entire ten months. Be prepared for something life changing. I am.