13 years ago, I was 8 months pregnant and I knew I did not want to go back to my 9-5 job after having my baby. Do you recognise that feeling? Not wanting to go back to a full-time office job? Well, I registered at self-employed on the first day of maternity leave. How I was going to make it all happen, I didn’t quite know at the time, but I took the first step. Launching my business all started with a Christmas Bauble.
Taking baby steps towards launching my business
I had been working in an office job for many years. First I was a marketing manager for an arts centre, then I became a marketing consultant for the whole cultural sector in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Yes, I was working with creatives, but I was still stuck in meetings most of the time. There was way more paperwork than cool stuff happening.
So alongside being employed, I was cooking up a plan. Journalling, vision boarding, dreaming. I had a plan to open a home decor shop one day. I could see it in my head, and it was growing arms and legs (just like my unborn baby!). I had even made a start with a business plan. However, now with my first baby on the way, running an actual shop seemed a bit much, so I shelved that idea. For now.
But I can’t sit still.
I always have a project on the go.
Tons of ideas in my head. 🤯
And I had the nursery already finished.
My very first outing as a brand new creative business owner: having a craft stall at a Christmas market! I was proud as a peacock with my heavily pregnant bump surrounded my my home-made decorations. I nearly sold out that day!
My first sales and itchy feet
So I opened an Etsy shop. I started treasure hunting at markets, charity shops and yard sales, and I curated a collection of small vintage items. I also learnt to sew, and made my own cool patchwork throw pillows. Getting my first sale on Etsy was an amazing boost!
And then a friend asked me if I wanted a stall at her Christmas craft market.
Who? Me? I thought. You mean, actually being there in person and showing my face? Selling my products on a stall, and talking to real people? Won’t people think, ‘what is she doing here?’ I’ve never done anything like this before. I’m not even a real business owner.
So I did it.
I made a cute collection of home decor items, Christmas decor, and offered vintage finds alongside it. I made labels, stamps, and sewed my ‘brand’ onto my products. I got cards printed, and painted my own shop sign for the stand.
My cushions, baubles and wreaths flew off the table. Man, what a feeling! People were buying!
Nothing is better than the feeling that you have created something that people actually want. It suddenly dawned on me that I had actually launched my business.
After the first step, the next ones are easy
I took the first steps into becoming a business owner when pregnant with my first child.
I had my baby boy a month later.
I got the keys to my vintage furniture shop 9 months later.
In the fours years that followed after launching my business with a Christmas bauble, I became a locally known place for mid-century ‘scandi’ furniture, organised multiple events at my venue, won an award, and even began to take on interior design projects.
It was crazy, but I did it anyway
In hindsight, it was crazy. But it was also exactly who I am. I always have tons of ideas, and need a creative outlet. My shop became my sanctuary, my place where I could pour in all of my creativity, while also being able to be there for my baby.
I was my own boss now! No more boring meetings with authorities, or working on projects that needed dozens of committees and never came to fruition. Having the freedom to make my own decisions, spend my time how I wanted, and do exactly as I pleased.
I took baby steps, especially while still on maternity leave. I started small, but kept thinking big about launching my business eventually. But I said yes to things that scared me. I told people about my plans, looked for opportunities.And I kept focused on my goal. I knew what I wanted and where I wanted to go next. And that is exactly where I headed.
You can do anything. What’s in your head already exists. Just make it happen.
Do you want to turn your Passion into Profit ?
