What do these people all have in common?
– A thought leader
– An innovator
– A founder
– A pioneer of a change
– A genius
– A brain child
– A maverick
– A doer
– A Go-Getter
The answer: Courage
It takes courage
It takes courage to go out on your own. To make a decision and then commit to turning an idea into a reality. To be the CEO of your business and make all the decisions that come with that title, e.g. who will become part of your team, the financial matters, marketing, strategy and all other risk factors. It can be a lonely position to be in, especially when you have to make those difficult decisions that might determine the success or failure of your ventures.
Decisions
This week I was having a conversation with a web specialist to discuss how my ‘Age of Honesty’ t-shirt webshop can be customised and integrated into my main website, SophiaWorld.
But let’s take a few steps back, to give you an insight on the format I will be using to bring my t-shirts to market. I decided to use an e-commerce dropshipping company to facilitate this. How it works is that I will design my t-shirts using their software, or my own design uploads, after which these designs will then appear in my webshop. Once a customer submits an order, they will then print the requested design onto the t-shirt and dispatch directly to the customer. This process seemed seamless and more efficient to me, as I could not envision myself in my studio apartment, having boxes full of t-shirts in all sizes, plus the t-shirt presser and other paraphernalia needed to print the shirts myself. And what would happen to my business and theorder process while I was on the road travelling, remaining in a foreign location for a couple of months? Unless I considered hiring an additional person to do the heavy lifting and assist, this idea would not be feasible.
The downside to taking the dropshipping approach, was that my profit margin per t-shirt would be much lower, almost like I was earning a commission to sell my own product and design. This very topic came up when I was talking to the web specialist. They commented on how the dropshipping company will be making more of the profit.
When they mentioned this, I started to have thoughts on whether I made the right decision. I went into a semi-panic mode. But then I messaged friend Michelle, who is based in the USA – four hours behind in time – and she advised me to stick to my original plan as it works out better for me. She also had experience of being in the t-shirt printing business when she worked as an apprentice.
My Why/Purpose
As the panic subsided, and after having a good night’s sleep, I woke up feeling more refreshed and determined. I had regained clarity on my ‘Why’. Why I wanted to launch a t-shirt business in the first place. It was not only to have my own merchandise line, but to put out my message regarding the importance of living in the ‘Age of Honesty’ way. To have these fun and interesting captions on t-shirts, evoking conversations about everyday life matters like being
judged. And to share a story about wanting to take agency in your life and designing life on your own terms like the ‘Leading Lady’.
And so I was reminded as to why it’s imperative to do regular check-ins with yourself. To not get distracted by other people’s comments and opinions on your decisions and stay focused on your mission. While it is good to listen to other people’s experiences, only you have the full picture on which you’ve based your decisions. Also, surround yourself with your own “cheerleaders”, people who do know why you’ve made certain choices and can remind you of them when you get sidetracked.
