Way back in 2010 my wife decided she wanted to do something different. She was a schoolteacher at the time and the whole grind of dealing with behaviour and attempting to hit almost impossible targets had got her down. She decided she wanted to start her own business but had no idea what she wanted to do. We sat down and made a list of interests and strengths, but we could still not come up with anything, so she decided to take a few days out, have a break in Devon and give it some thought.
When she returned the first thing she said was "I am going to open a fudge shop!".
Now you may be asking why am I telling this story? Well, it is difficult starting your own business but there are several reasons why you should seriously consider it if you are unhappy in your job or career, and I go into more detail in these below:
1. DO SOMETHING THAT MAKES YOU HAPPY
My wife was dedicated to the kids she worked with, but she was no longer happy. She could see the attraction in being her own boss and even though she was not sure what she wanted to do she knew it was the path she wanted to take.
My wife, Heather, at her Eton Fudge Shop back in 2018 around the time of Harry Windsor & Meghan Markle's royal wedding. She created a special fudge box for the day, which contains Eton mess and American cheesecake flavoured fudge - a nod to where Harry went to school and where Meghan is from. In the run up to the royal wedding, she was sending orders across the globe to America, Afghanistan, Japan & China. More about this on her Huffington Post feature.
2. FIND INSPIRATION
It took her time to find something that inspired her, but when she did, she knew what she wanted to do. She loved the idea of making something, using her creative juices and operating a business that interacted directly with the public.
Even though the exercise we carried out where we attempted to identify her interest did not reveal anything tangible it was still worthwhile as it enabled her to start with a completely blank sheet and look for inspiration.
3. GET STARTED
The most important thing is to get started. My wife took a lease on her shop and had everything ready, but it was coming up to Christmas and she was not sure when to open. She made the decision to open on the 31st of December, a strange day and she only took £13, but the shop was sitting there and she just needed to get started. And once you do start don't stop! Don't be afraid to give it a go.
"I guess what I am trying to say here is do what makes you happy."
4. DO IT YOUR WAY
There is no universal way to start a business. You need to do what works for you. My wife was clear when she wanted to open, what products she wanted to sell and how she wanted to conduct her business. The business was a reflection of her not of anyone else. She was clear from the start that this is what I am going to do, and this is how I am going to do it. Be true to yourself and your values.
The business operated for 10 years and was very successful, but she decided the time was right to sell and start a new adventure. I guess what I am trying to say here is do what makes you happy; don't be afraid to make it happen and make sure you are true to yourself and believe in yourself.
You never know what is round the corner!
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