The Ink Catalog turns one!
Nobody thought that I would start a business in the middle of a global pandemic- least of all me! But here we are, and we’re now one!
365 days have gone by, and some were great, and of course some could use some rum! ;)
No matter how they were, I cherished each day, because it has been a tremendous experience. I started as a newbie in the expanding world of small businesses, and though I’m still a small fish in the talented pond, I wouldn’t change it for the world!
The good
Autonomy- There is so much autonomy that I experienced over the past year- having only worked in an office before this, it was a pleasant change! I had full control over all the aspects of my business, for instance, which products to design, which streams of sales I wanted to explore, what kind of content I wanted to create. It was such a liberating feeling, and I look forward to this aspect in the future as well!
Disbelief- Of course, as a first time business owner, there is still that sense of disbelief over people actually wanting to buy my products! Every time I receive a mail/message enquiring about my products or services, my heart still flutters! And to be honest, I hope that feeling never goes away. A large part of why I do this is to make my customers smile and fill their hearts with joy, and it is humbling to be able to do that!
Creativity- In the past year, there have been many instances when I’ve had some creative idea pop into my head- and those moments have been precious! Working so intently on something that I’m so passionate about is really rewarding, and it feels great to put pen to paper (or a tablet), and create something out of nothing.
Experience- It is often said that there is no substitute for experience, and it is so true! In the past year, I have had so many different kinds of experience, dealing with various third parties, customers, and suppliers. And there has been something to learn from each experience. And they help shape the business and the brand values with even more clarity.
Networking- As a small business owner, ICW has been a great way to network with other talented creative entrepreneurs, build camaraderie, and share ideas! Instagram has also been an instrumental platform in meeting other professionals who are in similar circumstances, thereby forging bonds over great distances. Facebook groups were also an unexpected way to network that led to great connections! In short, in spite of the pandemic, there were creative ways to network with others, and that led to some truly special bonds!
The bad
Loneliness- However, there is also a certain loneliness that accompanies this endeavor. In a team or corporate setting, there is a group that you can depend on for support, shoulders to cry on when depressed, and to share cake with after a victory! The road to solo entrepreneurship is often lonely, and the highs and lows can get overwhelming. The ICW community has been a great support system in overcoming that to a great extent!
Tough decisions- I am not particularly good at making tough calls- being a compulsive people-pleaser, it is very important for me to be liked. But that is not always possible as a small business owner. You have to make tough decisions, and sometimes it ruffles a few feathers. But it does well to remember that your brand values should never be compromised, and that adhering to certain best practices is a good way to prevent such sticky situations.
Taxes- No no, I am not one of those girls who hates Maths and doesn’t want anything to do with it. In fact, I very much enjoy keeping track of finances, and working with numbers and invoices and such. However, I HATE taxes! They seem so fiddly to me, and I outsource my taxes to professionals (the husband, bless him)!
Procrastination- At times, it gets difficult to keep the tempo going, as there are often no other stakeholders involved. When you’re working for yourself, you have to be the one to schedule the work and see it through. And sometimes, procrastination wins! Simple tasks keep getting postponed, and difficult tasks often don’t even get tackled. It is very hard to keep oneself disciplined and work on the long-term goals for the business.
Failure- This is a tough one, but unfortunately one that is very very real. Not every idea is a success, and not every product sells. This is so hard to accept as a small business owner who is trying to establish themself. Products which seem to have so much potential in the ideation stage may completely fail upon hitting the market. And that’s just a risk that needs to be taken. It hurts, but it is important to get up and keep moving from the roadblock, onto the next good idea!
If you’ve followed my journey from the beginning, thank you for sticking around! And if this is the first time you’ve dropped by, welcome!
Can’t wait to see what this year brings! And I hope you will join me in this adventure! :)
