With more and more inspiring stories coming up, such as our favorite Girls girl Lena Dunham, almost everyone dreams of being their own #GirlBoss. As appealing and exciting as it sounds to owning and running your own business, there are some pitfalls and lessons we have learnt over the years to keep our sanity!
Does your to-do list seem toe grow exponentially? Yes? That is a good sign! It means you are innovating and growing, and don't you just want to complete everything on that list as soon as possible? Well, I hate to break it to you, but you are only one person! It is okay to ask for help. Prioritize your tasks, and use your resources as best as possible. If you are a rockstar at doing something, and your partner/staff can handle the other task, then feel free to delegate those extra tasks to others! Stretching yourself too thin is dangerous territory.
When do you stop working? Finding some time to yourself to 100% relax and take your mind off the business is almost impossible. This is the trade-off you are making by pursuing a passion since the passion becomes your life. We have to constantly remind ourselves that we are also human and humans need unadulterated, uninterrupted leisure from time to time! So whether you enjoy curling up with a good book, doing the latest Zumba fitness workout, or cuddling your dogs while binge-watching Netflix, find a vice that will help you relax. Don't feel guilty about it! Alone time is A-OK!
Who are your biggest supporters? Family, friends, mentors - believe it or not - are interested in hearing about your well-being just as much as they are interested in your business! Forgetting to stay in touch with your nearest and dearest is a pitfall to avoid; we know ours definitely keep us grounded. Everyone has a friend that basically disappears when they start a new relationship, and don't reappear until the inevitable break-up. Don't be the friend that is in an unhealthy relationship with their business!
What motivates you the most? We make it a mission to discuss in our Winky Family what keeps each individual going every morning. What about for yourself? Sometimes it is easy to be so entrenched with the short-term goals and achievements, that you forget the big picture and why you started this all in the first place! Find out what makes you happy every day and remind yourself of that feeling. Keep your eye on the prize!
It took a lot of commendable courage for you to jump in to explore your own passions. Managing and multi-tasking has become second nature to you, so try to keep that stress at bay with our handy tips! If all else fails, our foolproof Feel Good Solution is to have a Taylor Swift dance party. That always does the trick! #WinkyJoy
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| Winky hard at work: sleeves rolled up, power tools in hand, building out the Container Park Store |
"Running your own business is sometimes not unlike riding a rollercoaster. There are these high-highs, low-lows, sometimes you do loops and you're back where you started, and sometimes you just want to throw up. After doing this for so many years, I have really learned that the entrepreneur who make it are the ones who are able to weather through the tough times. There are going to be days where you just feel extremely down and hopeless, and you think everything is failing. And, if you don't believe in your business, yourself, or don't have the strength to make it through, most entrepreneurs will just close up shop. I've had a lot of these moments myself, and it's ONLY because of my encouraging support system that I hang in there, and I can tell you - it is ALWAYS worth it. We have grown tremendously over the last 4-5 years, and we've had more wins than losses overall, it's just about keeping your eye on the long-term game." - Winky Wu
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