With a new year comes new goals, new perspectives, and new lessons to be learned. However, it is also very possible our challenges of last year may follow us into the new year. For me, staying focused on getting my business up and running is the goal.
I had some setbacks with my first manufacturer, who canceled my order a month after signing the contract! I can’t even articulate the emotions that coursed through me. My first thought, was “is this LEGAL?” followed by will I get a refund? Then, OMG, I need to source a manufacturer.
Long story short, I did receive a refund. However, I was back to square one looking for a new supplier. I had to find a supplier who wasn’t going to cancel on me and could meet my supply demands, with the quality I demanded, and quickly. Let’s face it, I have been on IG saying @undiesloft and @flohbiowear are “coming soon” since forever. Yet, here I am at the start of a new year, and I haven’t launched yet, and it is frustrating.
During this time of waiting, if you will, I can say I have gained perspective on my why, and I intend to push harder in 2021 than I did when I started this journey. Everything truly does happen for a reason, and having this time has allowed me to study my consumer market, my competition and critically assess the type of brand I want to be.
I’m sharing my setback because it’s critical to remember all of us, no matter how large or small the goal, experience setbacks. But, it’s not the setback that determines the outcome; it is the actions we employ after the setback. For me, I found a new supplier, two of them, because 💩 happens, and I’m also working to get over my fear of exposing more of myself as it relates to my brand.
So, to you I say, hang in there. Keep your eye on the prize, be it a a business, surviving nursing school (I’ve been there), finishing grad school (I’ve been there too), or questioning if leaving your military career makes sense right now when things are uncertain (definitely been there), just remember, 2021 is your year!