Through having a self-started business for over a year now, I have picked up unexpected skills through the process. My one-person earring business requires me controlling every step of the work. Everything from creating, marketing, and selling must be done by me alone, which has brought about lots of forced growth. Without evolving in knowledge, my business would not have survived. I want to share a few things I have learned through the process.
1. Innovation and perception
I learned how to just figure stuff out. Before starting my business, I was convinced that people needed to have qualifications to achieve anything. I thought you had to be taught. My mindset has changed from I haven't been taught yet to I can figure it out. It's increased my confidence in creating things and has shown me the creative process in trial and error. Creating is about innovation, not googling to find a path to follow. I start to become good at things when I convince myself before I start that I am good at said things. A lot of things are mental and rely on the messages you tell yourself.
2. Perseverance
I learned how to persevere. I can't tell you how many times I wanted to quit, but growing patience and support kept me dedicated. It's hard to keep going when you don't know if there will be a payoff. The patience to the intricate task is like a muscle you have to grow. It was fed by support from customers and satisfaction in my products. Being proud of my creation motivated me to make more.
3. Valuing myself
I learned to value my hard work. When setting my own prices, I undersold myself for a long time. Just recently did I start to not undervalue myself. I started to respect my time and creativity. I kept my prices low out of concern for my customers. But I've seen that people love creativity when they see it. They are willing to pay the extra money when they see the extra work.
Starting a business is hard work, but I have learned countless life lessons through the process. Connections have been made, my perseverance has grown, and my confidence has increased. Passion is the one thing that has gotten me through all of the long days and nights in the end. In the end, I have no regrets with my business, for things that are worth doing are not usually easy.
