An open letter to discouraged business owners during the holiday season
This time of year can be a magical but busy time of year. For many, Christmas is their favorite holiday! Maybe you’re like me and you’ve been singing “it’s the most wonderful time of the year” since November. But for some, this time of year can feel hectic, chaotic, and even discouraging. It can also be a time of grief for those missing family members at the table. For those struggling with broken relationships, those unable to be with family, there’s a whole host of reasons why this time of year can actually be a difficult and discouraging time of year for people. While I can’t speak to all those things in this post, I do want to speak something close to my heart.
Even if you’re new here you probably know how important small business and entrepreneurship is to me. It has completely changed my life, but it comes with a lot of challenges. One thing I really value about small business is the community that comes with it. The small business community is filled with so much encouragement and support, so today I wanted to offer a little bit of that to my small business friends.
Regardless of what you may be going through personally, when you’re a small business owner, you can also add a few other layers to the challenges of this season. It is often the busiest time of year. In a way, Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping days are like the superbowl of small businesses. So although we’d love to slow down and savor the season, some of us feel like we simply just can’t, there’s too much at stake! Money on the line! Or if you’re like me, maybe you completely skipped the holiday rush of Black Friday promotions and flash sales this year. Maybe you weren’t able to do this year what you’ve done before. Maybe you had a family emergency, maybe something came up. If you’re in that boat, did you find yourself scrolling through stories and feed posts of small business owners sharing their latest promotions and sales feeling like you completely dropped the ball? Like you missed out? Or maybe even fear crept in that you hurt your own business because you didn’t do what everyone else was doing? While being connected with other small business owners on social media can be incredibly fruitful, it can also fuel a lot of unhealthy comparison if we’re not careful.
Friend, if you felt like you were engaging in some doom scrolling, if seeing what other people were doing made you feel inadequate, if you’re exhausted and feel like you’re in the midst of an absolute marathon with no end in sight, if you’re dying for rest but you feel like you can’t catch a break, can I just share a few words with you?
We can’t do it all. But we do what we can with what we have.
There’s always going to be somebody doing something “bigger” and “better” than you. You’re still going to have moments where you see something and beat yourself up saying, “why didn’t I think of that?” You’re always going to struggle with the internal conflict of knowing that you need rest but feeling like you should be doing more and sensing a wave of disappointment knowing that not every single last one of your to do’s got crossed off the list this week. In these moments, we need to remind ourselves that we can’t do it all. Maybe you’re a one woman show, or maybe you’ve built a team, but regardless, we can’t do everything. We can’t be everything to all people. And why should we be? All you can do this time of year (and all year round) is your best. So it’s okay if you didn’t do ALLLLL the things. You didn’t fail. I promise!
We all go through different seasons in the life span of our business
Some seasons of business are like a feast while others feel like a famine. One day we’re gaining hundreds of followers on social media and the next day we’re losing hundreds. For many small business owners, the seasons we experience in our business can actually be very unpredictable, and if you’re a planner like me, that can be challenging. I just want to remind you that not every season of life OR of business will be perfect. Some will be joyous and filled with celebration while others will be pretty ho hum. That doesn’t mean your work is all for nothing, and it doesn’t mean you should quit. You’ve worked too hard to back down now!
Don’t discount the audience and the growth you have right now.
So many people wait until they reach a certain following on social media to take their business seriously. Friend—don’t make this mistake! What you have to offer is waaaaay too important to not share it with anybody that will listen. Whether that’s 10,000 people or 100 people, keep showing up, keep sharing, because even when it feels like you’re talking to yourself on stories, I promise you’re not!! Even if you only have 20 people watching your stories, those 20 people matter! They’re interested in what you have to say and they’re following along with your journey for a reason. Don’t take a single one of those people for granted! They’ve shown up for you! Now it’s your time to show up for them!
The market might feel oversaturated but I promise there’s room for you at the table!
It’s really easy to convince yourself that there isn’t room for you at the metaphorical creative entrepreneurship table. But I promise you, there is. There’s always going to be somebody out there doing what you’re doing, but they don’t do it the way YOU do it. What you have to offer is unique! Tap into your skills and what sets you apart. Write it out, post it above your workspace, don’t forget what makes you different and how your skill set makes you the right person for the job! There’s a lot of competition for small business owners, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t opportunity to grow and thrive as a creative business owner! Don’t count yourself out of success!
Friend, no matter what season of business and life you might currently find yourself in, I hope these words have served as a mini pep talk for you, because I know all of us need one! Happy holidays to all of my small business friends, remember to rest, remember to just focus on doing your best, one day at a time! It’ll all happen somehow! You got this, I am rooting you on!
