With two babies under 15 months and a new house under construction, I decided it was the perfect time for me to launch my own business. Why not? Life was busy, sleep was minimal and our ‘routine’ was more about survival than structure, but you only live once, right? A few clicks of the mouse later I had a Facebook page and Bona Fide Consulting was alive.
Now don’t get me wrong, I had always dreamed of setting up my own business, it wasn’t literally a spur of the moment thought, but I had never had the courage to do it. Maybe it was the fear of failure, the worry about all the things that could go wrong, the financial implications of giving up work to chase a dream. But at that moment, sitting feeding my youngest son with my oldest snuggled in beside me, I came across a quote. You know, one of those ones that really strikes a chord with you, that truly makes you stop, look up from what you are doing, and really think.
That was it. I knew it was time to take the plunge. It was time to challenge myself. I had nothing to lose after all; we had already adapted to living on one income and my husband was 100% behind me.
At 10pm that night I received my first message from a potential client. A professional, wanting to know how I could help him take his business to the next level.
Ha! I literally pulled the covers up over my head and squealed, partly in excitement, partly in sheer terror as the self doubt crept in – what was I doing, how could I possibly help!
Isn’t that so typical of females though? We really are our own worst critics. A gentle nudge from my husband had me focusing on what I could do, and everything that could go right. Nail this, and I would be one step closer to living my own dream of doing something I love, and still having the flexibility to put my family first.
Eighteen months later and life is crazy fun; chasing two busy toddlers, meeting clients, attending networking events, juggling deadlines with play dates and of course squeezing in some ‘me’ time. OK, that part I am still working to perfect, but I can honestly say I have not looked back. I am privileged to be working with some incredibly talented individuals and innovative businesses and genuinely love what I do.
So what was that thought provoking quote that kicked me into action that day? It was a simple question, and I put it to you now: “What would you do if you knew you could not fail?”
Be true to you, surround yourself with supportive people, and GO FOR IT!