Start That Sh*t
Art by @tallass_illustrator
If you’ve made it to this portion of the Africa Is site, welcome and thank you for taking the time to fully explore my brand. This serves as one of the monthly blogs that focuses on sh*t that I know other people can either relate to, or benefit from. Today, I want to talk to fellow future business owners about some of the things I learned along the way. Even if starting a business is not something you care for, what I am going to share can apply to anything else that may be a bit scary to jump into. This can range from a new career, changing your lifestyle, and everything in between. Let’s get into it.
Perfection Is Your Imaginary Friend
One of the biggest deterrents when it comes to starting a business is wanting every-single-damn-thing to be perfect. However, as we all know perfection isn’t even real, so waiting for it to come our way is like waiting for Rihanna to drop an album, the sh*t will not happen. Okay, maybe it will but point is waiting for perfection will drive you crazy. I waited for years to launch Africa Is, because I felt as if the vision that I had for it was not aligning in the way that I envisioned it to. In the end, I realized that the imperfections were the key to truly learning how to enhance my business. If the process is perfect, how do you expect to elevate? Perfection will never come, so treat it like someone that stood you up on a date. Get up and don’t bother trying to wait for it to arrive.
Time Is Of No Essence
I used to put this ridiculous amount of pressure on when I should launch my brand. Although optics may reflect a smooth transition when business owners drop a product, you’ll never really know the steps that were taken in their journey. I’ve lost count of the number of times I had to go back to the drawing board and rethink timing when it came to my collection. The truth is, sometimes life likes to life a little too hard and that’s okay. Life is unpredictable and at times we must readjust things so that we can cater to our needs, or even the needs of others. Yes, keeping yourself on a schedule to make sure your goals are met within a specific timeframe is important. However, the pressure that is applied when it comes to wanting to fulfill certain things within a specific timeframe needs to be fully scoped with the reality that sh*t happens and there will be things that are completely out of your control.
When I think of this, the thought of having a delayed flight comes to mind. You can either mope around and feel as if you should neglect your destination – or you can take a deep breath and understand that you will still make it to where you intended to go. Don’t get me wrong, you can still mope around if you need to, because immersing in your feelings is necessary at times – but just remember the destination. Even though something may not happen exactly when you want it to, all that matters is that you will still make it to your destination. After all, it’s better to get on a delayed flight, than no flight at all.
Jump Into It
Starting has to be the hardest f*cking thing to do, especially when your thoughts are over-flooded with how things may go to the amount of money that can be lost. If you have the means to begin working towards your goals just start. Start anything that will ignite some acceleration towards the track you want to travel on. I know, I know that’s easier said than done, but how will you even get to the point of launching your business if you don’t jump into that b*tch headfirst?
When we first dive into any new situation it initially feels uncomfortable, but the beauty of it is that we are naturally built to adapt. Think about how jumping into a cool body of water initially feels uncomfortable. What happens with the next few minutes? The lack of comfort eventually wears off right? The same is true for any new venture we want to start. It really is about springing into it and just adjusting to the circumstances that will come your way as you go through your journey.
You've Been A Failure
Let me reiterate the title of this section in case you missed it, “You’ve Been a Failure!”. That headline may have sounded a bit harsh, but it’s the truth and this applies to every individual walking this earth. You’ve been a failure, I’ve been a failure, your mom’s been a failure, your dad’s been a failure, your grandma’s been failure, your grandpa’s been a failure and as a matter of fact if you happen to have any kids, they’ve been a failure too! Let me clarify, we’re not failures in life however, everyone has failed at something at one point of their lives.
Failing is one of the most pivotal parts of our process when it comes to growth and the rule continues to apply when it comes to any type of progress we want make in our lives. Even during my business venture, I failed in many instances. From ordering the wrong item, not applying something correctly, physically hurting myself in the process and even losing money because I accidentally ruined my merch. But you know what? Every single mistake that I made had to take place, so I could learn from it and continue to evolve. Yes, there’s always a chance that you will fail along the way, but life will always have its hurdles with or without you starting your business. You can either go through those obstacles while or without finally taking the steps to fulfill your desires.
Starting a business is no easy feat, but as cliché as it may sound nothing worth having is easy. As someone that has been terrified about launching and investing into something they can call theirs, I completely understand. But, after fighting through all my fears I can ultimately call myself a business owner. Now, it’s your turn.
- Liv