KJ Tha Great

First of all, let me just say running a business is not for everyone. You can want the freedom of making your own schedule and making passive income, but do you have the focus and desire to fulfill the cycles of what a business entails? Are you willing to dedicate your life to it? A successful business does not happen in the first 3-5 years for newbies so you have to have the patience of watching a garden grow from planting the first seed, and have the attention to maintain the sprouts and learning what tools will best come in handy for your type of crops.

Do you have a spontaneous idea you’ve been honing for quite a while now? Maybe you don’t know where to start, or you don’t believe you are capable of pulling it off? Or did you think it would be a simple 5 step process that will have to be repeated until you succeed? Well, I surely did! I mentioned in my previous blog about a salon-spa that I envisioned and became overly ecstatic about making it into a real concept. Not only did I see the benefit it would bring me personally, but I saw how it could change lives in a deeper way than just another hairstyle or pedicure. I knew exactly where I wanted to go with this business, I went hard for months, moving in silence. I was planning to create a place of freedom, a remarkable way for women to learn their beauty and how they could bask in it, within the facility and out in the world!! Needless to say, I fell short of consistency in my choice of how I started, and I felt that I had Iet down people who weren’t even aware of what I wanted to create for them.

But the IDEA!! It was everything that pushed me to lean forward into my creativity. The idea was so strong, and I was sure of the potential outcome that I knew I didn’t want to waste any time from having this concept in real life. I had to get it all written down, every phase of it! I created this model business plan to make sure I could see the dynamics of this shop from one area to the next, and I made sure its potential could be identified right there in the documents. I took my little plan to a bank to draw up a loan estimate. The banker was impressed with my objectives, but he needed more from me to actually get a loan approval, so he recommended me to a lady he worked with often from the Small Business Development Center. Though I left the bank disappointed, I was determined to see what this small business expert could offer me as far as information and connections.

Before I met with the lady from the SBDC, I had to make adjustments to my business plan so it would carry more information that the banker suggested should be listed. I wanted her to see herself using my salon before she could turn my idea away. I met with her at her office in Savannah and I can honestly say she was very knowledgeable and supportive of my concept. Our meeting was probably an hour long of her listening to my ideas and how I came about it, and she taught me some things I still honor today. I left her with my plan, and about 2 weeks later, she had developed a full business plan for me, with organized information and graphics and charts that provided evidence of success. It was my turn to be impressed about an idea I formulated in my head and allowed this small business expert to help bring it to life. I was so proud as I read the documents over and over again. From there, I was ready to bark with the big dogs!
It made me feel seen because my creativity could actually be a reality and that I had people rooting for me to win. The idea was something I knew (and still know) would be one of the greatest locations for women to elevate their self-worth, beauty and confidence. My advice as a first-time failure is to keep going. Your ideas can be worth everything you deserve in life, and you shouldn’t sleep on yourself when you feel strongly about something like I did (and still do!), so go for it! There’s always going to be obstacles, but don’t let it kill your pursuit; find a way around it, there is ALWAYS a way! Trust in yourself about the things you really want to pursue (even if you need to take a break from it for a while) and don’t EVER lose sight of your capabilities.

Author:

KJ Tha Great

Reading Duration:

3 Mins

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