I Already Had the Tools to be This Person
Often people will laud me with compliments on my ability to have built my own brand.
"You're so brave to go out on your own !" , is something I hear often.
However, I can't really take the accolades, on face.
Firstly — I already had a huge tolerance for risk.
Secondly - I already grew up with a Dad that modelled entrepreneurship + "trying things" and doing things without a roadmap ( often quite literally - I can't tell you the amount of times we either got lost on a road trip or ran out of gas in the boat . He always figured - it will all work out !! I can still hear him saying,"Why take the same route back that we took to get there? That's boring".) It was a deep-seated knowledge that the bottom wouldn't fall out, that there as always a WAY, and that Beauty was in the Journey.
Thirdly - I honestly didn't align with any other way of existing - it was more of a NEED than a choice.
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Sometimes, I get jealous of people that are truly Artful in what they do.
The Illustrator with crazy talent. The Fisherman with a ton of skill.
I was never highly specialized.
I was never going to be as good at design as the designers I've hired in my past.
I was never going to be as good at finance as the finance individuals I've hired in the past.
I was always a jack of all trades.
It was only when I was OLDER that I realized that Curiosity, Adaptability and Resiliency, + Curation, coupled together , equaled a true skill of MY OWN- and it was called Entrepreneurship.
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I lived in Sayulita, Mexico for 3 months and jumped on Instagram to sell local Homewares from there. The endeavour was oddly successful ( think -- my own guerilla "the Home Shopping Channel" as I took my followers on a virtual ride through Artisan Markets + virtually selling these wares.
I wasn't sure if I would be able to retain my followers and my Interest while I was down there. Would I fall out of relevancy ?
However - It didnit really matter what country I was in.
Or what I was going to sell.
People were interested in MY idea of what was beautiful, or lovely, or interesting or relevant.
I was getting a ton of interest in my DM's - people reaching out to me and wanting to share their journey, ask for advice, + relating to my vulnerability and openness.
It was then that I realized I had a Personal Brand.
Not an E-comm shop.
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More conversation on my Guest Spot on the Work Wealth + Travel Podcast about :
Selling Products from Mexico, while living there, and the surprising support from my Toronto Community
Realizing I had a Personal Brand
Being a Shape-shifter - adapting to any new person, endeavour, challenge
The ( lack of ) intentionality in the Entrepreneur's journey
The way I've lived my life in Pieces, instead of building a House + filling it
The anxiety ( and pride ) of making 100% of your Income on your own. Every dime that goes into my bank account is self-generated.
My Advice on Starting your Entrepreneurial Journey - giving just as much weight to the Lifestyle that it might yield, as to the 'thing' that you might be doing. In other words - how will it serve your life, or make you feel on a day-to-day basis. Because that's really all there is, right ?
