When I was younger, I always looked up to both of my grandmothers because they were both intelligent, inspiring and fashionable women. Unfortunately, one of my grandmas passed away from cancer when I was six, but she remained an inspiration to me. My dad would show me pictures of her styling some of the outfits she designed and sewed. Although she didn’t have the resources to run her own business at the time, anyone could see that she was clearly talented and passionate. Twelve-year-old me was so inspired that I made it my goal to be a fashion designer, just like my grandma.
I called my other grandma immediately and asked her to teach me how to sew, and for a whole afternoon she taught me how to use a sewing machine. I was eager to sew more clothes, but I became aware of the amount of time and work that had to be put into making outfits. I was upset because I so badly wanted to be like my grandma, but I was too impatient at the time. It was also important for me to realize I was only twelve years old, and that I had so much time ahead of me.
Fast forward nine years later, and I am running my own small business in fashion, where I sell custom embroidered apparel. I may not be sewing outfits from scratch like my grandma, but it’s one step closer to my childhood dream. I learned to use my resources and work on strengthening my skills.
At the beginning of the summer of 2020, we were still in a provincial lockdown and I was suffering mentally from the pandemic. I was actively seeking job opportunities, but most people my age can understand that it was painfully hard to find a job. Especially because of our circumstances, many businesses were not hiring or were being shut down. My last resort was to look for a remote job placement, where I could be cautious of social distancing and wouldn’t put my family at risk. This was a stressful time for me.
I decided to take some summer classes, and occupy myself by binge-watching series on Netflix, sketching or writing in my bullet journal. However, I needed something new and challenging. One day while I was scrolling through TikTok, I found a video of a girl who embroidered a flower on her sweater. I thought “how hard could that be?” and quickly rummaged through my storage to find my old sewing kit and an old t-shirt. After re-watching the TikTok and following the steps, I learned to embroider the flower within ten minutes. To challenge myself further I attempted to embroider the Lizzie McGuire cartoon on a pink shirt. It turned out looking decent, but my technique needed some polishing and practice. I spent the next three months watching YouTube videos, reading articles by Martha Stewart and working on custom shirts for my family and friends.
After those first three months, my friends and family suggested that I start my own business. I’m not going to lie, the thought was quite intimidating at first, but I decided to take a leap of faith. I immediately started gathering the materials for future orders and set up my business page on Instagram (follow me @Strawberrymilkandco). Starting my own business was exciting, but it came with a few obstacles that I reflect on and now view as learning opportunities.
I think the most important lesson for me to learn was to not compare the growth of my business with other small businesses. At the beginning of launching my small business, I would get overwhelmed and stressed because I felt that my sales were lacking compared to others and it seemed as though they were able to manage their business in a more successful manner than me. It’s important to remember that everyone is different, and we all have different skills and experiences. I couldn’t compare myself to a business with a team of two when I am just one person managing everything on my own. The products/services someone else offers may be completely different than the products/services you offer, so you simply cannot compare. Focus on working at your own pace because you don’t want to run the risk of losing your passion.
I also learned to stop being so hard on myself, as running your own business can be time-consuming. In the case of my business, embroidering a small design takes more than three hours for me to finish. Don’t get me wrong, I do love to sit back, and binge-watch a series on Netflix while I tackle a few orders. However, it can be difficult to balance school, extracurriculars and running my business. Considering that we are still in a pandemic, this might be a struggle for many small business owners because obtaining materials can be a challenge.
My advice to anyone thinking about running their own business is to start now. You are young and now is the time to start. Over the past year, I have noticed a shift in consumers. People are supporting more small business owners and shopping locally. Remember to cut yourself some slack and work at your own pace. I’m sure you have amazing friends and family that will support you. And to those friends and family, the best way for you to show your support is to purchase from their business, promote their brand by reposting their social media and share pictures of you wearing/using their products. Good luck!