A Toast to Small Business Owners

Small businesses…they are everywhere. When I was growing up, it was just really old people (well they seemed old to me) that owned their own small businesses. Today, in the era of social media empires and online shopping, it seems that small businesses belong to young and old, introverted and extroverted…everyone is eligible and opportunity is everywhere.

Nearly 12 years ago, Wes and I shot our first wedding. Soon thereafter, we decided to make a go at building a photography business. We were clueless about owning a small business. We had no experience. I knew how to take a few decent photos, but the rest was a mystery to me.

There were so many times I wanted to quit. Building a wedding photography business was hard. It was exhausting. And sometimes it was demoralising. To meet with potential clients and then see them hire someone else…it stung. I wanted to be like Dolly and work 9-5 again. But wait, she was miserable in that 9-5…she was workin’ for the man and “puttin’ money in his wallet”. So I said to myself, “the tide’s gonna turn and it’s all gonna roll your way.” (I feel like if I really try I could probably get the entire song into this post…but I digress)

I kept pushing through the negativity. I kept persisting even when I met with potential clients and failed miserably at making myself look like a good choice for their wedding day. When I couldn’t figure out some new-fangled software, I kept trying, and throwing things across the room until I figured it out.

But you know what helped me push through more than anything else (aside from my stubborn self that was determined not to fail)? The support and cheerleading from friends and family.

I remember when some of our first clients hired us and I called my bestie, Lisa, to tell her, and she cheered for me and was so excited for me. My mom would constantly tell me that I was awesome (although she was a bit biased, as all moms tend to be) and that I should keep working toward building this business. Other friends hired me to take their family photos, and even paid me my full asking price! Friends in the wedding industry shared about giveaways we were doing, and workshops we were planning. I don’t know if we could have kept moving forward in this photography business had it not been for all the love and support from others.

I say all this to encourage you to support your friends who are building their businesses. It’s no small thing to build a business from nothing to something. It’s hard work. It’s stressful. Some days you feel like all you do is work. Usually when you start your business you play every role. You are the CEO, the accountant, the receptionist, the communications officer, the social media guru, the professional artist, the insurance rep….you are EVERYthing and you are usually getting paid nothing…especially in those first days.

One of the biggest compliments you can pay a friend who is starting a business is to show them support in some way. If they are a photographer, hire them for a session. Don’t ask for a discount, but show them that they are worth the investment. I promise you, this will likely blow their minds and they will want to shower you with all the love because of it. If your friend is a hair stylist, go to their salon and have them do your hair. If they are a masseuse, hire them for a massage. And after you’ve done that, spread the word about them on social media. I mean…as long as you feel they are awesome at what they do. Be there on the day they open their brick and mortar store. If they are in network marketing, go to their classes. Even if you have NO interest in what they are selling, just being present will be a huge blessing to them. It shows that you care about them and their passions. Buy them a gift when they have their first sale, or their first booking, or their first paycheck. Celebrate them. Cheer them on. Let them know you are there for them!

I’m so thankful for everyone who supported us as we grew from a baby photography business to an international photography business, that also hosted non-profit workshops in Nepal. Our dreams came true again and again because of amazing support from friends and family, and because of amazing clients who trusted us enough to hire us. And even now with our Young Living business, we are so thankful for the friends who ask questions about what we are doing…who show up to our classes even when they’ve heard it all before…who tell us how excited they are for our new journey. I thrive on encouragement, and I know so many of you do too.

So for those of you who are struggling to grow that business of yours…keep at it. If it truly is your passion, don’t give up. You can do this!

And for those of you who have friends that are growing those small businesses, keep on cheering them on. When they have worked 16 hours a day for 10 days in a row, bring them an iced almond milk latte with honey and cinnamon (okay, that one’s for me). Or show up at their house and offer to clean their kitchen to show that you believe in what they are doing, so much so that you will clean their nasty kitchen when they are too tired to do so themselves. Call them up and tell them that you believe in them. Show them you care, because when you run your own business, you don’t have a boss to tell you that you’ve done a good job. It means the world when friends and family acknowledge how hard you work. Verbal affirmation is a beautiful thing!

I feel like it should be small business Saturday with this post. But it’s not. It’s just a reminder that there are people with dreams all over the world trying to do what they love. Going after the things you love not only takes passion, but it takes courage. So many fear failure so much that they never even try doing what they love. I hope that this post will not encourage you to go after that thing that scares you, but also encourage you to cheer on your friends to do the same.

Here’s to you, small business warriors!