Guest Blog: What It's Like To...Start Your Own Business

While I'm on vacation in Costa Rica, some of my friends have volunteered to step in with guest blogs on the theme "What It's Like to...." Hope you enjoy! Buenos dias! :)

So today while I'm flying home from paradise, you're going to hear from Miss Canada about starting her own business.  I do not have an entrepeueral bone in my body, so I really admire her for following her dream and doing this thing!  Her blog is absolutely wonderful, just as I expected.  Here we go....Miss Canada!

What It's Like To Start Your Own Business.  Exciting. Scary. Empowering. Overwhelming. Rewarding.

I was truly honored when Tiffany asked if I would write a guest blog about what it has been like to start and run Bella Spur Innovative Media Inc. Now that I’m actually writing the post though, there are perhaps as many parallels in telling you all about it as actually doing it. How do I condense five years into a few paragraphs? So I think we’ll use the adjectives that started out this post to provide the foundation, and you are welcome to email any questions I’ve left unanswered.
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EXCITING. It’s always exciting to start a new chapter in your life. I had begun freelancing as a graphic designer on the side while working in Ontario. As it would, the stars aligned in the summer of 2006 for me to move back to Alberta and freelance full-time. Having grown up in the purebred cattle industry, many friends and acquaintances were willing to support my new venture, and I’ll be forever indebted to them. I can still feel the exhilaration that would come after each call that ended in, “Yes, we’d love to have you design our [catalog/website/whatever].”

SCARY. As exciting as any change is, there is always a little bit of fear, too. I remember flipping through all the breed publications that first month and seeing ads for seven, yes SEVEN, other designers. My only thought was, “there is not enough business in the Canadian cattle industry for all of us.” And being the new gal on the block, with a short two years of experience, I was afraid it could well be me who wouldn’t make it. Especially once I started really working… because ignorance is bliss, and when you realize how much you don’t know it’s downright frightening.

EMPOWERING. Less than a year after starting out on my own, I had a partner on board and we were incorporated. One of my dearest friends finished her digital media program about the same time as I started freelancing. Being independent, farm girl types, it never occurred to us to work together. We were always supporting each other through the first few months, but it wasn’t until clients who knew us both started asking us to work together that it dawned on us. We’re quick like that, haha! And so began Bella Spur Innovative Media. Word spread quickly, and it wasn’t long until we were getting calls about new projects every day. I tell ya, nothing beats other people believing in you to make you believe in yourself.

Jamie-Rae, Michael, Laura (the original team)

OVERWHELMING. We were ill prepared for success. Truthfully, we never had a business plan, and we were flying by the seats of our pants. As our workload increased, we assigned tasks as each of our schedules permitted rather than according to personal strengths. It took us both almost reaching our breaking points to realize we needed a better plan. So we switched some responsibilities around, hired another designer, and agreed we should have done both a long time before.

REWARDING. Those few changes made a tremendous difference to our personal states of happiness and our workflow efficiency, which was certainly reflected in the business. It began growing exponentially again when we were all doing the things we loved doing. The team doubled in size, we redefined roles as needed, and worked with an eye to the future.

Each of us has different goals in life, and all of us are as much committed to the others’ success as our own. We keep an open dialogue about everyone’s lives as much as the business, because we believe work should be contributing to our contentment in life emotionally as well as financially.

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That’s our story – the ups and the downs. What I have learned is that success comes from following your passion, and being willing to work hard. We love agriculture, and receive enormous joy from promoting the people who feed the world. However, the first couple of years, I did nothing but work. There were lots of 16-hour days. Thanks to that effort though, I now have the freedom to live life much more on my terms.
I’ve also learned that the rules don’t always apply. They say you should never go into business with your best friend, but that was one of the best decisions I’ve made. Not to say there aren’t trials when you do things your own way, but the rewards can far outweigh the challenges.

Finally, whatever you choose to do for work should aid you in your life’s quest. By that, I don’t mean your career has to be exactly what your life’s goals are; what I mean is that your career should help you along your path. If you want to share the beauty of the world through photography, you don’t have to make your living as a photographer – perhaps it’s that your job inspired you creatively and allows the opportunity for travel.

I believe I have a responsibility to honor the mission set out for me in this life, and Bella Spur allows me to do that on many different levels. I am blessed.

If you have any questions about starting a business, or want to swap emails about experiences, you can reach me at laura@bellaspur.com.