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 ?
