Carolyn Jack

Editor and CEO, Geniocity.com
A project of The Genius Group LLC

Creative Nerve: What It’s Really Like to Start a Business

Ok, so the party’s over. Literally.

Not that making this project a go has ever seemed like frivolity. But if I had to choose a metaphor (and that’s what we English majors love to do), I guess I’d compare what’s happened so far to deciding to get married and preparing for the wedding. For months, we labored at getting everything in place for the symbolic start of the rest of our lives, went through the rituals and celebration last week, got a weekend honeymoon afterward that involved some well-deserved sleep.

And then it was Monday morning. All of a sudden, I had a day-to-day marriage to make work, a marriage that has joined me to a complex entity with needs demanding ceaseless looking-after, needs that I’m still trying to understand: online information content, store inventory and sales, site development and maintenance, advertising, marketing, cash flow, collaborations and all the terrifying nuances of proper financial management. 

For the whole last year of knowing I was really going to do this, I’ve swung between euphoria, a sort of surreal disbelief and moments of pure panic. Monday morning was panic. I had what felt like thousands of phone calls and e-mails to make and issues to resolve, people to meet with, a whole marketing strategy to concoct, advertising sales to start in earnest, a store to refine, content to expand.

But, not to spin out the comparison too long, when I’d gotten some of the most immediate chores out of the way, I had to remind myself that you don’t create a marriage and raise the kids all in one day. I’ve been working with my husband on our real marriage for over 21 years now, so I should know better than to want instantaneous results. In business, as in love, enjoying the slow growth and minute but important changes of an everyday life together has to be the real reward.

Or you flame out.

So since flaming out is not an option (see yesterday’s post), I’m trying determinedly to ignore my momentary crises d’esprit (studied French, too) and take heart from little victories: the kindness of friends and colleagues who took the time to attend our launch or send messages; the budding collaborations with other businesses and organizations; the willingness of experts to spend a little time coaching me; the enormous number of brownies left over from the party.

So, my business wisdom for June 17? Never underestimate the healing power of chocolate. Deep breathing helps, too. On with Tuesday ….