Every day is full of emotions, especially as an entrepreneur.
In 2024, I quit my corporate job and took a leap of faith to create Living on The Butter Side Lifestyle, a wellness brand that focused on helping women prioritize self-care through thoughtfully curated stationery items.
I’m proud to say I recently celebrated my 1st anniversary! While celebrating the big business milestone, I couldn’t help but reflect on my experience as a business owner and the many emotions I faced while navigating my first year.
Funny enough, the multiplicity of human emotions is perfectly captured in the 2015 coming-of-age film by Pixar titled Inside Out.
In the comical animated film, the audience explores the inner workings of the mind of preteen Riley and how her emotions (Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger, and Disgust) control her thoughts and actions. Interestingly, it is the same emotions that come along for a ride when deciding to start a business.
Read ahead about my experience and how I used each emotion to push myself forward as a business owner.
The Art Of Letting Go
The embarkation of being a wellness brand owner started with courage and the decision to create something of my own.
As much as I looked forward to combining my love for paper products with my passion for self-care and wellness, I was fully aware of the challenges that would be ahead as an entrepreneur.
As I completed my last day employed as a talent acquisition manager and handed in my work laptop, I naturally felt the emotion of Fear.
I faced the long-term fear of what happens if things don’t turn out the way I want it to, and the short-term fear of how I’d structure my days moving forward. I also experienced the fear of jumping into the unknown and not knowing where I was going to land. But one thing is for sure, I always land on my feet.
Although the emotion of fear just wants to protect you and keep you safe, it can leave you too comfortable and stagnant if you let it. Thankfully, I was able to overcome my fear and move forward with launching my business.
Two Sides To Each Coin
Once fear took a hike, Joy inched her way in as I began to create new products and make new connections! During my entrepreneurial journey, I’ve had many moments that put a smile on my face, including selecting my brand’s signature color yellow, which I intentionally chose because it is such a happy and optimistic color.
Today, I still remember when I got my first international order. Who would have thought someone in Europe would be interested in my self-care greeting cards? Each order continues to keep me upbeat and motivated!
One thing embedded in Joy’s personality is the ability to stay positive. And that is exactly what needs to be prioritized when starting a business.
But as easily as you can experience joy, you can easily find yourself overwhelmed with the emotion of Sadness.
While it’s great to get sales, not every day is filled with orders. Some days, you can wake up, pour a cup of tea, have a seat at your aesthetically pleasing desk, and confidently open your laptop only to find that you have no orders to pack.
Yes, it can feel disappointing, but it’s important to not let that emotion stick around for too long. Feel it, let it pass through, and get back on track. Instead of dwelling on those moments, I try to put that same energy into finding solutions or new strategies.
IRL Moments Matter
Just like the personified Anger in the film, we all feel passionate about the things that are important to us. This is why sometimes our fiery spirit arrives when things are not going as expected or seem unfair.
As a business owner, I put my best foot forward, but that does not always equate to the result I desire. However, when I am feeling frustrated, I remember that building a brand takes patience, adaptability, and flexibility.
After 6 months of solely focusing on online sales and not seeing huge results, I changed my approach. Yes, promoting on social media channels and increasing your online reach is critical, but I quickly learned how powerful in-person experiences are.
People needed to see my products in real life (IRL). People needed to experience the brand and my story face-to-face. That’s when I decided to double down on vendor markets and stress the significance of getting my products in front of people.
You Know You Can’t Stop, Right?
Now time for my favorite character, Disgust.
Not only is she highly opinionated, but that girl has style. I can easily imagine myself as her, batting my long eyelash extensions and sporting the perfect accessory with my outfit. I can also easily imagine how disturbed my future self would be if I didn’t even give this opportunity a chance.
Life is short, and I decided to take a bet on myself and give my aspirations a try. I would be disgusted if I lowered my standards for myself and not gave my business a solid chance.
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Fundamentally, all these emotions come together to create experiences that then create memories. And those memories are what we will carry with us for the rest of our lives. (Cheers to more milestones to come!)
Although not every emotion will have us walking on cloud 9, they all play an essential part in navigating our lives. As entrepreneurs, they also dictate our next move and how we approach situations.
My 1-year reflection served as a reminder that when approaching any life change, acknowledge and welcome the emotions that come along with it. And to my fellow businesswomen, I encourage you to continue striving and showing up for the woman you are and the woman you are becoming.
Editor’s Note: This story has been edited and condensed for clarity.
By BrownStyle Magazine in Special Editions
72 pages, published 1/17/2025
