The Days of New Beginnings

So. Starting a business. Not an undertaking for the fainthearted (#understatementoftheyear). Some days, frankly, it feels rather like an illness… or being a new parent. Having had five babies, the symptoms are surprisingly familiar: seeing 3am wayyyy too often; a nagging background drone of anxiety; second guessing every decision you make and every action you take; a kitchen that is not so much the heart of the home as a disaster zone briefly dashed through to grab hastily prepared nourishment. And then there’s “baby brain” – or in this case, “baby business brain” – characterised by a single mindedness bordering on obsession, mingled with brain fog and the absentmindedness of lost keys, lost glasses, lost thoughts…. Where was I again?

It sounds like a nightmare doesn’t it? And there’s no denying that the days of new beginnings are tough indeed. You have the natural uncertainty and apprehension of your first days in any new job, and you are kind of on your own to find out what you don’t know, to make all those decisions… the buck stops with you.

Those days of trial as a new parent are survivable because of their cause – that darned cute scrap of humanity that we pour ourselves into, love and nurture and wonder over. Those babies are our hope, our future, our life. So too (albeit to a much lesser extent!), as we embark on a new adventure as a family trying to create our own business, it is important to reframe the challenges that come in light of their cause. That sense of being alone is actually the quest for independence and self-determination. That sense of uncertainty is the natural feeling that comes with learning new skills. Mistakes and wrong decisions are – ahem – “learning opportunities”!

Just like new parents, it is important that we tap into the experience, wisdom and advice of those who have done this before us, using that knowledge as a frame of reference for forging our own path.

If we are lucky – and diligent – perhaps we will be rewarded by experiencing growth, skill development, new relationships and community, and the delight of seeing what was once just an idea become a reality… a vision realised.

If you are in the throws of starting your own new business, why not contact us to see if we can help take some of the strain. Branding and logo design are a special interest for Gareth and he loves to see his work help new ventures on their way to success. We would love to hear your own experiences of starting your own new ventures, past or present.