What I Learned From Running My Own Business

This past semester, I began Thrift 251, a unique thrift-consignment model shop that I run out of my townhouse on my college campus. Learn more about it here. It has been such a learning experience. I’ve absolutely loved it. And at times, I’ve hated it. As an entrepreneurship major, I’m often reminded of the highs and horrors of being a self-starter and building your own business. Now I’m living it. And here’s what I’ve learned.

 Running your own business is lonely

 Especially in the beginning. You are the one that had the idea, and you did the work to bring it to fruition. You are the one who takes the personal risks. It’s your name attached to it if it fails. It’s your money, your time, your intellect, your investment. And, in my case, I have a hard time asking others to take on such investment for something I alone committed to. Even when people help, give input, or serve as a sounding board for ideas, the burden of responsibility is still on me. When it all comes down to it, I make the decisions and carry out the work. And that’s okay. I want to be the one doing the work and making decisions. I think that’s a key draw to entrepreneurship for a lot of people. But sometimes it sucks. And that’s okay too. 

 How to give yourself grace

This may be the most important thing I learned. I am 6 months into this business. I am an 18 credit hour student, pursuing two degrees. I am co-president of a campus club. I work part-time at a coffeeshop. And I have many close relationships I want to be fully present for. Enter the importance of grace. While I did commit to all of these things and I am responsible to them, I cannot actually expect to complete them to the degree of excellence I want to due to sheer amount. (This would also mean I need to eliminate some of those responsibilities, but I’ll elaborate on that another time.) Thus, I had to work to be okay with the fact that maybe I don’t meet a deadline for class because I had to do something for Thrift 251. And I had to be okay with the fact that my professor may not understand that in the way I understand that. Ultimately, I’m the only one walking around knowing my workload. Therefore, I have grace for myself when I don’t meet my own or other’s expectations. At least, I’m still working to have that grace. More on that here.

Being a self-starter is not glamorous

While there are times being an entrepreneur seems glamorous, there are more times that it is not. Sure, entrepreneurship starts with passion, ideation, creativity, and centers around people. Those things are a lot of fun to engage in. I love the big picture of Thrift 251-- getting to meet new people, reducing waste in the fashion industry, creating value in the clothing resale process, and so on. I have to remember that picture when I’m sitting on the couch tagging clothes for 2 hours straight. And, again, when I was loading clothing in my car at 1am in 30-degree weather in preparation for a pop-up the next day. When you start a business, you are the only one there to do the work. Tagging and transferring clothes has to get done and it won’t unless you do it. When I started Thrift 251, I committed to my purpose in bettering clothing resale, but I also committed to those hours tagging, sifting through spreadsheets, and organizing clothing. That is the decision I made. And I don’t regret it. My purpose of Thrift 251 is worth all of those hours of “unglamorous” activities. 

SELF CARE IS SO IMPORTANT

I cannot emphasize this enough. I say this as someone who did not do this well and experienced the effects, not as someone who has this figured out. In fact, I was very bad at this. I didn’t feel like I had time for meals, so some days I didn’t eat more than a protein bar. I like to work out a couple times a week, but I didn’t make it to the gym one time this semester. Some days, I felt so weak I had trouble standing at work. I would get worn out from walking up a hill. My muscles would be sore from simple set up and tear down at events or even driving for more than a couple hours. I didn’t even notice how bad I was until I was removed from the context of school. When I went home, my parents would comment on how much weight I’d lost. I’d dismiss it and blame my cooking skills or our school’s cafeteria. My friends would comment too, but because of the slow daily changes, I didn’t notice. The effects weren’t just physical. I found myself emotionally exasperated. I would hit walls and have no idea how I got there or why I was there. I had to learn how to ask for help. Rather, I am still learning how to ask for help. About the only thing I did right this semester, in regard to self-care, was sleep. I prioritized getting to bed at a decent time, knowing that if I didn’t do at least that, I wouldn’t be functional. While I was mentally and emotionally exhausted by my schedule, I was never physically exhausted from lack of sleep.

December 2018

How to stand up for yourself

I’ve always been an assertive personality. I don’t shy away from speaking up or calling someone out (any other enneagram 8s, out there?). However, I didn’t anticipate having to do so for myself and I didn’t expect the contexts in which it would be necessary. Thus, I was surprised by the growth I’ve seen in myself in this area. As I’ve established, the sole responsibilities of my new business fell on me. I had, indeed, spent much thought, deliberation, and time on decision-making. And my decisions were questioned. It’s a good thing to be challenged. It offers a different perspective. It made me evaluate the decisions I made from a new lens. It also confirmed when I made the right decisions. Because I had run so many possibilities in my head, I had a defense for my decisions. I could respond to questions with merit and confidence. While being questioned or doubted can shake your confidence, you have to remember that you are the one who knows your business best. That doesn’t mean you’re always right. It means that you can humbly give defense and reason for why you do what you do. I’ve learned to trust myself more than ever before. 

 How to discern what to listen to

 When you are starting something new, its best to learn as much as you can about what you’re getting into. It’s good to think out loud and get feedback. It’s good to ask for advice and listen. It’s good to bounce ideas off other people. However, it’s not good to lose your vision to someone else’s. It’s not good to follow through on all the advice and ideas everyone gives you. It’s not good to do something just because someone said you should. There are so many people that will have ideas and thoughts on what you’re doing. And this is good. Because in a way, they are investing in you and your vision. That’s what you want. But that does not mean you have to do what they say. This goes back to trusting yourself and what you know about your business. People you trust will have great suggestions. Those same people you trust will also have suggestions that you should not pursue. And sometimes it’s hard to know what to listen to. Always compare someone’s suggestion to what you want to accomplish—your mission. That’s a great test. If a suggestion compromises why you started the business in the first place, steer clear. And you probably will take advice you shouldn’t. And you learn. And you are better prepared for the next time. 

 Some of this learning manifested as rude awakenings. As I read this back, I realize it may seem like my semester sucked or that the people around me weren’t supportive. That is not true. In fact, those closest to me were the biggest asset I had. They were the ones there when I hit a wall, telling me to eat and take breaks. They were the ones who emotionally invested in Thrift 251 with me, celebrating my victories and talking through problem points. They offered their time when I asked and when I didn’t ask. (Though, I am still learning to accept their help.) Not only did I learn all the above-mentioned lessons, I learned the devotion and confidence of my friends and mentors. I forged relationships with those I never would’ve met if not for Thrift 251. Strangers were excited about what I was doing. I was affirmed in my vision and work. While certain points were hard, this semester reinforced my love for entrepreneurship, people, fashion, and more. This has even inspired ideas on how I can come beside aspiring entrepreneurs. My experience with Thrift 251 has been so valuable, and I want to empower others like me to do the same. Because my experience has been so formative and helpful as I begin a career in entrepreneurship, I am developing plans on how I can create that for others. More on this to come. This past semester serves as a great reference point for me as I move forward with Thrift 251 and other future endeavors. Thank you to all who participated in it. Each vote of confidence and investment in Thrift 251, whether in time, help, clothing, or purchases means the world to me.