Thawte Start-Up Stories Competition

It’s hard to believe that I started Charlie Moo’s 6 years ago now! Charlie was still a baby and Megan a rather large belly bump! So much has happened in the business and to be honest I never expected to be still here – selling party supplies online, let alone be multi award winning and a bone fide author, with even more children! Here are 5 top business things that have happened in the past 6 years.

1. Actually selling products! Especially the handmade fabric party bags which I make myself.
2. Winning Dorset Business Mother of the Year 2010
3. I started blogging here! Which opened up many doors to freelance writing, social media expertise and blogging!
4. Writing, having published and people actually buying my book “Crafting a Successful Small Business“ – I still can’t actually believe it!
5. Speaking at some amazing events – Wimborne Literary Festival 2012 and Design Your Career 2013

And so much has happened in our family!

1. Megan was born weeks after Charlie Moo’s launched!
2. Olive was born in 2011!!
3. In 2014 we took our first family trip abroad to Disneyland Paris – paid for via the sales of my book!
4. Charlie & Megan started school!
5. We moved house!

Starting up a business is never easy (nor is growing a family 😉 ) but here are my top tips for staying sane (well sane-ish!)

1. Don’t worry about what everyone else’s business is doing – we are all individuals.  It’s easy to feel despondent in your own abilities if it looks like everyone else is achieving things and you feel like you are still on the starting blocks. Make YOUR own goals – based upon YOUR own business in timescales relevant to you, not the world around you.
2. NETWORK!! That can be both face to face or online via social media – join small business groups on Facebook or communities on Google+.  The more you talk to people about your business the larger a following you can build.
3. Go easy on yourself! You can’t be superwoman (or spiderman) all the time, sorry you just can’t! It’s OK to have an off day or say sod it and go to the park! Believe me the world won’t end and you will feel so much better!
4. Do what you enjoy – there are always areas of the business that you hate doing – accounts, social media, writing press releases whatever you pet hate is delegate. Pay someone else to do it leaving you free to do something you do enjoy. Someone else will get it done 10x faster!

Final thought – in the words of X Factor enjoy the journey! Starting your very own business is full of ups and downs. Jubilation and frustration. Loneliness and friendships.  It’s one hell of a ride!

Thawte Start-Up Stories Competition complies with my disclosure policy.  If you have a start up story to share you could win a whole host of prizes including an iPad mini!!

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