EVERYONE should start their own business once in their life!
I truly believe EVERYONE should try run their own business at least once in their life, whether it’s something small on the side or a full time venture. It will be life changing!
Starting your own business will teach you so much about yourself, challenge you to learn and open endless opportunities.
In 2016 I started my own one-woman branding design agency, Bells and All. My mother was self-employed, her work-ethic and passion was a huge source of inspiration to me. As many graphic designers do, I had taken on the odd freelance job in the past and thought what the heck, why don’t I do this full time… well I soon discovered it wasn’t quite so straight forward. Running your own business not only requires confidence in your professional field but you also must master skills in business management, networking, marketing, looking after finances, staying productive and much much more. It was overwhelming at first but was also extremely exciting and rewarding. I thrive when I’m being challenged and I learnt an incredible amount from my rises and falls along the way. I am beyond proud to say “I did it”.
Running my own business was something I always wanted to try and I really want to encourage others to give it a try. Even if it’s to figure out that it’s not for you, it’s a journey worth taking. It completely pushes you out of your comfort zone and teaches you so much about yourself. After my experience, I gained a huge amount of knowledge and appreciation for running a business, I’m more confident in my work and in myself overall!
After making the big move from Ireland to New York it was the perfect opportunity for me to step back and decide the next move in my career. I decided to leave self-employed life behind. Reasons being that I miss the buzz of a design studio and the dynamic of working in a team. I also feel after my experience with Bells and All I have a lot more to offer to new jobs with the skills and confidence I have gained.
I was prompted to write this post because I see so many people on Facebook groups and across social media with aspirations to start their own business but who are just too scared to commit to it. At some point you’ve just got to dive in and go for it - GO ON!
“Ever tried? Ever Failed? No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.”
– Samuel Beckett