I see you, fellow entrepreneur

If you're an entrepreneur, you'll likely understand the below. If you're not, you may simply learn what goes on in our heads and hearts as we sometimes struggle with the decision we've made to free ourselves from working to build another company's dreams and work to build our own. Or perhaps simply use our talents to make ends meet in this crazy American economy.

My brand does what it's supposed to do. Look pretty, be dope and showcase my talents. But like a play on a stage-theres a lot of ugly stuff goin on behind the curtains that is necessary for the production to go off without a hitch. This is the ugly backstage stuff. It's the mental or emotional chaos that sometimes can wear you down. Small business owners, micro business owners-we deal with these pressures daily. We are NOT ok lol

• It's a constant gamble. "Will the money I spent on supplies go to waste or will I make profit?" And the knot in your stomach when you overspend on supplies lol
• "Will I be rich or poor today?"
• Customer indecisiveness-unpaid invoices, long waits for replies regarding purchase
• Feeling invisible on social media. Taking no likes for literally NOBODY LIKES ME, or NOBODY BELIEVES IN MY BRAND and the emptiness you may feel when your product/services or posts go unreacted to.
• Being slept on. Having more confidence in yourself and your brand/company than you feel others have in you. Knowing you have non believers who don't see you going anywhere. And at times wondering if they’re right .
• The burning desire to succeed before the eyes of those who doubted you
• Moments of considering demoting your business down to hobby status because sales are not going as you had hoped or planned.
• Watching people in your field start more recently than you and quickly become more successful than you, especially when you feel your work is of finer quality/design or service.
• Friends and family not respecting your time, not seeing your business as a "real" or legitimate job or means of employment or income. Also they may fail to respect your workspace or supplies (if working from home).
• People thinking that what you do is simple and they could simply do it themselves.
• The surprise of finding that the people closest to you, or the ones you would expect to support you....DON'T. They don't share your posts or celebrate you, encourage you or do anything in the way of supporting. Definitely not purchasing or promoting your product/services. But if you ever get any kind of publicity or recognition etc for what you do, they'll be first to say they know you, you're their friend/family member etc- Meanwhile total strangers are lifting you up
• Wondering if it's still worth it to keep on when you feel mountains aren't moving. But it's like playing slots-you're invested now, so you keep pulling that lever hoping the next time is the jackpot! Giving up is harder than trying, but just by a hair.
• Lack of space or other resources and supplies to more efficiently complete jobs or tasks
• If you're anything like me, all of the above lol but this one is huge...dividing Mom and wife time and work time. Work/life balance at home is crazy because I HAVE to do both and I have to be on call with my 5 month old baby, 12 year old daughter, 19 year old son (who's not demanding at all, bless his soul lol) and be a wife. And try to keep some level of order at home with the constant interruptions and distractions. My husband is the bomb but he has to work too, and during those times, it's just me, my hungry kids,  and demand and distraction.
• Selling yourself short. Feeling your talent and your time is more precious than what your pay reflects, therefore reevaluating your pricing over and over
• Discipline to create when you're uninspired, stressed because life.
• The potential stress of full responsibility for all aspects of your business.

I still face some of these struggles. I likely always will experience some of them. I'm not an expert with advice that will pull my fellow entrepreneurs out of an emotional ditch, but I can say I most definitely can relate. I am human. I get mad, I cry, I pray, I ask God to inspire me, to increase me, I have gone broke on ventures that did not pan out well. Really everything on this list applies to me, plus some. 

For some words of encouragement. Don't stop believing, because you ARE invested. Any successful person can say persistence is key. All the obstacles are for your betterment. All the struggles are like exercise-it's uncomfortable. Hurts. But it'll get you in the shape you were after when you started this whole venture. Anything worth having is worth working for! Learn to genuinely clap for yourself, because if you're depending solely on others to do it, you will never be fulfilled. Others clapping for you is definitely a plus, but it means "They're on board with me!!"(which is a BLESSING) Not "Turns out, I DO have worth!" Finally, I just wanna say that in my experience, before something great happens, there will always be obstacles and disappointment. How you handle them is on you, but if you persevere, there is no devil that can hold you back, try though he might.

If you can relate or can add relatable struggles, stories etc or offer words of encouragement to anybody struggling with any or all of the above, please feel free to share your words, thoughts etc in the comments! And if you know one, hug an entrepreneur today.

🤗💜😜

Thank you for reading my novel lol