It's not often that you'll hear a woman say this... but, my husband was right. (gasp!)
As a working mother and a business owner, I tend to work... A LOT. I work during the day at my store, and sometimes even nights and weekends (especially through the Holiday season). I've been known to work all day at the shop, come home and eat dinner, throw a load of laundry in, spend some time with the kiddos before they head to bed and then head down to the shop again in the middle of the night, while my family sleeps. Just to get product made and on my shelves.
I do this because it is my passion. My business is my baby, and just as with my biological kiddos, I will do anything to help see it thrive. I don't mind putting in the hours or the hard work, because it's just part of what it takes to help this "baby" grow. But, apparently, according to my husband, I've been missing a pretty important piece of it....
(we'll get to that in a second)
Now, I've been working since I was 15 years old. Thanks to my parents, I was instilled with a pretty strong work ethic. No matter what job I held, I always gave it my best. From mucking stalls at a horse stable, to busing tables in a restaurant, to taking care of patients in a doctor's office... I always gave 100%. So why would my husband be telling me that I'm not giving my best to my OWN business? The business I pour my blood, sweat and tears into. He had to be pretty ballsy to put that out there... but, you know what? He was RIGHT.
When I go to work at my shop... I go PREPARED to WORK. Hair pulled back, sleeves rolled up.. ready to do whatever needs to be done. Ready to dig elbow-deep into 5 gallon buckets of oils, mix lye, sling soap batter, scoop bubble truffles, roll solid bubble bars, measure ingredients for bath bombs, seal spa mask packets... WHATEVER it takes!
So, when my husband told me that I wasn't giving my best, I had to take a step back and take a breath (you know, so I wouldn't black his eye). He wasn't being mean or critical, he was being honest in his observations. He had noticed that I wasn't putting my best face forward for my own business, not like I do when I work for someone else.
This is not to say he thought I was slacking or not putting in the same effort I do for others, because that's just not the case. He was, quite literally, talking about my FACE. When I go to my shop, I go to WORK. I have my "maker" hat on and am focused on getting stuff DONE. I am often covered in oils, soap batter and random powders... and, even though I wear an apron, it's maybe not the best look when having to come to the front end and help my customers. (Hair back in a ponytail, no make-up... you get the idea)
When I work for others I am typically wearing make-up, my hair is washed and I'm a little more... for lack of a better term... "put together". So WHY do I skip this part when I am working for myself?!??
GOOD QUESTION!
Talk about a light bulb moment! I work hard for my business, and should be putting my best face forward. I can still get things done while wearing mascara.
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| ...and sometimes even a tiara! |
I honestly believe that we, as makers, sometimes forget that we are also the face of our companies. We are too busy focusing on doing the dirty work, that we forget that we also get to FACE our customers and take credit for all of that hard work!
Do yourselves a favor, makers... and remember to put your
Best Face Forward!