mavisBLUE turns one!

Well, we did it! We turned one. It’s been a entrepreneurial rollercoaster—think BAT not Ghoster Coaster! Full speed ahead, backward and a few loop-de-loops in the middle.
 
And we’ve learned a lot---and because we love to share: we thought we’d pass on all the great advice we’ve acquired from friends, other entrepreneurs, great reads and amazing mentors over the last 12 months! Here goes:

GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION
For a long time I feared failing. My list of ‘To Do’s’ was so long and I didn’t know where to start—so I didn’t. I became paralysed. When I was lucky enough to receive a Green Card, I realized I had to give myself permission to try starting my own business. I did and I haven’t looked back!
 
IT’S HARDER THAN YOU THINK
Running a business is hard. Did you ever worry about SEO, CSS, an LLC or LEAD generation? Yep, me neither. Until, I started mavisBLUE then I had to not only learn but implement these things myself. There are many hats to be worn when you work for yourself and seemingly never enough hours in the day. The up-side, it seriously never feels like work when you love what you do and have full control of your creative path!
 
DONE IS BETTER THAN GOOD
Putting something out there (be it content or a product) and getting feedback—good or bad—is better than never trying. Sometimes we seek perfection which in my mind can be a never ending search… Typos stink and I try my hardest to minimize them but, I’d rather have someone read my content than never publish at all.
 
YOU’LL FIND YOUR PEOPLE
When you own a business, you end up connecting with other entrepreneurs locally and on-line. These people amazingly have the same aspirations, creative dreams, struggles and challenges. Even better, these people end up helping, supporting and cheerleading for you, and, becoming your new friends!
 
INVEST IN YOU
I would purchase a new, probably not needed, jacket for my little one in a heartbeat but I would often shy away from spending money on a webinar, traveling to a conference or investing in software. Now I realize the tremendous value of investing in me and my business and how it has made all the difference with my business growth.
 
A CREATIVE LIFE IS AN AMPLIFIED LIFE
Nuf said. It just is. For me, living a life on my terms with my creative aspirations at the front of my mind each day has changed my life in so many positive ways. I feel full of purpose and passion which is something I struggled with professionally in the past.
 
DON’T QUIT YOUR DAY JOB
Author, Elizabeth Gilbert writes that quitting your job and putting all the pressures of life, mortgage and family on your 'passion' can often put unnecessary stress on your creativity. I still work part-time teaching and it has helped to take the stress off those times when my creativity lulls or when my family needs to come first. Being able to take a pause from my business now and again also helps to mix things up, allows me to interact with new people and keeps things fresh!
 
PAY PROFESSIONALS
I took three months to apply for an LLC and Sales Tax + Use license. I was proud that I figured it out myself but looking back, I should have paid someone to do this. Letting a professional take care of the things that they do best might cost you more but in the long run, it saves time and allows you to focus on all the details of creating and selling your product.
 
BE YOU
Oscar Wilde said it best “Be yourself, everyone else is already taken.” I’ve been genuinely ‘me’ since starting this ‘leap’ and I feel like it has helped me stay true to my brand, my creative vision and I believe (or maybe hope) people appreciate that.
 
MISTAKES ARE AMAZING, KINDA!
I have learned many great lessons—and full disclosure, it’s usually when I’m messing up! I’m not talking about being rude to customers or not fulfilling orders on-time. I’m talking about forgetting to include postage (ouch!), or spending hours re-tweaking my website (get me a second glass of wine!) or learning that calculating sales tax reports are a regular small-business activity (groan…) I’ve only had to make a mistake once before I’ve learned to never do it again or, have found a way to do it better the next time. It’s made me more conscientious, calculated and thorough in all that I do.  
 
JUST START
Ever thought about starting a small business or following your passion? You should. A friend told me there are two types of people—dreamers and do’ers. Are you frustrated that you might be more of the former than the latter? Here’s an easy solution—just start! The minute you do, you turn yourself into someone who is following their dreams instead of just wishing for them to appear.
 
I hope you too have had a great first year of business. It’s been an amazing ride that I'm getting better at every day--with every sale, every new print design and every bigger business decision. But, it never stops so now it’s time to take in all I’ve learned and get started on my next set of goals! I have big plan for YEAR TWO so stay tuned and follow along.
 
And,
P.S. Thanks for the support!