FROM SMALL BUSINESS TO BIG POTENTIAL: WHERE WILL YOUR GUT INSTINCTS TAKE YOU?

Hello Ladies,

They say that if your dreams don’t scare you, then your dreams aren’t big enough and ‘they’ might be right. So ditch the FOMO and embrace that YOLO. If you have a hobby that keeps you up at odd hours, if you have a passion that borderlines on obsession, if you feel like you’ve found your calling and all that you’re missing is the capital, the connections, or the opportunity to make it big —  then roll up your sleeves because it’s about to be *that time* girl! Don’t let your special something (idea, talent, vision) fall to the wayside because you could potentially be losing the chance of a lifetime.
On a very personal note – I was holding my head between my hands feeling supremely defeated last weekend, when I had a swift and sudden moment of clarity. You see, I’m a hyper-competitive-type-A-aggressive-super-ambitious-trying-to-over-achieve-every-chance-I-get personality and when I don’t get the chance to channel that energy in a workplace environment it feels like there’s a wrench in the system (i.e. an existential breakdown every single day). In between marketing contract work assignments, I begin to feel a disassociation with my own life, like a stranger waking up in my own skin. The epiphany was that my own drive to “succeed”, to be constantly on the “right track”, was killing me slowly. I had inadvertently developed a fear of failure and succumbed to a toxic cycle of constant self-judgement. In that moment of clarity, I asked myself why do I hold back from putting myself out there on my own channels? Why am I so comfortable selling everything under the sun but not comfortable with selling my unique perspective? Answer: low self-esteem. I decided that in the spirit of ‘National Small Business Week’  I would muster up the courage and finally open up my digital store front on Redbubble.
Don’t let work define you—define what kind of work will make you feel wind beneath your wings.

With Belief In You,
Andrea Vidovic

CASE STUDY ONE – SCHMIDT’S NATURALS

Schmidt’s Naturals is the brain child of Jaime Schmidt. This #girlboss is the epitome of a self-starter! Discover how she created an enterprise out of a household hobby: click here to access an article and podcast.

CASE STUDY TWO – VALFRÉ

What can I say about Valfré except, that I love her. She is a self-taught graphic artist who grew an entire business out of a blog (a testament to the power of word of mouth). The interview below will have your whole being humming with possibility!

Highlight: (8:00) “I think women—and humans in general—we have the ability to adapt to whatever situation we are put in.”

P.S. Sidewalk Talk is a new series by Lauren Engel. This girl is a #bossbabe herself. Read about her journey from being very inspired, to becoming very inspiring.

CASE STUDY THREE – FREELAND SPIRITS

Freeland Spirits is headed by a magnificent trio of ladies who are beating the odds of the distilling industry. These ladies are movers, makers, and history shakers! Click here to find out how taking a leap of faith with the right people can lead to bountiful gains.

HAVE VISION – WILL TRAVEL

If you feel heat rising to face and have the sudden urge to start pacing, then you’ve realized that there is no time like the present to start on that venture you’ve always dreamed of. Here are some more links to get you started:

10 Instagram Tips For Authentic Growth

KEY TAKEAWAY Instagram is like Thor’s hammer in any marketer’s tool belt. To be successful on this platform you must: be consistent, be specific, be your truest self… P.S. there are no shortcuts that will make for meaningful long-term growth.

Best Ecommerce Tools: 39 Apps to Grow a Multimillion-Dollar Business Online

TO SUM IT UP A crash course on all the tools you will need to turn a humble profit into mega sales online.

How To Get Certified As A Woman-Owned Business

KEY TAKEAWAY “Every little edge helps” —  better to be eligible for aid than not.

10 Grants You Need To Know About For Your Woman-Owned Business

Small Business Grants For Women: 10 Go-To Spots

KEY TAKEAWAY Grants are like “free money” – you don’t have to pay them back! However, you do have to aggressively apply and compete for them, as well as report back on how you used them.