Why I Should Have Waited
The what-not-to-do for emerging entrepreneurs
I spent sometime today scrolling through my Google photos. I was happily showing my six-year-old daughter her baby pictures. We laughed and smiled as we went through a collage of her younger years. Then, I came across pictures I have not seen in five years. These pictures were of hands of various shades and sizes. No faces were needed in these pictures because the hands were the star of each photo.
Seeing these photos took me back to the year of 2015. That was when I opened up my natural nail care studio called QD Natural Nails. It was a monumental moment in my life. That was the first time I turned one of my ideas into an actual business. Oh boy, it felt good because a dream was finally actualized. Unlike in the past, when I would quit before I got an idea started. I didn’t allow myself to this time. No matter how discouraged I became, and there were discouraging times, I pressed on! For instance, it took me three times to pass my Manicurist examination and earn my license. It was not an easy feat.
Yet, seeing one photo after another of beautifully manicured nails, made me feel a certain way. I felt disappointed. But I questioned my disappointment. I took a quick mental survey of my current life. I started checking off things like, I live in a nice apartment, there’s food in the fridge, and my daughters are happy and healthy. So “What is the problem, Quisha?” I asked myself. The problem is I was looking at my past that seemed unfinished. I’m not disappointed at my life, but at the fact that after only one year of having my nail studio, I did what...y’all know...I QUIT!
Why?
I got pregnant.
After my first child in 2009, I knew if I had another child, I would’ve liked to stay at home with them just like I did with my first child. So, that is what I did. When I hit eight months of pregnancy, I closed up shop and waited for my precious bundle to arrive. A few peers and family members encouraged me to keep my studio. They suggested that I hire someone to take over while away. They were great cheerleaders that told me I can do it all. I can have a baby, be a mother, wife, and have a business.
I didn’t believe them.
More so, I didn’t want to. I wanted to focus on motherhood. I was happy! The thought of preparing to have a child, give birth, and still manage a business, intimidated me. It felt like I would be overwhelmed with finding a licensed, qualified Manicurist and training them to support the nail studio’s mission. The thought of it seemed like a lot to handle at such a delicate time in my life. Especially when all I wanted to do was concentrate on was being the best mommy I could be.
Do I regret my decision, no! My daughter is worth it!
But lately I contemplate if I should have at least tried to keep my nail studio. It may have been hard at first to manage but ease up over time. Maybe I would have found a reliable, trustworthy Manicurist to hold it down while away. And maybe I would still have it today and it be profitable. This is where it hits me hard. Profitable! Because here I am starting from scratch, again.
That makes it hard to swallow!
I own and manage a sanitation business and write on Medium. The striking difference from then to now is that I am approaching entrepreneurship on my own and with limited resources.
The support of a spouse is a beautiful thing. I had that when I opened QD Natural Nails. He invested in my business idea with advice and collateral. Also, he watched my daughter, his stepdaughter, while I worked. Now as a single parent household, I find it impossible at times to have the energy to work on my business. I often read articles suggesting entrepreneurs to work on their business after hours, but once 5pm hits, my brain feels like mush. The last thing I yearn to do is sit behind a computer or get behind a paper or pen. I’d rather belly flop into bed around 8pm.
Here’s another thought though, maybe if I still had the studio today, I wouldn’t need my sanitation business. (makes me go hmmm..😒) Or maybe I wouldn’t have begun writing. The latter is the most important part of my journey now. It is the most freeing endeavor I have ever done in my life. Thus, I certainly don’t regret my choice to close my salon because maybe I would have never gotten to this incredible part of my life.
I am happy to say that I am doing the best I can to achieve the best results. Each article published shows that I am figuring it out, one article at a time.
In all, give yourself a chance to struggle in your business before you give it up. Give it all you got and ask for help before you walk away! Be patient with the process and see where it takes you.
The worst thing to live with is the shoulda, coulda, wouldas.
