Now all the New Years Resolutions posts are out of the way, it’s time to focus on actual Goals. I view these differently from resolutions, because resolutions are more promises to yourself rather than an overarching goal to work towards.
My goal for 2023 is to restart my business, with an aim to be fully operational by 2024.
For those of you who are new or don’t know me, I was self employed as a personal stylist for about eighteen months before poor health drove me back into the workplace. It’s incredibly hard to work on a business when you’re fighting your own body on a daily basis, so I had to make a tough call and start working again.
Some of you might think ‘but if you were ill, why did you go back into the workplace? Isn’t that worse for you?’ Well, in a way, but I had bills to pay (as do we all) and I didn’t have enough regular clients to allow myself to not work, so I decided to take on easy office work again to build my savings back up and pay my bills. I liked the regular income, and I ended up working for a good company in a job I like.
But then, of course, the pandemic struck. There is no way my little business would have survived the pandemic. I was still sort of keeping it alive, but with lockdowns, my own health problems, my grandmother’s passing and my cat’s ailing health and eventual passing, it fell by the wayside. Having a regular job really helped me navigate everything and I didn’t have the added worry about cashflow. I was still being paid. I still am – I work for the same company I was during the pandemic.
Now, though, things have changed. The world is opening up. There are vaccines. I am getting itchy feet, and I want to be my own boss again.
The biggest driver for me to start my own business again is that a traditional 9 to 5 doesn’t suit me. I wake up at ridiculously early hours, and would rather start work at 7am and finish at 3pm than have to conform to 9 to 5. As my own boss, I can work whenever I please. If I want to start at 6am simply because I’m awake, I can. My current job doesn’t offer that flexibility.
The other main reason for starting my business again is that as I age, I realise that commuting sucks. Yes, I can work from home, but I do have to go into the office sometimes, and having to haul out of bed at some ungodly hour to get ready and get on the road before the traffic really hits, those days are the worst.
Get a job closer to home, I hear you yell. Well, I would, but theoretically this job is only 25 minutes away by car. Realistically, it’s more like 45 to an hour, just because of the traffic. No ta, I’m too old for this now.
And, also, honestly… I want to move. I’ve always stayed here in Surrey because that’s where the jobs are, but my family is open to moving, and if I get myself sorted in business again, I can work from anywhere. Where will we move to? No idea.
So, what do I want to do? Well, I’m a stylist by training and an organiser by nature, so I’ll be reviving the styling and wardrobe organising side of my business. I also have plans for some fashion focused ebooks, some worksheets, and I would like to be paid to write in some capacity too.
The decision has been made, and the first step taken. This won’t be a short process, and I’m expecting setbacks and delays because I’m doing this round my usual job and still fighting my health. But a path is being laid, and this time, I’m older, wiser, and have a bit more of an idea about what I’m doing.
Into the breach, friends, and here’s to coming out the other side.
WEST SURREY STYLE 