Falling in love with my business all over again
If you've seen my recent Instagram posts, you'll know that I'm falling in love with my business all over again.
It's only been 10 years since I changed things up a little in my career. Until then, I'd been employed full-time from the age of 21. Even though I'd enjoyed my jobs (for the most part), I felt trapped working inside an office. Every. Single. Day.
I've always had a strong pull towards freedom. To me, that tends to look like time outdoors. It was a massive goal to work more flexibly from cafes and co-working spaces, and to be outdoors more. But leaving the security of full-time employment was a big shift and I pondered what to do for years. To cut a very long story short, I finally made the leap.
Starting a business after full-time employment
Like many people who start a business after being employed, I carried on working in a pretty traditional way. If I wasn't in front of my computer between 9-5, it felt like I was skiving off. I knew being outdoors sparked my creativity, but never allowed myself the luxury of a lunchtime walk.
Most business advice is geared towards the more traditional, corporate way of doing things. Same with networking. And, if I wanted more clients, who was I to rock the boat by doing things differently.
I knew inside that there was a mis-match between who I am, and what I was doing. But carried on regardless because “that's how you grow your business”.
Then, a few weeks ago, I stumbled across Creative Wilderness, an ethical and nature inspired branding studio. Charlotte's website spoke to my heart and I signed up for her free branding email series.
Doing business differently
While we were away in Scotland, hunkering down from Storm Agnes, I began thinking more about my business. I realised that the way I want to do things is kinda different, and that's something to be embraced.
I still have goals. And I still have a strong desire to do great work for my clients. But, by truly leaning in to who I am, there are other things that I can bring to the table too.
It's a more ethical, gentle, calming, and outdoor inspired way of doing things. And I'm excited to connect with others who have similar values.
The branding exercise also helped me finally identify my ideal customers. I'd been wrestling with niching down on products and services for years. But guess what! It's really about the values behind a business.
BRANDS THAT CARE ABOUT THEIR IMPACT ON PEOPLE AND THE PLANET
That could mean a cafe working sustainably, avoiding single-use plastics and sourcing suppliers locally. Or wellness practitioners and coaches helping people. But it could equally be a manufacturing business cleaning up their processes and emissions by working towards net zero.
It's so stupidly obvious that I can't believe it took me so long 😂
Next steps
I still have plenty of work to do, especially on developing my website and branding. But I recently had a reminder of how much things have already changed when my 2024 Outdoor Press card arrived in the post.
It's part of my membership of the Outdoor Writers and Photographers Guild. Many of the big name outdoor writers hang out there and I first stumbled across them in 2015.
Back then, I had little more than a dream to do more outdoor-related work and a fierce determination to make it happen.
I'm always proud when the annual press card arrives in the post and often wonder what full-time employee Jacquie would have to say.
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