Tilling the Ground for Greatness: My Entrepreneurial Seedlings


When I first started my business, I wanted my focus to be on baked goods. Specifically, I wanted to focus on sweet treats - cookies, brownies, simple cakes (because I loathed decorating). Delusions of grandeur - the first event I ever did I baked so much! The event was widely known and extremely popular. However... little did I know, the event attendance had been experiencing a decline in visitors.

I was left holding a lot of product unsold and feeling defeated. Sales were that bad. I spent so much time on ingredients, packaging, and baking and suffered a major financial loss due to the low support of a newbie. Determined to salvage something from the venture, I showed up at another event the very next day in the hopes of gaining a little more off of this venture.

While I didn't generate the income I was expecting from this second event, I realized something. It was then I realized a crucial business lesson: I couldn't just wait for opportunities to come to me; I had to actively seek them out or create my own. I NEEDED to step out of my comfort zone. As painful as it was (being a shy person with a lack of self-confidence), I left my little set-up to go talk to someone from the community. That introduction was a step towards the future.

I forged a partnership with a local venue to provide donations of baked goods to their weekly event. I had hoped to get more visibility and sales from the visitors at their event. While I have not generated a lot of sales and orders to the patrons of their events, it gave me a place to test new recipes, get feedback, and gain some visibility. I also made some local connections that introduced me to other members of my community.

This venture also boosted my confidence and helped narrow my focus a little. I'd like to say the following year my business took off like a rocket but, I can't. I regularly pushed my boundaries - attended other events introducing myself to other vendors to learn about events they attend. If I was attending an event as a patron, I sought out the coordinator to see if there would be room for me to set up. If there was, great. If not, no big deal. I went so far as visiting some local businesses to see if there was an opportunity for me to set up or provide treats on demand to their customers.

The lesson of this post is don't wait for opportunity to come to you. Seize your opportunity. Take action on your dream.

Next Up: Turning Setbacks into Stepping Stones

If you resonated with the journey of pushing boundaries and creating opportunities, you won't want to miss my post. We'll dive deeper into navigating the inevitable setbacks, understanding when to step back and re-evaluate, and how those crucial moments can spark the necessary changes to generate more income. 

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