I have a friend who ran a successful jewelry business for many years.
She schlepped her wares to craft fairs, developed her brand presence, built a solid customer base, got her art featured in key industry publications, even opened a small brick and mortar shop to grow her company locally.
But like many entrepreneurs who turn their passion into a business, it was a heaping shit ton of work. She wore every hat in the company and slaved away nights and weekends, only to barely keep the enterprise above water.
And she loved it, but in the back of her mind, she also knew that she couldn’t sustain it forever. Nor did she want to.
Kind of reminded me of myself. She was already burned out going it alone and had no desire to scale in order to burn out even more.
In the end, she decided close her company doors. Proudly and without shame or regret. Because the time had come for her to move into the second act of her career.
Interestingly enough, one of her vendors heard the news and offered her an amazing customer service job in the small business department of their corporation. She accepted the job and couldn’t have been happier.
Years ago when I asked her how the new gig was going, her response summarized the journey perfectly.
An employee now, I work full time. But when I was an entrepreneur, I worked all the time.
That’s perspective. My friend didn’t sell out, she outgrew her origins and changed directions proudly.
Hoffman said it best in his book about inventing the future.
Pivoting isn’t throwing a dart on the map and then going there, it’s changing your path to get somewhere based on what you’ve learned along the way.
LET ME ASK YA THIS…
Are you locking yourself into a single career path, or remaking yourself as you grow and as the world changes?
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Scott Ginsberg
That Guy with the Nametag
Author. Speaker. Strategist. Inventor. Filmmaker. Publisher. Songwriter.
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