Heart and Hustle

As a small business owner, I know we put our heart and soul into every inch of our business. Some small business owners are lucky enough just to have a business for the fun of it. Others are truly trying to better their family, whether it be paying a bill or making the choice to pay tuition for their children's education.  Whatever your reasoning may be we all have one goal....to be successful.

That takes a tremendous amount of hustle, education, passion, time (lots of it) that doesn't necessarily bring in any income.  And all of the above come from the business or business owners.  Being a small business owner isn't a walk in the park, it takes support from family and friends and lots of it.  They are usually the ones that get the short end of the stick.  Their time spent with their loved one is cut short.  

Along this journey we will have failures, many of them.  But the mentality of most of us is to pick ourselves up and continue on.  We don't blame our failures on others around us.  We look at our mistake and do a lot of self talk to push ourselves on.  Your passion is so strong that giving up isn't in your vocabulary.   Becoming a successful business owner doesn't happen overnight and it most definitely doesn't happen by just sitting in your chair.  You have to do the work.......I believe the word that best describes that would be HUSTLE!

Owning a retail brick and mortar storefront is only one way to make people aware of your business and what you have to offer.  No one is going to get customers in your door more than you.  It includes making yourself and your business apart of your community.  For example, here in Bardstown we have two organizations that can help your business.  Bardstown Main Street being one and the Bardstown Chamber as another. (no they aren't paying me any affiliate fees for this blog)

Honestly, we are not currently a member of the Bardstown Chamber, but that will change tomorrow.  And at this point you are wondering why.......I've had an "aha" moment and have realized that joining can only help our business.  Is it going to help by just paying our fee and doing nothing else....absolutely not.   As a small business, fees for these organizations add up and we have this mentality that we get nothing in return.  But in all honesty they support us when they can.  We as business owners have to realize they have other job duties as well.  And handing their members customers on silver platters isn't one of them. But helping their members along the way is sometimes shown by trying to help educate us on becoming better business owners and making yourself known in your community.  They help supply the materials but you have to do work.

In all honesty, many of the directors put their heart and soul into their program.  They treat the organization just as their own business.  It's their passion and they have a lot of time and hard work that goes into making our community thrive, that is over and beyond what their salary would cover.  They want you to be successful as much as you want to be.  You have to do the work.  Show up, support your community, be grateful for the community events they work hard to put together, and be proud of our small town.  And when it comes back to what you want for your business, hustle and heart will set you apart!

P.S. If you are looking for fresh, new ideas for your business, we would love to help get some creative juices flowing for you!  Let's work together, not against each other. Supporting others success will never dampen yours.