The Leap of Faith I Took
The Arc of Dreams in Downtown Sioux Falls
Owning my own business is a fairly recent dream. I didn’t have ambitions of being a business owner until I was deep into my career, and the life I live now is quite different from how I pictured adulthood when I was growing up. As cattle ranchers, my parents were their own bosses, and answering only to yourself seemed like the definition of success, but I didn’t really envision it for myself.
However, my independent spirit worked on me for quite a few years until starting a business of my own seemed like the only option. I haven’t looked for jobs in years. After five years of public service, and more than a decade before that working for mission-focused organizations, I didn’t want to find just another job. Starting a business and using my brainpower to help others solve problems became the only pathway forward.
Quitting my job and filing LLC paperwork was a leap of faith for sure, which is why the new Arc of Dreams sculpture in downtown Sioux Falls, South Dakota, is so stirring for me. It’s a massive stainless-steel structure that spans the Big Sioux River, two pieces nearly touching but forever reaching for each other. The sculpture’s most inspiring feature is that 15-foot gap between the two halves, which artist Dale Lamphere says represents the leap of faith dreamers take to see their dreams come true. The sculpture feels like a landmark to celebrate every entrepreneur who decided it was up to them to chart their own futures.
Now, more than a year into this adventure, I have learned so much about business, about life, about myself. As I reflect on 2019, here are some of the lessons I have learned as a first-time entrepreneur.
Some people will disappoint you, but many will surprise you with their kindness, too.
I have had to come to terms with the friends, acquaintances, former colleagues, and others who haven’t returned my phone calls, text messages, or emails since I started this business. I have had to shift my expectations to keep from being disappointed and to learn to recognize when others don’t have my best interests in mind. But I also have seen God show up in incredible ways, most often through other people who have championed me, invested in me, sustained me, and encouraged me in ways I can never repay.
You will disappoint you, but you will surprise yourself, too.
Answering only to yourself means there are days you are mad at yourself, too. Since I am my own boss now, I understand the challenges all of my former bosses must have faced. After years of running after deadlines and due dates, I now can set my own pace and am both the boss and the employee. I have rediscovered my inner strength and am learning to give myself more grace. I also have reaffirmed my area of expertise and know my niche experience is valuable to others.
It’s okay not to have the same goals as other entrepreneurs.
I don’t have aspirations like making a million dollars or signing a certain number of clients or having my face all over the news. I already had the rewarding but stressful job working tons of hours and decided I didn’t want that anymore. Now, I aspire to leisurely drink my coffee in the morning. I am allowing time for the lining of my stomach to grow back. I strive to never miss an opportunity to spend time with people I love. Yes, I want this business to be successful, and I am working hard to ensure that it is, but H Squared Communications is only a small part of my big, wonderful life, and that’s okay with me.
Some aspects of running a one-woman business are mundane but important.
I have learned how to file sales taxes every month, pay estimated quarterly income taxes, send invoices, document business expenses, and that’s just the start of it. None of that work was why I started this business, and none of it is fun or exciting. Owning a small business is challenging but sometimes boring work. All of it, however, is worth it when I can make my own schedule, take on only projects that bring me satisfaction and use my gifts, and feel like I am making a positive difference.
All of my past experience has led to this, and I am ready.
This year I had to have hard conversations with potential clients, with paying clients, with advisors, with loved ones, and in the mirror. It’s a good thing I have plenty of practice having hard conversations. I have presented to groups large and small, standing on a stage sharing my wisdom. It’s a good thing I have plenty of practice with public speaking. I have had to make recommendations and give advice that was hard to say out loud. It’s a good thing it wasn’t the first time. I am so grateful God prepared me for this moment, and I can put all of those past experiences to good use in helping others.
It’s been a hard year in a lot of ways, and doubts have crept in when I least expected them. But I still have never looked for a job, and I even turned down a job offer. It felt good at the time, but when what I had done sunk in, I questioned my own sanity. That’s really what owning your own business does to you every day: makes you question everything, including your own judgment.
But I know I will never regret the leap of faith that got me here and has allowed me to create the life I want for myself, my family, and my future. Every worthwhile decision has a 15-foot gap you either can leap over in faith or allow to stop you from following your dreams. I am so glad I made the jump.