This one goes out to the photographers, artists, small business owners out there, who are dreaming big dreams.
Personally, it’s been a long road to get to this point.
The entrepreneurial spirit is something I’ve always possessed. Growing up watching a father, who for most of my formative years was an artisan, run a small business, I always felt an affinity to that way of life. Forging your own way around your craft, on your own terms. I also got to witness how hard you had to work in order to succeed and I guess that’s why I never had any disillusions about running your own business being an easy road.
I started my first business, doing graphic design and photography, at the age of 20, after training in entrepreneurship and getting a massively positive encouragement for my ideas from the teachers. I had the work ethic and I enjoyed the freedom, but what I lacked at that age was enough self awareness and confidence to have a clear message or direction. I was also unprepared for the stress involved with being at the helm of your own survival. A few years later life threw a few surprises and I found myself in London, starting over.
For the next decade I worked designing magazines, while fiercely protecting my photography and artistic freedom. This was a time where my skills at my craft grew tremendous amounts. Keeping my photography so separated and sacred, allowed for growth that would have been hard to achieve otherwise. It took a while for it all to click into place, but the day came where I realised I was ready to embrace my inner entrepreneur again. A day when I finally realised it would be possible to mould a business around me, my craft and my unique qualities.
Some may say it is ‘lucky’ to have built a successful business in a relatively short time, but I would argue that the road to this point has taken at least 15 years. And I haven’t stopped growing yet, not by a long shot.
In the past few years I’ve taken such huge steps towards greater self awareness, and have purposefully attempted to go towards my fears. Teaching is something I wouldn’t have been ready for even just a few years ago. But guiding people has always been most rewarding for me, I find it absolutely thrilling helping others to realise small things that make big differences. It was just the doing it publicly bit that I always struggled with. But now I’m finally at a stage where I feel such excitement about potentially being able to reach more people, and to help them build businesses that allow them to make the best use of their unique qualities. To guide those starting out through some of the things I wish I’d known when trying to figure out the next steps to take.
This is where I am and I feel I have a lot to give. If you feel it in your heart, I would love for you to join me. I promise to do my utmost to give all I have, and to hopefully nurture you into a place where running your business gives you as much joy as creating your art does.
More details about the first mnoo school workshop can be found at the bottom of the post here. Registration is now open here.
