Next week is Small Business Week. I have grown up around business owners. My grandpa owned a tshirt shop (that my mom now runs), my uncle owns a home painting business, my mom owns a web design and development business, and my sister owns 2 businesses (plant based, vegan restaurant and metal arts business). To say that my family has entrepreneurial skills in our blood is a bit of an understatement.
But I haven’t always wanted to own a small business. When I was younger, I saw all the stress my mom, uncle, and grandpa had. Managing the workload, taxes, finances, etc. It was something that I watched and thought I never want to have that stress.
But then my daughter was born and at the time, work-from-home gigs were few and far between unless you wanted to do customer service over the phone. And that did not suit my skills or my needs at the time. I wanted so much more for my time at home with my daughter. I wanted to make my own schedule, and create a client list who understood I’m more than just a person who handles their business needs. I’m also a mom. Sometimes mom duties come first, but I will always fulfill the needs of my clients.
All of that to say, being a small business owner is everything I could have ever wanted and more. And I’m so happy to celebrate my own history, role models within my family who shaped my career, but also the businesses I help each and every day.