A Peak into My Business Journey
Do you ever put off doing something because you feel like it has to be absolutely perfect before presenting it? I like to think that perfection is like beauty - it’s in the eye of the beholder.
I’m all for having what I create to be top notch because my name is on it and it’s a representation of me but when we’re new to something we should give ourselves a bit of grace. Take for instance, me starting my small business, Black Girl Crystal Bar. It was a labor of love but was not thought of until the pandemic came about. As a consumer, I thought about how I’d run a #business and went from there. In the summer of 2020, I began researching wholesalers, different ways to make my products available and put some funds into getting my first inventory. From there I had to decide on marketing with or without a theme, a logo and how to present the product in photos. I had to get packaging and business cards that I felt would be aesthetically pleasing. Once the inventory was in, priced and I decided on what forms of payment I wanted to take, I launched!
Business started out surprisingly well for me. Initially it was mostly friends and family supporting but then I began to really become a part of the crystal community on social media and my business grew. With growth comes bumps in the road and the need to evolve. Although it has been going well, I’ve noticed things that could use some tweaking or enhancements. It’s been less than a year since starting and I recently decided to change up the packaging and business cards. Before that I recognized the necessity of expanding the form of payment options I offered in order to obtain more business. As far as operations, I realized I needed to get a better shipping routine intact. I’ve taken feedback from clientele and other small business owners to improve my own. I even worked up the nerve to start doing Live Sale Shows on Instagram as a means to improve business and connect with my clientele.
With growth comes bumps in the road and the need to evolve.
I still have some other areas that I want to “perfect” but until then I’m proud of the foundation I started with for my business. With all things, there’s alway room for improvement and nothing wrong with progressing as you go. It doesn’t have to be perfect for you to start. So what are you waiting for? Start!
Follow Black Girl Crystal Bar on Instagram @blkgrl.crystalbar