(Disclaimer: despite the title there are actually a handful a men that are not TOO bad :) )
As most of you know, I have my own business. I started it 3 years ago. It was a slow start. That is for sure. However, I have been amazingly lucky to have
the support of the most amazing people.
About 6 months ago, I was really frustrated with the lack of
profitability for my business. A friend, one of the few guys that might be worth
listening to, encouraged me to revamp my business strategy. I have not looked back and have never been so
busy.
Realizing that my business is starting to grow rapidly and
knowing there was this great organization (name omitted) that help businesses
with advice, I decided I would be stupid not to utilize this free
resource. So I made an appointment to
learn what I needed to know to keep my sanity as things take off.
So I met with this guy, a retired executive, we will call
him Bob. I was excited to see what wisdom
I could glean from this meeting. He was
a gentile and affable sort. After
telling me a bit about himself and his career highlights, he said, “Now let’s
talk about you.” Let’s, I thought. I was ready to tell him about my business and
the direction it was going. I knew Bob
was going to be a wealth of information.
However, instead of practical information, encouragement or
constructive criticism, I got asked how old my children were. What?
I tell him. He smiled so kindly
and warmly that I was totally unprepared for what came out of his mouth next. What he said to me was, “Oh, I see. At the ages they are now, they [my children]
still require a lot of time. Running a
business is a serious commitment. It is
unlikely for you to balance the demands of home and what it realistically takes
to run a real business. While you might make more money doing this,
perhaps getting a job that pays $15/hour might be a better fit. Yes, it is less money, but you are not
working so hard for it.”
Then he gave me a lovely smile as if to say, “I bet your
husband thinks you’re a pip.” I thanked
him for his time. Made it to my car and
burst into tears. In 30 minutes this man
erased 3 years of confidence I had built in my business. In 30 minutes this guy made me feel my worth
did not extend past the doors my house.
But as opposed to being outraged, I was now full of doubt. He had made me feel like an utter fraud. In 30 minutes.
Now, after some contemplation,
I am not sure what I am more angry about.
At this man, trying to put me into some antiquated box HE created for me…
or for me letting him.
So I picked myself up and stopped whimpering and reminded
myself, in three short years I have:
A business that is running in the black, most businesses do
not make it this far
Sweet Cheeks has been sold in goodness knows how many states
and six countries
Sweet Cheeks was in the celebrity swag bags for a VH-1 event
I was approached by a company in France about doing a
private label
I have been taking on meetings with stores left and right
(Whole Foods among them)
I have an amazing base of really loyal customers that have
put up with me raising prices.
And I did all of this, while being a
mom, AND until 2 weeks ago… homeschooling.
And this old fart wants to tell me what I can and cannot
handle. This man who went to work and
came home to a wife (that I am sure handled the kids, the cooking and the cleaning)
to bourbon – neat poured for him and slippers waiting in the library. This man
wants to tell me about work life balance.
WTH?
I wash the clothes and clean the house. I am the primary parent and I was, until
recently, a homeschooler to boot. I garden,
make my own cleaners and do all the cooking.
And guess what, I pour my own damn bourbon and get my own slippers. And… AND… I run a business.
I get you don’t understand, Bob. You can’t.
Because you are not a woman. You
have no idea that on your best day, on you very, very best day…you could have
never kept up with me. Ever.
So watch out. Here I
come, and hundreds of thousands others like us Bob. Oh… and the glasses are on
the shelf. You can get you own bourbon. Just sit and look pretty Bob, us women… yeah
we got it from here.
So thank you… thank
you every one of you that has helped me.
Encouraged me. Told me what I
could do, NOT what I could not. Those of
you that, taught me. Those of you that
set examples for me. Those of you that
paved the way. Those of you that never thought I needed a box. Thank you. Raise a glass… Bob’s pourin’.
