Starting a Business is an Act of Faith
By Brenda Wyatt
Visual Marketing Teacher
Developer of 'Be Unforgettable' online Course
Visual Marketing Teacher
Developer of 'Be Unforgettable' online Course
Do you have an idea of starting a business? I think that’s a wonderful idea! Women, since ancient times have had these same hopes and dreams. The Proverbs 31 lady sure did! And so did Lydia, a seller of purple who supported Paul’s ministry. You’re in good company!
My mother and I had a dream of a children’s shop- we had hand-painted and handsewn classic children’s clothing and more! The name of our little shop was Grandmother’s Trunk. It was so exciting, at first we did everything ourselves. Then we realized that there was an untapped resource in our community of ladies who were amazing creatives. We designed a long legged pair of dolls and one of those ladies made the doll bodies for us, I’ve lost track of how many we sold!
After a few years, we hired someone to represent us in the wholesale markets. This was a good idea. At first, we worked ourselves with a few more ladies who helped until...we realized we weren’t prepared to produce as many garments as our representative sold! Ultimately this little business was sold to a larger company. While we were thrilled with our success, it felt like failure to be honest. And yet, we still took special orders, literally for decades! So, even if business takes a different turn that you’ve expected, please don’t despair, everything we learned from that tiny shop helped us learn and grow.
I loved retail and went to work as a fashion wardrober for a large department store, now we would call folks like me Fashion Stylists. I loved my job! I often thought I knew my customers’ wardrobes better than they did! I learned from this that folks really do want a personalized shopping experience! What does that mean? It means showing up consistently. It means becoming a trusted resource. It means not lowering your standards and no matter what you do or sell...it takes a belief in yourself and in God.
Later, I had an opportunity to go to work in the Fragrance and Cosmetics Industry as an in-store rep! My first job was for Oscar de la Renta and I was able to meet him myself! What a delightful wonderful man! His first fragrance was developed from a bouquet he picked in his mother’s flower garden at their home in Santa Domingo. It had orange blossoms, roses, freesias, gardenias and even basil! Because of Oscar’s fragrance, I still add herbs to the bouquets I pick from my own garden!
Later, I worked for Chanel International Fragrances. You name it, I probably represented it if it was a European Fragrance. So, what do these experiences teach me? First of all...Show up to Give. It still amazes me how many free samples we gave away, especially when we launched a new fragrance. That holds true for the Popup Shops I later hosted! We had free samples of homemade goods, and we often had giveaways.
My mother and I had a dream of a children’s shop- we had hand-painted and handsewn classic children’s clothing and more! The name of our little shop was Grandmother’s Trunk. It was so exciting, at first we did everything ourselves. Then we realized that there was an untapped resource in our community of ladies who were amazing creatives. We designed a long legged pair of dolls and one of those ladies made the doll bodies for us, I’ve lost track of how many we sold!
After a few years, we hired someone to represent us in the wholesale markets. This was a good idea. At first, we worked ourselves with a few more ladies who helped until...we realized we weren’t prepared to produce as many garments as our representative sold! Ultimately this little business was sold to a larger company. While we were thrilled with our success, it felt like failure to be honest. And yet, we still took special orders, literally for decades! So, even if business takes a different turn that you’ve expected, please don’t despair, everything we learned from that tiny shop helped us learn and grow.
I loved retail and went to work as a fashion wardrober for a large department store, now we would call folks like me Fashion Stylists. I loved my job! I often thought I knew my customers’ wardrobes better than they did! I learned from this that folks really do want a personalized shopping experience! What does that mean? It means showing up consistently. It means becoming a trusted resource. It means not lowering your standards and no matter what you do or sell...it takes a belief in yourself and in God.
Later, I had an opportunity to go to work in the Fragrance and Cosmetics Industry as an in-store rep! My first job was for Oscar de la Renta and I was able to meet him myself! What a delightful wonderful man! His first fragrance was developed from a bouquet he picked in his mother’s flower garden at their home in Santa Domingo. It had orange blossoms, roses, freesias, gardenias and even basil! Because of Oscar’s fragrance, I still add herbs to the bouquets I pick from my own garden!
Later, I worked for Chanel International Fragrances. You name it, I probably represented it if it was a European Fragrance. So, what do these experiences teach me? First of all...Show up to Give. It still amazes me how many free samples we gave away, especially when we launched a new fragrance. That holds true for the Popup Shops I later hosted! We had free samples of homemade goods, and we often had giveaways.
Yet, that’s not all that Showing Up to Give means. It means you truly care about those folks you serve. It means showing up, it means putting You in the picture, especially with online businesses these days. God has given us unique qualities. There’s no one like you! When you let your unique soul and spirit shine through everything you do...there is a special magnetism that draws folks to do business with you. Showing up to give…doesn’t just mean giving stuff away, it’s a giving of yourself like no one else can do!
So! If you have a dream of starting a business, make sure it aligns with your values and your unique personality. A good first step would be to work for someone who is doing something similar to what you hope to do. Start small. Think big. Mostly, think of this...know Why your business will exist. I believe in you, your talents, the unique you.. There’s only one you, you have one precious life. Give it some careful thought and prayer and I believe you’ll hear that still small voice speaking to you saying...‘This is the Way, walk in it.'
Love y’all, Brenda Wyatt
So! If you have a dream of starting a business, make sure it aligns with your values and your unique personality. A good first step would be to work for someone who is doing something similar to what you hope to do. Start small. Think big. Mostly, think of this...know Why your business will exist. I believe in you, your talents, the unique you.. There’s only one you, you have one precious life. Give it some careful thought and prayer and I believe you’ll hear that still small voice speaking to you saying...‘This is the Way, walk in it.'
Love y’all, Brenda Wyatt
Here's just a small sample of the wonderful content you'll find from Brenda on her Instagram page. IF YOU CLICK THE PHOTOS BELOW, YOU'LL GO RIGHT TO HER SHORT VIDEO. You'll learn something new, or get a fresh perspective, every time.
|
|
|
About Brenda Wyatt
Brenda enjoys encouraging and motivating others as they move forward and achieve their God given pursuits. She's had years of experience in the retail industry and her faith has moved mountains. She's married to a retired Judge. Brenda is an avid reader, and loves gardening and cooking. But her favorite thing to do is spend time with her husband and family, traveling, visiting, and sharing life.
Brenda enjoys encouraging and motivating others as they move forward and achieve their God given pursuits. She's had years of experience in the retail industry and her faith has moved mountains. She's married to a retired Judge. Brenda is an avid reader, and loves gardening and cooking. But her favorite thing to do is spend time with her husband and family, traveling, visiting, and sharing life.
You can learn even more from Brenda in her book 'Four Days the Lazarus Principle' Click here to go to Amazon and learn more about this rather unconventional Bible Study book by Brenda.
'Four Days' is Brenda Wyatt's first book. She says: There are many lessons in this unconventional Bible study of dis-ease, unanswered prayer, loss, letting go, struggling to believe and wrestling with God. Come with me and learn the lessons from a little green worm, two devastated songwriters, the weavers of Persian carpets, even a baby chick at the county fair. Look with wonder at the last living thing removed from the devastation of the 911 World Trade Center, the ugliest building in Boston, the boat that rescued hundreds of survivors from the flood waters of Katrina and blue glass hands. Within these stories and the lives of two sisters in John 11, I hope you will find the great love of God even when you don't understand Him. Brenda and her husband, Wallace Wyatt, Jr. live in Pell City, Alabama, along with their big Himalayan cat, Walter.
'Four Days' is Brenda Wyatt's first book. She says: There are many lessons in this unconventional Bible study of dis-ease, unanswered prayer, loss, letting go, struggling to believe and wrestling with God. Come with me and learn the lessons from a little green worm, two devastated songwriters, the weavers of Persian carpets, even a baby chick at the county fair. Look with wonder at the last living thing removed from the devastation of the 911 World Trade Center, the ugliest building in Boston, the boat that rescued hundreds of survivors from the flood waters of Katrina and blue glass hands. Within these stories and the lives of two sisters in John 11, I hope you will find the great love of God even when you don't understand Him. Brenda and her husband, Wallace Wyatt, Jr. live in Pell City, Alabama, along with their big Himalayan cat, Walter.