It's often said that anyone deemed to be super successful - whether it be in business, pro sport, or even in family life - didn't reach the top without somebody having given them some help along the way.
My Girl Friday is still in it's infancy, we have a veerrrrry long way to go before anyone would dare say it is a super successful business. However, considering a mere 12 months ago you would have found me knee deep in Master 1's dirty nappies, dealing with Miss 5 transitioning from kindergarten to school (yes - there were tears shed, embarrassingly mine were in front of the Head Teacher), together with my ridiculously low energy levels, I think my first year in business has been a rip roaring success.
So how did I get here? How did I go from a barely holding it together some days stay-at-home parent of two, to a barely holding it together some days stay-at-home parent of two - who now also runs her own business?
It's all down to a phone call from a friend needing a hand ... AND a whopping great horse-pill size daily dose of Vitamin B. The latter, I could have done with years ago. And the former .. well that phone call came into my life at what seemed to be the totally wrong time, but I knew that an opportunity where I could work from home and do it on my terms may not come again. I had absolutely no choice but to swallow the pill and say "yes!".
It hasn't been easy. Some days I've questioned why I'm putting myself through it. You know those days you occasionally have, where you've been pulled in so many directions you don't feel like you're giving anyone or anything 100%? Those days suck. But the days where you totally nail a design brief, or finally finish assisting with a never-ending report that will probably never get read by anyone in it's entirety, or when you've scored a great car park during the school run, fitted in a solid two hours of work during Master 1's nap time, AND managed to have a shower , AND cook dinner ... those are the days that make up for those other sucky ones.
What's my recipe for a successful first year in business? It's pretty simple really:
Don't be afraid to work hard. Not enough hours in the day? Well, get up earlier. It won't be forever.
Be open to the opportunities the universe sends your way. There will never be a perfect time, so you may as well just do it now.
You can't do everything all of the time. No one expects you to, so why expect that of yourself? Seek help and outsource.
And of course .... a good dose of Vitamin B when you're lacking in energy. It'll make your wee yellow, but it's totally worth it!
But the thing to remember - both now and after you've become the CEO of your super successful business - is that someone along the way gave you a helping hand, an opportunity too good to turn down. Thanks Amanda, whether you like it or not, you're that someone in My Girl Friday's story. I hope that one day I can do the same for someone else.
