Owning my own businesses has changed my life for the better in surprising ways.
Over nine years ago, aged 21, I decided to start my first business Zen Green Tea importing premium matcha tea.
Fast forward to now, after many highs and lows, I would love to share with you some surprising lessons I learned. If you’re a woman wondering whether to take the leap into your own business then I hope this will help give you a kick to start building the life you dream of.
1: Building my business gave me a sense of self-confidence I never I had before
As women, we often feel so much pressure and tie our self-worth up in the way we look. Having my own business allowed me another identity and channel for expression and to connect with people. This outlet gave me a wider vision of my worth and allowed me to step away from judging myself purely by the way I look.
I learned to love my business brains and my ability to learn and take on new challenges. I also surrounded myself with amazing people on the same journey.
2: Being an entrepreneur does not mean you have to give up your friends and family
Many entrepreneurs will have you believe that entrepreneurship will consume your every hour, minute, and second. I’m here to tell you it doesn’t need to be that way.
Running my own businesses gives me complete freedom over my time. I work for half the day and spend the rest of the time connecting with loved ones. I am able to go on holidays with my retired parents for a whole month at a time. Running your own business can actually give you a way to spend more time with your family if that is your priority.
3: I performed better in my full-time job
Not quite ready to leave your full-time job while growing your business? One of the most surprising lessons I learned is that being relentless in my pursuit to become an entrepreneur actually excelled my corporate career.
When I first started Zen Green Tea, I decided to continue to work full time. In my corporate jobs I found that I was respected by my colleagues and bosses because of my ability to take ownership and get everything done extremely efficiently. These are the skills I learned from running my business on the side. I found that I was promoted quickly and did a better job at work.
4: It has given me a glimpse of retirement – and why I don’t want it
I have seen an early glimpse of “retirement” having grown my businesses to a place where I can pay myself a decent salary and reduce my hours to just a few per week. However, to be completely honest – I don’t want retirement.
Living on a beach with nothing to do is actually really boring! I learned that while I dreamed of living a life of leisure, in reality, I am happier living a life of learning and growth.
Society has wired us to believe that all the time we sacrifice in our lives will be worth it for the golden pot of retirement at the end. I have found that to be an empty dream. Instead I am much happier working on meaningful projects in a balanced way.
5: It has made me think deeply about what makes life worth living
This leads me to my last lesson learned – working out (or at least trying to work out) the true meaning of a fulfilling life.
When you have complete freedom over your time and finances you realize that you need to define for yourself what a fulfilling life looks like. This is both daunting and incredibly rewarding.
For me, I started to think about my purpose in life and what brings me joy. I have learned what my values are and I have started to explore what brings me true joy. Running my own business has allowed me to do this much earlier on than many people.
In summary,
I hope these lessons have served as a source of inspiration, and motivation, to fuel the fire burning within you. I want to inspire you to take the plunge and chase your dreams. I wish you every success in living your most fulfilling life.
