Not Quite What I Was Expecting

When I decided I was going to go into business with this online selling lark, I gave it little to no thought as to how it all worked.  "Etsy exists", I thought.  "I shall sell on Etsy!  It will be easy! Make clothes, list 'em, sell 'em."

I Didnt Give It Much Thought.  I usually dont, once I've made up my mind about something.  Car to buy, person to marry, business to run: its all been a "yep, THAT one" fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants decision.


Cars have lasted for more than one year, which for little money is all you can ask.  Marriage is still hanging in there despite more stress than any normal couple would cope with.  Business...well...

I love the sewing part. Creativity has always and will always run through my veins.  Its not just what I like, its who I am.  The sewing, the creating part, that is easy.  Even when it is staying up until midnight to get the thing finished, its still easy and enjoyable.  But this promotions bit...  No one told me, because quite obviously I never asked, that I would spend more time trying to promote my store than I would actually making the clothes.  It never occurred to my that I would NEED to be up to midnight every night to do the bare minimum of the "required" social networking, let alone all the relisting and retagging and faffing around with images and finding new outlets and new sources of advertising.  It never occurred to me that what started out as something I did for enjoyment, and for my mental health, would take up every single minute of every day and would tax my ability to stand upright.

There has been plenty of positive feedback for my product.  Potential customers love it.  Etsy love it.  I've been in one Etsy email and three Treasuries already.  But no-one has put their money where their mouth is, or their dollars into my PayPal account. It is gut-wrenchingly frustrating, and I dont do frustrated well.

Is it like this for all businesses when they start up?  I'm supposing it must be but bugger me, it sucks. Do I have unrealistic expectations?  It really and truly is the same learning curve as becoming a parent.  You have no idea whatsoever, despite everything you think you know, what is actually before you.  You learn on your feet or the kid (or business) dies. 


I'm not talking about giving in here.  Giving in is Not What I Do. I'm wondering what the happy medium is though.  Somewhere in this morass that is Starting A Business, there must be a way to have a life.

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