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Bloomed dandelions by hobopeeba

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Small Business Startups: Behind the Scenes

Disclaimer: I wrote this article for my ENG 1B class. The assignment was to choose a subculture community that you are a part of, so I chose the small business community. I hope you enjoy!

The small business community are aspiring entrepreneurs who decided one day that they wanted to make their ideas come to life. However, starting a small business is not as easy as it looks. Many outsiders of this community do not realize how much self-discipline, commitment, and perseverance it takes to start a business from scratch. There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes of entrepreneurship. Behind the scenes, many entrepreneurs face sleepless nights, discouragement from others, being overwhelmed by the amount of work, spending their own money, and inevitable failures. Despite the obstacles that most successful entrepreneurs encounter, they persevere through it all. They go through a self-transformation and learn how passion and self-discipline are key elements to their success.

The small business community is a community that I identify myself with because I have started two businesses in the last five years. My first business failed because I lacked the knowledge of how to maintain a business. I took about a two-year break and then started my second business. Within that break, I have learned that self-discipline and passion for your business are essential. If you are passionate enough about it, you are most likely willing to sacrifice your time and money. The small business community is full of passionate, positive, and hard-working people who want to follow their dreams. 

The small business community can thrive anywhere from physical stores, street markets, and most recently, ecommerce which are online stores. Online businesses are very popular nowadays because anybody can start their own business from the comfort of their own home. Online businesses thrive using social media platforms as a free marketing strategy to help them gain customers or clients.  However, only a handful of them survive. Although online businesses seem like an easy, convenient place to start, there is a lot of work that goes unrecognized. 

Ashley Rodriguez, owner of Lashed Premium Lash Supplies Incorporated, explains how online entrepreneurs have to “write the caption, write the details, write the ingredients,” for all of their products or services. She also believes that outsiders of the small business community do not realize the amount of work entrepreneurs do for their businesses, there is “so much that goes into it and people think like oh she’s kind of being...lazy or whatever, but like no I’m working on my business.” Many people outside of this community often think entrepreneurship is not a real job compared to teachers, doctors, or any “9-to-5”  job because entrepreneurs are able to be their own boss. Rodriguez shares, “it’s funny being an entrepreneur because like when you have a regular job you go like 9 to 5...like that’s your set hours, but when you’re...passionate about something and it’s your own...brand and your creation, I feel like I’m working every second of every day.” Being an entrepreneur and having your own business is a lot of dedication because if you really want to see results, you have to work nonstop. Melanie Doan, founder of The Lash Cartel, explains: “I spend about what feels like every waking moment of my life working on my business...I’ve sort of made this my life.” Gabriella Chow, owner of Nailed  It, spends about “30-40 hours a week” on her nail business. Having your own business is an everyday self-discipline commitment not just because you need too, but because you want too. You have to be very passionate about the business you start because if you are not passionate about it, then why would you put in the work for it? 

Many entrepreneurs start their business because of their passion for creativity. Gianna Bernadine Leal, owner of Kream Cosmetics, explained why she started her business, “I’ve always been a creative optimistic person and this is a perfect opportunity to use my creativity and optimism in an artistic way.” Entrepreneurs are naturally creative people because they have the ability to think of an idea, make it their own, and bring it to life. Leal says, “A lot of people just see the selling aspect of everything, but no one really knows the creativity and hard work put cultivating new products until you actually do it.” Small business owners are very passionate about their business because it allows them to express their creative side. Doan reveals, “I’ve always been a creative at heart and the beauty industry was something that I had grown up in.” 

Other entrepreneurs often start their business because they are tired of their 9-to-5 job or want to do something more with their life. Doan says, “I started my business when I felt burnt out, stagnant, and wanted to put my future in my own hands.” It takes a lot of passion and courage to start a business because you never know what the outcome will be. 

Chow expresses to aspiring entrepreneurs, “Remember why you started. Never lose sight of that fire and drive you have. It’s unmotivating when things don’t progress, but when you do one thing right, a lot of things come with that. There is always a bigger picture and it is so worth it.” Many successful entrepreneurs are able to be proud of themselves and the work they have done when their business takes off or when they have accomplished their business goals. Outsiders of this community may not be able to feel this sense of accomplishment because they don’t know what it is like to have a business that they started from scratch grow into a successful company. Rodriguez expresses, “I think it’s really cool to see people use my stuff or post me or just kind of like ask me for advice. I always think that’s super cool. I think I am proud of myself because I started this when I was nineteen and then to see it grow, it kind of almost reflects the chapters in my life.” She started her business when she was nineteen years old in an extra room at her parent’s house. Then two years later, she is financially stable, got her own apartment in LA, and is in the works of having her own physical lash supply store! With passion and self-discipline, Rodriguez, Doan, Chow, and Leal are all self-made entrepreneurs who explored their creativity and were able to make their ideas come to life. 

In the process of studying this subculture, I have been able to apply my findings to my own business. Learning that passion and self-discipline are key elements in running a successful business I have been more passionate and consistent with my online business and have gained more customers. I have learned that small businesses are no joke. If you really want it to succeed, you need to discipline yourself to market your product or service, be consistent with creating new content, and work day and night. Self-discipline comes with passion. You want to make sure that your business sparks passion in your heart because if you are not passionate about it, you are not going to be able to discipline yourself to work on your business everyday. I have also been able to have a greater appreciation for the hard work and struggles that entrepreneurs face. Supporting small businesses is important because you are supporting someone’s dream by helping them make it a reality. 

A GLOSS COSMETICS: @aglosscosmetics

LASHED PREMIUM LASH SUPPLIES: @lashedpls

NAILED IT: @nailed.it.nails_

THE LASH CARTEL: @thelashcartel.co

KREAM COSMETICS: @kreamcosmetics