Foundation Sensation

The definition of dilemma is...

...a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or more alternatives, especially ones that are equally desirable/ undesirable...

I find myself in quite a dilemma but I am taking this time to explain how I have managed to turn it into a positive. I am writing this blog, indeed for self preservation and to have something to look back on in ten years time when I am a successful business woman and third most richest human on the planet...or just when I need a reminder of how far I have come...that should do the trick! HOWEVER I also promised when I started this blog, that it would be an 'epic journey' of discovery for others who kindly read it. It discusses me, myself, a young mother of two making hard decisions in which time becomes split, priorities and responsibilities get mish mashed so bad you have days walking in small circles within your kitchen and you become not entirely sure whether your name is Holly or Bob Geldof...

Bob?...Bob is that you???

Then of course, this is also supposed to be about how I am starting a small business and what that entails. A whole well of tasks to do, admin to get through and research to be done. Don't even get me started on the HMRC... IT FREAKS ME OUT!!! I'm petrified that I might forget to fill out a form and will end up in prison in a years time for tax evasion or something that I didn't even know I was doing. Oh yeah, classic Holly...I can hear my mother talking now... "SHE DOESNT EVEN KNOW HOW TO SPELL TAX...PLEASE SET HER FREE!"...Classic Holly. I've seen Orange is the New Black and I don't wanna go there...sista! 

And finally, this was supposed to be a sophisticated blog about Digital Marketing something of which I have barely spoken about yet! I haven't written an academic or sensible word about Google Adwords, SEO, PPC, Online Advertising, Content Marketing...Nothing, nadda... I've merely tapped the head of good old Mr Social Media. #hastaghashtag

Time...it's all about time...One thing I didn't even stop to think about when I started eHive was the amount of time & headspace it actually takes to set up a business. Not just a Digital Marketing business, albeit how small it is. But any business. I am not trying to scare anyone, if you are reading this and have thought that you might like to one day set up a business of your own then please stay with me here...There are just some things to consider that I didn't consider which I wish I had considered because if I had considered them then I might have been more prepared...buzzzz buzzzzz...

Give yourself time, start slowly, don't expect to be up and running in a week. It's impossible. Get everything ready first and enjoy it! I got back from holiday having left my job a few days before and had a customer 2 days after registering the business name...and that was all I had done. So with two kids, husband offshore, a customer and pretty much just a name...It's been more intense than it needed to be. DO NOT GET ME WRONG...DO NOT!!! I am loving every single minute of this here experience and I am learning so much...I am proud that day by day I am getting through it but by jove I am looking forward to having the carpet laid so I can start putting the furniture in...are you with me? 

This is a list of some of the things you will need to consider if you are starting from scratch (most of which will cost money)...

• Registration
• HMRC 
• Bank Account
• Book Keeping - Invoicing, logging all ingoings and outgoings (KEEP YOUR RECEIPTS)
• USP
• Branding
• Advertising
• Website/Social Media Presence
• Office Space & equipment
• Fees (what to charge)
• Writing up a contract template for customers
• How you will pitch yourself to potential customers
• How much money do you have to spend/live on before you start to earn?
• How do you get paid?
  

And that my friends, has been my life for the last four weeks! My average bedtime has become 1am (an easy sacrifice if working in the evenings means still getting to be with my children 4 full days a week)...and I have indeed eaten my body wait in strawberry laces!

You know childbirth? Thousands and thousands of women do it every day and quite often go back for seconds or thirds despite how much sweat, pain and tears it takes. That's a bit what this is like, it is lots of hard work, clammy hands I have to keep pushing myself...but I know that deep breath after deep breath after deep breath it will all fall suddenly into place and become something really quite wonderful, my work baby! 

So going back to where we started...my DILEMMA is that as part of this journey I have to choose to hold off on the fun nitty gritty stuff like advertising and exploring all sorts of cool digital mediums just for a short while. For now, I invest my time in building this business and making sure the foundations are laid out properly. More time consuming than one had originally thought...indeed...but all part of the process. My dad once told me, and I shall never forget it...

Sometimes in life you have to travel the long way around...

in order to learn things on the way. 

Jim Bob

In other news...my two year old took himself off to the potty and did a poop all by himself tonight! So proud! (Cue picture...but I won't!)