THERE ARE NO MISTAKES…….ONLY LESSONS
By: Sonia Kanner
Tags: Lessons Learned, Moms, Momtrepreneur, Entrepreneurship, CEO

MY JOURNEY AS AN ENTREPRENEUR OFFICIALLY BEGAN IN 2012. UNOFFICIALLY, I BELIEVE THAT I WAS BORN TO BE ONE. AS A CHILD I WAS ALWAYS TRYING TO CREATE BUSINESSES. FROM CREATING ROLLER SKATING SHOWS IN THE CUL DE SAC (IT WAS THE 70’S) , DRAWING PICTURES AND SELLING THEM FOR *BEST OFFER (I WASN’T TALENTED AT ALL), MY MIND WAS ALWAYS BUZZING WITH POSSIBILITIES.

I OWE A LOT OF MY VISIONARY TENDANCIES TO MY PARENTS. MY FATHER WAS A TRAINED ARCHITECT AND WOULD SPEND EVERY WEEKEND CUSTOMIZING OUR TRACT HOME. IT WASN’T UNCOMMAN TO FIND HIM BUSTING OUT A WALL TO CREATE A WINDOW OR CREATING BROOKS IN STREAMS IN OUR MODEST BACK YARD.

MY MOM, BEING AN EDUCATOR, TOOK HER JOB OF TEACHING ME THE VALUE OF LEARNING AND GROWING VERY SERIOUSLY. SHE OFTEN WOULD FIND TEACHABLE MOMENTS FOR ME IN THE MOST MUDANE HOUSEHOLD TASKS. MAKING SPAGHETTI DINNER WOULD QUICKLY TURN INTO A “COOKING CLASS 101” LESSON. SHE MADE IT FUN .

AFTER BARELY GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL, I DIDN’T FIND MUCH USE FOR EDUCATION. I REALIZED THAT I ONLY HAD LIMITED HOURS IN THE DAY AND I CHOSE TO MAKE MONEY. AT CERTAIN POINTS IN MY LIFE I WOULD CARRY TWO OR THREE JOBS. I LOVED THE IDEA OF MAKING MONEY AND BEING A PART OF THE AMERICAN DREAM. I DON’T THINK I REALLY THOUGHT TOO MUCH ABOUT THE SECOND PART AT THE TIME BUT THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT I WAS DOING.

AT SOME POINT IN MY 20’S I REALIZED THAT EDUCATION WAS PROBABLY A GOOD IDEA AND I REALLY DID LOVE BEING A STUDENT SO I ENROLLED MYSELF IN COLLEGE. REMEMEBERING MY MOM’S PASSION FOR TEACHING I DECIDED TO FOLLOW IN HER FOOTSTEPS. I ENDED UP GETTING MY MASTER’S DEGREE IN SPECIAL EDUCATION. DURING MY LAST YEAR, I MET AND MARRIED MY FUTURE HUSBAND AND GOT PREGNANT.

THE NEXT 10 GLORIOUS YEARS WERE SPENT BEING A STAY AT HOME MOM AND WIFE AND I TRULY LOVED THAT EXPERIENCE. I OFTEN SAY THAT RAISING THREE CHILDREN GAVE ME A PLETHORA OF SKILLS THAT WOULD LATER SERVE ME AS A BUSINESS OWNER. (MORE ON THAT LATER)

LIKE A LOT OF US, I ENDED UP DIVORCED AND FOUND MYSELF A SINGLE MOTHER NEEDING TO GET BACK INTO THE WORK FORCE.

A TERRIFYING THOUGHT.

I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE A NEST EGG AND SOME TIME TO THINK, STATEGIZE AND DREAM. I THOUGHT THAT OWNING MY OWN BUSINESS WOULD BE THE SMARTEST MOVE.

MY ENTREPRENURIAL NATURE KICKED IN AS I BEGAN TO THINK OF ALL OF THE POSSIBILITIES FOR MYSELF.

I FEVERISHLY WROTE LISTS OF MY INTERESTS AND READ BOOKS ABOUT LIFE, PASSION, BUSINESS. ONE THAT STOOD OUT FOR ME WAS “OUTLIERS’, BY MALCOLM GLADWELL.

I DECIDED TO GET INTO THE ACTIVEWEAR BUSINESS. I HAVE A KNACK FOR MEETING THE RIGHT PEOPLE AT THE RIGHT TIME (MORE ON WHY I BELIEVE THAT IS SO LATER) AND I MET SOMEONE WHO WOULD ULTIMATELY BE A MENTOR TO ME.

SHE OWNED AN ACTIVEWEAR COMPANY AND MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS TO SELL HER PRODUCTS AND MAKE THAT MY BUSINESS. HER CLOTHING WAS AMAZING BUT DEFINATELY CATERED TO A SPECIFIC DEMOGRAPHIC. I ASKED HER IF SHE COULD MAKE SOME DESIGN CHANGES FOR MY CLIENTLE .

AND THEN SHE SAID IT.

“WHY DON’T YOU CREATE YOUR OWN LINE AND I WILL HELP YOU?’

WAIT. WHAT?

HOW IN THE WORLD COULD I POSSIBLY DO THIS? I AM NOT A CLOTHING DESIGNER.

SHE BROKE IT DOWN IN A FEW EASY STEPS AND I WENT FOR IT.

MY FIRST ATTEMPT WAS ACTIVEWEAR. IT WAS GREAT QUALITY BUT I LEARNED MY FIRST LESSON. I COULD LOOK AT THE TIME AND MONEY I SPENT ON THIS ENDEAVOR AS A “MISTAKE” BUT IT WAS A VALUABLE “LESSON”

AND THAT LESSON IS…..

ONLY CREATE SOMETHING THAT YOU BELIEVE IN. THAT YOU SEE THE VALUE IN.

AS MUCH AS I LOVED THE ACTIVEWEAR I WAS CREATING, I WAS THE GIRL WHO HAD NO PROBLEM BUYING MY LEGGINGS AT TARGET….AND FOR MUCH LESS THAN I WAS SELLING THEM FOR.

I BEGAN TO GET DISCOURAGED AND QUICKLY REALIZED THAT I NEEDED TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING THAT DIDN’T EXIST YET IN THE MARKET….

AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I DID…….

TO BE CONTINUED.