A year ago, with the help of one of my besties, we started an online boutique. 
If you know me personally, or have read my blog titled: [Double Caffeinated Mamas], then you know that our online - based boutique, was a shop full of creative, caffeinated, mom paraphernalia that was *on trend*, within budget, and high quality. We hoped that when patrons where browsing our site, that they found themselves, *adding to cart* all the things that made them smile, things that spoke to their soul and ultimately tugged at their wallet. Being online based, we offered ready-to-ship glass can tumblers, acrylic tumblers, handmade with love tees and crewnecks and boutique style apparel and accessories. We were becoming known for our custom, made-to-order, tumblers and apparel, making birthday party t-shirts for the whole family, to extended-family vacation t-shirts, and even other small-business work apparel such as sun hats and crewnecks.
As small business owners, we were not blind to the uphill battles and setbacks that would occur, but unfortunately our labor of love had run its course, and although we are forever thankful and grateful for the opportunity to bless social media feeds with all we love and have loved, and to have met so many wonderful people, we closed our shop a year after opening.
After closing our business, I did some research and found that almost 20% of small businesses fail within their first year, 18.4% of business fail before the 12 months mark of being open hits, and one in five businesses are predicted to fail within their first 18 months. Although our desire to be a part of these statistics was never the objective, the lessons learned and the journey itself, was rewarding and everlasting.
Prior to opening Shopify and creating the global commerce platform for Double Caffeinated Mamas, I knew that the road to online consumer success could easily be compared to the yellow brick road that Dorothy travels on. I knew that the journey itself could be dark and full of peril but having my bestie and the support of our families, made it all seem, more than possible.
The obstacles and challenges that we faced, we faced with the mindset that we would do our best to turn them into lessons learned and used them to drive us forward. The fear of failure was not something we allowed to prevent us from succeeding, even though the thought itself was terrifying. We found solace in knowing that if we weren't successful in one instance or another, that we could work together to crack the code and try something else.
What worked very well for us, is not allowing ourselves to get sucked into a never ending, negativity vortex. It can become second nature to second guess yourself and your business, but when you have the skills to succeed, the drive behind you, and the support of your loved ones, anything is possible!
Our most ambitious obstacle and challenge was who we are and how we got here. We are both mothers, to two little gentlemen and finding the balance between playdates and work dates was something we worked to navigate daily. This balance of running a successful online business, alongside of parenting our children, keeping up with our home and day to day life oftentimes felt daunting, and the stressors of the economy was real and forceful.
Another obstacle that we faced and challenged us to no prevail was social media. At one point, in the midst of growing our social media platforms, we were flagged. When we first got flagged, we were unable to get the information needed to fight the initial ban and once we researched and looked, it was as if it were too late. In today’s day and age, it feels almost impossible to be successful without a social media presence, and without a presence being available to us, on a huge platform, we found dwindling reach and numbers. ** If you are a small business owner or creator, it is important to note that once you're banned from "the gram" you are unable to ever create a new account. We tried, on multiple occasions, to start anew, with a new username and email, ensuring there was no connection to our once banned account, and at no prevail, our accounts all fell to their demise.
With the new age of TikTok, that was an exciting avenue I was hopeful to get into, but unfortunately, I was unable to get a grasp on the exciting platform within the means of our business. I certainly took initiative and created whatever I could within my own social media platforms, but I know that if I wanted to be successful in reaching others through my own platform, I would have needed to do more, to reach a larger audience. My desire was never to have a growing personal social media presence, and in this instance, that may have brought benefits to our small business, but that is another one of the lessons you take when doing something new, and outside of your "normal" wheelhouse.
Going forward, if I were to ever dapple in entrepreneurship, I would do some things just the same and others in a new manner. * None of this is to say how we did things was right or wrong, these are vague ideologies that I have thought about as I write out the last year in business. *
To put it simply, it is imperative that you choose a partner, if you are working within a partnership, that has complementary skills.
This isn't to say that you find someone who is JUST like you, but more that the key to good partnership is having a partner whose strengths counter your weaknesses and vice versa. At the end of the day, you and said partners are a team and to be successful all your bases must be covered.
Similar to the age-old expression, “the sum is the whole of its parts”, you want to aim for a better, more balanced whole.
Values that are shared between partners is huge and having similar values will help your business skyrocket.
It is critical that you and your partner have similar values and work ethics. Don't write the first word of a business plan until you know for a solid fact, that the dreams, goals, and visions for the new business is shared between you.
When operating your own business, regardless of the faucet, it is important that all partners are both committed to the full-time work and are capable of all the shared needs of the business. This includes socially, financially, workload wise, and goals.
Forming a partnership is a legal commitment, so it is important that you clearly define each partner's roles and responsibilities, in writing.
Creating a partnership agreement can save you from most, potentially dangerous outcomes. Be sure to notate contributions and salaries. More than just, who is putting in money here and who is putting money there, and who puts in more... it is important to also account for the sweat equity and be defined upfront. Depending on the business, the titles and decision making should be drawn out as well. Who gets the final say and who runs the day-to-day business? It is important to notate and work out how disagreements will be resolved before the need arises. And growth, it is important that discussions are had and notated so that partnership agreements can be modified, or new partners can join, or any of the other exciting growth potential.
I think to be successful; the drive needs to be shared by all individuals.
Your inner drive is that feeling you have of determination, that gets you to carry on, even when you've lost all your motivation. It is essential when it comes to whether you come out successful in your endeavors or not.
When working in a partnership, or with others, it is important that everyone understands their roll to ensure there is not any indiscretions or things being missed.
Before anything ever happens, it is important to plan for the what ifs before they become current concerns.
It is necessary to discuss all the what ifs, ahead of time. Fortunately, in the instance of my previous business, my business partner was a best friend of mine so we pretty much always stayed on the same page as far as what ifs, but had we not, it would have been helpful to know how the bad would be worked out, heaven forbid, if it actually happened.
General or Limited... C Corporation or S Corporation...
When organizing your partnership, there are advantages and/or disadvantages regarding liability, taxes, and continuity depending on your corporation and legalities. I suggest that you reach out to an attorney or other experienecd advisor to help you best dertermine which form of business is right for you and your partner. If you are looking for a suggestion, we used Northwestern Registered Agent, and I cannot speak any higher of them.
Communication is KEY!!
To maintain a successful partnership, you MUST have good communication. All partners should feel free to address any and all issues. Schedule regular meetings, whether face-to-face or via video call. Touch base regularly, even if it's only a quick text or email, it is important to check in with your partner. Similarly, to how you maintain relationships in your personal life, it is important that you always listen carefully. If you disagree on an issue, don’t be defensive. Instead, listen to what your partner has to say, and then you can make a joint decision that’s in the company's best interest. Don’t stay angry. If you can’t resolve an issue and anger erupts, don’t stay mad for more than a day. It’s just counterproductive. When you’re calmer, talk through the situation and resolve it. Celebrate!! Make sure to celebrate the successes and milestones—big and small.
Always, always, always, be honest!
Soft-pedaling your true feelings because you are worried about potentially hurting your business partner does not prevent problems, if anything, you are just creating more. In order to make your partnership work, you not only have to feel comfortable with one another, but you must trust each other implicitly. Ignoring issues only leads to bitterness and resentment, which can destroy any relationship, partnerships included- and inevitably the business. Hammering out all the details of your business partnership before you actually start, may feel like you’re trying to diminish the joy and excitement of startup, but rather taking care of all the details now, lets you lay a solid foundation for a lasting, successful business partnership.
If you were ever a patron or visitor of, Double Caffeinated Mamas, thank you! Thank you for allowing me to live out a dream and show my boys what I am capable of. For setting my mind on something and seeing it through.
Although the outcome isn't a paycheck large enough to sustain a 2,500 square foot barn-dominium and the next up and coming online boutique, I am beyond thankful for every lesson I learned and all the fun and exciting things I was able to be a part of.
From designing apparel and glassware for loved ones, celebrating Breast Cancer Awareness month and the American Heart Association, to being invited to be an exclusive vendor for a local brewery... Countless hours of handmade with love apparel and glassware, desiging and making and just as many hours scouring online wholesale markets for the perfect items to add to our site, week after week...
I am proud to have been co-owner of the Double Caffeinated Mamas!
Until next time, stay caffeinated!!
XO, Kelleen
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