'Wild women do. And they don't regret it.'
It took me a long time to understand these seemingly irreverent lyrics sang by Natalie Cole in 1990, I was 17, full of fear and about to discover the world did not revolve around my adolescent dramas. I would become fiercely independent, never be seen to cry, never look back, being wild I determined would be for other girls.
Over this past month I've been fortunate to cross paths with some more extraordinary women all navigating the trials and tribulations of running small businesses. So this blog is dedicated to them because in each of their they're unique ways they represent the potential in each of us even when we sometimes fail to see it in ourselves.
Women who start up their own businesses are always passionate and usually a little crazy in my experience. Why else would we work the never enough hours, talk the talk to anyone who will listen and keep going with so little funding, affordable childcare (OK, in my case dog and cat care), accessible professional development and often simple support at home. Those of us blessed with friends or parents there when we simply couldn't fit anything else in, offering encouragement, walking the dog or picking up the dry cleaning, will probably never know how much they've helped keep us afloat when drowning seemed inevitable. We often come to owning these businesses more by default than by design. An initial passion, an interest, an illness or other life changing event , in some cases all of the above can often be the beginning of careers that others couldn't even begin to contemplate. Sometimes the path simply picks you and not the other way round. Some women understandably choose to listen to the fears, doubts and obstacles in their heads and walk away from opportunities and challenges , others just turn wild and never look back.
Sometimes realizing you've gone wild and possibly a bit feral can be a bit unnerving and so it was a delight to meet Gloria, Lara and Toral recently at Be:Fit. I'm not suggesting any of these women are remotely wild or feral like me, but passionate about what they do?... most definitely.
Firstly Toral, owner of www.theurbankitchen.co.uk whose passion and interest in keeping ridiculously busy people healthy and energized with fresh, home cooked food (literally) was infectious, and fabulous to meet her wonderful mum too. The lovely Lara whose designs at http://gymluxe.com/ just make you wish you had half her creative talent, more importantly however the clothes are awesome to workout in, a case of style and substance. For the first time my clients are realizing I actually have legs (I'm usually a strictly baggy sweat pants kind of girl) even my teacher is seeing them in a whole new light, who knew I could actually turn out my legs that much and who knew they were that long!
The charming Gloria at http://www.rockondivas.com/ is changing the lives of women after Cancer one workshop, spa day, retreat at a time proving that recovery can be a time for appreciating just how extraordinary the body is at healing given just a little positive support, guidance and love. So the truth is these women inspire me to remain wild, challenging and unpredictable in my future adventures and if people want to talk about risk assessment, concept strategies or discuss focus groups I think I might just take my newly unleashed mesh covered thighs and skip merrily along, maybe even singing as I go.....
Wild women show what they're goin' through
Wild women do what you think they'll never
What you only dream about wild women do
It seems when you love what you do and have an unstoppable passion for it, running a business is a lot like being in love. Unpredictable, compelling, complicated, never guaranteed to last and exhausting but always rewarding in ways you never expect and never regret. Well at least it is for the wild ones who aren't 17 any more.
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| Loving GymLuxe even when I have passed out after teaching! |
