The Unexpected Ways That Being a Small Business Owner Changed My Life

By Erin Daugherty

 

The Spiritual Sunflower will be turning seven years old this spring, and it feels like the perfect time to reflect on how this journey of starting a small business has altered my life. In my personal experience, a business is not necessarily what I set out to do from the start of sharing my personal art and creative journey. 

That is one of the beautiful things about being a small business owner - it is a unique journey for each of us.

At the root of it all, The Spiritual Sunflower is here to spread joy, inspiration, healing, and positivity, simply because art is meant to be shared, and I would truthfully lose my mind if I did not create and connect with other creatives. But through this creative expression, and through sharing it with others, The Spiritual Sunflower shop and community was born. 

Over the time of my childhood into young adulthood, I discovered that my art is always there for me through all of the ups and downs in life. I also found that my passions for writing, painting, making jewelry, exploring other creative outlets, and sharing tools and guidance with other creative beings, are all things worth exploring and putting consistent time and energy into. 

This confidence and belief in myself is not something I ever imagined to achieve thanks to starting a small business, and it is not without the encouragement of other creatives, family members, and peers. Thankfully, there is a space for all of us to shine our brightest and share our unique offerings with the world. It is up to each of us to find what and where that is. Your passion for your unique gifts and talents is what keeps you going until you find that space where you can start to shine your brightest.

One of the biggest obstacles to pursuing your creative dreams and making a name for yourself is actually your own self. Your doubt, your fear, and your imposter syndrome. Once you beat this obstacle, the confidence and belief in yourself and what you are capable of runs on another level. Your business cannot grow unless you do, too. 

As I have continued to strive for growth, try new things, and seize opportunities for expansion, The Spiritual Sunflower continues to grow alongside me. Consistency with small actions to support my dreams turned into a dedicated drive to keep creating and producing art like my life depended on it. I became my own marketing team for the creative products I was making, started to coordinate event bookings for myself and other local artists, and poured energy into free blog posts and low cost workshops. 

There was a time that every aspect of sharing my art and building a brand reputation around it was completely new, unfamiliar territory for me, just like it is for everyone else. The hardest moment is always right before you start something new. After that, things only get better, easier, and more familiar.

The first few years of The Spiritual Sunflower, as is the case with many other small businesses, were a dream in terms of brand awareness and recognition, but an absolute struggle in terms of profit revenue. Starting a small business from ground zero requires substantial investments, both energetically and financially. In early 2021, I was traveling to at least fifteen to twenty events a month, fulfilling numerous custom requests, and shipping an average of ten packages a week. But there comes a point that you can no longer pour from an empty cup, and every start up small business reaches this point at one time or another. The “starving artist” phase is real, especially if you are jumping right into running your business full time without prior experience or savings.

For me, this was in late 2022 to early 2023. Living in southwest Florida, we were deeply impacted by hurricane Ian, and therefore so was the local event scene and small business community. The Spiritual Sunflower had to be adapted to no longer be a full time income source, but still required full-time effort to maintain its growth across the state of Florida and the nation. This meant long nights creating until my eyes could barely see the wire patterns anymore, and slipping away on any break that I could at my day jobs to respond to messages and claim vendor market spots before they were all gone. 

Over the years, The Spiritual Sunflower’s product offerings, routines, and events have evolved and changed. But the intentions and purpose behind every piece of art, every written post, and every event remain the same – to shine my unique light in spaces that it uplifts, inspires, and leaves a positive imprint on the world around me, all while supporting my livelihood and growth. 

There are times of running a small business where it is so successfully stressful, and times where you wonder every moment of the day what you are doing wrong. The most important thing is that you keep going, continue to reflect on what is working and what needs improving, and stay true to your values and who you are. 

Since starting The Spiritual Sunflower in 2019, I have been many things. I have been a full-time business owner, a soap and crystal salesperson, a flower delivery driver, a plant care specialist, a drink server, and so many more. Through it all, I am always creating, and I am always sharing my creations to the best extent that I am able to. It has shown me that my art is irreplaceable not only in my life, but in other’s lives as well. 

Being a small business owner shows you that you are capable of doing so much more than you ever imagined, and the strength in the power of your dreams to help you achieve all these new things. On the flip side, it also shows you the value of your energy, and that you cannot be the best at every aspect of your brand or business. 

There are times you will need to ask for help and guidance, and possibly outsource work to more experienced hands when you are able to. There also might be times you need to take a break, or completely revisit your approach to success.

If you are someone like me, who likes to be in control of your life and what is happening in it, being a small business owner brings some of the greatest highs and lowest lows, all feeling at your expense. 

The reality is that many of us are simply trying to build something of meaning, something to leave a positive imprint and legacy on the world around us. Building something you are talented in and passionate about into a business is one of the most effective ways to do so. But no one really talks about the almost insane dedication and drive it takes to not give up and continue adapting to ever changing circumstances, many out of your control. 

Being a small business owner means getting comfortable with your relationship with failure, accepting rejection, and maintaining blind faith in yourself and your dreams even in the moments when it seems like you are doing everything right and it’s still not enough. It challenges you and confronts your inner fears and insecurities in a way that nothing else in life is able to. 

When you stick with it and stand by yourself through all of these challenges, being a small business owner also brings some of the greatest rewards. Just like every failure is your responsibility, so is every success. And that’s the bittersweet reality of how being a small business owner changes your life. It opens your heart up all the way to your own truth, brings you to your knees, and then lifts you up to heights you could have never dreamed of. 

This blog post truly came straight from the heart today, and I thoroughly hope you enjoyed it. 

If you are a fellow small business owner, I would be so honored to hear how it has changed your life. If you are embarking on your small business journey, please remember that my inbox is open to support you in any way that I can. 

Remember that your art is an extension of who you are, and your business is a blessing bestowed upon you to share it with the world. 

Wishing you all of the luck and abundance on your journey!

The Spiritual Sunflower