If you’ve ever started a business—or even considered starting a business for more than five minutes—you know how quickly things can go from “over the top excited” to “where in the world do I start?!”
That’s because starting a business involves a ton of moving parts. There are the things that need to happen, the things you want to happen, and then everything in between—like the range of emotions you’ll face along the way, such as excitement, passion, fear, and uncertainty. It’s only when all of these moving parts are addressed that your business can get up, running, and out into the world.
At brandiD, we encourage our clients to get clear on the “why” behind their businesses because not only will help them endure the rough patches that everyone eventually faces, but will allow our team to better help each client build a brand and an online presence that will fuel their success.
We want to share some of these “whys” with you, in the hopes they may resonate, inspire, or simply serve as a little reminder that you’re not alone on your entrepreneurial path.
Today, we’re sharing the story of Dianthe Livanos and the journey she took to create her business—Artisan Baptismal Creations—including why she started it, the process she went through, as well as the tools she used to make it a reality.
“I’ve always been an entrepreneur at heart, I think. From my earliest memories I enjoyed making things, and liked to make people happy with my creations. That passion evolved into so many little ventures, mostly for the pure joy of it, but also to bring in a little extra income.
Despite having a lot of ideas and seeing the many possibilities through my abilities, I had one main problem: I really had no business savvy. My ideas were varied, and I had no idea how to put them into a viable position to monetize them. I knew I needed some outside guidance.
I met with Rachel to discuss these business ideas and to see what advice I could gain from a professional. It was the most exciting decision I could have made, because within a few short minutes Rachel was able to see my dilemma and offer very sensible advice and manageable direction for my future. By the time our first meeting was over, I understood the direction I wished to take, had prioritized my ideas, and had settled on a domain name!
Rachel sent me home with Brian Lofrumento’s guide to starting a business, Wantrepreneur to Entrepreneur. I had a hard time putting it down! All of his advice was so simple and straightforward that I felt totally empowered to move forward. I started researching how to use social media (which doesn’t generally come easy for someone in their late 50s, like me) and how to create a website. I created a Facebook page and started my business immediately before anything else was in place.
It was about this time that Rachel invited me to a new program offering from brandiD called The Launch Pad. This was a BIG turning point for me, because I viewed this program as a complete answer to the struggles I was having about my own personal development on this road to being my own brand.
The Launch Pad was an amazing developmental tool and support for first-time business owners because it dealt with so much more than “business development” and what is seen on the surface. It walked me through the nitty-gritty of who I am through in-depth self assessments that outlined my strengths and weaknesses as well as how to lead with my unique value. It helped me define my target audience and discover the benefits of my competitors. And most of all, it grew a confidence and awareness in me that are the foundation of my business.
The result? My business has become so much more than what I sell—it reflects who I am. My experience of starting my business has helped me develop my potential and launch myself into new horizons.”
As Dianthe’s story illustrates, sometimes passion needs a plan.
Sometimes passion needs a plan. The learning curve to starting a business can be steep, but only if you’re going it alone. Find out how The brandiD can help: Share on XCreating structure during the initial set up of your business and getting the help you need with the building blocks—such as strategy, branding, messaging, design and tech—can make all the difference between a business that soars and one that never gets off the ground. The learning curve to starting a business can be steep, but only if you’re going it alone.
So, if you have a passion for a business but are stuck on how to make it real, know there are resources out there to help you on your journey, as well as people (like us!) whose main goal it is to help fuel your desire and provide the know-how you need to launch and grow the business of your dreams.
