Why I Started This Blog

It was about 9 months of blood, sweat and tears before I officially launched the "elephant" within. Before that, the draw to entrepreneurship was not always there for me. Many people are born entrepreneurs, not me. The spark of entrepreneurship ignited about two years ago. I remember struggling with a desire for more control over my future and more involvement in the strategic direction of my company.

The lure of entrepreneurship slowly creeps up on you and takes over the essence of your being. At least it did me. I started thinking more and more about "what I would do if..." and how I would execute. Business books began jumping off the shelves at me and an interest in learning as much as I could about business ownership consumed me. I'd like to say reading became my hobby, but it is more of an obsession.

As the spark of entrepreneurship grew, so did my plans and my reading list. I can't really articulate exactly when the bug bit me, but the planning and execution began to snowball. The excitement of a first business license, the thrill of buying a domain name, the gut-wrenching decision making of my first website layout and the first time I published live to the web. It's an amazing time in any entrepreneur's life.

It's also excruciatingly demanding and draining. I struggled with each decision as they piled up. I agonized over the details of my website copy. Which shopping cart service to choose, which web host, how to bootstrap my idea and showcase it properly so others see the value in what I'm doing and want to own my work.

As the emotions ebbed and flowed with the decision making, my husband suggested I start a journal of my thoughts to help other women entrepreneurs struggling with the same feelings. He also lovingly mentioned writing may help me get the emotions out in the open to better deal with them. (I'm sure that was his nice way of pointing out that a 3 a.m. freak-out at the computer is not the healthiest way to deal with growing a new business.)

At first I thought it was a bit off the wall because who would want to read about the trials and tribulations of an entrepreneur they didn't know? Then I realized I would... I would love to read about the agony of starting a business from someone who had been there. I would appreciate a window into the emotions others have already waded through, their hopes and dreams of making it through the choppy waters to the safety of the distant shoreline.

I started this blog to help other women entrepreneurs on their journey to the promise land of entrepreneurship. It may serve as a beacon of hope when you identify with someone else experiencing similar emotions from setbacks and successes or it may serve as a warning to others, entrepreneurship is not for the faint of heart. Whatever your perspective on my thoughts, I plan to share my emotions with you as I experienced them. One entry at a time, over time. My feelings are authentic and candid as there's no point in dressing up my reactions to make them more palatable. I started this blog to share my journey with you so you know you are not alone during those midnight freak-outs and the obsessive thoughts you can't shake.

This blog started because of my Fire In The Belly that wouldn't let me sleep until I got my business off the ground even though I had no idea where to start. It started because of my desire to find, connect with, and support other women entrepreneurs. It started as an emotional catharsis which will hopefully help, or entertain, at least one other woman entrepreneur.