Inspiration

Anxious until when?

I’m going to try and describe a feeling. It’s a feeling I’ve had for quite a while now and I’m sure many entrepreneurs will understand, providing I articulate it properly.

Take the rough with the smooth

So this week I wanted to highlight a disappointment that I had in regards to Lucy Rose. I am documenting my journey and I think it’s only right to take you through not only the highs, but the lows too. Over the summer, I applied for an Innovate UK Grant which are highly competitive. I found out last week that unfortunately, I didn’t get it.

What has been your biggest regret?

I remember being a teenager drawing logo’s for my big umbrella company which was to be called ‘Benny Business’ (don’t ask, it’s a nickname) in my school journal. I never envisioned myself working for a company, I would always see myself as my own boss. When in Year 11 I failed Business Studies, and in Year 12 failed Economics, I still did not doubt that I would build my own company from scratch. I saw those failures as purely academic, nothing to do with what I could accomplish outside of the school walls.

Fear

Fear is a funny thing. I often find myself terrified of the idea of doing something, yet do it anyway. I’d most probably get it wrong, but at least I did it. Somethings I can live with the heart pumping, soul shaking fear, others plain and simply fill me with dread.

Do you have Grit?

An entrepreneur once told be about her three G’s that she uses to determine other entrepreneurs; Grit, Grace and Graft. Grit has been explored in depth for more than 100 years, none more recently than Angela Duckworth’s book ‘Grit’.

And Relax

I decided that last Friday I would take the day off work. “Day off from what?!” my inner voice kept saying, but I ignored her, and I am currently writing this in a spa.

Sat in the spa, I also have a great book with me called Self Care for the Real World. It has tips and tricks to help you get the most out of yourself from food and drink recipies to yoga exercises and meditation techniques.

You can now enter the Den...

Last week was fantastic. I received my trademark certificate for the name Lucy Rose in the footwear space. I am officially a trademarked company! It’s been three months of waiting in case others wanted to raise a complaint but I was confident I would be okay.

How do I start a start-up?

I have always known deep down that I wanted to be my own boss and to own my own company. But going from that ideal to reality is a lot more challenging than I thought. I have been working on the business for a long time now, but I always had something else to achieve and complete before I could devote all my time to it. Like A-Levels, then four years at University. Those gave me clear goals, I had to submit a piece of coursework by x, had an exam on y, all working towards a clear overall goal of passing University.

Dealing with adversity – My Why

I think it’s safe to say that everyone has a chapter of their own life that they’d rather not read. Including me. I was 13 when my life got turned upside down, but looking back, I wouldn’t change it for the world. Here’s why.

Expectations vs Reality of working for yourself

Somebody once told me, there are two types of people in this world; entrepreneurs and wantreprenuers. If being an entrepreneur was easy, everyone would do it. The idealistic notion of working when you want, where you want and earning millions of pounds a year sounds pretty good right? Well today I am going to bust some myths around “working for yourself” and give you a glimpse into what my day really looks like!