I CRIED MYSELF TO SLEEP MOST NIGHTS: A SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS ACCOUNT OF THE STRESS TO SUCCEED.

If you have ever lost someone and sought counseling then you know about the 5 stages of grief: Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and the reality hitter, acceptance. Let me apologize presently for what I am about to say because it might shock some of you. Starting a business is not glamorous! Many times, as a business owner, you feel as if you are going through the 5 stages of grief. Long nights trying to find the correct marketing formula, building funnels, and reading insights leaves you left in one of those stages. Denying your failure, angry because you don't want to prove anyone right, bargaining with God to please just make my business grow, depressed because the sales aren't rolling in like the businesses you follow on Instagram and then accepting that you will probably have to move back in with your mother. Or maybe that is just me.

Nonetheless, there is good news! Business owners are not grieving it is actually the opposite of grieving thus we have a whole different process coined: surviving, alive, and then the oh-so-awesome thriving!! See according to Small Biz Genius, 64% of small businesses reported starting their businesses with less than $10,000, and 40% of them are currently profitable. That is the surviving stage! At this point, we are just trying to stop the influx of money being bled from our business and find the wises way to spend our funds.

Next, is the alive stage!! Also according to Small Biz Genius, 84% of business owners reportedly are optimistic about the future of their business even though only 40% of them are making a profit. So this can be the stage of alive or denial depending on if you are a glass half full or glass completely empty type person. As business owners, after scrolling through social media watching what other businesses are doing, fake and legitimate, we look ourselves in the mirror and once again say, "Bitch you are lit!!" That's our alive stage kicking in.

Finally, is our thriving stage!! Mama, we made it!!! This is where every business owner wishes to be though according to multiple statistics, not every business thrives in the first 3 years of business.

Thriving is actually where a lot of the tears are dropped. Well, actually it's between alive and thriving that most tears are spilled. Tears of joy are mixed in with tears of feeling unsuccessful. As a business owner, tears come and go. Pep talks in the mirror of your car usually stay but what lasts forever is that feeling that you have when you know you at least bet on yourself regardless of if you survive, are alive, or thrive. So yeah, I cry most nights but I flip it, I'm optimistic about the future! Good luck!!