I think the reason I haven't written this post yet, is because I didn't know where to begin. But now I opened the door, so I guess I need to just let it out there. Where have I been? Well clearly I've been here, I mean, I've been blogging, I've been on social media, we've continued on with packing orders and maintaining the existing business, but there haven't been any new polish collections. It just went unsaid, like an elephant in a room. I guess it's time to talk about what's been going on. But man, it's harder than I thought it would be. So let's just get started shall we?
Part of me feels like it's a little weak to post about it, but I started this business being totally open, so I figure I may as well continue on that path. The truth is, it takes a lot to run a business. If you own your own business, you get it. You are everything from the CEO to the Janitor. You handle making all the decisions, the customer service, the creative and marketing, the sales, the fulfillment, you name it. It's a lot of work. Then add in the rules, regulations and accounting. And because I own the business with my husband, it infiltrated every aspect of our lives. I just needed to breathe and not have every minute of my life be about the business. I needed a break. But I couldn't let it go, I couldn't walk away. And as much as I wanted to just take a much needed break, the world doesn't work that way. Even when on "vacation", we still had to work. I know a lot of people work this way every day, but it is not something I can effectively do. I really need time to just shut it all off, for even just a few days, to keep my sanity, and here I was 4 years in and no break and I felt like I was losing my sanity.
So we came up with a plan. I would go back to work while John looked for a job after his retirement. He would handle the business side of the house and I would continue with the social media side of the house. We wouldn't put out a collection for a month and just breathe. Well it was a nice thought in theory. Turned out John found a job right away and we found ourselves in a situation of both of us with full time jobs and a business to run. There was just no way we could put a collection out while we adjusted. I suppose I could have quit my job now that John found a job, but I found, I really like this job, and I gave my word that I would stay the duration of the contract, and it's important to me to keep my word. So I am still working and running Cult Nails. Then add some lab delays to the mix, some major Cult Nails set backs and limited hours in which to work, one month without a collection led to 2 which then led to 3. During this time, I have gone back and forth. With all this frustration, my thoughts are all over the place on what I wanted to do. With each lab setback, it just made me want to give it up. I wanted to make the polish myself like so many others, but there are so many restrictions in FL just to bottle polish, I can't imagine what they would be if I wanted to make it!
Now that I am working again, I find myself missing so many things about the business. It's the classic grass is greener scenario. I have written so many pros and cons lists, I could fill a book. So here is what we have come up with. We will give this until the end of the year. I have a few more collections up my sleeve and I even have some ideas for next year. But in all honesty, there may not be a next year. I just haven't been able to get that far in my thought process. I think things will hinge on a few different factors, as I continue to weigh my options. But for now, I am just enjoying the excitement of a new collection, the burrito rolling and the craziness of interacting with so many of you. I think I might actually miss the interaction the most. I feel like I don't know what anyone is up to anymore. So Wednesday, I'll be posting the swatches of the new collection and announcing all the pre-sale details, and we'll see what happens. Just playing with the new colors and mixing potentials if we continue has me super excited to be back! Somehow I lost that mojo, and need to find it again. If not, then it just may be time to start a new chapter...
