Talking about the various challenges to building a startup is actually quite a simple task to do. And that’s purely because there are just so many of them. Whether it’s about making certain decisions, researching, validating ideas, networking or learning new skills you never thought you’d need, there are always challenges hanging around.
So what about the “easy” parts? Surely there’s something which is seemly less challenging and not quite as stressful. The quick answer is yes, there is! In this blog, I’ll look at what I’ve found to be the 3 easiest parts to building a startup, (at least for me anyway).
1. Finding professional services
Before starting out on this journey, I was aware of certain websites and ways that I could have access to professionals from all over the world, but I didn’t realise just how easy it would be to have access to literally everything I would need. And when I say ‘everything’ I’m referring to manufacturers of journals, boxes and bags. App developers (both freelancers and established companies.). Designers (graphic designers and UX/UI designers). Lawyers, custom brokers, coaches … the list goes on.
I really believe that for anyone wanting to build their own startup, the time couldn’t be any better. To have the access we currently have is something that thousands of entrepreneurs wouldn’t have ever dreamed of having even just 10 or 15 years ago.
Now there is one caveat to being able to easily find all these professional services – and that is finding the right one. Even though we have access at our fingertips, it doesn’t mean we’re going to find the right option immediately. In fact, this has been one of the most time-consuming parts for me this year: finding the right people to work with. This is purely because there are so many options out there, and on the surface level, it can seem like everyone offers top-notch services. Even when digging through reviews and previous work, it can be easy to develop a false perception of the type of quality you can expect to receive.
I’ve now learned to save a lot of time by shortlisting and trialling out particular services before fully committing. Hearing and seeing all the great things an individual or company can do may be vastly different to what they can actually do for you.
2. Leaving my full-time work
I was in my previous role for around four years, and over that time I had built some of the greatest friendships one could hope for within a company. I was well looked after, the salary was comfortable, I had flexibility flowing throughout the core of the company, and a manager who supported me through anything I needed. And yet, leaving this all behind was one of the easiest things I did during this entire process.
Usually, if you leave your job, factors such as poor working conditions, high-stress levels, absence of great working relationships and inflexibility within a company can all be very compelling reasons for someone wanting to resign, therefore making the process slightly easier. When you’re not really faced with these obstacles, the question is then asked about what it is that can make leaving all the good things behind so easy. And it’s simple – lack of fulfilment and a longing for something else.
You can be entirely happy in your job (either working for yourself or for someone else), but if you don’t go home feeling fulfilled and a sense of contentment from it, then the question about whether or not it’s worth it should be asked. Following on from this, if you are investing this much of your time in something but then spend a large portion of it longing for a change or a different challenge, then you’re really just denying yourself that new opportunity. Sure, there are times when we need to stick it out due to certain financial obligations or family pressures, but at the end of the day, we still do have a choice to either ride it out or change it up.
3. Staying focused and motivated
I feel that above everything else, staying focused and motivated has come most naturally to me. It’s something I’ve never really needed to force. Even 10 months after leaving my full-time job I still go to bed in the evenings thinking about how excited I am to start the next day, as it’s another opportunity for me to focus on one of my biggest passions. It’s never even a task thinking I need to go into WeWork to work on my project. Having this sense of gratitude for what I do has been an incredibly powerful vehicle that’s propelled me throughout this year with confidence, focus and happiness.
Another part of remaining focused and motivated also ties into the ‘why’ of my startup. If I think back to the reason why I’m doing what I’m doing, why I’ve chosen to not receive a comfortable salary in a full-time role, and why I spend mornings, afternoons and evenings thinking and working on my project, I feel totally aligned with my actions. It’s a very underrated tool but attaching yourself to your ‘why’ can give you an abundance of clarity and reassurance with anything you do in life.
When it comes to the 3 easiest parts to building a startup, we’re all going to have different views and opinions on it. This list I’ve created is purely based on my own personal experiences, and I’m sure that as I get into launch mode next year I’ll encounter a tonne of new challenges as well as some new easy wins.
At times it can feel as though everything is getting hard and difficult, and it becomes an uphill battle to try and see a clear path forward, so it’s really important to keep in mind what’s been simple, what’s been easy and what’s come naturally, as it means that there’s always something lying around the corner which will make some aspect of the journey that little bit cruiser for you.
I’m now just a couple of months away from dedicating the entire year to working on my startup, Journalfy, and the transition from full-time work to suddenly being on my own has brought up a lot of thoughts and reflections.
The concept of working for yourself, picking your own hours and ultimately having control over what you focus on sounds like a deal too good to pass up. And don’t get me wrong, it is amazing, however, within that realm of freedom and choice also brings about an inherent set of challenges and uncertainties.
In this blog, I want to shed light on what I feel are the 5 biggest challenges when it comes to working on your own.
5 biggest challenges of working on your own
1. Time management
When working a full-time job and depending on the industry, the hours you’ll work will likely be set and reoccurring. You’ll know the time you’ll need to start and the time you’ll finish. Your break will fall roughly halfway between those times, and *usually* when you leave the office or close your computer for the day, you won’t need to return until the following working day.
Working on my own has made me even more aware of how important it is to set strict starting, and more importantly, finishing times. It can be very easy to get swept up in the excitement of working on a particular project and working through the evening on it. Although this is fine to do from time to time, it’s an incredibly fast way to burn yourself out if it’s done on a regular occasion.
Sometimes there’s no choice, and things need to be done to meet certain deadlines, however, it is important to reward yourself with later starts or earlier finishes in the days that follow.
2. No guided direction
Something I wasn’t expecting when starting Journalfy was to have moments where all of a sudden I feel lost and unsure about which task to work on next or which direction to take the project in. I realised it was because I had been so conditioned to the structure of a full-time role where at the end of the day, management would feed down the overarching priorities, so as long as my work somewhat revolved around those priorities, I knew I was headed in the right direction.
Being proactive and trying to stay on top of my game isn’t something new to me, but it is easy for me to mistake busyness for productivity. With the absence of a team or senior management, it can be very easy to let trivial things guide my time and focus when I should instead be looking at tasks that are getting me closer to the end goal.
3. No one to double-check with
Having peer support and being surrounded by brilliant minds is one of the greatest gifts you can receive from working a full-time job. No matter what the issue or problem is, chances are that you’ll be able to find someone in the team who knows the answer or solution, and if they don’t, they’ll likely know which direction to point you in.
When on your own, your Googling, YouTubing and ChatGPTing skills increase dramatically. Sometimes you’ll arrive at the solution in no time at all, but quite often it’ll take time, sweat and tears. When you multiply this by all the issues, concerns or questions that pop up along the way, then this can account for quite a significant part of your working day. Although this can be extremely challenging, it’s also entirely rewarding as there’s a really special feeling you get when you figure something out on your own. And the confidence it gives you to continue problem-solving other issues increases also.
4. No one to blame if something doesn’t work out
It might sound a little trivial, but who doesn’t love a little blame game every now and then? When working in a company it’s so easy for the finger to be pointed at other areas and departments of the business instead of people taking ownership or responsibility. How many times have you heard the old, “The reason for the error in the report was because the instructions from management were unclear.”, or “The project didn’t go as planned because the marketing team failed to generate enough leads.”
Whether or not these excuses are valid is neither here nor there. The point I want to make is that when working on your own, if something doesn’t go your way then at the end of the day the responsibility sits with you. Sure, there will be issues out of your control with tech, contractors etc., however, pointing the finger and projecting blame won’t change the position you’re in. It actually functions as a distraction. The best thing I’ve found is to identify the issue, and if it’s something I can control such as low-quality work coming from a contractor, then to simply change contractors and continue on.
Blaming others instead of looking for fast solutions can be a nasty habit to get into, and one that doesn’t get you far when working for yourself. And looking for a quick solution instead of an easy blame can be a challenge if it’s something you’re not accustomed to.
5. Lack of predictable income
No matter how good of a runway you build for yourself when transitioning from full-time work to being on your own, there will come a time in the journey when you’ll feel the pinch of it. When working full-time it doesn’t matter how bad a day you had or how unsuccessful something was, as you’ll know that your income will continue to flow through.
When working for yourself, things are entirely different. As the financial runway shortens, the pressure to have a product live and ready to go builds intensely. Sure, there are opportunities to do additional work on the side and help ease some of these burdens, but the opportunity cost of this decision also needs to be considered.
Despite all these challenges when it comes to working on your own, there’s something about it that makes everything just seem worth it. Being able to wake up each day and go to sleep in the evenings knowing that your time is dedicated to building out something for yourself is one of the most treasured feelings I’ve developed since being on this journey. The unknown of how the project will go and where I’ll be next year should be something scary and frightening, and I can’t help but let it add to the excitement and passion I continue to feel for this project.
This is now my 9th month this year of paying to be in a coworking space, and I still love it.
If I rewind a couple of years ago, covid did some pretty crazy things to us all. It brought out our best side when it came to cooking or learning a new craft, and then brought out our worst side when it came to cutting our own hair or attempting to understand the complexities of baking sourdough bread from scratch!
Nevertheless, one large and (mostly) positive impact that covid had, was normalising work-from-home arrangements for many. I remember when we first went into lockdown and I was so excited about being able to work from home. I carried that excitement with me for almost two complete years, but then, without really realising it, working from home every day of the week turned into a stagnant routine.
I was actually quite slow to see the connection between how I’d feel mentally when working from home all week vs. choosing to go into the office for a couple of days. I found that when I’d go into the office twice, or even just once a week, would give me so much more additional energy and motivation.
It was a hard shift as I was so comfortable with my WFH routine that I didn’t see a need to change it up, but I’m ever so glad I did. The more I went to the office, the more productive, motivated and happy I found I was. And it was funny, as I would even describe this sensation to some of the team, and they would know exactly what I was talking about.
Where I’m trying to go with this is that it took me quite a while to realise that I’m most productive when I have variety in my routine (work or personal life). When strictly referring to my work routine, this meant having a combination of work from home and work from the office.
What does this have to do with coworking spaces?
Knowing my previous experiences with just working from home, I knew that if I was to leave my full-time job and focus on building a startup that I would need to have a location to go to most days where I could show up and get the job done. Using the coworking space, WeWork, I was able to maintain this variety in my week and have someone else to go to (instead of just resorting to cafes and annoying the owners by sitting on a glass of water with butter on toast). In a typical week, I’ll usually attend four days (which is more than I would attend the office for my full-time job!).
And what about the costs?
Budgeting for a coworking space when you’re not receiving a stable income can feel like a bit of an unnecessary expense. I’ve always tried to look beyond this though, as I find that paying to show up at WeWork has far greater benefits than if I were to just save that $330/month expense and work from home instead.
There’s another very powerful thing that happens when you pay for a service. Similar to an expensive gym membership or lessons in music or language. When you pay and don’t show up, the consequences hit hard as it’s an expensive waste of money. There is this immediate sense of responsibility that helps carve out the path to forming that new habit or a new routine. Therefore, I feel that the opportunity cost of me NOT going to WeWork (or an alternative coworking space) is far greater than the membership fee.
How do the benefits look?
I can’t speak for all coworking spaces, but WeWork has provided me with a setting where I have access to be part of a community that’s abundant with entrepreneurs, small business owners as well as interesting and well-established companies. The mix of members means that I can interact and be around others who are living and breathing exactly what I aspire to be doing. Although I haven’t nailed the networking side of things just yet, it is on my to-do list!
With the networking part covered, there’s also a matter of community activities that the amazing staff put on. This can be anything from TimTam-Tuesdays, end-of-month drinks, pizza lunches, platters of fresh fruit to even salsa classes. A couple of weeks ago the company celebrated ‘Member Gratitude Week’, and the entire week was dedicated to making members feel special. My favourite activity was the free 5-minute massages and they had also put on an extremely tasty breakfast.
(WeWork Member Gratitude Week free 5-minute massages)
(WeWork Member Gratitude Week free breakfast)
I also like that with my general access pass, I can enter any WeWork around the world. Last time I checked there were over 300 locations across almost every continent! And the great thing is that I’m on a month-to-month contract, so if I ever need to stop attending for whatever reason, I can just cancel and start again when I’m ready to go.
Are there any downsides?
I know I’ve focused quite heavily on all the positive sides to coworking, but there are a couple of points that I’d consider to be ‘downsides’. Speaking strictly about WeWork, their general access pass (which is what I have), is a hot desking option. This means you don’t have a dedicated spot to go to each day, so if you’re not in early enough and have a favourite spot, someone else could very well claim it.
The other thing about WeWork is that in the general working spaces, they don’t have comfortable office chairs. As a matter of fact, they’re not even office chairs. They’re almost what you’d expect to find in the food market section at Ikea. At certain locations though, they do have what is referred to as an ‘overflow’ section for general access guests. And this can look like a 6-person private office with desks and comfy chairs to work out of. I’m sure a lot of people know about these spaces that attend WeWork, but I’m still the only person using the overflow room around 95% of the time. I’m on my own that often that surrounding offices think I’m renting out a 6-person private office to use alone!
It’s been a fun journey of exploring coworking spaces as opposed to working from home or finding cafes to work out of. I find that the concept of having somewhere to travel to in order to complete my work helps me to define my goals and execute on them within that space. Although I spend most nights working away on other aspects of the startup from home, at least I’m able to attend an alternative location during the day.
With Christmas just around the corner, the hot question I’ve been asked is whether or not Journalfy will be ready to launch in time.
If you want to save having to read 1,080 words, the quick answer is “no”. However, if you want to know a little more about the reasoning behind this, then let’s waste no more time.
With Black Friday now wrapped up and Christmas less than 30 days away, most people in retail are going through some of the busiest sale periods they’ll have all year. And with these busy periods, the question has been asked several times whether or not Journalfy will be ready in time to finish the year when customer purchasing activity is strong.
Unfortunately, and due to several reasons, Journalfy won’t be ready in time to launch. When starting out on this journey and before realising the layers of complexity involved, I naively set a goal to go live and be in full distribution by the end of the year, but it’s simply not possible.
The timeframes I had given myself were based on essentially ‘best-case scenarios’. The reality is though that things rarely play out this way with consistency. There is almost always going to be some setback or type of delay.
Manufacturing setbacks
I know I’ve mentioned setbacks with manufacturing as being a reason for project delay, but it’s more so to do with ensuring quality control. Ordering multiple journal samples from various suppliers has taught me the importance of being painfully direct and clear with what I’m expecting to receive. Furthermore, it’s also taught me to not settle for the first thing I’m shown and to not let outside factors like deadline pressures cloud my judgement.
Everything from finding the right manufacturer through to ensuring that what they produce is what they say they’ll produce can take a lot of time. Plus there’s the time in-between when waiting for samples to arrive. It can be tempting to want to just settle for a particular manufacturer as the process of choosing one can become quite tiresome and monotonous, however, the moment I feel I’m trying to rush a decision based on ‘saving time’ is the moment I take a step back and try to look at the situation more objectively. The time I’ll save by selecting a supplier with a substandard product is far less than the time (and money) I’ll lose when I need to switch companies the moment their true quality starts to become apparent in the hands of the customer.
App development delays
With app development well underway, I’ve had some recent issues with the app development company when it comes to timelines not being stuck to. I recently created a video on Instagram to talk about it.
Long story short, when signing the contracts with the app developers, we had set out various milestones that spanned roughly 12-14 weeks. We included some extra buffer time as it’s normal for delays to happen and unexpected issues to arise. One thing I hadn’t taken into consideration though was resourcing issues from the app developer’s side. It’s quite a large company I’m working with, so when I found out that they didn’t have enough resources to cover staff who were sick or on leave, this really made me worry about the timeline.
The reason behind this is that they’ve said in order for someone to come over from another project in their team, it would take several days to train them up and get ready to handle my app. And I totally get this, except now that we’ve had this conversation multiple times due to several staff either being sick or on leave, it’s time to do something about briefing in other developers within the company so they can assist when events like this occur.
In addition to this, I’ve also implemented three weekly calls with the dev team so we can discuss what they’ve worked on, what they will be working on, and if there are any potential risks coming up that may impact the timeline. I’ve only just implemented this so I’ll need to report back after trialing it. I do feel that this will help steer the ship in the right direction though.
Expected shipping delays
As a consumer, I feel that shipping delays are one of the most overused excuses a company can tell me when I’ve not received something within a reasonable time period, but I now understand them! Even as we approach the busiest time of the year for most stores, delays domestically and internationally are a big thing, and it’s only going to get worse as we approach the end of December.
I haven’t necessarily been impacted by the shipping delays yet, however, I’m expecting these to come into play once production is on its way. And as shipping is something I will have little control over, it’s far too risky to set a tight go-live date based on estimated shipping times.
User testing and validation delays
Even though I’ve got user testing and validation delays as a contributing reason for the project taking longer than I had expected, this is arguably one of the most important steps in the entire process.
Every time I make a large change to the journal or app, receive a new sample or come up with an idea about packaging, I very seldom let these things sit with me on their own. I immediately look to share this with others, garner feedback and make adjustments based on what I hear. I would have saved a lot of time if I didn’t have this step included in my processes, however, the quality and suitability of what I’m producing would have surely decreased dramatically.
As I don’t have just one designated group of people I seek advice from when it comes to design, content or new ideas, I need to do it in a way that respects their own busy schedules. And I definitely don’t want to rush them. So all these factors combined can make for a slower road to completion.
As you can see, this whole journey of going from idea to startup has been quite the eye-opener, and what I’ve learned this year will serve me for many years to come. Even though I’m acutely aware that I’m missing out on potentially the busiest time of the year for an online retailer, I also know that there will be another Christmas next year, and the year after that also.
When Journalfy launches, it won’t be launched as a half-finished project that was scrappily forced across the finish line in order to push some extra sales at the end of the year; it’ll be launched as a product that is ready and waiting to enrich the life of the individual that’s patient enough to receive it.
Over the last 11 months, there’s been one particular tool that I’ve used almost every day – and that tool is Figma. I’ll also preface this blog by saying that I’m not a designer, and although Figma is technically a design tool, there’s plenty of value a rookie like me can get out of it.
You may have heard me drop the name every now and then in some of my blogs and videos, but if not, Figma at its core is a UX/UI design tool. It allows you to mock up anything from a simple outline of a website or phone app by using a mixture of lines and shapes to even putting together a fully-designed app with all the interactions and button features included. The free version (which is what I use) is extremely generous and allows for all the design features. It comes in both a desktop version and a web-based version, and all your work is stored in their cloud, so you don’t need to worry about having multiple files scattered across your computer.
Now it’s probably already sounding a little overwhelming considering what the tool is capable of achieving, however, it doesn’t mean it can’t be used for basic things either. And when I refer to ‘basic things’ I’m even referring to tasks that aren’t necessarily related to design. Although it’s a design tool, it has plenty more functions.
In this blog, I’ll explain the five uses I have for Figma. It’s an incredibly important tool, and I’d be truly lost without it, which is why I feel it deserves its own blog dedicated to it.
1. Planning and creating social posts
If you look online, there are a tonne of tools that can be used to plan and create posts for social media. The reason I’ve chosen to use Figma over other tools (such as Canva), is that I feel I have a lot more freedom and customisability with it. Canva is a fantastic tool and is super easy to use, however, it can get a little slow with the more pages you have in your file. Plus the costs can add up if you’re on the premium plan.
One thing I used to do was to mock up certain designs in Canva so I could get used to the different templates that were available. I would then try to semi-reproduce these designs within Figma. The benefit of this was that it gave me a good opportunity to really learn how to use Figma, and now that I’m more proficient with it, I don’t really need to turn to Canva.
2. Mocking up my initial app designs
As I mentioned in the blog, Going from Idea to App, I used Figma to draft my initial concept for the app. I actually ended up going beyond just the initial concept – with Figma, I was able to add certain interactions to my design. To help you visualise it, if someone was to receive my design file on their phone, they would be able to click through my design and scroll around in the app. It would function just like a real app, however, it was just the design that was being interacted with.
3. Collaborating with my UX/UI designer
Once I had mocked up the first concept for the app, I hired a UX/UI designer to take the designs to the next level. The designer, David, used what I had and recreated a beautiful version of the app, complete with the correct fonts, colours, shapes, layout, interactions etc. The important part about this step was that we wanted the app design to be as perfect as possible as this is what the app developers would later use to build out the actual app.
Even to this very day, David and I are constantly throwing around different ideas and design concepts in Figma. Due to the tool having an online collaboration feature, David and I can create a workspace where we can both see and comment on what the other person is working on in real time.
4. Doodling, planning and drafting content
As I’ve been playing with Figma for quite some time now, I find that it’s just easier for me to use it for a lot of my content-based work. This could involve tasks such as planning content for Journalfy’s website, tweaking logos, creating mood boards to help inform the feel I want for the website and illustrating any ideas that I want to show someone.
By using Figma for the majority of these tasks, it means that I don’t have different files for Word or Google Docs, or even Excel, floating around in different locations. Instead, I create new projects in Figma and just add everything in there. The handy part about it being cloud-based is that I can be doing something from my computer and if I need to later review it from my phone it’ll be there, ready to do. The same thing if I’m working on one computer and switch to another. It’s a very easy way to keep my work saved, synced and reduce any worrying that files might get lost.
5. Adjustments to the physical journal
As I’m still learning to become more proficient at design tools such as Adobe Illustrator or Adobe InDesign, I find myself using Figma for tasks such as making suggestions for one of the designers, Sunil, when it comes to adjusting the physical journal. If I get a new idea or I want to illustrate something, I can import parts of the Adobe design file into Figma and simply add my changes to it so that Sunil can later implement them on the official design file.
I have found this particularly useful when it comes to playing around with various concepts for the cover, or when thinking about how the packaging for the journal will be. What would usually take me a long time to put together in Adobe Illustrator I’m able to do in a matter of minutes in Figma. It’s not like I’m creating a final product, however, it’s more than sufficient when it comes to getting a concept out of my mind and onto the computer screen.
As might be able to tell, I’m quite a big fan when it comes to using Figma. One of my favourite things about this tool is that although it’s extremely powerful and has a tonne of features that I’ve never even heard of or used, I can still use it for a wide range of tasks and the learning curve has been quite gentle (fast but gentle). Once you know your way around Figma, it becomes very intuitive to use.
If you are serious about using Figma, I’d recommend downloading it to have a play around. There are a tonne of resources out there to help you through any issues you may have. One thing that helped me a lot was completing a Udemy course on Figma. This gave me a solid foundation and has allowed me to continue building my skills with the tool.
I haven’t talked too much about the travel journal app I’ve been building, so I thought this would be a nice opportunity to shed some light on it. The app, in many ways, is a key component of my mission for Journalfy, as it underpins what the brand is striving to achieve (more on this part in a later blog).
Where the app idea came from
In case you missed the blog,I’m building an app!, I’ll quickly explain where the idea to build an app came from. When going through the testing and validation phase of my travel journal idea, I discovered that an overwhelming amount of people who keep/have kept a journal have an underlying fear of it being lost or damaged, as it would mean losing pages of precious memories. In addition to this, I also noticed a general partialness towards filling out a journal with pen to paper, as opposed to digitally. This is what began the thought process of creating a solution that could cater to the needs of both pen-to-paper enthusiasts, as well as digital adopters. In addition to this, the app will allow journallers to store and organise their physical journal entries within the app, which will provide an everlasting way to keep these memories safe (and accessible).
Where to begin with only an idea?
Now that I had the idea for the app, the only thing missing was the actual product. And the distance between that idea to having the app installed on my phone is still being calculated, but you need to start from somewhere. Not having had any real prior experience with developing apps or designing them, I was quite green on the scene. I had approached several app development agencies with my idea and quickly learnt that if I was to get them to take my idea and turn it into something more tangible, then this was going to be quite expensive. And this is just the design part – not even the development stage.
I also learnt that unless I was able to provide a designer with some type of mock-up of how I envisioned the app, then it was going to be quite difficult for them to do it any justice. I started by trying to sketch my idea but even then things weren’t looking great as I’m a terrible drawer and for some reason, I’d always smudge the ink through the clumsy use of my left hand. I then tried looking at other apps and websites for inspiration but this also proved challenging as there wasn’t any other product I was trying to copy and improve.
Around Christmas time, my fiancé, Mani, gifted me with a key to one of the most instrumental tools in my arsenal today: Figma.
Mani had purchased me a course on Udemy to learn how to use Figma. In case you’re wondering what Figma is, it’s a simple-to-use design tool that allows you to mock up anything from social media posts to websites, apps and beyond. And one (or two) of the greatest features of Figma is that it’s collaborative, so you can work on the same file at the same time as someone else, plus if you’re designing something like an app or website, you can create a clickable prototype. This essential means being able to make it look and function like a real product, however, you’re just interacting with the design.
With the Figma course at my side, I was able to successfully create a start-to-end Lo-Fi prototype of the app. For anyone unfamiliar with that terminology, think of a Lo-Fi design as being the skeleton of your design – so you’ll have a bunch of lines, squares and boxes. As you begin adding in colours, gradients and images, your Lo-Fi will blossom into a Hi-Fi design. Here, have a look at this – it’s one of the first screens I mocked up of the app.
(Lo-Fi wireframe)
Getting the designs on point
Once I had the Lo-Fi wireframes good to go, I then went in search of a UX/UI designer to help take them to the next level. Again, I could have gone straight to an app development company, but at this stage, I had already left my job and one thing I did have a lot of was time, so I wanted to take the time to find the right designer to work with that really connected with the product. I found it hard to build a close relationship with designers when going through app agencies as a lot of the communication would go through the project manager, and not the designer.
After going through multiple designers I finally found one that stuck, and his name was David. From the moment I told David about the vision for Journalfy and took him through my Lo-Fi designs, he was immediately hooked. He just wanted to know more about the project and he approached his trial task (I set up a trial task when looking for a designer so I could assess how good a fit they’d be for the task) with such a large amount of enthusiasm and love that it was impossible to not lock him in.
I still work closely with David – even today while the app is being developed, David and I are constantly brainstorming new features and components that we can roll out into the app.
Then it was time to find a developer
The next step of finding a developer is quite a lengthy one. It would almost justify having its own blog dedicated to it as I had learnt so much about what’s required in terms of the types of questions to ask, how to save time, how to save money, what types of guarantees to look for etc.
To keep this blog from running over too much, I’ll just say that it took me around 3-4 months until I finally narrowed down the right company. It might sound like a long time but when it comes to finding the right app developer and being sure of their capabilities, sometimes the extra time is required. If I were to repeat the process with knowing with I now know, then I’m sure I can more than halve this time, but that’s the joy of doing something new and exploring unknown territories without having someone to guide you through it.
What’s next?
I’m now waiting for the app to be developed. When I say ‘waiting’ it’s more of more of an active action, rather than a passive one. I’m in constant talks with the developers to either resolve issues, look for alternative solutions or test the initial product. And in addition to this, I’m also working closely with David to see what new and exciting features we can add to the app to help make it even more accessible, practical and exciting to use.
Having the first journal sample arrive a couple of weeks ago marked a huge milestone in this new startup journey. From the moment I opened the parcel to holding the journal in my hands and feeling the texture of the linen cover, I felt that everything was starting to fall into place.
It’s been quite the journey, and in some ways, a struggle, to get this first sample ready, so I wanted to shed some light on it and speak about the process of what was required.
(click below to skip ahead if you like)
How was the sample organised?
To get this first sample ordered it actually took me a lot longer than I had initially thought. The reason being is that I wasn’t aware of all the different options I’d have available. To give you a rough idea of the types of options I explored, investigated and considered, here are a few of them:
Cover material (leather, fake leather, hardboard, linen), binding options (spiral binding, perfect binding, board book binding), paper type (recycled, plain, FSC), paper thickness, paper size and accessories (page ribbon, pen holder, inner pocket).
Without getting into the nitty-gritty of it, each of the above options (plus many that I haven’t listed out), were considered and in some ways tested based on suitability and usability. Even just choosing the right cover material was through a large process of trial and error, some of which I mention in my blog, Business (and bliss) in Bali.
From having spoken with suppliers in Australia and across the world, I had managed to narrow down my options to around 5-7 different manufacturers. I kept in constant contact with all of them, and actually asked them all the same questions. This was a great way to a) confirm the information I was receiving, and b) compare previous work, reviews, testimonials etc.
Helpful tip: try not to be overwhelmed with all the options available. Have a idea in mind of what you’re after and request information that aligns to it.
How much does a sample cost?
To order a sample the price per unit ends up being quite expensive, and there are a few reasons for this. The main reason is that if what you’re ordering is something you’ve fully customised, then chances are the manufacturer won’t have that mould already made up. Creating the mould and setting up the machinery to print a few samples requires additional costs which results in the samples being unexpectedly expensive. To give you an idea, I spent around $380 on three samples (which didn’t include delivery).
When you move into bulk purchases, this number comes down quite significantly.
Helpful tip: if you’re ever planning on getting a company to make you a sample of something, request for the sample fee to come off the production cost should you end up going ahead with them.
How did the sample turn out?
All in all, I was completely surprised by the first sample. I had so many setbacks in the lead-up to the sample such as delays due to national holidays, issues with the design file and a misunderstanding in technical aspects of the journal, that I was expecting this first sample to be a near-disaster. In fact, it was almost that good that I even felt tempted to not order the same sample through other manufacturers.
Even though I was tempted to immediately go ahead with this first manufacturer, it’s hard to truly know the quality you’re receiving and the quality you could be potentially missing out on if you don’t have anything else to compare with, which is why I’ll be ordering more samples.
I did notice a few minor issues such as the size of the logo on the cover being too thin for the style of printing I require. I also noticed some improvements that can be made with the internal section of the journal – however, this is mainly around the design, not necessarily due to the quality of the sample.
Helpful tip: don’t be tempted to settle for the first sample you receive.
How long does it take to make a sample?
Excluding delivery times, I’m finding that the average time to produce a sample is around 8-11 days. It’s super important to respect sample production times as it can be tempting to rush them, but when this happens the chances of the company making mistakes or delivering sub-quality products increases.
One of my biggest challenges was not realising that I had agreed to the samples just before a few days of national holidays which resulted in the lead time being extended by an extra week after all the disruptions.
Helpful tip: ask early if there are any upcoming holidays or anything else the company foresees that could potentially impact sample and production times.
How many samples should be ordered?
There’s actually no one-size- fits-all response to this. Depending on what the product is, the time required to develop and the costs involved, I would generally recommend having no less than two and no more than five samples. The reason for having two or more samples is that it’s crucial to have something to compare quality and workmanship with. I’d suggest no more than five samples as it can be very easy to drown in indecisiveness. Although I agree with trying to get things as right as possible from the start, there’s also the matter of time. Each sample requires additional time to order, produce, receive, test and analyse. With every sample ordered, it’s extra time without going to market.
Helpful tip: looking to create an MVP (minimum viable product) and iterating from there can save a lot of time and money. Nothing will ever be a finished product, so it’s helpful to not get too bogged down in making the first version entirely perfect as this can have its own inherent issues when it comes to speed to launch and decision paralysis. Never skip steps to jeopardise quality and save time, but at some stage, a balance does need to be stuck.
What are the next steps?
As I mentioned a little higher up, I will be looking to order more samples. I even have one lot of samples that will hopefully be arriving later this week (keep your eyes peeled!). Once I’ve received all samples and performed some additional tests with the journals, I will then be looking to move into production mode with one of the companies. Besides that, I’ll also be working through various options when it comes to packaging as well as some additional goodies to add to the final product. Ah yes, and focusing on developing and testing the app!
(my home-printed paper version vs. first official sample)
I’ve received my first sample of the journal and I’m now looking to order a second sample. By having the actual physical product in my hands, it makes me feel and realise just how real this whole process has been. It’s also a little scary in one way, as I’m now not far away from ordering the journals in bulk. As I get closer and closer to this next huge milestone of reaching the production stage, I’ve now got to make some decisions around the type of packaging that I’ll be distributing the journal in.
I’ve admittedly already spent quite a bit of time considering this stage and exploring potential options, but my goal for this is to now lock in a particular packaging method so I can finally tick it off the list.
To help me make the decision, I recently created a survey on Instagram, and the results were quite eye-opening.
The reason I went to social media to look for answers is because the journal will ultimately be for the users, not for me, and so I want to ensure I’m creating something (from packaging to product) that they’re going to enjoy and be happy with. I also got some new ideas from others who had messaged me after seeing the post.
When it comes to packaging, I feel that I also have a moral obligation to choose an option that has the least negative impact on the environment as possible AND is practical. In addition to this, like running any business, I also need the cost to be considered as it wouldn’t make sense to go for an option that isn’t financially viable.
So with all this in my mind and the survey results in, these are the top 5 options (of many) that I have been considering.
Option 1 – plastic mailer bags
Pros
Super cheap (in bulk, I can get these for around $0.05 per bag)
Water-resistant (great if the package is left outside in the rain)
Cons
Terrible option for the environment
They don’t contain any padding (offer zero protection for the items within)
I would need an additional piece of packaging to use inside the bag
Option 2 – bubble mailer bags
Pros
Price (in bulk, I can get them for around $0.20 per bag)
Water-resistant
Offer protection for the goods inside
Wouldn’t need additional packaging
Convenient and practical
Cons
Terrible option for the environment
Option 3 – cardboard book wrap mailer
Pros
Made from recycled paper
Is recyclable
Very convenient and practical
I think they look great
Offer some protection for contents inside
Cons
Not water resistant (if left out in the rain, the water would be an issue)
Would likely require an additional piece of protection to make it more water resistant
Constrained to only fitting a journal inside the box (no add-ons could be included)
Price (around $0.54 in bulk – it might not sound a lot but this adds up if extra packaging is required)
Option 4 – personalised cardboard box
Pros
Made from recycled cardboard
Can be recycled
Fully customisable – I could build compartments and make the opening of it as an experience for the customer
Contents would be safe and well-protected
Cons
I would still need to use some type of protective bag in case of wet weather
Price can be high with customisations (around $0.97 per box)
Bulky to send (a lot of wasted space – and size matters with postage prices)
Option 5 – plastic-free padded mailer bags
Pros
Made from recycled paper
Is recyclable
Can be compostable
Offers protection from drops and some protection from rain
Convenient and practical
Lightweight
Price is good (around $0.42/bag)
No additional packaging would be required
Cons
Some are made with a honeycomb waxing to help prevent water from damaging it – this makes it difficult for some shipping labels to stick
Bags could potentially pierce easily if pressed against sharp corners (fairly low chance of this happening, but still worth considering)
Which one to choose?
With all these options laid out and the survey results in, I’ll be deciding between option 3 and option 5. Option 3 is almost perfect, however there is always the worry about it being susceptible to water damage. If I can find a suitable solution for shipping labels to stick hassle-free, then option 5 would almost be a no-brainer. It’s cheap, great for the environment, doesn’t have any wasted space and protects the products inside.
When trying to make any decision, personal or professional, it can always help to list out your options with the pros and cons as it allows you to see everything clearly. Even through the process of writing this blog, my mind feels much clearer and lighter!
I just recently shared the name of the travel journal brand I’m creating. In case you missed the post, you can see it here on Instagram. The process of choosing the name, Journalfy™, ended up being a little lengthier than it needed to be.
I actually came up with the name quite quickly, however, the lengthy part was due to me doubting my choice and exploring other options. I ended up deciding to sit on it for a couple of months while I was busy working on the journal as I wanted to see how the name would stick. Before even realising it, the name felt so right and so natural, that I completely forgot that I was ‘contemplating’ using it.
From brainstorming name options to choosing one, acquiring the website domain, social handles and eventually filing for a trademark, there was a lot I learned along the way and I thought it would be a great opportunity to share some of that experience with you today.
A business with a ‘bad name’ is better than no business at all
Full disclosure – I don’t actually think you can have a ‘bad name’ for a business. As long as the name is relevant, not ridiculously long or hard to pronounce and isn’t offensive, then there are not too many ways for it to not be a good contender.
Picking a business name can be one of the most exciting (and lengthy) parts of starting a business. It’s one of the things that tends to make us feel most vulnerable. When we share a business name with someone, it almost feels as though we’re sharing a glimpse into our deepest thoughts. We’re putting ourselves out there without any protection, and just remaining open to the opinions of others.
The journey of choosing a business name shouldn’t be like this though. It should be a fun process that makes us feel excited about adding a name tag on something we’ve been/will be working hard on. It shouldn’t make us worry about what others may think about it. As long as choosing that name follows a few basic principles, then there’s not too much to actually worry about.
I feel that there’s a much larger risk in not allowing your business idea to come to fruition than there is with having a business name you’re not entirely sold on. Inaction when it comes to deciding on a business name can be the one single thing that can completely derail a business idea. It can stump our motivation and even inhibit us from working on other areas of building the business, just because we haven’t settled on a name.
What were they thinking …
Before we get into some simple steps to follow for creating and securing a business name, let’s try this simple exercise. Have a quick think about the five largest brands you frequently come into contact with.
Looking at my monitor and around the room, I’m going to say:
Google, Amazon, Etsy, Asics, Dell and Breville – I went with six.
Now have a think about each one of those brands. If someone were to pitch to you an idea they had about a business and were suggesting one of these names, how likely would you have said something along the lines of, “It’s good. I mean, it’s not bad. Have you got any other options though?”.
There are SO many brands out there that have names that would make anyone question what they are or what the founders were thinking, and yet, they’re still a raging success.
It’s helpful to think about this when coming up with your own business name, as it’s not the name on its own that sells a brand. It has to be a combination of the product, the service and the brand identity. You can have the ‘best’ name in the world for a brand but if your product and service are terrible, you’ll never get any traction.
Now it is important to note that these brands I’ve mentioned didn’t just create these names based on a random selection of letters. Each one has a wonderful story behind it, and once that story has been told and felt, it actually allows for an even deeper connection to the brand. Most people wouldn’t be aware of all their stories, and so, the names are just a mere vessel that transports the brand to the places it needs to get to, and if the brand is clever enough, then stories of their name will be shared along the same journey.
Here are some quick suggestions to follow when choosing a business name that worked for me. The following points should be kept front of mind during the entire process:
Does the business name have a story behind it?
Is it relatively short (a couple of words) and easy to pronounce?
Can it be easily remembered or spelt?
Is it offensive?
Is it unique and available?
Here are the steps I took to come up with Journalfy™:
1. Researched and brainstormed names
To come up with Journalfy™, there were a lot of other names I had gone through first. One day I decided to write down on a piece of paper what was important to me in a business name and what vision I had for the business. I knew I wanted the name to make mention of my main product, and I wanted it to be short and catchy. I also didn’t want to be boxed in, so in one way I had to keep the name broad enough to allow for this. Journalfy™ ticked all those boxes. I was considering something that was related to travel, but just in case I decide to branch out into other journals in the future, I left it a little more open.
To help brainstorm ideas, I used ChatGPT quite a bit, as well as speaking with various friends and family members. At one stage I did feel as though there were too many cooks in the kitchen, so this is one thing to consider when turning to others for brainstorming assistance.
2. Checked for availability
If you plan on having an online presence, then it’s essential to make sure your brand name is available online. This means checking the following to see if the name is available:
Social media: First identify which social platforms you’d like to have a presence on, and then see if the desired social handle/name is available. If it isn’t, it’s not the end of the world. As long as there isn’t another business doing exactly what you want to do, you can always tweak the name to have an underscore (_) or some other identifier.
Domain (website address): Similar to checking for a social media handle, if the desired domain isn’t available as a .com or a .com.au, consider alternatives such as .co, .io or .au. You can use websites like Namecheap or GoDaddy.
Business registration or trademark: Using sites such as ASIC (to check for Australian business names) or WIPO (to do an international trademark search) is all part of the due diligence process.
3. Acquired names online
Once you’re happy with the availability of your business name, it’s now time to make some purchases. Acquiring the names on social media is free, however, purchasing the domain ($10-$30+ /yr) and registering a business name ($42/yr) will incur a fee. You can make these purchases through the websites provided above, or there are also plenty more options out there.
4. Filed for a trademark (optional)
Filing for a trademark isn’t something you necessarily need to do. It can be a way to just ensure that no one steals your name, but it can also be quite expensive, so you’ll need to really consider this first. I decided to take a trademark out in Australia (you need a separate trademark application for each country which costs $$). In Australia I paid $250, and I’ll likely take others out as the brand grows.
In summary, choosing a business or brand name can be one of the toughest decisions you make in the initial stages of forming a business. It’s something that kept me busy for quite some time, but knowing what I now know, I feel that I could have made the decision much sooner. If there are two key takeaways to consider when having read this blog, it’s these:
Taking too long to decide on what the name will be can be a bigger risk than the business itself.
It’s not the name alone that makes the business, but the product, service and identity of the brand.
On 16th October 2023, I ran my very first marathon, completing it in 3 hours and 34 minutes and expending around 3,800 calories. Physically, it was one of the hardest things I’ve ever put my body and mind through. I broke my own personal records for my fastest half marathon time (1hr 47mins vs. 1hr 41 mins) as well as furthest distance ran (32.2km vs. 42.2km). It was one of my happiest moments crossing that finish line as it was as though I had been deeply rewarded for all the effort and preparation I had put in leading up to the event. It was a strong reinforcer that with the right balance of persistence, perseverance, consistency, motivation, dedication, discipline, attitude and tenacity, anything is possible.
My goal since deciding back in November 2022 to run in the 42.2km event was to just be able to finish it. I had a stretch goal which was to complete it in under four hours, and then my secret stretch goal (everyone has one) was to somehow do it within 3 hours and 55 minutes. Being able to complete the run in 3 hours and 34 minutes had never even crossed my mind as a possibility.
Running in the event didn’t come easy though. I was on a very strict training regime which involved running three times a week, strength training for my lower body two times a week as well as daily exercises to assist with ongoing issues I’ve had with my knee. The 46 weeks I spent preparing for the marathon came with continuous challenges and setbacks, and it was only 8 weeks before the event that I thought I was going to have to pull out due to an impinged bursa in my knee.
So after 46 weeks of training, involving 79 hours and 2 minutes of running, covering a distance of 902km and burning through 73,686 calories, there were some crucial lessons I learnt along the way, and I’d love to share them with you today. Although these lessons can be applied to any situation in life, I can’t help but see so many parallels when I apply them to what I’m aiming to achieve with the travel journal project.
1. Perseverance really is key.
I remember when I first saw my physiotherapist for an issue I had with my knee at the start of the year, and he told me that almost anyone can run a marathon. For the incredibly vast majority of us, physically, we’re capable of doing it, however, the difference between someone who’s prepared and underprepared will be in the time they finish it in, as well as the pain their bodies will endure in the days (even weeks) after the event. To be in the category of those who finish the event in an above-average time and not be completely ruined by it physically in the weeks to follow, I was going to have to trust in the power and effectiveness of perseverance. Perseverance not just on race day to get through the hurdles of cramping and feeling as though you’ve hit a wall, but persevering through training, setbacks, injuries, rehab and dietary changes during the entire lead up to the event.
And speaking of perseverance, this is now the 30th blog I’ve written for SharedNarrative!
2. Just because the obvious way forward isn’t working out for you, there’s always another route.
I found that when preparing for the marathon, I ended up putting myself in a position where I would compare my physical state to others who had either run a marathon or were preparing to run one, and I became frustrated that what they were doing to prepare wasn’t exactly working out for me. With the setbacks I had with a torn ligament in my ankle last year, iliotibial-band syndrome as well as an impinged bursa in my knee, my way forward was very different to those who were around me. And this meant that with the help of my physio, we came up with another path towards the goal which involved building strength, resilience and confidence in my lower body in order to be able to run longer distances pain-free.
3. Follow the advice of those who have either done what you’re trying to do, or have taken someone else through it.
The internet can be a great source of information and I know that everyone knows this, but you never truly know who is the exact person writing the information we’re reading. I’ve always been a believer in being coached by someone who’s either gone through what you’re trying to achieve OR has taken someone else through it. When preparing for the marathon, I became quite attached to the advice of my physio as he’s someone I trust deeply and I know that even though he would have some relatable setbacks that he’s gone through, he’s also coached hundreds of others in similar situations to overcome similar issues, and so following and listening to his advice was one of the single greatest things I could do.
If I were to apply this to a business sense and my travel journal project, the same has applied for any coaches I’ve engaged with or courses I’ve completed. Each one has had its own unique way of teaching me and getting me to where I currently am.
4. Be happy and enjoy it.
I can’t imagine how much harder the preparation and actual event would have been if I wasn’t enjoying what I was doing. 79 running hours is a lot of time to prepare for something, so for me it was crucial to have an enjoyable activity occurring while I was training. I achieved this by listening to various podcasts of different founders, hearing their stories and learning from their mistakes and challenges. I would also throw in some memory training podcasts, as well as the occasional episode on business foundations (the ‘Colombia top 50’ playlist also made a few appearances).
During the race itself, I found myself enjoying it by high-fiving the spectators who spent their entire Sunday morning lining the road to cheer the runners on for support. Some played music, and others were handing out lollies. It was a blast! At one stage, I even remember chanting that we had just two kilometres to go – at the time, I thought I was doing this to help those around me, but in the last two kilometre, I just needed whatever I could to convince myself that the race was coming to an end. I even had in mind all the freebies at the end of the race that I could look forward to. Everything from protein shakes, Gatorade, fruits and snacks were all cycling through my mind.
If I apply being happy and enjoying what it is we’re doing, there’s no better example I can think of than doing what I’m currently doing. Working in my previous role wasn’t bringing me this organic and profound sense of happiness and satisfaction that I’ve found with working on my own project. Although I was happy, it’s through the act of taking myself out of that environment and focusing on what I have now that I can truly appreciate the difference.
5. Your body will find a way to achieve whatever your mind wants of it.
I mentioned earlier that I had multiple setbacks when it came to my torn ankle ligament as well as two separate issues with my knee. Any one of these setbacks would have been a good enough reason for me to not go ahead with the marathon, but at the end of the day, I’ve learnt that if your mind is truly set on accomplishing something, then it’ll find a way to do it. I was fortunate enough to have time and an amazing physio on my side as I don’t think any of these injuries occurring just a short time before the event would have been the most sensible thing to run with.
During the race itself, I had an unannounced cramping episode of my entire lower body just four kilometres from the finish line. Muscles I didn’t even realise I had begun to cramp! I almost fell over when my legs ceased up, but I was lucky to have something close by that I could hold on to. I attempted to continue on but the cramping got worse. I actually thought the event was over for me (I even contemplated crawling) – I remember getting this far and seeing others that were on the ground from either exhaustion, cramps or other injuries. But after 30 seconds of stretching, seeing someone with a sign that said “touch here for energy”, and a magical dose of Gatorade at the next drink station later, I managed to control the cramps and finish the race by adopting quite an awkward running style that I’m sure would have been very entertaining to watch.
After the race, I took my shoes off and saw that one toenail had turned completely purple. I think I’ll lose the nail, but it’ll be a memorable loss at least!
6. My perception of something being challenging or hard to achieve changes every time I reach a new milestone.
When leading up to the event, I remember every new distance I’d run seeming so much easier than I had thought it would be. I would even view getting to 15km as something that would be a long stretch, but then the moment I achieved it, I was already thinking about the new distance I would hit with the next run. The same pattern would also happen with the pace I was setting for these runs: I would beat my previous times that I once viewed as challenging but all of a sudden they were within reach and even below what I was capable of.
Seeing this occur on a weekly basis made me reflect and realise that challenges aren’t fixed. They’re actually just made up from the way we perceive a particular situation. The moment we get through a challenge and we’re thinking about the next one that lies ahead, we often forget about all the fear and hard work that went into the first one.
The same can be applied to leaving my full-time job. I thought it would be a challenge to manage my time and effectively replace 40 hours a week with something I was going to remain committed to. What I saw as a challenge is something that’s now transformed into an opportunity. An opportunity which will surely have its own inherent challenges, and they’ll be dealt with, hence the cycle continues.
7. Track your progress.
If you strip back what keeps us motivated when we apply ourselves to something, progress will always be at the core of it.
Without progress, we feel that we remain stagnant. That we’re not moving, growing, learning or developing. This is why I found it so important and helpful to constantly track my runs every week. I would leave notes about my runs, compare them to previous weeks and see where I had made improvements. Improvements not only in my run time but also in distance, heart rate, pace, how I felt during the run etc.
I’ve applied this same learning to what I do with the travel journal project. I’m very conscious of creating my to-do lists, having overarching goals and monitoring my progress towards those goals, because I know that, without this, I won’t feel like I’ve made progress. And without progress, it’ll be much harder to maintain any level of motivation.
8. Accountability is so powerful.
Accountability is such an important component of anything we apply ourselves to, and I’ve spoken about it quite a lot. While preparing for the marathon, I remained accountable to my physio, to my partner, to my friends and to my family. I would quite often talk to them about my training and how I was progressing, as I wanted them to check in and ask about it.
By creating this natural loop of training and then being asked about my training, I was keeping myself accountable to all these special people in my life. I would then use this to help drive performance on days when I would struggle more than normal with my training. Even during the race I was able to do this – I knew that I had a lot of people following my run, so I wanted to make sure I pushed myself to my limits and not leave anything behind, as I wanted to serve them and thank them for their support.
Also during the race itself, from having started it with my brother-in-law, we remained within a few minutes of each other throughout – we high-fived as we passed each other, and I know this kept both our spirits high.
9. Have an end goal in mind.
As I mentioned above, my end goal was to finish the race in less than 4 hours, and my secret stretch goal was to do it in 3 hours and 55 minutes. Had my end goal been to just finish a marathon within the allocated event time, then my training, approach and execution would have been extremely different. Having a goal like this is completely fine, but the key point to takeaway is that whether we’re aware of it or not, we move our bodies and minds towards the goal we set for ourselves. I’d much prefer to set a wild stretch goal and miss it slightly than to set something well below my potential and miss it. During the course of reaching the overarching goal, it’s important to have easy and achievable goals along the way, as it’s a great way to stay focused and motivated, but that super big stretch goal at the end should be something that will make all the effort seem worth it.
In summary, I couldn’t have been happier with the race. As I saw my time appear on the screen when I entered the stadium, I was beyond belief. I crossed the finish line and my eyes filled with tears of happiness and joy.
With the results aside, everything I learnt in the lead up and proved to myself has all been incredibly valuable, and I feel fortunate to now carry these lessons with me and apply them to areas outside of my training. When applying these learnings to my travel journal project, every late-night call I have with a supplier, every setback I go through with the app, every new problem that arises and every worry about finances, I know that solutions will be found, and that with the right amount of persistence, perseverance, consistency, motivation, dedication, discipline, attitude and tenacity, that I’ll be able to go above and beyond my goals in the same way I’ve proven to myself during the marathon.
I’ll leave you now with some photos from the day. Everything from finishing with my power run while trying not to cramp up, to being supported by my beautiful fiancé who’s been helping me throughout this entire process, to a shot with my brother-in-law that kept me accountable to my runs and entrained during the event. I’ve even included finishing off the day with a healthy dose of burgers, fries and shakes with my gorgeous nephews, wonderful sister and amazing brother-in-law.
