Pressure Creates Diamonds
As I’m sitting in my office on this cold rainy Saturday, waiting for my office to warm up a bit, I’m contemplating on how eventually all the dots will connect. Every piece of the puzzle will fall into place. Everything that’s happening, is happening for a reason.
There is this strong tendency that we all have to show off the better parts of our lives to the public. In general we tend to only/mostly share the good things that are happening in our lives with others and on social media. Nobody wants to see the struggle, they only want to see the glamour.
For a long time I’ve had and part of me still has, the tendency to create a certain image of myself and our business where it’s all and only about the success and growth. Because I only want people to see/believe things are going great. I come from a culture, where a lot of people, even family, for no other reason than simple jealousy love to hear when you’re not doing great. And I for one am not a person who wants to give them any satisfaction of the sort.
But then I realized how unrealistic and unfair it is to be dishonest; giving people the idea that there are only ups and no downs. Downs are as much part of life as ups are, and no one is excluded or gets spared. Everyone has their own issues, even the people from whom you don’t expect it. Everybody has their own shit to deal with. So why not own it, just like you do with the positive things. What doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger right? So it even has an up-side to it.
The past few months we’ve been making some big investments to put our brand on a higher level. As my fellow marketers would understand, it’s pretty hard in some cases of marketing to directly connect a certain return to a particular marketing investment. And then you suddenly realize how vulnerable you are to the economy as a young brand. Let’s just say the past month hasn’t been easy. At some point it’s been like Murphy’s law. One disappointment after another. I didn’t think I could handle the stress anymore. You can work so hard (I’m talking roughly 90 hours a week) to create something, and within a few months of investments and ‘’not so smart’’ decisions things can make a total turnaround.
It’s painful, hard to deal with and to accept. Especially when it is your baby, it’s your creation, your ultimate goal and dream, everything you base your future upon. It’s something you’ve put all your money, time, energy, blood, sweat, tears in. But that’s the reality. You have to take it as it comes. It’s entrepreneurship.
We’ve learned so much during this period, literally an extremely expensive list of lessons learned. All these lessons, although I wish I didn’t have to learn them this way, are part of the pressure that eventually creates Diamonds. Or so I tell myself (Never a Failure, always a lesson). As nauseating as the ride may be, getting off the rollercoaster is simply not an option.
Just when I thought I reached my limits, I discovered I have the power to go beyond. I know one thing for sure. I was born one month too early and they didn’t think I was going to make it into this world. I fought for my life and now at 25 years I can feel it in my entire being that I’m here to create something big. So no matter what it will take, even if it means taking a few steps back, I will continue to fight. My partner, Edwin Wulterkens, has been fighting all his life as well. So the sure thing is…Wulterkens, as a brand, is a diamond in the making.
I hope that by being honest about our situation instead of pretending like most do, I am able to inspire you to keep on fighting, whatever battle you’re fighting. As I’ve said before…I know what I want and I’m gonna get it, no matter what it takes.
Conclusion: Never give up, never bend, just take control, adjust your sails. Tides eventually turn around and great things will come to you!
Plus: It does make a better story, I mean let’s be honest. If everything goes as planned, there is no adventure.
Stay focused!
Love,
Nadira
Outfitdetails: Multi-way Sweater: Victoria’s Secret; Pants: Zara; Heels: Missguided.
As most bloggers go darker with colors as the season changed, I wanted to do a lighter look in contrast. I’m still hooked on the nude-white look and it brightens up the day!
”An entire sea of water can’t sink a ship unless it gets inside the ship. Similarly, the negativity of the world around you can’t put you down unless you allow it to get inside you”.
A Ship In A Harbor Is Safe…But That’s Not What A Ship Is Built For!
They say that the magic is happening at a place way out of your comfort zone. If you want to be part of that magic, you got to grab your guts and move out of it.
This is so easily said (and written), I know. It’s been almost a month since my last blog post and also my first one this year. I spent the holidays with my loved ones in my hometown Paramaribo, capital of Suriname, located in South America, right above Brazil.
It was 2,5 weeks of getting my mind off work and enjoying being home, spending time with my loving parents and friends. At the same time, I realized that with a new year, comes new things, new opportunities, challenges and lots of growth. While I think constant growth and improvement are one of the most important things, it’s still a fact that with growth come more responsibilities.
It’s scary, yes, very scary. I think my fellow entrepreneurs will understand. Along with that excitement and all those opportunities that you are pursuing is that little voice that makes you doubt everything, including yourself and your abilities.
But as the title of this blog post says…You can play it safe, but then you will never leave the harbor and you will never grow. And one my biggest fears is to stand still. I always need a new challenge, even if it scares the hell out of me.
So this year started out amazing, super busy with our fitness line and sale, but the great news is: We found a beautiful venue to finally create an official showroom for our fashion brand Wulterkens. We’ve been working from our home office ever since we started 1,5 years ago and we’ve been wanting to take it to the next level for months, but somehow it didn’t work out. Do you believe in coincidences? I don’t. I think we weren’t ready. And now we are. We looked around, saw 3 different places and then this one and the moment we saw it we knew it was perfect….pricey, but perfect.
Again with the risks, in this case a financial one, but my intuition is screaming that we have to do this in order to grow to the next level, put our brand in the market on a different scale. If you do something, no matter what it is, do it at the best of your abilities. So we’re doing it and I’m super excited!!
Another thing to be excited about (yes you too, in this case), the new collection of tshirts will be launched beginning of March! New exclusive tshirt designs and also new fitness wear, this time more for the gentlemen as well!
This February is going to be super hectic with moving the office, designing the showroom, new collections, refreshing new look of the website etc., so I probably will not be able to write as much as I would like to. I promise I’ll make it up in March!
Bottom line…don’t be afraid to take (calculated) risks, challenge yourself! I like the way Peter Drucker formulated it: ‘’People who don’t take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year. People who do take risks generally make about two big mistakes a year’’. You will not die from a mistake, you can only learn and when you learn, you grow. Never a failure, always a lesson.
I think this entrepreneurial, risk-taking, adventurer, go-getter, goal-digger – side of me is growing, I am starting to like the ‘’rush’’ and I am very grateful for these scary beautiful opportunities coming towards us!
Lastly, ask yourself this: When we become comfortable, do you know what happens around us?
Answer: Absolutely nothing. Each day becomes just like the one before. We do what we have always done, therefore we get what we have always gotten.
That’s definitely not who I am, and what I want for myself…How about you?
Love,
Nadira
P.S. It’s winter, and although it’s not as cold as it usually is around this time a year it’s still hard to do nice posts in the cold, did my best with this one, hope you like it, the location is my beautiful garden/back yard!
Outfit details: Leather skirt: H&M, Boots: ZARA, Blazer: MANGO, Tanktop: Wulterkens (Basic collection, will return soon!) for more check out the SALE on www.wulterkensclothing.com. I don’t remember where I got my hat, I think it’s from one of the local department stores in the Netherlands.
He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life ~ Muhammad Ali
If you take no risks, you will suffer no defeats. But if you take no risks, you win no victories ~ Richard M. Nixon
Life begins at the end of your comfort zone ~ Neale Donald Walsch
We cannot become what we want to be by remaining what we are ~ Max DePree
Courage is about doing what you’re afraid to do. There can be no courage unless you’re scared ~Eddie Rickenbacker
I always did something I was a little not ready to do. I think that’s how you grow. When there’s that moment of ‘Wow, I’m not really sure I can do this,’ and you push through those moments, that’s when you have a breakthrough ~Marissa Mayer
- Published in Business & Entrepreneurship, Written Archives 2013-2018