September 2023 Blog Topic: What inspired you to start your own business? If you do not own a business, what inspires you when you see a business functioning and functioning well or meet an owner?
By Suzy Rawlins with Roots and Boots with Suzy Rawlins
Since I was a young girl, I remember thinking I would own my own business someday. I think being an entrepreneur is just part of my DNA.
As I write this, I have been an entrepreneur for over 15 years. I guess the BIG WHY was time freedom. I was a single mama of two very young boys and had been working several jobs at a time to make ends meet. I missed out on several memories and fun times because I had to work how I was scheduled. I often worked long hours, back-to-back shifts, ran on lack of sleep, and did whatever it took to make it happen.
I had just graduated from massage therapy school, where I was looking forward to becoming my boss. However, my health took a turn, so I had to postpone that. I ended up taking a job as an outside sales rep for an auto glass company. This is where I was introduced to the community of networking. I was still an employee representing a company, working their dictated hours, and only earning a commission. At a networking meeting, I met a woman who introduced me to a skin care product that I fell in love with. She also shared the opportunity for me to be an independent consultant and build my own business. This blew my mind; I could choose my hours and still work for commission only. I would not have someone breathing down my back about putting in certain hours. I would have a support system of a company that cares and other consultants that would help train me. This was a no-brainer. So, I quit my job and took this dual marketing opportunity full-time, and that has been my passion for the past 15 years. It has been an incredible opportunity, and I am so grateful that I decided to start.
Through all my years of networking with other businesses, I have had the opportunity to meet the most incredible people. I have been blessed to become friends with many other like-minded small business owners. The clients, friendships, knowledge, and incredible opportunities I have experienced over the past 15 years are some of the best.
My grandpa and my dad were entrepreneurs, so when I say it is in my DNA, I genuinely believe it. Not everyone is supposed to start a small business, but I believe everyone should support small businesses as much as they can.
