I am a #GirlBoss

I'm a business owner. I have a business. I am a girl. I am therefore a #GirlBoss.

These are all things that I had never thought of before and all things that had never occurred to me to think about.

Both Jon and I like to read inspirational books and I was very lucky to have been given the book #GirlBoss for my birthday. I had heard people mention the #GirlBoss thing on social media but it is not something I had looked into to be honest. I had heard of Sophia Amaruso and that is about it.

So last weekend I wanted to start a new book and reached for my TBR pile and this one spoke to me. In fact it spoke to me the whole time I was reading it to be honest. 

It was a quick and easy read and if it hadn't have been for me being poorly this last week with a cold then I would have finished it sooner but with a banging headache I never feel like reading.

Whilst I was reading it I had my trusty journal out and made notes along the way. Whether you are a business owner or not this book is full of motivation for living a life you have dreamed of. It resonated with me a lot because I saw a lot of myself in this book, the passion, the drive and determination. Any of us can do what we want and live how we want to if we graft for it. If you sit on ya backside eating cake all day your not going to achieve, you've got to make your own success, set your goals and work at obtaining them!

I never set out to run a business and I never really see it as such even now. I work 7 days a week, albeit not all day everyday but I am still working but it doesn't feel like work because I enjoy it. I was ill, then started my YouTube and Blog during my recovery (I posted my first video in April 2013) and then I opened a little Etsy shop never dreaming that anyone would want to buy inserts or dashboards for planners with my art on. Fast forward to now, March 2016 and I am now making my living creating art and selling it on Stationery products as well as curating and selling the #BrimblesBox a monthly planner / stationery subscription which has been going 16 months now! It all just kind of happened. No plan which is kind of odd for a planner nerd don't you think!

I am not money driven. I am driven by community and helping people to get in touch with their creative side and help on a cathartic side with journaling and to help people by providing planning supplies to help them reach and obtain their goals. Hopefully if you are in the 'Mrs Brimbles Happy Place' Facebook group you will have seen this side to me by now. The .co.uk shop started in two ways... I live miles away from any decent shops and wanted to source products for me to use that were hard to find. I soon found out that a lot of you were the same. You wanted cool stuff but couldn't get it. That is how it began. It didn't and still doesn't feel like work. It is only just starting to feel like a business. Shit is getting real! I have an accounts system and that is freaking me out! I'm a creative person, I do not have a head for numbers.

So reading this book has confirmed what I kind of thought was the case but didn't really believe and that is I have a business. It kinda snuck up on me to be honest and it wasn't something I planned. Mrs Brimbles was born in a very similar way to Nasty Gal that it's scary how similar we are.

Reading the book has made me realise that I can take it to the next level if I want to and I think I do. My goal is to open a physical shop / studio space where people can come and grope the products but also meet up and chat with each other over tea and cake or paint n craft in the studio space. That is my dream.

Are you a #GirlBoss or an aspiring one? If so and you haven't done, read the book, you'll be glad you did!

Now to remind myself that I am one and I can do anything I set out to achieve.