Seven years ago, I shut down a little business that cost me $10,000. I was pregnant with my 4th child (a girl) and the picture in my head of what my business should have been doing 2 years later as not close to reality.
My older sister had just had a baby and my jaw was slack at how much work the little thing was. Some how, in just over three years, I'd completely forgotten. I realized--thankfully before her birth--that there was no way under heaven I was going to be able to run my business and have a newborn. Especially after my 4th C-section.
A number of my clients--all small business owners themselves--told me about what they would want in a website, one that could help them market their products better. But I knew nothing about setting up a website. I talked with a friend whose business wasn't quite so small and he gave me a lot of pointers. But it all had costs.
Even in over a year's time, I had been unable to get my own website up and running, depending on a very slow web designer. I was at a crossroads. Either I had to venture into an area I knew nothing about--a super scary idea for a soon-to-be mother of four, or I had to shut down the whole business and eat the ten grand.
I shut the business down, refinanced our house and rolled in the $10,000, and daydreamed about that website. Until one day I saw it. It's called Etsy. It was really weird seeing it there. I read about how they got venture capitalists involved--something that I wouldn't have begun to know how to do. It was huge, profitable and great for small business owners. I hope that some of my former clients sell products there.
But this experience also left me with a desire to understand more of setting up and running a website. So, a few weeks ago, I enrolled in a web design class--learning about HTML and CSS. It's been fascinating! Although, I don't think I will suddenly go into web design, it has been really interesting to learn how to do it.
I'm making some friends in my class, including authors Melinda Willden and Jean Stringam. We have a lot of fun and, perhaps, when the class is done, I'll at least know how to make a button I can stick on my side bar. Unfortunately that might also require a Photoshop class and Adobe Illustrator class...
2 comments:
Hey I made my own button and I know nothing about HTML. Well. just a little bit of copy and past. I would never put myself through that torture but you are so much smarter than me. Excited for you.
OK, Alice. You gotta hook me up! I could have saved $100 if I knew you could show me how to make a button!
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