Spoiler Alert: RANT!

Running a small business in the creative sector is great, it’s lovely, it’s a dream…

However, all the hustling around and behind the scenes is not! When I was working in an organised complex and corporate context, some things needed not to be considered, like IT or technical services or administrative support or PR and communications…

Not that at that time I took those services for granted! No, I was part of the general support services and therefore worked for better visibility and recognition of those services, but now this thing gets a completely new perspective and has a mighty weight on my daily work!

My Halloween creations for instance: I started preparations back at the end of August, ordered what I needed, but the package went lost and I was stuck. After a month back and forth it was sent again… from the US… finally it arrived in the second week of October. WHAT…? Two weeks left for Halloween??!

In the meantime I did not sit still and diverted to other things. However, thereafter I started to struggle with my IT systems. My computer is an oldie and evidently requires regular updates but at a certain stage it probably refuses newer versions!!! So, what do I need to do? Investing on a new PC seems out of proportion if all other stuff can still be dealt with through my old Mac?

Aargh! Are software and IT companies doing this on purpose? I would suspect so? Changing and updating every fortnight, so that nobody can actually understand anymore what is going on and how to tackle the virtual but still painfully felt hurdles?

No updates implies incompatibilities with other software I use to operate my online selling platforms and the softwares through which I am running my business. I can deal with a couple of IT systems, but once you consider all the software/platforms/operative systems and most of all, their updates, interlinkage and reciprocal dependences, I wonder whether a mother cat can still find her own kittens (eloquent expression directly borrowed from Dutch) or otherwise whether you can still see the trees through the forest?

Well I know for myself I don’t!

There is a myriad of people out there who is willing to explain in theory how to deal with your small business, but I struggle to find people who are able to actually tell you how to transform theory in practice.

I found loads of information on your unique selling proposition, profiling and identification of your clients, digital marketing, finances, but if you ask how to actually go and do stuff, I am generally redirected to an unidentified “someone else”. Isn’t that just hilarious?!

I wonder whether other small business owners deal with the same struggles and whether they raise a white flag and surrender as I am sometimes inclined to do? Well, no white flag this time for this girl! This time I won’t surrender and I will just keep on trying. Bring it on!

Oct 14, 2021