Photos for Ocean SF have finally come out to rave reviews, now we are racing to get our web store up, raise money and go into full production mode.
However, I would like to address how we unwittingly discourage others dreams.
Having started other businesses, and written books, I knew that it was a good idea to keep this idea to myself as much as possible.
Not that friends and family aren’t helpful, they try to be, but unwittingly say things that are harmful, and to employ an over used sailing metaphor, they can take the wind out of ones sails.
Only other entrepreneurs know the grit and determination it takes to keep going when your dream is deemed whimsical and unrealistic. The same mindset believes taking a train into the city and working 12 hours a day for an unpredictable and tyrannical manager is somehow more sane.
Having won five prestigious awards for my work in marketing and consistently performing over plan and in one case 600% over plan, I thought maybe I should use my skills, knowledge and talent and build the company and corporate community that I want to be a part of. Environmentally concerned, sustainable and invested in the community it serves.
I’m also craving a supportive culture where the talents, contributions and dedication of the collective are honored and supported, where people are not thoughtlessly used and disguarded.
My business partner Andrew is young and hopeful still. It’s inspiring to spend time with someone who is open minded and brilliant. He has already taught me so much about sailing, the ocean and sustainability. He spends most of his spare time reading, he lives on a boat after all, so his knowledge is extensive and varied. Spending time with him is always enlightening and honestly bloody refreshing.
And so we really begin, and as a creative person, this type of work is thrilling, and I look forward to the long days and nights ahead. Using Coco Channel’s atelier as a model, I can’t wait to have a place to work where I’m able to watch as my garments are sewn.
If a dream is not whimsical and unrealistic it wouldn’t be worth dreaming. I am also inspired by the quote below and have it taped to my white board in my office.
“If your dreams don’t scare you, they aren’t big enough”
-Muhammad Ali
Sydney 