I Have a Cold Sore

I thought I’d take a moment and share the not-so-glamorous side of owning and operating three new businesses in three years.

I have a cold sore.

A big one.

G and I purchased Galleria 214 a month ago, and these past few weeks have been a lot. I’ve been figuring out all the bills, banking and autopay. Trying to find a local mason who isn’t booked out 3 months. I’ve been managing dumpsters and toilet paper and light switches and insurance. Taking care of my tenants. Planning for growth. Budgeting for all the things.

Meanwhile, I’m keeping my other two businesses – Details Boutique and Revive Salt Room & Spa – going and growing. I’ve been hiring and training. Ordering and processing new inventory. Working on both websites. Running reports. Marketing x2. Taking care of my teams. Planning for growth. Budgeting for all the things.

It’s stressful.

I haven’t been sleeping.

I wake up in the middle of the night worried I’ve forgotten to run payroll. Or afraid I missed a bill for the building and tomorrow we won’t have water, and everyone else’s businesses will be impacted. Or realizing Kate needs new softball pants because she’s grown 6” since last season, and she’s also due for a dentist appointment and needs grape jelly.

I’m tired.

It’s A LOT.

I’m also 100% confident I can do this.

I’m currently feeling stress and overwhelm, but I know this is temporary.

Anytime you grow in a big way there’s a stretching that occurs. It’s not pretty (in fact, it’s pretty much always painful) but it’s necessary for growth. Seeds stretch to become plants, muscles stretch to grow bigger and stronger, animals outgrow their old skins and stretch to create new. I’m in a stretching phase, but at some point – hopefully soon – I’ll have found my new normal. Established a new rhythm. I was a woman who ran two successful businesses and now I’m stretching into one who runs three.

In the meantime, I have a cold sore.