And That, is That……

The time has finally come…… I am ready to verbally acknowledge the fact, that, my retail boutique will not recover from the fatal wounds it has sustained from the economic bomb of 2008-09.  It has been an emotional and physical war since last January,  truth be told.  I tried everything I could think of and was capable of in attempts to save my business.  I never believed, not once, not for a second, that I would fail.  I had full faith I would be one who would survive the tanking economy….. I knew I was skilled enough to pull this bird’s nose up, saving us all.

It was difficult getting out of bed for months.  If I could paint an image for you readers, imagine a smallish female walking around aimlessly in a  big fuzzy robe, ratty tresses, big fuzzy bunny slippers, with a cigar in hand (no, not lit).  Though I did NOT walk around like this everyday, I felt like this description (every. day.).  This picture became permenantly burnt into my retinas.  That image served as an outlet for the crummy way I felt.  More importantly, that image gave me permission to put one foot in front of the other, in order to move in the direction I knew I had to go.   Afterall, in life, no matter what happens, there is only one viable choice for direction…. forward.

My store was me and I was my store.  I viewed it as an extension of myself. It grew and breathed with me, and I, with it.  It brought out the best and worst in me, and  it was difficult to let it go.  My tears could have put oceans back on the Martian surface.  And it pissed me off that I cried ( Donald Trump or Pete Cashmore would NEVER cry at the loss of their business).  I hate being emotional…… but, I wear my heart on my sleeve for the most part.  Yeah, that’s for another blog….

Customer after customer walked through my door telling me how beautiful and unique my store was.  Frustration was beginning to blister the seasoned skin of my confidence.  I could not deny the clear facts showing in the bottom line, being contradictory to the words spoken by my walk-in traffic. I wanted to focus on only those beautiful words. I chose to ignore the reports my wonderful and overpriced POS system generated.  Instead, I carefully composed a symphony  for my ”orchestra”  (aka “Accounts Payable”) to keep up with extraordinary and growing overhead.  Of course, it became clear that I would only damage myself irreparably if I didn’t cut my losses and stop.  And so, I closed the doors to my boutique and on my dream. (can you hear the tiny violins playing for me in the background! lol).

But let it be said that  Social Media generated $1,700.00 in revenue for my business in approximately the four months that I was Tweeting.  That is fact. It cannot be taken away, it cannot be attributed to some whack smokescreen variable(s) that SM scoffers are all too eager to offer up.  The revenue was real, and it was generated by ME, using ONLY Social Media (Twitter).  Deciding to spend time on Twitter was my “Hail Mary” pass with 2 seconds on the clock.  I simply needed more points.  Using Social Media has brought many contacts and connections into my life.  I learn from and appreciate all of them everyday. 

So, the big fuzzy bunny slipper and robe wearing lady with ratty hair carrying the unlit cigar has faded into darkness and is now replaced with other images; for instance, a strong, smart, and capable woman who greets each dawn with a smile and a full heart, confident in accomplishment and thankful to have had the opportunity.

Love and Peace,

Jill

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