In Between The Posts #2

Took me long enough right ?  Yes, I completely agree. Be prepared, this post is going to be all over the place.

So, if you aren't completely caught up with what's been going on here on the blog read this post first. 

All finished ? Okay, let's move on.

Along with getting back in the swing of things, blogging on a more frequent basis, and driving myself halfway crazy over a new website I have been experimenting and creating in my little lab.

Yes, you read that correctly !

Taking action and taking notes.

I've been storing, stashing, and buying up everything I need to stock my Native Love Lab. Now, while I do not have everything, I definitely have what I need to successfully create my lead product in my toolbox for now.

It's so exciting that the first product of Native Love Co is coming to life and I can't be happier. It will be a creamy moisturizing hair lotion. I'm so glad I was blessed with this kinky, nappy, drier-than-the-Sahara coils. You might be wondering why though.  It's simple ! If I can keep this kinky mane moisturized with NLC lotion than I can keep anything and everything moisturized ! Being able to successfully keep these kinky naps moisturized will mean success in my eyes.

closer to the finished product ! 

Gotta keep them thangs hot ! 

I am so nervous though ! It's just nerve-wrecking to be developing a hair product. There are so many different aspects and pieces to this puzzle that I didn't realize at first. It's funny though, because throughout this process I have come to LOVE Chemistry and Math more. So crazy, I wish I had paid more attention in those classes in High School and College. It's alright though, because the abundance of FREE information on the internet is astounding. It's all a matter of punching in a few key words. I'm just so glad I am starting though, beginning is half the battle. It's time to get out of my own way. I may not be where I want to be, but at least I am taking action.

There's a lot more to is entrepreneurship than I thought.

I've been a freelancer for years, but this is new territory for me. There are so many little things that you would have never thought of. Along with that,  there is the headache of administrative things that come with starting a business that just seem to get in the way of the fun stuff.

At times I seem to be frazzled and all over the place, but a reassuring talk with a mentor last week helped me to realized that I am actually on track. Doing a thousand things at once and also all by myself is the true life of an entrepreneur. It seems as if just as items are being crossed off of my to-do list, six more take their place.

I wish my to-do list was always a happy list. 

I feel all over the place just writing this blog post, so you can imagine how I am in real life.

Seriously taking the steps to become a business is no small undertaking, especially when in the market of products and services for other people. I have to protect myself along with having each product that I create properly tested and stable so that Susy SoandSo from South-of-No-Where-Ville doesn't sue me. I'm in the process of speaking with a lawyer, CPA's, other kind curlfriends in the fields, and entrepreneurs to avoid mistakes there and snags here. Also making sure I have dotted every i and crossed each t, and just making sure I don't go plain crazy in the process.

 That's the real reason why the blog has suffered, because there are other bigger things that need to get done. I want to avoid that though, so I have mapped out an editorial calendar for the next few months. So expect to see more great posts !

*I don't know if I told you all but my pretty little notebook with EVERYTHING IN LIFE in it went missing like 8 months ago. That notebook had my huge editorial calendar in it, along with other great ideas but alas, I have recovered and bounced back. I was super depressed about losing that notebook but I think it was a good catalyst.  I have great new ideas, discussions, and the like that I can't wait to show you all.*

EXHAALE ! Whew.


One of the heftier items on my list is getting everything that was iSimplyCare rebranded as Native Love Company.

Re-branding really is the root cause of all my frazzleness because there are old things that need to be updated, changed, and or just trashed completely.(see toolbox link above, it just needs to be done away with.)  Sometimes, the smaller things get in my way of seeing the bigger picture, like this blogspot for instance. I was wrestling with this for the longest even though I plan on moving to Wordpress, so it was all pointless. Yet I kept stressing myself out with it. Insert facepalm here.

It's important to put first things first, but it's more important to be able to decipher between what it actually really important. That's where I am at now, reevaluating the importance of what I think is important and what actually is.



"We are so caught up in doing, we don't even stop and ask ourselves if what we're doing really needs to be done."  



" The important task rarely must be done today, or even this week. ...The urgent task calls for instant action... The momentary appeal of these tasks seems irresistible and important, and they devour our energy. But in the light of times perspective, their deceptive prominence fades; with a sense of loss we recall the vital task we pushed aside. We realize we've become slaves to the tyranny of the urgent."  - Charles Hummel

Two golden nuggets from my current read : First Things First, by Stephen R. Covey.

Reading on my lunchbreak

So right now, what's important to me is creating, testing,  and Native Love Company becoming a business.

What's urgent are the blog posts, the new website, the YouTube channel videos, finishing the re-branding, email marketing. All important, just not equally so.

After some thought though,  some of those older iSimplycare items can stay as they are. In fact, maybe they should.  It's embarrassing, but it signifies growth. Besides, if you aren't embarrassed by your first draft then you started too late.

Look at me, maturing and growing in myself.

So, how do you handle stress?

  Have you ever stood in your own way ? 

What happens next when you are the one who might be blocking your own success ?