One of my favorite things to do is to watch way too much tv. I am addicted to the contest variety. It could be cooking (Iron Chef), baking (Cupcake Wars), clothing design (Project Runway), even Tattoo artists (Ink Master!). The spur-of-the-moment design and creative thought process is exciting to me. Contestants from different backgrounds and experiences bring another level of intrigue to the concept and engage me as a viewer.
This afternoon as I munched on a late lunch, Project Runway's latest episode graced my tv. I record the series so it can be enjoyed at any time throughout my day. This particular show was near the end of the season. The contestants were being culled from 4 to a mere 3 for the final runway show. As the judges for this chapter of the competition called the final 3 names, one last contestant was left standing. The final 4 men (they all happened to be men this season), had developed such a strong bond that they were all emotional with the impending departure of their fellow designer. The style of the show always allows for a 'final interview' or 'final thoughts' of the person who is not moving on to the next round of competition. In this interview, the designer was humble for his time at the show, grateful for the critiques he had gotten from the judges, encouraging to the remaining contestants to do their very best. He talked about how this was not a loss. The time spent was encouraging him to do more, to do better and to continue to grow as a designer. He was kind and gracious.
Last year my husband and I started the process of closing down our photography business. I say started, because although we were no longer taking on new clients and sessions, we still had contracted events and weddings to photograph. Cherryblossom Design had been our family business for 8 years. When the offer came for my husband to work for a photography studio as the Studio Manager, we took time to really consider if this was the best choice for our family. It didn't take long for us to understand that this opportunity was put in front of us for a reason, and that we should leave our business and move forward. It was also very difficult for us to not feel like we had failed. That's what it means, right? Close your business. Failed at business. It is the same.
The t-shirts. There they were. I had 2 custom frame stores, one in Lima and one in Dayton. Both closed. Now CBD was closed too. How do I rectify having these businesses but not being able to keep them open? how am I not a failure?
Funny thing. I don't feel like a failure. I tried. I tried very very hard to make my stores successful. I worked up to the day I gave birth to Sam. I went back to work the week after I gave birth to Madeline. I went to framing conventions, I read magazines, I practiced. We moved from Lima to Dayton because there just wasn't enough business to continue. Then, we left Dayton when we had an offer to work at a big box framer that was moving to Cincinnati. Nope, I couldn't keep a storefront open. But I tried... How many people do you know that wanted to open a business, but never tried. Never tried. I did. I did it and failed. But I did it.
My husband and I talked a long long time before starting our own photography business. We tried to think of every kind of scenario that we might encounter. Gosh, we had a good run. One year we even had 42 weddings. Forty-two! Why didn't it work? Well...there you are wrong. It did work. We worked together. Together we had some very long days and nights. Early morning phone calls, rain delays, sick brides. Even death. We lost a parent one very very long weekend. There was a full-day coverage wedding, couple hours sleep, long drive to the funeral where I spoke the eulogy. Yea. We gave it everything we had and more. Failure? nope. How can you look at years of success, happy clients, beautiful work- probably the most creative work you have ever done...and say it was a failure. Success comes in many forms. Sometimes the time frame is just a bit shorter than you think it will be.
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