More Time than Money…..and Accidentally Starting a Business
For the first time since my 16‑year‑old self over the six‑week summer holiday, I’ve found myself with more time thank money, thanks to signing up for a Master’s in Business and taking a Mission trip to Kenya. With the festive season leaning in, my academically heavy days welcomed a side project: making Christmas gifts for friends and family. Creating my own cards and having a creative outlet felt like a breath of fresh air.
After more than a decade in the corporate world at L’Oréal, I rarely had the time for such hobby indulgences.
Rediscovering Creativity I’d Packed Away
I’ve always been creative, and people seem to like the things I make. Pottery, painting, little handmade bits, they’re usually well received when I’ve had the time. During the height of my busyness, people would ask, “Have you painted anything lately?” Cue the guilty feeling… and a quiet longing to be creative.
The ironic thing is that I completely missed doing art past Year 7 (a story for another time), so honestly, you’re all far more qualified than me. I enjoy the self‑discovery of being self‑taught, but if I’m honest, it does make me feel a touch insecure, like some pro art student will appear and say, “You’re doing this wrong!” I know that’s just self‑doubt talking, but still.
A Christmas Project That Lit a Spark
Back to my Christmas ambitions: I bought some keepsake‑style tins and hand‑painted the jars using glass paint and acrylics, then hand‑poured them with candles. Gourmet scents like vanilla sponge cake and chocolate cookie made an appearance , fitting, really, since my favourite brands to work on at L’Oréal were fragrances. They tap into a different dimension. I added other fun scents like orange blossom too.
My favourite part, and the key to any potential success , was showing a couple of friends who said, “I’d pay money for this.” Ping. A spark. Isn’t it funny how a few kind, encouraging words can act like a turbo boost?
A little village Christmas fair came up, so I booked a table, created cute colour‑coordinated price lists. I completely sold out of little robins and other Christmas pieces. Even better, someone asked to buy more the following week. No card machine, no business… but enough for a seed to be planted. An avenue to bring together my business background, my MBA journey, and my creativity into something new.
The Power of Encouragement
It’s amazing how one small moment of encouragement can shift everything , like someone handing you a turbo‑boost button you didn’t know you needed.
And that’s really where this story begins: a tiny spark, a few kind words, and the possibility of something bigger.