Ignition. And Liftoff. Reflections on launching a business

Imagine the moment right after the rockets have fired up, and you’ve just left the ground, heading into space. There’s no turning back now, you think, as you hear the rockets blaring and the earth’s gravity is pulling you back into the seat.?You're strapped in.

And yet while all this force is pulling you back, you’re staring straight ahead. You know where you want to go, and what you can do.

While I usually use this space to tell stories that highlight great/not-so-great content marketing, social media and content strategies - this week I’m going to do something a little different. This week the story is a bit more personal.?It's mine.

I’ve just left the stability of earth, making my own moonshot.

I imagine my feelings of excitement and fear mixed in a cauldron of adrenaline soup are not unlike heading into space.?

I’ve heard Commander Chris Hadfield, Canada’s most well-known and musically-inclined astronaut, speak a number of times and he always talks about space as something he knew as a little boy he wanted to do.

For me, I was drawn to stories. I come from a culture of storytelling about wee faeries, and may have convinced my mother that my imaginary friend was really more like a third child for her. This love of storytelling blossomed into a career in journalism, then content creation in communications, marketing.?

Recently, I’ve been writing and creating content and social media strategies to help brands tell their stories and I realized:

This is my passion.?

This is what I am meant to do.

I wake in the night thinking of creative ways that brands can connect with audiences, and get their message across. There are so many story formats out there now. The possibilities are energizing. It’s exhilarating.

Not having a j-o-b is new to me for sure. But I’ve spoken to other entrepreneurs and they’ve all said the same thing: you can rock this. There is an incredible sisterhood of entrepreneurs out there.

So side hustle no more - I’ve strapped into this spaceship I call BigStride, engaged the rockets, and I am now fully self-employed. It’s time to make a serious dent in the universe. Be bold.

I’m an entrepreneur. I'm going for it.

And as Jamie Petten, President and Executive Director of the Kanata North Business Association told me recently, this journey will likely not be straight as I’ve mapped out, but it will be one hell of a ride.

Houston, we have liftoff. Let’s do this.

Hey! You read to the bottom! Thanks so much! If you're wondering about the content marketing, social media and communications services I offer, head on over to my business website at BigStridemedia.com. I specialize in strategy, execution (gsd!) and training. Want to own your story and woo your audience? Let's talk.