Everything
I'm tired.
My editing business has been everything I've wanted professionally for a very long time. In college, I focused on English. In graduate school, I focused on business. Since, I've been focusing on honing in my professional education by getting a certificate in editing and publishing. Everything I've done so far (including the fever dream that was the Army) has led me toward this career. I am so blessed to be able to do what I love.
Here's the problem: I have to do everything.
I'm the founder and owner of Dorlisa Frank Editorial.
I'm the accountant.
I'm the social media manager.
I'm the graphic designer.
I'm the marketer.
I'm the copywriter.
I'm the face of the company.
Oh, and I'm the editor.
On top of all that, I have to make time to be a wife, dog mom, daughter, sister, aunt, and friend.
Employee of the Month.
Every Month.
Forever.
This is a professional editing business, but I do less editing than almost anything else (though blessedly, I am finding work). I spend most of my time on Canva designing things for Instagram (which I also spend a lot of time on). Every responsibility I listed is a full-time job. I only have so many hours in a day, and I need an unreasonable number of those reserved for sleep. Thus, there just isn't enough time to write a blog post every day, keep my Insta stories updated, record and post reels, create carousels, reach out to potential clients, answer emails, complete sample edits, send quotes, meet with authors, go to school, AND edit books.
Sometimes, shit falls through the cracks.
Somebody told me once that owning your own business means working 12 hours for yourself instead of working 8 hours for someone else.
All I have to say about that is I work a lot more than 12 hours most days.
I'm happy I got my MBA because it taught me how to think like a business owner (even if it didn't do a great job of teaching me how to be a business owner). I'm glad I have been able to narrow down my buyer persona and identify the best ways to market my services.
BUT.
It's so much work, dude.
My ICP spends a lot of time on Instagram, so I spend a lot of time on Instagram. I spend so much time researching hashtags, keywords, new SEO tricks, trending audios, new books, up-and-coming authors, and more. Sometimes this job feels impossible.
The crazy thing about it though, is that I don't really mind.
I get overwhelmed, sure. I frequently run myself ragged, and I often feel like I'm running on a hamster wheel. I suffer from a touch of anxiety, and more than a touch of imposter syndrome. I feel like my followers have got to be tired of seeing my face on their feeds, and it's hard to get over the embarrassment of posting myself so frequently anyway.
I recently found myself in need of a hard-earned break. I had a birthday last week, and I asked my wife and two closest friends if they'd join me for a quiet weekend in a cabin in rural Virginia. We made our own pizzas, hiked the Stony Man Trail, drank wine, baked bread, and just enjoyed each other's company. Taking some time away allowed me to come back with a renewed excitement for my work.
The time away helped me to remember how much I really love this job.
I know I'm not always on top of my shit. I know I've got a lot of work to do to get this business where I really want it, but I'm so passionate about this work that I'm excited for it. I'm excited to keep building this up. I'm excited that I can do it my way.
To my sole proprietors:
I know it's hard. I know it feels impossible sometimes. I know you're tired, overwhelmed, overworked, and underpaid.
But it's worth it to be able to do it your way. Don't give up. Sometimes we let things fall through the cracks. When that happens, pick them back up. Learn to prioritize. Do what you have to, then do what you want to.
Don't forget that you're more than just a business owner. Take breaks when you need to. Spend time with yourself, your family, your pets, and your friends. Go outside. Take walks. Stretch. Take your vitamins.
It's okay to feel tired. It's okay to feel overwhelmed. It's okay to have moments of doubt and uncertainty. But also remember to celebrate your successes, no matter how small they seem. Take a moment to appreciate how far you've come and how much you've accomplished.
Take time to recharge, rest, and rejuvenate.
Keep hustling. Keep dreaming.
Doing good things is more important than doing everything.