"A woman is like a tea bag;
you never know how strong it is
until it’s in hot water."
Eleanor Roosevelt.
What choice do we have ladies, but to rise like the phoenix out of the ashes?
Women's Business Hub Founder, Mary Caldwell
Let’s cut to the chase, shall we? At 54, I found myself on my own, suddenly without income, no security and frankly in a bit of a pickle.
I’d just gone through a relationship break up, and for about a month I just wanted to pull the covers over my head and wake up when it was over. Although my ex and I were still the best of friends, various conditions had come together for us to walk separate paths and suddenly realised that this was it; I had to be a grown up and finally take responsibility for my own life. (Do we all take a while to come to that realisation somewhere along the way or was it just me?).
I’d worked in graphic design and marketing for almost 30 years and the business my partner and I had planned to build together was now up to me. Could I do this? Could I actually start and run my own business? Part of me desperately wanted to curl up in the foetal position, hands over ears, saying ‘not listening, not listening’, while another part wanted to duck around the corner and apply for a job at Bunnings because it was easier (and who doesn’t love Bunnings?). I was terrified. Previously, I’d thought menopause was the worst year of my life, but this was proving to be every bit as challenging, just without the hot flushes and night sweats.
Then somewhere out of the desperation, some tiny voice inside began to speak “You can do this. Somehow you will do this.” Thus began the journey to Women’s Business Hub.
Over the next months, I studied, researched, watched countless videos and webinars, completed a NEIS business course, contacted all my old clients and little by little, gained confidence, grew stronger and then one day I woke up and it occurred to me – I was running a business. I. WAS. RUNNING. A. BUSINESS.
As Golda Meir once said, “You’ll never find a better sparring partner than adversity.”
That’s true. Once adversity arrives, if you’re not careful, its left hook can knock you out in the first round and it’s all over. But rather than punch back, which is exhausting, why not become its friend. Take it out for coffee, romance it, and allow it to make us a stronger person. In doing so we learn to flow, like a river through our life.
If you’re like me, you love routine. You feel comfortable with the old familiar, doing things the way you like to do them, waking up every day to a life over which you feel you have some control. Truth is, we don’t really have control of anything except our own mind and sometimes, we need a shake up to truly uncover who we are, expose our true mettle and reach our full potential.
All of this got me thinking – there must be other women out there just like me and if I can do this, they can do this. How can I help them take those early steps, push through the fear, embrace change and rise out of the ashes? And so it was born, Women’s Business Hub.
It’s my pleasure to introduce this resource hub to all of you. I’m here for all of you. Whether you just need to know the size of a Facebook cover image, or you’re right at the beginning of your business dream and need direction, my hope is that Women’s Business Hub will become an integral part of your success.
