How To Keep Your Dreams Alive During Covid-19
7 ways to keep your dream alive are the methods I used to keep my dream alive during this Global Pandemic. I hope these helps you to keep your own dreams alive.
Being an entreprenuer is about consistently following your dreams day after day. Last Spring I thought to myself “Am I going to let my dream die?” I own a sustainable sailing apparel company called Ocean SF and as the retail industry melted down and sales plummeted it was becoming a very real possibility.
I believe that happiness is a choice and you have to fight for it. Being an entrepreuneur is no different. Starting a business is the easy part and working at it day by day is the hard part. There are many times when I thought it would be easier to fold and walk away than to continue. As I sat at home in isolation I thought to myself I can’t let this happen.
The Retail Market and Covid-19
I watched in horror as one retailer after another closed their doors during Covid-19’s first wave of stay at home orders. I walked the vacant streets near our once vibrate outdoor shopping center Broadway Plaza in Walnut Creek. My Vintage Store was dismantled as my partners closed their doors and went back to France. The head way I had made with investors pitching Silicon Valley Forum faded away. The future of Ocean SF was uncertain.
One cold rainy morning in April I reached out to an investor who inspired me not to give up just because of a pandemic. Yes, “just” because of a pandemic. I pride myself on taking good advise and his was sound. It was also what I most wanted to hear. I knew that I had to continue to follow my dream of sustainable outdoor apparel and I did.
These are the seven things I did to continue to follow my dream. Even though I knew it wouldn’t be easy I would not let my dream of making outdoor apparel die even in the midst of a global pandemic.
Sustainable sailing apparel and following your dreams:
- Make A Decision: I made a decision that I would not give up. Many things in life are simply about deciding and I decided that no matter what happened I would not give up.
- Give to Others: I committed to giving 10% of all of my sales to The 5 Gyres and the Lonely Whale Foundation both of these organizations support ocean conservation. Not only did I make this commitment I began writing a check each time I made a sale and putting it in the mail. When I wrote these checks I blessed my company that it can provide this funding. And, I blessed the organizations and their hard work that contribute to the health of our planet.
- Reach Out: I reached out to everyone who had told me in passing that they wanted to buy something and most of them, with the exception of only one man, said yes! I was fortunate to have sizes that worked for them in stock. It was a great feeling to drop these orders in the mail with personal thank you notes.
- Reward Yourself: As I made sales and moved my company forward I would do nice things for myself. I would take a hike, or a hot bath or spend time in my garden.
- Say Yes: Public speaking makes me nervous and I have a packed schedule, but when I was asked to speak to Oregon State University’s Design Thinking College of Business class I said yes. When I was asked for an interview with San Francisco Fashion Week. I said yes. To follow your dreams you have to give back. I can’t wait to be invited back and do it again.
- Step Out from Behind the Scenes: During the course of building my brand I did many photo shoots and I was in none of the photos. Now, I am both the face and voice of my brand.
- Bet Your Money On It: When Covid-19 hit I was working on acquiring more investors, as the impact of the pandemic continued and weeks turned into months I found that if I wanted to make more clothes I had to fund them myself. I’m in production right now making 100 more units of my Ocean SF signature jacket. I also realized that by making clothes I’m helping my factory and the women who work there thrive. I am also helping my customers shop sustainably.
Following Our Dreams Creates Impact
In order to thrive we have to have a purpose and create impact in our lives. Everyone has a different path to follow. and different gifts to offer. For me this is to protect the environment and clean drinking water for the children that will follow my children. As polyester fleece leaches into drinking water my signature jacket made of sustainable 100% Merino Wool, that does not pollute drinking water, in it’s own small way makes an impact to create a better future for all of us.
What are your dreams? If you aren’t following your dreams then why not? Please share your stories below.
