PRESSED: SURVIVING ONE YEAR
I was reminded the other day that one year ago, I was still in my marketing gig at a big corporate company. One year ago, I gave myself permission to quit my job at that big corporate company to bet on myself.
Pressed started as a word document sent to a few friends. Today, we’re a daily email newsletter sent to thousands of readers, we’re a team of nine, and we’re getting ready to launch our next product.
But starting over was hard. I don’t think I could have prepared myself for the next 12 months of highs and lows.
The Highs
It was incredibly humbling to meet people who wanted to take a chance on Pressed. This past year, dozens of people have approached me to work with us. I’m grateful for all the talented people I’ve had and have the opportunity to work with every day.
The first time we got a new subscriber who wasn’t a family member or friend, I almost cried.
The first time a media outlet wrote about us, I printed and posted it on my wall.
When Kirstine Stewart said that she reads Pressed every day, I knew we were doing something right.
Every time someone emails us to tell us we saved them in a meeting, made them laugh, or that we’re a permanent part of their morning routine, I feel overwhelmingly grateful.
The Lows
I haven’t had a haircut since I started this company. Money is always tight. Any extra money I get, find, have, is reinvested. Weekly brunch with friends? Forget about it.
I took my colleagues for granted. I miss taking mid-day breaks, going to after-work socials, and most importantly, being able to vent to colleagues about useless meetings, new hires, etc. Being an entrepreneur can be incredibly lonely.
Entrepreneurs don’t talk about this next one enough: Anxiety. It’s constant and endless and comes in many forms. Sometimes I can’t sleep because I am paralyzed by anxiety. If you have ever felt this way, you’re not alone.
Realities
I’m a solo, ethnic, female founder. Turns out, there aren’t many of us, and as a result, investors aren’t lining up to write us cheques.
I went to an event once to learn about venture capitalists. Out of 100 people, there were only 5 women. I went to a follow-up event a week later and there were only 3. Obviously, I was disappointed, but I was also uncomfortable. I thought, ‘no wonder more women aren’t trying to be founders, this boys-club isn’t very welcoming.’ That night, I promised myself that I would use ‘solo, ethnic, female founder’ to my advantage.
Thankfully, I’m not the first to take this stand. I’ve leaned on many female entrepreneurs and founder groups for support. Here are just a few:
Unexpected surprises
I didn’t have to look very far for help. I’m talking about courses, tools, mentors — and most of the time, for free.
Fierce Founders (above) is part of Communitech, a government funded tech hub in Ontario. Are you Canadian? Lucky. I’m so grateful to be born in a country that values innovation, hard work, and diversity.
As a first-time founder, I have a lot to learn. I no longer need to know how to write a good resume, I need to know how to read one. Ryerson Startup School offers free courses for founders and you don’t even need to be a Ryerson student. They bring in quality speakers and free pizza!
Take advantage of all the free tools out there. Ie. Don’t pay for a web developer until you try out Squarespace. Don’t spend hours learning how to use Photoshop until you try out Canva. And don’t hire an expensive photographer until you try Unsplash. Do you have a tool you use every day? Please share in the comments below!
Last, but not least, this past year, I learned that if you ask, you will (eventually) receive. As a solo-founder, it’s impossible to build a successful business without support — monetary and in-kind. But you won’t get anything unless you ask.
It’s really hard to ask for money. Don’t listen to anyone who says, “there’s a lot of venture money in Canada,” or, “it should be easy to raise your first round.” I can’t believe how people (men) have said these things to me.
A lot of people have told me “no,” but, a few people have told me “yes.” And you only need a few to get you where you need to go.
I’ve also met other founders who have wanted to partner with us. Thanks to Evio Beauty, Nagi, Lolë, Foodora, Spokehaüs, Healthy Crunch, SoCIAL LITE vodka, Brands Avenue, and Well.ca, for being some of our early sponsors. I’m grateful to be part of this kick-ass community.
Looking ahead
This year has been incredibly challenging, but mostly rewarding. We have a busy fall, so sitting down to reflect on the highs and lows of this past year has been pretty therapeutic. I’m really encouraged by the momentum we’ve gained and excited about the team behind Pressed that’s ready to take it to the next level. I can’t wait to sit down next year and reflect on year 2.
