At the beginning of the month, I decided on a whim to show a few of my designs at High Point Market for the very first time.
Among all the other things that go into showing, I immediately contacted my
brilliant graphic designer to put together an "invitation." Her designs always make me smile and never fail to make me feel like I'm putting
Society Social's best foot, rather face, forward. Not to mention we are so in sync, I swear she can read my mind! Despite having a pretty invitation to send out to the world, I held on to it. My mom took the liberty of sending it to a press room where it's probably sitting with a bajil others, "safely" hidden under stacks, but as for me, I didn't tweet it. I didn't blog it. I didn't instagram or even Facebook it. For all that know me, that is comparable to the grass being blue and the ocean green. As a small business, new no less, with minimal funds for heavy duty advertising and PR, I know I must be on top of my social media game to even have a fighting chance.
As I vacuumed up the showroom yesterday and placed my finishing touches, old friends popped in for a surprise visit. I gushed about how excited I was, enthusiastically showed them around, but when it came to the question, "Well, do you have many visits lined up?" my answer was (pause), "I guess I haven't really told anyone."
It was the first time I said it out loud and the first time I let myself realize that the reason for my "silence" is a simple truth-- fear.
It sounded sheepish when I said it. It sounds silly even as I type it, and I can't help feeling embarrassed, but keeping it to myself eased the anxiety. If nobody knows, then I can't be too devastated if nobody shows up. If nobody knows, then writing even one order will be a victory. Then there's the matter of people liking my designs and styling, what if I can't pull it off to my own standards? I mean, I think most companies have their own team of designers and stylists to plan out each vignette, some working 6 months in advance to complete a showroom. (I've only been in business 8!) Although I have more support than I could ever ask for and be grateful for, it's more of a DIY operation, and how exactly are you supposed to style a space with just 6 bar carts and 8 chairs? I was terrified that it would look like a game of drunken musical chairs. Fun for sure ;), but definitely not first impression material.
After our visitors left, I resumed vacuuming and thinking, of course. A few rooms later, I came to the conclusion that shamefully enough, I let my fear of failure paralyze me so much so that I didn't even send out my market invitation. Have you ever done that to yourself? Have you ever talked yourself down to a degree where even trying seems scary? It makes me sad that I let myself do that to myself. Yes, all on my own. I have a husband who supports me, my family who believes in me, friends who are still my friends even if I hardly have time to play, and all of you who have been incredibly wonderful and encouraging all along the way. I have no excuse.
Market officially starts tomorrow, and even though it's a little, okay way late, I want to finally share my little invite. (above) Hosting
Society Social is
Acacia Home & Garden, a company that is more dear to my heart than you can imagine, and you can find a few of my bar carts in their beautiful showroom situated right beside the Pavilions. Of course if you're at High Point Market, and of course only if you would like to stop by.
So my new sign is slightly crooked and in my attempts to correct it, the "g" is missing, but that's okay because I am doing what I love with the people that I love, and that is enough :) And also because we're southern, "introducin'" is totally acceptable. Right? Right!
