What’s the best part of owning a business? People ask this question all of the time and the answer you always hear is......’being your own boss’.

Although not having to answer to anyone is a nice perk, It can be stressful, daunting and so time consuming when all of the responsibility is on your shoulders. You literally have to do everything, there are still tasks that you wont like doing and these tend to be the most important ones. The parts that you love doing often need to be left until last but you're tired and worn out so it's difficult to enjoy it as much. A common misconception is that when you own your own business you can take time off when you want and pick and choose what you want to do. The reality is, especially when you are in the infancy stages, you absolutely can't. If you don’t work and push your business then who else will? 

It's not all doom and gloom though. I'd say that the best part of owning a business for me personally is when your hard work pays off. Watching it flourish after decisions that you've made or work that you've done is the positive reinforcement that we all need. It's the pat on the back that seldom comes when you're working for someone else.

Auburn Fox has evolved so much that it is barely recognisable. Starting from pallet wood creations in the garden to a showroom and web store. Selling furniture and home wares, sourcing furniture for people's homes, offices and businesses and even on-site upholstery classes and services. I'm extremely proud of how far we've come but the evolution continues, there will be mistakes but you learn something new every day and use those mistakes to improve and be better at what you do.

I can see my children are being inspired by watching me going through the never ending cycle of business paperwork, buying products, working in the showroom and being creative.

My son is 9. He has said to multiple people “my mum owns her own business” they ask if he’s proud and he always says “I’m very proud of my mum”. He has already said that he wants to own his own electricians business. This is by far the most rewarding part of the whole thing.

My daughter is 11, she wants to act on Broadway.... but hey, you cant win them all!

It sounds like I'm blowing my own trumpet here but those that know me personally will know that I'm not like that in any way. I'm humble and I recognise that we're not successful yet, that we need to keep working at it and striving to do better.

My intention here is to try and say, it is hard work but if you've just started out in business like us, if you've got an idea but doubt yourself and your ability or you haven't got any money to start then don't let that stop you.

Start small, you don't have to know everything straight away, you don't need an iron clad business plan or any of that stuff that you don't know where to start with. That's all stuff that a bank will want for a business loan but your lack of business experience doesn't mean that you wont pick it up as you go along.

You can do anything you want or be anything you want to be but it doesn't come easy. Take that leap, work hard and believe in yourself because you can do it.