When you meet with a business coach, they ask you to write a business plan looking five years ahead. Well, I never did that. Every year of owning my business, I tried to plan, but it turned out to be the opposite of what I projected, with zero control over the circumstances. Well, here is year five of the plan that God put together and I couldn’t even dream of writing.
If you want to read the previous four year of my business story, here are the links:
Year Two As a Small Business Owner –
How to Rebrand a Business – Year 3 –
How to Grow a Small Business – Year 4 –
God’s Business Plan
In October 2020, I left off on the rumor that the current market we had a stand at was closing down and that I had been invited to open a stand at a famous new market in town that has been running for hundreds of years.
We started planning to open a new market immediately. Because I ran the business debt-free, I had to really think through how I would enter this new market without taking on any loans. Since rumor had it that the current market was going to close down soon, I was planning to take all my equipment to the new market. But that opened up a new issue. Where am I going to make all the pierogi while I wait for my new location to be built?
The search began! I spread the word to all the key people that I need a kitchen space. I researched local commissary kitchens, and the hourly rates were outrageous! At that time, I had two girls who worked for me, and they knew a cafe owner who rented kitchen space to other businesses. That cafe owner happened to be my coach as well (what a coincidence!). Why I wasn’t aware of this, I don’t know. That same day, I called my coach and started chatting with her to rent her kitchen. That week, we made an agreement, and the kitchen space was mine for 6 months.
The market manager told me one time, “It’s not about what you know, it’s about who you know.” I will forever remember her words. Thanks to the market manager and the girls who worked for me, I was able to connect with the right people to find a temporary kitchen space and get a brand-new kitchen of my own at the end of the day.
October 2020-January 2021, my team and I were planning the move into the temporary kitchen and the opening of the new market location. My husband, dad, and brothers put in a lot of work to make sure we can make this move debt-free and fast.
Transition Season
In January 2021, I moved into the temporary kitchen, and on January 29, 2021, I opened the new market location! My team members were hardworking and helped me plan how to settle into the temporary kitchen. The launch of the new market took off so well. I sold out in four hours and needed to restock the location to keep the sales coming.
I had the opportunity to share my story in the local newspaper. The locals, with open arms, welcomed me, and each one supported me by buying from my stand.
In February, my husband and I were invited to speak at a local Christian college, talking about our journey as debt-free business owners.
We were able to hire someone to help us at the new market location, as I helped make pierogi in the kitchen and deliver to grocery stores or storage freezers. On top of that, I had to plan for the following kitchen location and manage some homeschooling along the way. So, my kids were always with me at work. Math lessons were counting pierogi, and physical education was carrying boxes into the van. Practical application was the way to go for me in this season.
We rented the temporary kitchen until the end of June 2021.
New Kitchen
Leasing my very own kitchen and retail space was a dream. I remember when I moved into my brand-new kitchen in June, I was taken aback by so many emotions. Dreams come true! I was living it. But I also didn’t know how I was going to pay my bills, since they were triple what I’d been paying before. I knew one thing was true, though: if God brought me to this point, he would provide for the next.
I didn’t fold my hands and wait for God to provide, though. God expected me to put in some elbow grease as well. I made multiple phone calls to grocery stores and had various events at the new location to spread the word. Every month, I prepared the budget, and I had enough to pay the bills and my team, and a little left for me. The hours were long, but I was beyond happy because my dream had become a reality.
Adapting to New Things in Business and Family
From June 2021 to October 2021, there were many trial-and-error periods and staff changes.
Staff Changes
My two excellent team members quit. I was disappointed, but I was ready for the transition because our team’s vision and mission were not aligning. We needed to part ways. I will forever be thankful to the two girls who worked with me that year and for going through all the transitions with me.
We had a budget meeting with one of our business coaches. He thoroughly reviewed our finances and turned to my husband, asking why he was still working as a nurse. Our business was doing so well at that time, and it was time to let the company pay the bills. At that moment, everything seemed to align with our family vision and how the business was doing. In October 2021, my husband began working full-time for the company.
We hired several more staff around the same time and our business grew that year tremendously, despite my worry.
What I Learned in the Fifth Year in Business
It’s not about what you know, but who you know. Connection and community are everything.
Business coaching is a necessary service worth investing in. Because of my business coach and his willingness to go into all the details of our company, despite my fear, we were able to learn how well our business was doing, and my husband was able to quit his job.
Trust the Lord in all your ways, honestly. I didn’t know where to go or how things would turn out. I had to trust God; He was leading in the right direction. He would close and open doors, and I would know which ones were open. A Kingdom entrepreneur is always depending on the Lord for the best results.
Business Coaching
I spent eight years building a business from scratch. Standing on a pile of failures, mistakes, and lots of hours of stress, I know what it feels like to be a business owner in the trenches. I also know what it means to have a coach, mentor, and cheerleader by your side. That’s why I offer the same services to others. Apply for business coaching with me here.