to rock bottom and back again
a start up story…
Stage #1 - The Grind
There’s no “magic pill” that effortlessly launches you out of the confinement of your cubicle and into the world of entrepreneurship. For most, the dream to be your own boss grows for a long time before it can finally come to fruition. As the founder of Edit Studios, I would like to introduce you to my story of becoming an entrepreneur – the highs and lows. Foreshadowing alert, it certainly isn’t a coincidence that we’re launching our first blog post on International Women’s Day…
I have been grinding in the construction and commercial real estate industry for the last 15 years. My career started after graduating from the University of Manitoba in Architecture and moving to Amsterdam to pursue the world of design. I believed then, like I do now, that I could do anything. To find my first job, I handed out resumes to architecture firms like a paper boy going door to door until someone said yes. Two years later and still no further ahead financially, I moved to Vancouver where I decided it was time to pursue a “grown up” life.
I still remember the first apartment I could afford in Vancouver’s West End. It had a futon, an egg crate coffee table and a laptop – that’s it! Yet, I was as happy as a pig in @#*$. Through it all, I worked my way up in the industry just like everyone else. I worked long hours because that is just what you did. My first boss, Karen, was a force to be reckoned with, but also instilled in me the desire to run my own company. She had a young family and still managed to juggle a thriving business. She had a knack for instilling the fear of god into you but doing so in a way that somehow made you feel good after... A big shout-out to Karen Ravenhill @kravenhill.
Throughout my career, I’ve been out to prove to those above me that they could trust me with their business. Everything I did was guided by my desire to move forward and push harder. I treated every business I worked for like it was my own. Because of this, most of my weekends and evenings were spent burning the midnight oil to get myself ahead. As I became a more seasoned professional, I certainly started to feel the lack of room to move up. Every turn was met with resistance. No matter what I did, I felt it was never good enough. The tipping point came 6 months after giving birth to my son. I was so adamant that I could do it all, so I rushed back to work to prove that nothing had changed and it was my time to become a partner.
Stage #2 - The Tipping Point
I hit rock bottom on a business trip to San Francisco where I failed to coordinate my work schedule with my husband’s - who is also often away on business. My relentless drive resulted in my 6-month-old baby boy staying overnight with his nanny while his burnt-out mother was running around Silicon Valley trying to secure her future and catch the next flight out. It was that night I decided to create my own future with my own rules. I was so tired of waiting, of other’s expectations, and for someone’s approval. I was tired of asking, “What else can I do to show you I am ready for a leadership role?” I was ready, I knew, and they knew it. I had this wonderful little boy at home with such a limited window to enjoy him. So I began the process of planning for the future, for what is now Edit Studios.
Stage #3 - Start Up Mode
It was that magical place you hear about where fear meets preparation. I worked 14-hour days, 7 days a week, because I had limited time to get up and running. I was in the zone, but I knew there was a light at the end of the tunnel if, and only if, I could get through the start up mode. At this point, my son was just over a year old. My husband was supportive and could see that this short-term nightmare would pay off for us as a family - if he could leave me to my own devices. Yes, it was hard, but it was also the most exciting thing I had ever done. The learning curve was huge, and I loved it!
Stage #4 - In the Zone
What I am most proud of today are the choices we have as a company. We can choose to work with good people. We can choose to take a break when we need one. We can choose to work a normal 8-hour day. I can enjoy my son in the morning and pick him up in the afternoon. I no longer feel guilty about taking an extra 10 minutes before I head out the door. I love knowing that as my son grows up, he will see me grinding for him and our family everyday – something that I hope will make him proud.
My advice moving forward is simple: don’t give up, don’t take it personally, and don’t take no for an answer. Keep pushing and working hard. Find what lights you up and do whatever it takes to make it happen.
Happy International Women’s Day from Edit Studios!
Janay Koldingnes