I have been very lucky to meet some amazing women business owners in my life. In fact, one of my very best friends used to be my frenemy. Everyone loves a good gossip story, right?
So I spend years fantasizing about opening the perfect retail baby store. I know where I want it to be, what I will carry, etc. etc. etc. I open a mini pop-up shop within another business to test out the waters for a few months. It’s going great. Then SHE comes through and open a baby store the next town over. In her own space. And she’s pretty and they all love her (at least that’s what my anxiety was feeding me, LOL). The balls this woman has. I totally felt like she was stealing my thunder.
On the bright side, we sold completely different things. I made sure to not carry the same stuff as her, not because I didn’t like it, but because it was her stuff and not quite my brand. I sent customers her way when I didn’t have something and I knew she did, and she did the same. Then we met up for coffee because she had posted about possibly starting a higher end baby show (the bitch was in my mind or something). Peace was made and we collaborated together on this event, The Petite Retreat. TPR is now entering it’s 5th year, and in show years that must count for like 75yrs because lord only knows how we survive every year. We also have an amazing team of lady business owners who help run it.
Amber and I literally talk like 15x a day now. We collaborate on everything. Guess what guys, collaboration works.
If you take the bitchyness out of your soul and put that towards the golden rule, treat others like you would want to be treated, amazing things can happen. Stop asking for a leg up from people and then kicking them in the face as you are hoisted. Work together. We can all help each other.
FEMINISM HELPING GIF BY LIBBY VANDERPLOEG