When Barb took over the family business, she sometimes questioned if she was the right person for the job. In her first blog post, she shares a heartfelt look back at childhood candle-making mishaps to instinct-led leadership, and what it means to find your way, one step at a time.
In many ways I feel like an imposter. Who am I to run the business my dad owned and operated? My whole adult life was about being home and raising a family, being a girl scout leader, working odd jobs for extra fun money. My husband and I made it work raising a family of 6 on one income. But that was the plan, that was my dream to stay home with the kids and take care of all the details of family life.
But I did have other dreams, I remember playing office in the living room, the piano bench was my desk, a fancy old-fashioned phone was unplugged and part of the play. I used names I heard my dad say over the phone and pretended to make appointments and business deals with them.
I had heard whatever your passion was as a child that is what you would be good at in life. Well, I played house, and I played office. As I write this, I don’t feel like the imposter I mentioned on the first line. And now that I am blogging about this, I think I am an entrepreneur.
Am I an entrepreneur? In fifth grade I started a candle making business. For Christmas that year I asked for a candle making kit and mom and dad never disappoint. But how many candles does a kid need, or my family for that matter? So, I made a poster and brought samples to school. My sister Cindy, who is my business partner today by the way, gave me an order pad with carbon copies. She was supportive when I was 10 and still is today! Now I remember, Cindy made the poster too! Ok back to business. I realized it is too expensive to carry inventory, and what if nobody wanted the candles I made? So, there you have it, my made to order candle business was born! I must say it was short lived, you see I skimped on not purchasing real candle wicks. I used shoelaces dipped in wax, and it made too big a flame and the wax melted too fast. One customer complaint and my business went under. My customer’s candle was lit on their TV console, and the wax ran all down the TV. She was in trouble and my business went under.
Some other business ventures as a kid were, sewing patches my brother’s jeans, washing cars, making their lunches and being a waitress at home! I would take their orders and make their snacks and expect to get a tip. I made quite a tidy profit (when they paid me). Mom was so sweet and bought all the groceries and did not ask for a cut. My mom is still my business partner, confidant and mentor. I run my ideas past her almost weekly and she supplements my reading material with Harvey McKay’s Swimming with the Sharks article out of the Star Tribune every Monday. Thanks Mom!
I may not have a degree in business or be the typical entrepreneur, I may not know if we are making enough money but I trust my instincts on what to do next. What a great adventure!
Thanks for reading this first edition of my blog.
All my best,
Barb
Barb Dorumsgaard (left) and her sister Cindy Blue (right)