You can’t quite understand the word entrepreneurship until you’ve experienced it for yourself.
2020 was undoubtedly the most stressful, yet crazy beautiful, year of my life. I got engaged to the love of my life, Cody Crane; started a podcast with him called Couple of Subs; eloped in New Orleans in early March, then planned a big family wedding in October; became a full-time bonus mom to an adorable 7-year-old boy and went from full time to part time at my father’s company, Glass Inc., where I am head of public relations. This allowed me to follow my dream and start an event and interior design company called Smith and Crane Designs and a glamping company called Love Thy Glamper Co. with my neighbor, Amy Zender. Throw in all the Covid-19 drama, and y’all, I should’ve put professional juggler on my business cards!
I saw an opportunity and a need for my passions to become a reality during the pandemic, so I took it.
My passion is creating unique experiences for people. I love creating beautiful spaces through events, glamping and interior design where people spend time with loved ones and create lasting memories. I love co-hosting our podcast with my husband — interviewing other entrepreneurs, learning from them and sharing their stories with our listeners. I saw an opportunity and a need for my passions to become a reality during the pandemic, so I took it. My advice to others wanting to start their own business is this: If you wait until you’ve figured everything out before you start, then you never will become a business owner. Let yourself fail, and give yourself some grace. Also, don’t try to do everything yourself. I tried that in the beginning, and let’s just say that I’m not as good of a juggler as I thought I was. There definitely is power in numbers.
So much of 2020 was both planned and unplanned for me, my new family and my new businesses. Being able to roll with the unforeseen punches and having a supportive husband throughout the trial-and -error stages of starting multiple businesses during a global pandemic helped me get through the tough days. Believe me — there is so much trial and error in entrepreneurship. No one sees the creative brainstorming sessions you have with yourself, the late and sleepless nights, the sweat equity, the exhaustion and the self-doubt that creeps into your mind when things didn’t work out as expected. People only see the pretty social media pictures you work so hard to edit and show the world you’re “killing it” at your side hustle — or hustles in my case.
But it is so worth it. It is so unbelievably gratifying to have a dream, give it your all, see your hard work pay off and know that no one can ever take that feeling away from you.
Kristen Crane is Owner of Smith and Crane Designs, Couple of Subs Podcast and Love Thy Glamper Co. She can be reached at (601) 917-7990. Find her and her businesses on social media at @k_crane49.