3 Lessons Learned After my Polka Dot Pajama Moment (One Year in Business!)

When I pulled up the timehop for February 22nd- I recognized it immediately. Some of you who have been along for my one year journey as an online biz owner may even remember watching my Insta story! It was a quick Insta story video that I took of myself sitting at my kitchen table. I didn’t have any makeup on, my hair was in a bun that I clearly had slept in, and I was still wearing my polka-dot pajamas from the night before.

In the Instastory, I basically told my then audience of maybe 100 people that I had officially had my lightbulb moment. It was the moment where I knew what I needed to be doing online. The moment where all of my skills, passions, and seemingly random past experiences came together to make this idea that I knew could change lives. That might sound dramatic- but that’s exactly how excited I felt in that moment when it finally hit me.

Up until that point, I had a bunch of seemingly random interests and past experiences. I was always feeling guilty about wanting to spend more time behind my laptop- always getting comments from people about my side hustles. I knew I’d developed a unique set of skils, but it just didn’t quite fit together.

And then it hit me- right there in my kitchen- right there in my polka dot pajamas. A moment I would forever refer to as the polka dot pajama moment.

I could help teachers build a solid foundation in marketing that would allow them to make more sales- steady sales- an additional income stream they could actually count on every month. 

I could use my experiences working with small businesses to bring back that genuine, hometown feel to the online space- I could help teachers connect with other teachers on a genuine level- as if we were all in the same room sharing ideas and changing our teaching together. 

I could be part of a movement to help teachers impact classrooms beyond the four walls of our own classrooms- to inspire, connect, and build relationships with other teachers around the world- much the same way small businesses do.

All of that guilt about my hobbies and passions, all of the desires I had about my own future, all of my seemingly random past experiences came together- and I had to hop on Instagram and tell my 100 followers. 

It was the moment I said HECK with trying to look like perfect mcperfectson on Instagram, the moment I stopped trying to FIT IN with what everyone else was doing. It was the moment I decided to stand out.

And since that polka dot pajama moment- there have been several hundred...maybe even thousand lightbulb moments that followed. It wasn’t as if everything was perfect in my business from that moment on- it was a clearing of the fog that allowed me to take a step forward in my business. But it was in that actual step forward- that movement toward something I loved and knew I could help with- it was in that completely imperfect makeup-free, messy hair moment- that the true growth started.

I’m breaking down three of the biggest lessons I’ve learned over the past year that will help you as you build your business.

So if you’re ready to get MUSHY with me, hear my story, and hear me gush over all of you who have been a part of the story, you must listen in to this episode. (Sorry in advance for the pregnancy hormones that get the best of me at the end of this one!)