Voting is now open for Scotlands Business Awards Grand Final 2015-2016.
I won the regional award of Fife’s Best Home Business 2016 – now I am through to the NATIONAL FINALS.
I’d like YOUR help for a chance to win a National Award – Can you help?
Click HERE to vote now for Impressive Memories.
Just click the link and fill in the two sections – that’s it – done. Impressively grateful – Thank you, Jen x
The story so far…
Several months ago I was scrolling through Facebook, after eating my tea, and saw a friend had voted for a cupcake company and shared the link. It’s a tough old world for small businesses and I was happy to help them by casting a vote. Then I noticed a Glenrothes category…I clicked that too…and as I read through a list of local business names I saw “Impressive Memories”. My first reaction was “OH NO!!! Someone has the same name as me!” Then realised it WAS me! I shouted on my daughter…
“I think I’ve been nominated for an award”
“Oh…yeah….that? I nominated you ages ago…I forgot…” not even lifting her head from the iPad!!
And so it began…I am THE most uncompetitive person but knowing that MY business was in a competition I was suddenly feeling like a protective mother who’s child had been nominated for an Oscar!
It’s hard to describe how you feel about your own business. For me, it is like a second child. It takes up 99% of my thoughts. I constantly want to improve it, grow it, develop it and be the absolute best I can be. I am my harshest critic, I suffer massively from self-doubt. I will not stop until I am absolutely satisfied that it is the best I can create, and even then I can still find fault.
I also find it very difficult to ask for help. I am fiercely independent and some have even suggested stubborn!
But this competition needed votes…so I asked for help…
The result was quite overwhelming – people were happy to help and the comments that they wrote really blew me away. It was so unexpected but so lovely to hear from people who I’d met years ago, still willing to share, and vote, and support me.
Maybe asking for help is ok?
Maybe it’s not a sign of weakness but a sign of strength?
Next came the surprise visit from the competition hosts. He explained a little bit more about the process and seemed quite intrigued by what he saw in my studio. (He also enjoyed a nice Costa coffee, which all customers are welcome to have when they visit me). And then it was back to voting.
As the final approached I really didn’t mind if I won or not, I was happy knowing that I’d made lots of people happy creating their memories, and they were willing to support me. I wasn’t able to go to the award ceremony at Balbirnie House but had fellow business friends there, who kept me updated with tweets and texts throughout the evening.
The first award I was nominated for I didn’t win, it was for Best Glenrothes business and was rightly won by Alison Stewart Hairdressing. My second nomination was for Best Fife Home Run Business and I WON!! I was delighted and totally shocked – I had never won an award before and it felt awesome. Again, the self-doubt crept in and I felt a bit nervous about telling anyone…did it seem big headed? What would people think? But then I remembered that all those people had taken the time to vote, and they deserved to know the result. So on the Monday morning, I shared the lovely news and again I was humbled by all the responses.
A couple of days later I then remembered – winning at a regional level meant you then went forward to the National Awards!! Eek!! Back came the mind monkeys, the self doubt, the ‘I’m not good enough’ and the ‘little me’ syndrome. But this time they got swiftly kicked in the proverbials…
I love what I do, and I do it because I love it.
For me, creating my business ‘Impressive Memories’ has been a journey. A journey similar to taking a toddler on day trip, accompanied by a baby goat, that involves a trip round a busy supermarket on a warm day – yup one of THOSE journeys. Running a business is quite similar to parenting – you try to be the best you can be, you’re never entirely sure what the day will bring, but whatever happens…you get through it!
I am following my dreams. I chose this path, and this journey and I know the destination I want to arrive at (the toddler and goat might have other ideas). Self-doubt is not a bad thing, it just reminds me that I do this because I care, and I value what I do. Maybe that’s also why I want to succeed as much as I do? Maybe without all the lessons that life has thrown at me, I wouldn’t be who I am today, and my business wouldn’t be what it is either.
So, What’s Next?
I’d like to ask for your help again.
The Grand Final is being held at the Sheraton hotel, Edinburgh, on Sunday 28th of August. If you can spare a minute to click HERE, it would make an Impressive difference to me. It will help create my memories, which means I can keep capturing yours. Plus, my daughter wants her own horse…I have no choice but to get more Impressive.
PS – I’ve made another new silver charm…great for those of us with Pandora bracelets…all handmade, all unique to your design.
