GROWING PAINS

Lately, I've been having so many various thoughts on my businesses and what it means to grow with them.

I'm learning to go with my gut on a lot of things. Recently, I've been presented with some opportunities for both Hanger Shortage and 16th Colony - as things grow and move faster, it's been really important to understand what my priorities are. There are precise plans and goals I have for both brands and I'm so in tune with what those are that I can feel when things start to get off track, even in the slightest. Which is why it's crucial to list out these priorities and the steps it takes to accomplish those specific endeavors. If something does not align within those steps, it's not worth the time and effort - because when you're running a business, there's never enough time in the day. Use it wisely.

When I started Hanger Shortage, I sought out to highlight truly talented people or businesses that I whole heartedly believe in. I've never wanted to create a bullshit site 'promoting' just anything and everything. Whenever I decide to post something on Hanger Shortage, it is very organic and meticulously hand-picked. I started realizing this priority thing and it's importance a lot more after doing a couple things that didn't necessarily align and sit right with me. These instances weren't actually a big deal at all, trust me, but to me I just didn't feel like what I was doing in these cases was any different than the 'next guy'. Like I said, I've always had a desire to create content that was special and totally 'me'. With 16th Colony, it's basically the same case. I created a brand with the mindset of it representing a certain mood and vibe. This has to remain constant and I've always been very conscious to remain true to myself, because that's what reflects into the brand.

I've started to dissect each opportunity or collaboration to see if it's a good fit. I visualize how it could end up going and consider whether it lies within my priorities. I rather do things that make sense for the businesses that I've created rather than hinder them by going against true character.