The Truth About Starting A Small Business

In an ever-expanding world of e-commerce, it’s never been so easy to start a small business. But, is it really that simple?

Anyone can start a business, but not everyone can do it well. It takes a lot of patience, paired with a specific mindset. Unless you’re a lucky anomaly, you won't achieve success first try. It takes time, effort, and determination to build a strong business.

Tina Wong is the successful owner of Petite Delicates, a small online store, based in New York, that sells handmade clothing. She specializes in designing and creating unique pieces inspired by “lingerie, the coquette aesthetic, and the timeless beauty of vintage garments”. Although she’s still in the early stages of her business journey, Tina is fulfilling her dreams by doing what she loves for a living. Petite Delicates is a quickly evolving brand that’s received lots of attention on social media and has a growing amount of customers. 

From rewarding moments to days of hardship, Tina shares her experience as a first-time small business owner and provides invaluable insights for future entrepreneurs: 

Turning Your Passion Into Your Business

The foundation of a successful business is rooted in passion. Tina never imagined she could make a career out of her fashion interests. Her business began as a hobby; she spent her spare time reworking vintage garments, making them more beautiful by adding her own spin. When she began sharing images of her pieces online, she did not expect to receive over 100 followers. But, she did. Her following then grew to thousands, with some of her posts even going viral. With an increasing amount of followers requesting to buy Tina’s garments, Petite Delicates began selling to its first customers. 

Pricing Your Products Correctly

Setting your prices can be one of the most difficult business decisions. You want to make a profit while also being accessible to your customers. It’s essential to think about the labour that goes into your products, the cost of materials, and how much your target audience would pay for the final piece. Tina explains the importance of deciding your average price point early on. You may be able to raise your prices gradually as your brand grows but don’t make changes that will cost you your consumers. If you decide to up your prices over time, move smartly to retain your loyal customers. 

Overcoming Unexpected Challenges 

Life as a business owner can be unpredictable. You never know what obstacles you might face. But, to the surprise of many, your worst battles may be internal. Tina discloses that the biggest challenge she didn't expect to face was a battle against herself. A successful entrepreneur must be equipped with “an insane amount of grit, determination, self-motivation, and self-confidence”. The journey can be tough, especially when faced with criticism, slow sales, and doubt from the people closest to you. To succeed, you must believe in yourself and your work.

Tina also shares the stressful reality of running a one-person business. It may look fun from an outsider’s perspective, but you’re pressured with lots of important tasks and decisions. As Tina exclaims, “It’s a never-ending to-do list. There’s competition. You have to be smart about your finances. You have to make the call on what is the right move for your business.”

Despite all this, she pushes through and praises the power of developing a strong mindset: “If you never finish your work, you’ll never see what you can do. The second you believe your work is not important, you have given up.”

The Secret To Success

Big or small, failures are inevitable in any business, but it’s how to learn from those failures that shape your success. Like everyone else, Tina is no stranger to making mistakes, but she stresses that she wouldn’t change anything in her journey. You must view your mistakes as valuable learning experiences. When Tina meets disheartening setbacks, in her personal and professional life, she asks herself, “What did this teach me?”. It’s crucial to find positives in the negatives and take something useful from your losses. Embracing mistakes as lessons helps you make better business decisions and refine your approach.

Consistency Is Key

Success doesn’t happen overnight. You can’t go to bed with a business plan and wake up with a multimillion-dollar business. It requires hard work, patience, and consistency.

Tina’s advice is simple:

“Give it your all every day and keep the effort consistent. Be sure you are doing something you are passionate about because passion will take you so far.”

Tina’s journey evidences that building a business from scratch is not just about strategy or planning — it’s about having the right mindset. You need passion, resilience, and a willingness to learn from mistakes. Expect failures, but use them to grow. Embrace the ups and downs, and let your passion drive you to success. With time, determination, and a bit of grit, you can turn your entrepreneurial dreams into reality. 

Visit petitedelicates.com to explore Tina's designs and learn more about her business.