Glamorous Entrepreneur Gig: Say What?!?!?!

I dare say I’m always pretty real with my readers. I’m not one to mince words when I feel something needs addressing and I’ll tackle the topics others in the digital marketing industry sometimes find too sensitive and possibly incendiary.

But today I’m taking the real to another level entirely. I’m going to bust the seams of the silliness that is the “glamorous” entrepreneurial lifestyle.

I love to quote The Princess Bride (amongst many other movies, TV shows and songs) and much like the R.O.U.S. (rodents of unusual size), I don’t think the coveted glamorous gig many a new marketer envisions is attainable.

The Days Often Start Early … And End Late

I took the dog for her morning walk and started the coffee pot at 4:12 AM today. I’m not usually up and at it quite that early, but I woke up around 3 AM and couldn’t shut off my brain. So, to keep from disturbing the deeply sleeping husband, I got up. I’m never up later than 6 AM on a week day. Most days I hit the streets with the puppy at 5 AM and I’m at the desk by 5:20.

Even with those early starts, there are days when I’m still at the computer at 9 PM. No, not always. But c’mon, there’s nothing glamorous about 12 hour days, let alone 16-17 hour days.

Fashion Or Feeds?

Red lipstick, killer heels, the cutest outfit? Not on this nimble entrepreneur’s radar. What am I wearing? Frayed flannel PJ pants, yoga pants, gym shorts, hoodies, baggy tees and exercise tanks. That’s the dress code at Go Creative Go. Sure, I slip on a circle skirt, tank and a cardigan when I have a face-to-face meeting. But comfort takes precedence over fashion.

And, since we’re being really REAL, many a day I roll out of bed and spend the day working in whatever I slept in the night before.

Feeds before fashion is definitely how the entrepreneur rolls!

Hygiene Or Grooming On Hiatus?

Remember, we’re being real!

One of my BBFFs, Brooke Ballard, an equally nimble entrepreneur, and I were recently talking about how it’s sometimes hard to get in a shower. I’m pretty sure she won’t mind me sharing that!

Stop! I know. Yes, I live and work in Atlanta. In the hot and humid southeast U.S. Where the A/C constantly runs or you sweat. So, stop it. Yes. I bathe regularly. Sometimes twice a day on tennis days.

But, I don’t necessarily always have perfectly smooth legs. And my hair, while always washed, is rarely styled or even combed with anything other than my fingers. And some days I choose another cup of coffee over immediate teeth brushing. Because coffee and minty fresh are not a match made in heaven!

As for lipstick, earrings, painted toenails and/or matching my shoes and handbag. Puh-leeze. My black flip-flops do usually match my yoga pants. So, I’ve got something going for me!

Passion, Smassion!

Yeah, yeah, yeah. One of the main reasons to embrace the entrepreneurial way of life is tied to doing something you love, rather than working for a paycheck. But let’s talk about another kind of check. The reality check!

[clickToTweet tweet=”SOME days you’re going to hate everything about your business. #realyourealbiz” quote=”Some days, not every day, but SOME days … you’re going to hate everything about your business.”]

Some days are just shitty. Some days you’ll leak angry tears and want to rip the heads off even your most accommodating clients, while you dream up ever more devious tortures for your not-so accommodating clients.

Don’t get me wrong. Some days the entrepreneur gig is gregarious and gorgeous and golden. And those are the days most often shared by those writing about it.

But it ain’t all sunshine, roses, rainbows and snickerdoodles. Some days hail a shit storm of hassles, helplessness and even some hollering at your computer screen or biz partner.

I actually get irritated when I see the plethora of “passion” posts strewn across my feeds. Sure, passion and love for your business can be really beneficial. But some days you get by on grit, sweat, tears, swear words and irascible imaginings. That needs to be shared, too!

Styled Space? Seriously?

There’s a growing trend, of late, to showcase the workspace with a “styled” photo. Most of these styled shots leave me shaking my head in amused befuddlement. Do remember, I recently revealed that I rarely comb my hair. So styling my workspace is not something on which I place a lot of value or emphasis.

When did an artfully arranged clump of herbs tied with a bow become a sign of professionalism and productivity? With my luck the cat or dog would eat it and then promptly throw it back up.

Glitter? An open lipstick? Flowers sans vase? Beautiful bowls of color coordinated binder clips and pushpins? They’d all end up all over the floor and I’d end up hopping on one foot, swearing while I pulled a pushpin out of the other foot!

Alysa Passage recently joked that we need a PSA to halt the hostile takeover of succulents and gold scissors. She went on to reveal this gem:

“Yes, the photos are polished but they’re not an AUTHENTIC brand identity.”

What’s an authentic desk space look like? I can’t speak for everyone, but my workspace is styled with coffee rings, paw prints and a squirt bottle to discipline the feline leaving the paw prints.

Yeah, I wipe the space down every night. But my work space is where I work. It’s not a styled and staged photo opp.

Work … It’s Part Of The Wonderful!

That’s the point I’ve been trying to drive home throughout this read. While I can say that the entrepreneur gig can be wonderful, that’s not always the case. Sometimes it makes you want to wail:

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!

There’s one constant I can count on when it comes to my own entrepreneur gig, the work! It’s too often left out of the glorious and gold-plated descriptions of the entrepreneur’s gig!

The work is always there. And it’s not all that glamorous. As much as I love working with mood boards, typefaces and color palettes, many an hour is full of unproductive calls with undecided prospects, chasing and collecting past due dollars from clients who sometimes forget how to pay, and dealing with the hesitancy and indecision that comes when you wear all the hats (or capes if you’re more into the superhero thing).

You’ve gotta embrace the good with the GACK and know that glamour isn’t going to be your go-to description. If you can do that, then you’ll be wowed by the wonderful more often than you’re overwhelmed by the “ CRAP, you’re kidding me” moments.

Your Turn!

Share some of the “glamour” that makes up your daily grind!