By Erika, Resident Fashionista
Before you go any further, be sure to watch the video below which explains the reason behind our new #entrepreneurshipunedited series. In a nutshell, I was inspired to share an unedited look at a side of YCS that people do not often get to see, which is the business side. The blog focuses (and will continue to focus) on fashion and style; however, the blog is one piece of a much larger puzzle which is Your Chic is Showing, LLC. As a small business owner I am encountered with challenges on a daily basis. Many people only see the glamorous side of owning a business because, well, many business owners only talk about the glamorous side. In this series I’ll share the glamorous and not-so-glamorous parts of being a business owner. I’ll answer questions and give everyone a glimpse into a side of YCS they have never seen before. Check out the vid to learn more and then read the post below which talks about a difficult and MAJOR decision I made regarding YCS. And yes, in a truly unedited and authentic moment, I did shoot a video without any make-up on.
As I mentioned in my video, I made the decision to remove a major service offering from my business. I have always loved throwing parties and events and so when I was founding my business it seemed natural to add an element of event planning – particularly FASHION event planning – to my service offering. That side of the business grew and it grew quickly. YCS had a hand in planning several major fashion events in the city of Philadelphia as well as local fundraising events, parties and showcases. We were invited to bid on business often and I even had requests that we were unable to take on.
However, over the course of three years (one “pre-business” year and two in business) I grew less and less excited about the events we were planning and hosting. Just because you are good at something that doesn’t mean you have to do it. And, when situations cause you to question if you’re even that good (which is another blog post in and of itself) it may be time to evaluate things. What I realized is that, while I LOVE planning parties in my home and for my close family and friends, I did NOT enjoy planning them for others. There was no fun and, more importantly, no passion. I am genuinely excited and thrilled each time a client smiles in a new outfit we’ve picked out or expresses how good they feel on the inside and outside after the work we have done. There was none of that thrill or excitement after a party or event was finished.
So, after a particularly negative client experience at the end of 2014 I started to evaluate the value of event planning services at YCS. Sure, it was bringing in money and getting us connections. But it brought a lot of headache and heartache and took up a ton of time that could be focused on working with clients whom I truly love. Plus, my disdain for event planning started to make me hate YCS all together. For several months I wanted nothing to do with YCS, any of it. I finally had to sit back and determine WHAT was making me feel this way. That’s when I realized a major component of my business was something I was not passionate or excited about. And I needed to do something about that.
The decision to discontinue event planning services was not an easy one. There is obviously the money factor. However, beyond money I was more concerned about the implications of changing my service model – from losing team members or changing their roles to rebranding. Each and every detail of YCS – from the website to business cards – would ALL be affected by this change. And that thought is terrifying. Changing a relatively new, still growing brand so early is a risky move. But it is the right move for YCS. Rebranding gives me an opportunity to dial-down and focus on the services that really matter. And it is a chance to reshape and reframe how the world and our potential clients see us. Plus, the focus on one service line has opened up a world of creative options. And that is really exciting.
The rebranding project will be gradual and take place over the summer. You’ll notice some changes immediately – like the new layout of the blog. Other changes, like the website, will be more gradual and take some time. Nothing is off limits with the rebrand and there are some really, really cool things that are going to be happening (think more professional videos, radio and tv appearances, magazine articles) and I’m thrilled about the direction YCS is going.
There is one other change that you will notice pretty quickly. On the blog (and Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter) it’s going to be just me for a while. While I spend some time thinking through the YCS brand and its identity it’ll be just me on just like in the beginning. I’ll still tap our contributors from time to time but over the next couple of months I’ll handle things while we get our game plan together. Sorry guys, you’re stuck with me! #sorrynotsorry
Thanks for sticking with YCS over the past three years (yes, this blog has been around for three years!). It’s been an awesome ride and I know we’re heading for the best days of our lives!!
#entrepreneurshipunedited