This Little Business Went to the Market

It’s been about four months and three weeks since I did my first market.

It’s crazy to just now sit down and capture how I felt that day. But better late than never.

This was the first time I had ever put myself and my business out there in this way. I’m selectively extroverted, have a healthy dose of stage fright, occasionally battle imposter syndrome, and, to top it all off, I’m a serious overthinker.

So, naturally, putting myself in a room full of strangers and asking them to stop, look at my products, smell my candles, and potentially buy something I created felt like a pretty big deal.

But I did it.

And being able to do that. To show up, get through it, and see my vision physically in front of people; made me realize that Zens & Echoes is one step closer to becoming everything I know it can be.

It was a good day overall.

I had support from family, friends, and mutuals, which meant more than I probably realized in the moment. It was also really nice getting to see the other vendors. Their confidence, their setups, their products, and just how comfortable they seemed in a space that was still so unfamiliar to me.

I felt like such a rookie.

I didn’t have real signage. I didn’t have props. I definitely didn’t have an elevator pitch.

What I did have was:

“Hey! Feel free to smell anything you’d like. All I ask is for your honest opinion. Don’t feel pressured to buy."

My thought process was simple: Let’s just see what happens.

Let’s see what I learn.
What I can do better.
What I’ll change next time.

And, just as I expected, there was a lot to learn.

From how I displayed my products to how I interacted with people, there were things I walked away knowing I’d do differently. But there were also things I got right simply by showing up and giving myself the chance to figure it out.

That first market wasn’t perfect.

It didn’t need to be.

It was my first.

And sometimes, the first version of something is just proof that you’re willing to begin.