I fear I may lose blog time once again as Cyber Monday was a doozy. A doozy in the best kind of way possible, but a doozy never the less.
*will not say doozy for rest of post.
As I hit my record sale day on Monday I laughed, I cried, I panicked. I experienced all the feelings. Even with some help, I’m struggling to fill orders and feel as if I’ll never get caught up. But what a fun problem to have! THANK YOU to everyone who ordered. You don’t know this, but you sent me over the edge for a very lofty goal I set last year on December 26th.
At the end of 2015 I lost a pretty solid social media client. It was a big account which gave me a consistent paycheck every week. Basically, it was my safety net. It was nice to know that when tshirt sales go up and down, I always had this account to fall back on. But they let me know last December that due to budget restraints they were going to have to cut social media and do it in house.
Once again I was about to lose a big, steady, chunk of my income. Such is the life of freelance. It was a let-down yes, but not entirely surprising.
And so last year in the basement of Chris’s parents house I made a plan (more like a dream sheet.) And told Chris, “I’m going to blow up T-Shirt Town this year. It’s my only option.”
“What do you mean? How?” He asked, because Chris is logical and always needs a what/how.
“Not sure, but I’m going to do it.” Where as I’m more of a write down crazy dreams/buy crystals and hope for the best kind of person.
I wrote down some numbers that were more than double from what I did the year before. I came up with new designs and plans to market them. I remember feeling excited and nervous with the thought of could I actually do this in the back of my head?
What I didn’t realize about those lofty goals is the amount of work it would take to hit them. It was all fun and games to write them down, but actually hitting them? Holy shit.
Last year the day before I left for my best friend’s wedding in Palm Springs I was up until 3:30 a.m. packing shirts before catching a 5:30 a.m. car to the airport. I remember thinking, what the hell did I get myself into? And this late night t-shirt binge happened over and over and over.
Luckily it was my own wedding that forced me to hire help. I had no choice. Five months later, I still have help and I would be lost with out it.
On Monday at 1:15 p.m. I surpassed my goals. I stared at the screen and really forced myself to live in the moment and take it in. I DID IT! I achieved something! Albeit it was just a silly t-shirt sale, but still. I’ve had far too many goals I’ve written down in life that I just let slip by the wayside because I get lazy or scared. Mostly lazy.
The cherry on top was when the Timehop app reminded me of this post written at this exact time four years ago.
Four years ago this week I was let go from my full time job due to “restructuring.” I remember crawling under a blanket on my couch and texting my parents, “got let go today, please don’t call for a few hours. Not ready to talk about it yet.”
And then I cried and felt sorry for myself for the rest of the day. But really it was more like the rest of the year. And several months into the next year…
I gave everyone homemade Christmas gifts in 2012 and did odd jobs for family members to make money. Jobs I would have done when I was ten…. I was kind of humiliated by it, but also motivated.
I told myself I’d never be in the position to be “let go” by someone ever again. Ever ever ever ever. *not counting free lance social media clients, that’s different, ok? K.
Moral of the story: everyone should sell tshirts!!!!!
Just kidding. NO ONE SHOULD BUT ME.
I don’t know what the real moral is because we all have different situations. For me, I had to get past the darkness that was the winter of 2013 by reading every self help book I could find, studying what other entrepreneurs with my background/very empty bank account were doing, and finding my niche. I tried a lot of things that failed. I still do. But I guess at the end of the day I can feel okay about the fact I never stop trying. Never stop hustling.
The “Most Hustle” trophies I received every year for basketball mean more to me now than they ever have. I never got MVP because I couldn’t make a basket to save my life, but damn it I was the fastest to run lines, was scrappier than I should have been, and tried so so hard.
*This post is dedicated to Tony Robbins. And The Secret. Also Elizabeth Gilbert, more specifically her book/podcast Big Magic. Also, The Alchemist. And my psychic even though she occasionally steals from me. And I can’t forget the sweet girl on Ashland who sells me crystals.
Thank you and good day!
I love following you along on our inspiring journey! It's so much fun to see you build your own empire. You will OWN t-shirt town soon! Keep the hustle up, and thanks for sharing your story with us!
I don't think that it's a 'silly tshirt sale' girl that is HUGE! You should celebrate!
I'm really really struggling with my job right now and this gave me a bit of hope. Thank you. Congratulations on exceeding your goals.
Yay! Congratulations!!! Reaching goals is the best feeling and being your own boss is EVEN BETTER 🙂
Congratulations! I really, really love this post – I'm in the process of doing that whole "start a business" thing and it's TERRIFYING, but reading posts like this encourages me to just do it.
Big congrats on hitting your goals!! Also: Gonna have to listen to Big Magic and isn't Tony a gem? I'm still on a Tony high from listening to him over a WEEK ago!
OMG I legit am so happy for you!!!!! you're inspiring me to follow in your path (or maybe apply to be your assistant and just hang out with you and Harlow all day?? i'll send you my resume)
Yay congratulations! So happy for you! I got let go this year and have the same attitude as you had – to not be in that position ever again! You inspire me all the time to not give up with my business dreams so thank you for sharing Tshirt Town on your blog.
Congrats! Your story as a business owner inspires me. I'd love to start some sort of creative business like you.
Congrats, you are a rock star girl!!!!
BIG MAGIC! I don't know if you're serious (I never do lol…) but that book changed my life. A bit at least lol. Anyways, I admire your hustle and serious congrats! It's clear you work VERY hard and you deserve it!
very serious 🙂
I'm so happy for you; it must have felt amazing to hit that huge goal with a whole month to go before 2017. I can't even imagine how satisfying it must be to work for yourself. Congrats and enjoy the success! I'm sure there are still a ton of orders to come before the holidays.
Congrats on your goal!! You are awesome and I love your t-shirts! I'm going to have to finish the Alchemist book! I read 19 pages and got side tracked!
finish it 🙂
Yay, this is so exciting congrats! You deserve the success – your shirts are awesome!
I love this. I honestly thank you for putting into words what many are just flat our scared to face (me included). this life IS scary. Period. But it's so worth it.
This post could not have come at a better time, because the position you were in four years ago, is my current life. Today is the first day I am not waking up and emailing students in over 3 years. Self help books are in a pile in the corner, and my notebook is being filled with blog ideas and life ideas.
But girl … here you are … PASSING YOUR HOPE. Taylor, not all heroes wear capes. They wear your t-shirts! <3
I was about to write an individual comment on my own, but I can't not reply to this one by Kailagh Anne. Girl, you made me tear up. I'm so sorry for what happened, but good for you for looking at the bright side, dusting yourself off, and starting your hustle! You really, really rock and I wish nothing but good things for you!
And .. She's so right, Tay! You really hustle so well and I am nothing but proud of you. Look at you with your three bathrooms and ice-making fridge!
I will always support you as long as you sell the awesomest t-shirts possible. I cannot wait to wear my Let's Get Festive swag this month!
You, girl, are the best.
Shoot me an email if you need any self help book recs! Im happy to help. I know it's right now, but getting let go turned out to be one of the best things ever for me!
Congrats girl! You ROCK!
Yougo girl!! And it isn't a silly t shirt sale!! You are a rockstar! I feel like we are internet friends and I am so impressed and proud of you!! You are truly inspiring and amazing. With this and everything you have done with comedy. You want something and you just GET IT.
Yay! I'm so happy for you Taylor! That's awesome. I love Elizabeth's Big Magic book.. that book had me in awe. I need to read The Secret and everything else that's out there relating to entrepreneurs. Keep it up! You have been in the blogging game for so long, it's about time you got your reward.. and then some.
woohoo!! everytime i wear my "sorry i'm late" shirt I get compliments!
i also want to echo what others have said that it's not silly! you set a goal and achieved it and that's awesome! i am thinking about this especially because yesterday at work i asked a question to two senior male associate attorneys and i said, 'okay im gonna ask a dumb question. . . "and one of them immediately cut me off and was like, "you shouldn't say that; if you say you're asking a dumb question, then people will think you're asking dumb questions." it's obvious, but it really resonated with me, and today he was like, yeah well as a woman you already face an uphill battle without adding on to it yourself. and it's true, it just made me think about how women communicate and downplay their accomplishments/over apologize/ etc. and then i read this post and immediately recognized myself in that comment of 'silly t-shirt.' we should celebrate our accomplishments, big + small, because we rock!
#sorrypreachyblogcomment
CONGRATS AGAIN!
Congratulations! By the way, my sister-in-law absolutely adores her "Get Festive" t-shirt! Makes her think of her mom and makes her laugh. Win-win! 🙂
Happy Holidays!
Way to go, Tay! Your shirts are the best! Also, I can't believe how quickly you shipped after Cyber Monday even with all of the crazy amounts of orders!