My Little Story on Persistence
by Maria
(Belfast, Ireland)
Well where to start, from the beginning I suppose
I have always wanted to run my own flower business because I love flowers and how they smell, look and make the person feel that you are giving them to.
I didn’t have the money to really get started and no one would lend me the money. I had two small children who were at school and was not on speaking terms with their father.
Where was I going to get the money from I had no idea, but I so needed a change in my life, now that the kids were going to school and felt it was time for me to do something.
Not being someone that was easily put off I tried to focus on the resources that were available to me, mainly my friends.
I had no choice but to work during the evenings as all the day jobs were not child friendly(hours). My first job was working in a bar, the money was okay nothing great but I did well on tips. Work would finish at around 11.30 pm and from there I managed to pick up some cleaning work for an estate agents, it was not permanent but temporary work which could be cleaned at any time.
My friends that were helping me with the children thought I was mad, why work and loose your benefits to earn the same money they said. They were happy to be doing nothing, but I wanted to achieve something for my kids to be proud of.
You could always go back and get benefits if things didn’t work out so what are you really loosing and you gain so much more I thought.
Anyway I eventually started a new job working nights for better money and would get home in the morning to make the kids breakfast, drop them to school, do the washing, shopping and cleaning before I could get a few hours sleep. It was hard work but I was managing on a strict budget to save a little money each month.
To cut a long story short it took me three years of working nights, doing the odd car boot sale and saving carefully to eventually have enough money to start my own little flower shop. I now make my living selling beautiful flowers, I am not rich but at least I can say that I have my own business.
It took me three years of persistence and determination to get here, but it was worth it in the end. Imagine if I didn’t bother where would I be today? Probably still at home watching the kids grow up and my life just passing me by.
