I Started a Business During the Pandemic & This is How it’s Going
It’s brought up a lot about who I want to be, among other questions.
When the pandemic first hit, I had no idea what I was doing. Honestly. I was suddenly on standby unemployment — a blessing compared to the fates of many others in my spheres — and stuck with an unlimited amount of time at home.
What do you do when you’re home alone with no prospect of plans for the foreseeable future?
I read many, many books. Learned to draw and paint. Took up embroidery again. Stayed in school via Zoom and online classes. Ultimately, it felt like I was finally living the quality of life I had kind of always dreamed for myself. That $800 unemployment boost was the highlight of my week.
As great as my days were, and they were pretty great, there was still something missing for me. My formula for a fulfilling life includes meaningful work — creative, intentional, disciplined work. Popular psychology and self-help books aside, work makes consciousness worth having.
So, in November of 2020, I started a company with four of my friends. We’re bringing live music back to Seattle. We’re reviving the music and entertainment scene for all those whose unemployment benefits are slowly running out, as millions of Americans are vaccinated every day & the light at the end of the tunnel gets closer.
Building a company is hard! All the entrepreneurs who write on the site will tell you the same, but experience is far more valuable to me than the advice on the screen written by someone who is “just like me.”
I work two jobs, write on Medium for fun, while still attending college, and participate in a fellowship. My friends and I started a company in ALL of that & I’m pretty sure I’m going crazy but it’s also the most fun I’ve had the entire pandemic. More than the embroidery, that’s for sure.
If you’ve struggled like we all have, then find a struggle for the short term that you allow to consume you. A project. Maybe I’m project-minded — I think that’s okay. There was a period of time where I was living one tired day full of nothing to the next this last summer. That ennui is nearly gone now.
Lately, I’ve questioned who this pandemic has made me and if that’s a person who will benefit the world as we re-emerge into it. Right now, my answer is that person needs to blossom because the world needs her.
There’s not enough money in the world to use as a metric for personal growth. Take care of yourself & take care of others, and you’ll see growth in places you would’ve never considered before.
