How one mistake forced me to finally pursue my dreams

Even a mistake might turn out to be the one thing necessary to a worthwhile achievement - Henry Ford

So I made a small mistake. A stupid mistake. You must be thinking; well everyone makes mistakes right? That is completely true. But for a while I was hoping that I could have prevented myself from making this mistake. I hear you thinking "come on Nienke, what mistake did you make?" So here it is:

I left my job because I got an offer from my dream company. Nothing wrong with that right? Well, it shouldn't be, as long as you sign something. Yes you are guessing it right; I did not sign a contract yet. I had an offer from Google in Dublin, and I was so looking forward to this new adventure! And there I was, on a rainy Tuesday morning in the gym while one of their recruiters called me with the message (btw for all the recruiters out there: ''I'm just the messenger, I can't help you either'' is not something a candidate wants to hear at that specific moment).

However I truly believe that things happen for a reason and therefore I used the month of March for myself to find out what I really wanted to do. I talked to tons of people, differing from (job)coaches, to family and friends and even strangers, which is a big deal to me. Something basic as defining my own dreams has led me to valuable insights. I want to help people who are less fortunate, I love traveling, and I don't want to wait for my holidays to finally explore a new part of the world. Oh, and last but not least; I love branding and storytelling!

So I decided to start my own business, so I can start doing something I love. So I can develop new skills. So I can be in control. And most importantly, so I can fall, and step up again. Hereby I will give you a small glimpse of my business; it will focus on selling fair trade products, supported by a kickass brand. But stay tuned, there is more to come!

So here I am today, without a "real" job as some of you might name it, without any certainties (and the people who know me well do know that I hate these kind of situations..), even without an income. However, I can say I finally feel enthusiastic about something since a long time, I know I'm leaving my comfort zone big time, and I'm ready for this adventure that is lying in front of me. By sharing this with the world there is no turning back.

April will be the month where I need to get clear who my target audience is; what do I want to represent as my brand; what is my unique selling point and so on. Any recommendations on this are highly appreciated, so please leave a comment if we can have a coffee so I can learn from your expertise while discussing my ideas and difficulties.

Oh and btw, the person who comes up with a kickass name for my business will receive a dinner. With me ;)