I have the pleasure of speaking at an upcoming planner conference in Chicago next month. Let’s ignore the fact that I’m nervous beyond belief and not quite sure why I thought this whole thing was a good idea in the first place. Introvert nerves already flaring. Alex and I have been working on the speech and it’s really had me thinking a lot about Oh, Hello.
Anyone in real life would tell you I’m not the most flexible of humans. I like things a certain way and often have trouble when my perfectly stickered plans go array. Yet when it’s come to my business, I’ve somehow managed to go with the flow. And I’m pretty positive that’s the only reason we’ve been remotely successful. That and my husband’s ridiculous ability to take changes, make mistakes, and get messy (I’m looking at you Ms. Frizzle).
Let’s talk facts. Literally day one Oh, Hello had to adapt. I started the business thinking I’d make greeting cards. Then the idea of making stickers came knocking and Alex eagerly answered. As for me, I just wanted more stickers so if I had to make them myself I was game. Barely days old and suddenly my little business became something else completely. If I didn’t go with the flow, Oh, Hello would have bed dead shortly after it’s creation.
Now I’m still not the most open to change, but nothing good that’s happened to me has happened because I stayed the same. And sure a lot of things haven’t worked out. We bought way too many Darice sticker books thinking the trend would last, and it most definitely has not. That’s a side-effect of taking risks.
Alex and I have learned to say yes a lot. Yes to new opportunities. Yes to new challenges. Yes to letting things go that didn’t work like we had hoped. Yes to new…anything. Alex said yes to businesses wanting their branding on some of our products and now Oh, Hello Promo exists. I could write countless blog posts bragging about that boy’s client list (IBM, Comcast!?!).
So I may not be the most flexible person in my every day life, but I try every day to be as flexible as possible in my work life. You never know what might happen, but you have to be open to the idea that it could end up terribly, or better yet, wonderful.
