06/04/2026
Today’s post is a bit special…
Let’s talk about my experience with my first business: Barbeez 🐝
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Barbeez was a custom print shop that my very own mother and I decided to form together back in 2023! We specialized in customizing clothing and accessories for any occasion- whether to share with customers’ families as a homemade gift option or to buy in bulk for larger business owners. Our goal was to bring others’ personalized ideas to reality, and allow them to demonstrate their love for the people most dear to them with designs essential to their stories.
In co-founding this business endeavor, I’ve had the opportunity to wear many hats, including but not limited to Social Media Manager, Graphic Designer, Administrative Aid, Coordinator, and much, much more. Essentially, tech was my designated area of expertise, and if there was ever a hardware or software issue to troubleshoot with our machinery, I was the first to step in. I also supervised all areas of production, from order placement, inventory, and decorating apparel, to packaging and shipment.
Needless to say, though, this took a LOT of effort and resources to maintain overall, and with personal challenges also on the rise, we eventually reached a point where it just wasn’t feasible to continue activity. In 2024, we unfortunately had to make the difficult decision to cease operation.
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Now what does that mean for today?
Through Barbeez, I’ve gained firsthand understanding of the struggles of entrepreneurship:
> Constantly working overtime with no designated schedule
> Delayed progress towards creative endeavors to research manufacturing procedures
> Falling behind on social platforms to prioritize product quality
I learned that the administrative and social aspects of my work were actually what I valued most, yet couldn’t keep up with them solely because I was one person. What I really enjoyed most was the support role, but when I was pulled in the direction of production and manufacturing on top of that, I couldn’t dedicate my focus towards the specialties I would have succeeded in otherwise. The production role- which you most likely excel in- became my focus, whereas my own areas of expertise were put on the sideline just to keep up with the bare basics.
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Having experienced what would seem like a loss to anyone else, though, only served to spur forth my desire to become a Virtual Assistant!
I know firsthand how difficult and demoralizing these setbacks can be, and I want you to know that you are not alone. My focus has shifted towards assistance, because I want to be the individual available to share the burden entrepreneurs everywhere are experiencing. Your efforts have meaningful value! You don’t need to surrender your dream just because it’s getting complicated to keep up with; you just need a helping hand!
When we each have our own established designated specialties, we’ll both be able to work with clarity and efficiency, and balance each other out! If you need support organizing your back-end systems, engaging with your community, or creating promotional materials for your social platforms, I would love to serve as your right hand, so you can spearhead your projects with confidence!
With a renewed mindset, I’ve had the opportunity to assess what worked and didn’t work in my previous business, and have proactively set up necessary safeguards and backlogs ahead of time to now stay on track- and it has done wonders towards stress relief!
If you’re in need of aid to focus on your creative endeavors, please don’t hesitate to reach out and ask questions! I’ll be here, just one simple message away!
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