Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Michelle Boulay, Founder of Curated Memories, located in Peoria, AZ, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
At Curated Memories, we offer digital organizing sessions to remotely organize, simplify, and secure your most precious and vulnerable photos, your digital photos. We also offer to create photo books for special events or your entire family yearbook.
Tell us about yourself
I am a mom of three, a wife, a teacher, and an entrepreneur. In early 2020 I had the idea of working to become a work-from-home mom after my mentor had just launched a mentorship group. Then in the fall of 2021, I was accepted into her mastermind group, and shortly after, I found out that I was pregnant with our third baby. I knew at that point that I wanted to work hard to be home while they were little. I didn’t know if this was going to be feasible. Then I launched my website and business in the spring of 2022. I have been a high school yearbook adviser for over a decade. I love preserving and documenting memories. Now as a mom, I see how important that is. So this was the perfect niche. As far as what motivates me, my three kids and my desire to be home with them. I am someone who needs outside accountability, so I tell people my goals to keep me on my game.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment as a business owner is starting from scratch and learning all the pieces. I am a recovering perfectionist. I started before I was ready and have never looked back.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Being alone, in my opinion, is the hardest part about owning your own business. When you work for someone else, you work with their deadlines and have to meet them; alone, you only have to answer to yourself. At work, you can collaborate with colleagues. When you start an online business for a small niche, you are mostly all by yourself. The most important thing I have done is maintain relationships with other photo organizers that were in my mentorship group. We are at similar spots in business and can bounce ideas off one another and, most importantly, encourage one another.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Decide on your budget early on; this can get away from you. I decided early on that I wasn’t going to go into debt for my business, certain things would have definitely been faster if I had hired it out, but that wasn’t an option. I learned and failed and learned some more.
- Make connections. Find people that will support you and your dream. They will encourage you and hold you accountable. Finding people that will give constructive criticism is just as important. Our group of 7 women all in this business throughout the United States is so refreshing and a great place to run to for.
- Do it afraid. I first heard this phrase in 2007 at a national conference. It was about just doing what you need to do before you are ready.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.michelleboulay.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/curatedmemories2021
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/curated.memories/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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