Break Free From the System - The House & Homestead

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Anna Sakawsky, Founder of The House & Homestead, located in Courtenay, BC, Canada.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I started my blog (The House & Homestead) back in January 2017. Ever since I was a young child, I've always loved writing, photography, and creating media content. After high school, I got my degree in journalism but decided not to pursue it as a career because I didn't want to be a reporter. So I got another degree in teaching, but when I started working as a teacher, I realized that wasn't quite for me either. I loved teaching, but much of teaching is managing a classroom, which honestly sucked the life out of me! When I was on maternity leave with my daughter, I learned about blogging and found out there were people who were making a very good income from it, and that was the beginning of what has now become my full-time career.

Our family had also recently moved out of the city to pursue a homesteading lifestyle (where we grow much of our own food and strive to live a more self-sufficient lifestyle close to the land). At this point, a lightbulb went off for me, and I realized that through blogging, I could combine my love for writing and content creation with my interest in homesteading and my passion for teaching others. And so my blog, The House & Homestead, was born. I now teach thousands of people how to grow, cook and preserve their own food from scratch, how to craft their own herbal medicine and natural care products, and how to increase their overall self-reliance and decrease their dependency on "the system" through pursuing a homesteading lifestyle.

My business has grown and evolved over the years and now includes my free blog, a paid digital magazine (Modern Homesteading Magazine), paid courses, and an online membership program. My customers range in age from their twenties to retirement age and are mostly based in the U.S./ (I'm in Canada), but it's always exciting to get emails from people in other countries and be able to connect with and help people all around the world!

Tell us about yourself

I already pretty much explained what got me started working in my business, but what motivates me is my sheer passion for what I do. I can't think of a job I would love more than the one I've created for myself! While running your own business is a lot of work, it also allows for the greatest amount of freedom and flexibility. I'm not someone who does well working for someone else on their terms and timeline. I would much prefer to put in late nights and weekends when needed working for myself and forgo things like benefits, etc., for the freedom that I get working for myself.

My job also allows for infinite creativity, and the sky is the limit as far as income potential. While I admit it took me a few years to really see any returns on my investment in this business, I'm finally starting to see the fruits of my labor, and I'm incredibly proud of what I've built from scratch, especially because I'm not business or entrepreneurial-minded by nature! But I love the freedom and creativity my job offers me.

I'm also highly motivated by knowing I'm helping others and making a positive difference in other people's lives, no matter how small. While earnings are important, and that's what pays my bills, there's no greater feeling than getting emails and messages from people thanking me for helping them or telling me that their life has changed for the better thanks to something I've taught them or shared with them.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment is probably launching my own digital magazine. While it's still small in the grand scheme of things, being a magazine editor has been a lifelong goal of mine. I even created my first magazine as a project in my grade 3 class, and I still have it today! Modern Homesteading Magazine is now in its 4th year of production, and it's a beautiful publication that I'm incredibly proud of.

Honestly, though, I look at my entire business as a whole as my biggest accomplishment. I stuck with it and consistently showed up and created content, etc., even when I was barely earning anything and I was hustling hard to grow it. I never gave up, and I celebrated every little win along the way. Every year I have created something new that I'm proud of, from the blog to the magazine to digital courses to my online membership, The Society of Self-Reliance. And every year, my following/readership has grown, and so has my income. I'm so proud of how far I've come, and I can't wait to see what the future has in store!

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

Hands down, the hardest thing that comes with being a business owner is the number of hats you have to wear and the endless to-do list that's hard to step away from. I could literally be working 24/7, and often when I'm not, I feel like I should be like I'm falling behind the competition or like I'm leaving money on the table, or not delivering enough to my customers and followers.

Finding balance has been difficult at times, but it's something I work on daily! Case in point: I'm currently almost 38 weeks pregnant, and I'm still working. I don't get mat leave with this baby because now I work for myself, so I can't really take time off as I did with my daughter. So I have to remind myself that one of the reasons why I do what I do is for the flexibility and that taking a month or two "off" (which really means just doing the bare minimum I have to do to keep my business running) is not the end of the world, and that there are some things in life (like a new baby) that are worth stopping everything else for.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Speak to/learn from others in your industry who have gone before you. While it's great to be a trailblazer, you can avoid a lot of unnecessary hardship by learning what others have done to become successful and then creating a business model around a proven method. Don't be afraid to invest in some courses and coaching! This is an investment that will pay off if you put the work in.
Take action. While it's great to research and learn as much as possible before diving in, at some point, you need to just go for it and realize that you're going to make mistakes and it's going to be messy and imperfect, but that's how you'll learn and grow. Don't be afraid to just start. All great journeys begin with a single step.
Be consistent, and remember that slow and steady usually wins the race. Lots of people give up on their businesses in the first few months or years when they're not seeing the returns they want to see on their investments. There are also lots of people who think that running a business (especially an online business) is a way to"get rich quick," and they become disillusioned if and when that doesn't happen for them. Have faith in the process and show up consistently every day, week, etc. Eventually, your hard work will snowball, and you, too, will look back at how far you've come and feel incredibly proud that you never gave up on yourself and your dream!
Bonus tip #4: Do something you truly love. Don't start a business just to make money. You'll never stick with it if money is your only motivator. Do something you're truly passionate about. Something that excites you and makes you want to jump out of bed every day, something that you love doing even when you're not making money at it. Combine this with something that helps others and serves a genuine need, and you've got a recipe for long-term success in business! Oh, and don't compare yourself to anyone else. I know it's easier said than done, but remember, everybody's journey is different, and you should never compare your beginning to someone else's middle. Look to others for advice and inspiration. Hire them as your coach even! But don't compare yourself. It truly is the thief of joy!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://thehouseandhomestead.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thehouseandhomestead/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anna.sakawsky/

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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