When I look back at the beginning of my freelance journey, I can admit — I quit my job too early.

I was fuelled by passion, vision and a sense of urgency. But what I didn’t fully grasp then is that a newborn business doesn’t just need belief — it needs cash flow. When you’re building something from scratch without financial backing, the pressure isn’t just heavy — it’s personal. You become your biggest investor and your only safety net.

And let me tell you: pressure like that doesn’t create abundance. It creates survival mode. You radiate scarcity. You attract stress, not momentum.

The “Do-Over” Version of Me?

If I had my time again, I’d choose a job that didn’t drain me. One that paid the bills and left space in my mind and energy bank. Not because I didn’t believe in my business — but because money buys time, clarity and better decisions. I’d let that job cover my basics so every dollar from my creative work could flow back into growing the business. That’s how you build something sustainable.

Managing Expectations ≠ Limiting Belief

This isn’t about shrinking your dreams. It’s about measuring your progress fairly.

I want to share a story about a friend of ours — someone who’s meticulously crafted his apparel brand over the past few years. He spent longer than anyone we know refining his product before even thinking about selling & unlike me he did not quit his job prematurely, he has only recently taken this leap at a very responsible stage. And when he finally received his final sample recently, he quietly opened up a 24-hour pre-sale with 1 story share on Instagram.

He made 5 sales that night.

Another 10 the next day.

15 jackets, sold at around $220 AUD each. And what did a well-meaning family member say when they saw the boxes?

“When do you think you’ll go back to work?”

That moment hit me. Not because it was harsh — but because it was so familiar. That kind of question is just care & concern in disguise. But it made me reflect on how wildly skewed our expectations can be when it comes to starting something from scratch.

Why Those 10 Sales Are a Massive Win

Let’s break this down:

• The product is niche — designed for a specific group: hunters. This isn’t fast fashion. It’s specialised gear.

• Niche audience — The pool is smaller, yet 15 people from that pond trusted the product on day one.

• $220 per sale — Think about how rarely the average person drops $220 online without brand familiarity.

• First-time launch — No paid ads, no big influencer push. Just trust and organic reach.

• The sales will trickle — Some people wait for payday. Others want more proof. Buying behavior isn’t instant, even if the product is

exceptional.

• Visibility builds trust — Most people need to see a brand multiple times before buying. Those 15 sales are likely just the start.

So no — it’s not just 15 jackets. It’s a solid foundation. A proof of concept. A moment that says: your product works, your people are out there and they’re willing to pay.

Adjusting the Lens: From Unrealistic to Realistic

We live in a culture obsessed with “selling out.” We see brands we admire sell 1,000 units overnight and wonder why we can’t do the same. But what we didn’t see were their 5 years of obscurity before they earned your attention.

We forget: the start is supposed to be small. It’s supposed to be quiet wins that compound.

If you don’t sell out on day one, that doesn’t mean your product isn’t good. It means you’re still earning trust, building visibility and carving space in people’s minds.

Let Them Care — You Just Keep Going

When family and friends ask “Are you going back to work?”, know that it’s love talking. It’s concern filtered through their own version of stability.

But you? You know your plan. You know what you’re building.

Set goals, yes — but set fair ones. Goals that align with where you are, not where someone else’s established brand already is.

Measure your wins properly.

You’re doing better than you think. Truly.

And how beautiful is it that you’ve created something original, from scratch — something real, that people are slowly beginning to believe in?

That’s not average.

That’s exceptional.

That’s worth it.

That’s the best kind of work we can do.