I Accidentally Started a Business

Let me tell you something about me. I overreact.

To illustrate my point, here's an example. Say Jeff were to tell me I'm talking too loud. My response would be, "Fine Jeff! I'll just never talk again in my life! Sorry I'm so loud and bother you so much."

Here's another illustration: One way or another we were dumb and missed our window of opportunity to add Carson to our insurance. No comments please. We accept our irresponsibility and naiveness of thinking he'd just automatically get added on.

So the doctor is free for well-child exams when we have insurance. And I was unaware we did not have insurance for Carson when I took him to his 2-month check-up. Where he got four shots.

A month later we get a bill for...a lot of money. Turns out shots are expensive.

I. Freaked. Out. The hospital bills were one thing, but this dumb doctor's visit could and should have been completely free! It was all so dumb and so avoidable and so annoying and left me with this huge bill that was unnecessary because had I known we didn't have insurance I never would have taken Carson to the doctor that day and we just should have known we had to add him to our insurance in the first place. It was just a big mess. I hated that day of my life.

So I overreacted. As I tend to do.

I started ravaging through our house to see what valuables we had. There weren't a lot. But I sold basically everything that would sell. Which was actually good because we weren't using the stuff anyway. Like my wedding dress for example. It's good it got a second life.

I was going crazy. Running through the house. Putting things up on KSL like you wouldn't believe. Mumbling about how dumb health insurance is all the while.

Then I saw my curtains in the guest room. I snapped a picture and put them up on Etsy.

The next day I calmed down and all was well again. Most of my KSL items sold the first day and things were turning out - as they always do. Overreacting was yet again unnecessary.

A couple days later I got an e-mail about someone wanting me to make them some curtains. I was a little confused while I was reading it because I had totally forgotten that in my dramatic, crazed state I had even created that Etsy account. And then even more confused that someone actually wanted what I had to offer.

I began shaking. I don't even know how to sew!! Overreacting ensued again.

The next day several people favorited me and my second order came. It was nuts and I began sewing like a mad woman.

My first order was miraculously out within 24 hours and my second by the end of the week.

I was telling Jeff that I was so mad about all the insurance stuff because it felt like such a trial and seemed so horrible at the time. I believe that in the end good usually comes out of trials, and when Jeff told me Carson didn't have insurance I just could not possibly see how anything good could come out of our situation.

Lo and behold, my accidental business wouldn't have come to be if I wasn't in my overreacting, dramatic state. It's fun to have something to work on during nap time and I love to sew and use my talents to make a little money.

 (I've been watching Project Runway while I sew and it helps motivate me.)

So hopefully my first two customers weren't a fluke and they keep on coming because I'm enjoying this new opportunity. And even more so -- hopefully my first two customers thought my sewing was up to par with the rest of Etsy and they don't give me bad reviews!! I'm so nervous but excited to see where this goes.