Many years ago when my business was quite young I attended a fair to make some sales! The day began with high hopes as I set up my stand, carefully arranging my colourful clothes and accessories with a big smile. My anticipation soared as the fair officially opened its doors, and visitors started pouring in. Hours passed by, and despite the constant flow of potential customers, I hadn’t made a single sale. The disappointment and sadness crept in and being the top tier over thinker that I am, I began to worry. The clock was ticking.
A number of people approached me and I greeted them with a smile and hoped for some sales but it didn’t happen. It was that kind of bad day. “These are adorable, very nice, you are really creative” are some of the things some people said when they saw my products but none of them bought anything. I still handed them my card and faked a smile as they left. I saw some other vendors hustling their way into making sales and I wondered what I was doing wrong. Finally the crowd started dwindling, the sun began to set and it was time to close.
As I looked around at people packing I locked eyes with another vendor, a Caucasian woman in her 50s or 60s. She could sense my despair. I can imagine that my expression totally gave me away. Without hesitation, she approached me with a genuine smile and offered comforting words of encouragement. “Don’t lose hope,” she said softly, her voice filled with empathy. “You have a beautiful collection, and I believe in your talent. Tomorrow is another day, and success will find you. We don’t give up because one day was bad, we show up so we can find that good day.”
Her words did help. In that brief moment, she renewed my faith in myself and the journey I had embarked upon. Although I left the fair without any sales, I carried her words of encouragement with me, determined not to let this setback define my passion and ambition. “See you next month?” She yelled when she was leaving. I smiled and nodded.
On my way home, I stopped at a nearby fuel station to refuel my mothers car. More expenses on my rather unfruitful day! It was then that I noticed a familiar shop within the station. I had always wanted to talk to the owner about stocking my products there. Something urged me to step inside and do it. “Your day has already been borla anyway. Another disappointment won’t hurt,” my inner voice said and I agreed. It had been a very bad day. The shop owner, a kind-hearted lady, welcomed me with a warm smile. As we engaged in conversation, I mustered the courage to share my proposal with her.
To my surprise, the kind lady displayed genuine interest and admiration for my work. She recognized the uniqueness and quality of my products and saw the potential in partnering with me. When she said, “sure we can start with these right away. Just a minute let me do the paperwork,” I almost couldn’t believe my eyes. She stocked my products and her shop continues to do so even today.
Looking back, that bad day at the fair, devoid of sales and filled with disappointment, became the push I needed for a remarkable transformation. It was through the encouraging words of a fellow vendor and the kindness of a stranger that I found the resilience to persevere. That single act of reaching out, sharing a kind word, and extending a helping hand had a good impact on my life and business.
