Why I made Cariad Communications

Starting your own business can be pretty scary. There are so many big questions to think about. What if I get it wrong? What if I have no customers? What if I go bankrupt?

Then there’s those statistics that are quoted over and over; "60% of businesses fail in the first three years" "1 in 5 businesses fail in their first year" "7.5 out of 10 startup’s fail."

If anyone shoves that in your face as you mention you might start your own business then I suggest shoving it back and taking them off your Christmas card list. You don’t need that kind of negativity. You are doing a brilliant, exciting new thing. Something that not a lot of people actually have the guts to do. I should know, I was one of them.

Right before the Covid 19 pandemic I quit my job. 2019 had been a bastard of a year. I was working for a small charity, who were perfectly lovely and I was proud to be working there. However, as a small charity it meant that there was a heck of a lot of responsibility and not enough money to pay me a full time wage. I was responsible for leading the fundraising and communications which included setting out the communications strategy, the fundraising pipeline, instigating it all, producing reports, updating the website, the list went on. Then we went through a rebrand so I had to lead on the publicity for that. All on 20 hours a week. I was commuting at least 2 hours a day, taking work home, working weekends and having stress dreams about getting something wrong. Then my Mum got cancer.

All this to say, it broke me. I had already been through a really stressful, unstable time (completely unrelated to my job) before I reached the point of a breakdown. However, as a result I decided the best thing for me and for my employers, was to leave. It wasn’t an easy decision to make and I was really sad to go but my working pattern there wasn’t sustainable.

I assumed I’d easily find a job in 2020. Then Covid 19 happened.

I think we can all agree that the pandemic was/is really crap. And that’s an understatement. I could go on about how the UK Government failed us, the unnecessary deaths, the lack of support for anyone who wasn’t a banker in the City of London. That’s not the point of this post though.

What it made me realise is that life is fragile. Life is precious. I’d put my life on hold whilst recovering from my breakdown and I didn’t want it to be on hold any longer because of the virus. Talking with my friends and family about what to do, so many of them said "why don’t you start your own business?" "Because I’m flipping terrified" I’d reply.

"And, anyway, who starts a business in the middle of a global pandemic?" (spoiler alert - two thumbs pointing at this girl!)

For all those reasons I listed at the beginning of this post and so many more. I didn’t think I could do it or that starting a business was for the likes of me.

But then I really thought about it. I thought about all the small charities, start up’s and political campaigns I’d worked with over the years. How much I loved connecting with people and playing a part in their story. How much that made me feel alive and happy.

I want to do more of that, I said to myself. I don’t want to put my life on hold anymore, I want to do the thing, even if I fail, it will be an adventure.

I made Cariad Communications for me. To challenge myself, to grow and learn and champion my skills and experience. I made Cariad Communications to champion others too.

I believe in real connections with people and I want that to be at the core of what I do here. I believe in the value of the small and the little guy. The small charity that does crucial work, the start up with a tiny team, the local councillor, or the little shop at the heart of a community. You guys are my people. I believe in creativity, colour and fun along with the age old saying that if you love what you do for work you’ll never really work a day in your life. I have always lived by the ethos work hard, play hard.

I made Cariad Communications to spread those things and so much more I probably haven’t realised yet. It’s been a wild and crazy ride so far but I’m having a blast! You never know what adventures await if you just say YES! That's how I ended up performing some of my stand up material at Latitude Festival this year. I went to do some marketing and communications for a client and I let slip that I also do stand up, before I knew it, there I was on a stage performing my first stand up gig since the pandemic kicked off! And oh my goodness did it feel good.

Performing stand up at Latitude Festival this year. Not bad for a first gig since Covid 19 hit!

So come and join me. Take a look around the website and see how I can help you. Get in touch, don’t be shy! I made Cariad Communications for you.

PS - Mum's recovered from cancer completely!