When I started Naughty Bear three or four years ago, I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but holy hell, I didn’t expect it to be this difficult. There was a small, slightly delusional part of me that believed, “If you post it, they will come.”
Spoiler alert: they did not come.
Maybe some brands get that magical beginning. Hell, I know a few that did. But for me? It’s been a struggle from day one, the kind of struggle that teaches you a lot, but also makes you question every decision you’ve ever made.
Now don’t get me wrong, I enjoy it. Most days I love it. Though there are days (okay, most days) where I catch myself thinking, “Is this really worth it?”
The funny thing is, the creative part isn’t the hard part for me.
Ideas? I have too many.
Goals? I have bigger ones than Naughty Bear’s current size can handle.
Some of you might be thinking, “Well isn’t that a good thing?”YES, in a way, it is.
However, it’s also incredibly frustrating to have a head full of ideas and not enough money, time, or energy to bring them all to life.
Some days I feel like I’m bursting at the seams with what Naughty Bear could become…
and other days I’m just trying to keep it stitched together.
The doubt really creeps in when I design a shirt I’m convinced is going to do well. There are designs where I tell myself, “This is the one. This is the viral moment.”
And then I release it… and it’s crickets. Total silence.
Talk about a punch to the gut, the kind that knocks the wind right out of your sails. Those are the days when keeping doubt at bay feels almost impossible.
Luckily, I have an incredible support system in my husband. Honestly, if it weren’t for Jeff, I probably would’ve given up on Naughty Bear in the first month. Okay, if I’m being 100% honest… I would’ve given up after posting the very first shirt all those years ago and not selling a single one. LOL.
Jeff is the one constant through all of this, the calm, the encouragement, the “you’ve got this” when I absolutely do not feel like I’ve got this. I’m so grateful for him.
I’m also incredibly grateful for each and every one of you who has bought a shirt, sent a kind message, or stopped by the Naughty Bear tent just to say something encouraging.
I can’t tell you how amazing it feels when someone looks through my designs and says, “Wow… you’re really doing something special here.”
Moments like that make every struggle worth it.
Part of the reason I started Naughty Bear was to celebrate acceptance, body positivity, diversity, and pride, and if I can make even one person feel seen or understood, then every long night, every doubt, every setback… it’s all completely worth it.
And if you want to see a tee that didn’t flop, click here, it deserves its moment.