When I think about why I started my business, I think back to the time I was deathly ill in the hospital about 5 years ago.
I already had a flourishing business as an International Fashion Designer, selling my fashions in 8 countries around the world, appearing on TV shopping channels, seemingly having the time of my life.
Until Mono stopped me cold. I was 54, and sick as a dog in the hospital, wondering what just happened to me and wondering if I would survive. Two full months later, after life-saving surgery, getting my lungs drained from Pleurisy, and feeling like someone pulled the rug out from under my feet, I was finally allowed to leave the hospital. I even opened QVC Italia from my hospital bed.
That made me question how I was living my life and whether or not being on the road 50% of the time was as glamorous as it sounds, on live TV worldwide was worth it.
And then, my hair fell out for the stress, I lost 65% of it in one fell swoop. I was having a bath washing my hair, and as it was coming out in big clumps, I cried. What was I going to do to go on Live TV without any hair? My hair was too thin to put extensions in, my body too weak to take more harsh Pharma meds and I did not want to wear a wig.
My Naturopath felt sorry for me and made a vitamin supplement formula, and said, try this...
Two months later I looked like a Human Chia Pet!! I went back to him and met the manufacturer and said, "Hi!! I am going to be your new best friend!!"
As I wound down my fashion studio and in the background, I created Cydney Mar Wellness, my therapeutic caliber vitamin & supplement product line.
I made fun names so that people would not have to read the long list of ingredients to try to figure out what each was for, the name said it all.
Names like Fabulous Hair Skin & Nails, Happy Cells and Love Your Liver. I made them pretty, fun and easy. When I was ill, I hated my meds as they reminded me of being sick. I wanted to remind people of vibrant health, I wanted to compel them forward into radiant health.
Being entrepreneurial is in my DNA, as I was a competitive figure skater first, then a highly successful international fashion designer. What I learned was that we also need to put our finger on the pulse of a balanced lifestyle, so we do not make ourselves sick at the same time.
As one of my skating coaches, Jack Boyle said “ Do what I say, not what I do, lol !! “
Being an entrepreneur will stretch you and goodness knows it is not easy.
However, finding some way of checking in with yourself, being realistic on how far you can push yourself ( to the brink of death is not recommended! ) and how to schedule in your own self-care.
As Stephen Covey would say in 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, we need to sharpen the saw, we need to attend to all parts of our lives. It is possible to be successful AND enjoy a good home life, good friends, family and to nourish ourselves along the way.
And as the ever intrepid entrepreneur, I opened a second business called Cydney Marwhere I fired myself as a designer and re-positioned myself as a Product Development Strategist.
Clients kept arriving on my doorstep, having bungled their ideas for physical products and someone would point them in my direction “ Hey Cyd, could you help out so & so? “
I love ideas and feel that we all came to Earth with Divine Gifts to develop. It has become my legacy work to help entrepreneurs bring their ideas to life. It is super fun developing branding strategies, running feasibility studies, getting samples made, costed & produced for my clients.
I get to stay home, hang out with my dog Jack & my birdie Chuk, work with entrepreneurs all over the world, share my resources & experiences. And because I already learned the hard way not to overextend myself, I am currently restructuring Cydney Mar Wellness, so I can lighten my load and serve fully without knocking myself out.
The 7 Keys to Optimal Health
I created a resource to help busy entrepreneurs incorporate self-care into their lives with my Reboot Your Radiance. It’s fun as it walks you through the 7 steps I use in my life to help me stay on track in a simple and easy way.
At the tender age of 60, I am delighted to say, I think I finally got that right!
The Product Development Roadmap
Everyone have been asking me about how I managed to develop all my products over the years, so I created The Product Development Roadmap to help walk you through the exact steps I take every time I get excited about a new idea!!
More than anything, I want to encourage you to make healthy choices, whatever that means to you ~
So much love & healthy happy choices!!
Cydney