Doing Scary
SHIT as an
Entrepreneur ?

{ this was previously written and found in my stack of content ideas, still just as golden ?  }

You’d think after 15 years of being in business, I’d be immune to being scared to take leaps but that couldn’t be farther from the truth.

I’ve been doing video for over a decade, started off sitting on my desk. Fast forward to present day… I took my first solo flight with ALL of my video equipment, half-way across the country to a client’s home that I had never met in person.

I’ve taken video work trips before, but I’ve always dragged a friend along for moral support. This was completely solo. Just me and approximately 100 lbs of equipment. One Southwest direct flight. Two checked bags. Three levels of stress that I had never experienced before.

I stood at the ticket counter, backpack pushing my center of gravity backwards loaded with a Macbook Pro, iPad Pro, 2 Sony Cameras, and all the rechargeable batteries. Swaying to pretend I was rocking a baby and not about to fall over backwards – I mean that backpack was full o fall of my babies. Nervous for the dreadful – you weigh too much extra charge to be slapped down…

As I boarded the plane – sweat beaded up under my mask as my glasses simultaneously fogged up. I’m never nervous to travel but I’ve never traveled solo during a world-wide pandemic either.

The day of the shoot my eyes opened with nerves at 5a mountain time.

As I got myself ready – I felt nauseous thinking about all the things that could wrong.

• Did I forget equipment?
• would the lighting be ok?
• what if it was a complete disaster?

It was finally time to leave and head to my client’s house. It was only about 22 minutes to get there but it felt like I was driving from Ohio. Nerves were firing on all cylinders, shaking as I pulled into the driveway.

HERE WE GO!

I ring the Ring Doorbell and the surrealness of the moment took over my nerves ad it was all washed away with the warm flow of my client as she opened the door.

Her eyes smiled back at me, I’m sure her mouth was too, I just couldn’t see it through her mask.

HIIII! We simultaneously exclaimed as we hugged!

The smell of coffee touched my nose as we walked in to see where we were about to make magic.

We created a set in her living room and set the vibe.

Over the next 3 days – I helped my client create her first professionally recorded course, as well as all of the promotional content.

It was MAGICAL.

You see, you’re always going to be scared doing all the new things. That’s how you know you’re alive.

If I let being scared stop me… I’d never walk into a restaurant or meeting alone again.

FUN FACT :: This gives me so much anxiety. I’d rather be speaking to a room full of people than walking in alone. It is what it is.

If I let being scared stop me… you wouldn’t be reading this story.

I wouldn’t be about to enter 16 years of business.

There wouldn’t be an Ali Rittenhouse International at 101 N. Ohio Avenue.

I guarantee I wouldn’t be a single, entrepreneur.

Assess why you’re scared. Cover the things that could go wrong with tall the things that could go soooo right.

Stand in the mirror and proudly state your affirmations.

Put your big girl panties on and ROCK THIS SCARY SHIT out!

xo, Ali