Do you know why I have been in Norway for over a year now? I got this CRAZY idea to open a shop with Estonian design in Norway. I am known for crazy ideas, but this one here… This is even beyoooond crazy. I almost cannot believe that I actually made it happen. This has been the hardest year in my life – the losts, the lessons, the breakdowns – and if you ask me if I would dare to start with a project like nEST again, my answer would be “no”. It is insane risk and I also must say thatbbefore opening the shop I freaked out and wanted to quit, I felt I don’t have enough knowledge ( and before maternity leave I had worked with export to Scandinavia for over ten years!).
The reason I continued was the signed agreements. Without it, I think I would not be in Norway today. I kept asking myself why the hell did I need all this.
But there probably is a reason. It has been more than a challenging year, for me, my family, it has been a year of critics, comments, rumours, but I have learnt a lot. As a entrepreneur, person, mother and wife. I know I have failed in many positions, as a mother and wife most, but the more I am thankful for the lessons, the reunions, new friends, who have become almost familymembers.
nEST has had better and worse times. The start was probably worst, a moderate growth followed and now I am back to worse. Moving the shop made me invisible and I start from zero again. It took six months to get people to visit the old shop, now it has gone five months and I finally see some interest again. I keep my fingers crossed that my efforts will have a result.
Will I survive while waiting? I really really really hope. Is hope enough to succeed?
I have smiled, cried, been bitter, disappointed, sad …The year has been an emotional roller coaster, but I think perhaps all this negative is actually in a way a positive thing. It made me think and move. In directions I thought are impossible. Isn’t the impossible often the untried? And now I try. It’s too early to talk about anything, but I am working.
I wish to thank everyone who have had the patience to be on this ride with me. It means a lot to me.
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