By Caitlyn Gerrish – Arts & Culture Editor

In the early spring of 2020, during the height of the global pandemic, I launched a small business. While I never could have foreseen becoming a business owner while pursuing an undergraduate degree, the experience has been incredibly rewarding. This year marks the third anniversary of the debut of Humblehaus, the artisanal ice cream business I started in my kitchen as a first-year English literature student at Bishop’s. Launching myself into the world of owning a business came with its fair share of challenges, all of them providing valuable learning lessons that have allowed me to grow and continue to evolve as a young entrepreneur.

As a humanities student, I had no educational background in the business field. This should not be a barrier to becoming an entrepreneur, however. I decided to take a few courses in the business department at Bishop’s to enrich my understanding of the field. I learned some valuable skills about the basics of entrepreneurship and marketing, but more importantly, I expanded my network. I was able to meet with a variety of experts in the business world, from professors to business owners and even fellow student entrepreneurs. These interactions allowed me to ask more questions, brainstorm new ideas, and even test my products with industry experts. I was able to grow not only my business but also my limits as an entrepreneur and person.

Owning a business is not always easy, however. While most people I encounter — customers, partners or otherwise — have been very supportive of my business, I inevitably face opposition at times too.  One of the challenges with being a young woman entrepreneur is that you are not always taken as seriously by larger organizations. This can make important elements such as product sourcing and grant applications more complicated. However, these situations have strengthened my adaptability as a person. Entrepreneurship beckons you to evolve and change. Situations like these have allowed me to grow thicker skin and be more willing to change with the tides.

Looking back to my first days navigating the operations of a small business, the number one piece of advice I would have given myself is to stay passionate and remain tenacious amidst the hard moments. Being a full-time student and a business owner makes it easy to become impatient if your business is not taking off as quickly as you may have hoped. In these moments, the tendency would be to become frustrated and lose interest in your product or service. The trick is to remind yourself that every business owner faces these hurdles. Staying excited and passionate about your project is exactly what will allow you to overcome them.