CLAIRE DELUNE
Shares her biggest learnings yet that came from the darkest of places... By CLAIRE DELUNE
If there is one thing I can pass on from my humbling life experiences this far, it would be to follow your heart to greatness. If something doesn’t feel right, then it probably isn’t. But sometimes the perfect bumpy journey is EXACTLY as it should be. I’ve learnt it’s the blackest of bruises that grind us to a complete holt that also nourish our shallow roots and allow us to grow to our fullest, most solid potential. Growing as an entrepreneur, friend, wife and mother is exactly what I’ve done for the last two months. After NOT getting lucky, but rather working days, nights and weekends to achieve two degrees and an epic amount of sought-after work experience - I had arrived at the peak of my life - owning a Sunshine Coast venue that set the new standard for interiors and music in the region. To get to this point, it had been a real feat. One of the biggest challenges I found was working within an all men management structure, with all partners having different expectations of what The Factory was to become. With a huge setback, and a community in mourning in the early stages of opening, we pushed through. But the biggest setback for the company was a lack of awareness in our competitive environment and an inability to compete with it. I had taken a big risk. I chose to ride the fastest horse and I had fallen off. Six months later bruised and battered, I was dealing with the reality that we were about to walk away with nothing. After relentless pain staking work, I was tired, beat-up, emotionally scared, and being individually publicly shamed for the failings of a business that had a rich tapestry of contributors. An avalanche of emotions and grief beyond belief, there was no place to hide, no place to run. I had been forced to quieten my mind and seek learnings from the past. What had I done to deserve this outcome? How could it have been different? 22 ISSUE 72
Claire’s biggest business learnings of all time. Claire believes these principals are fundamental to business success. Be aware of your environment at all times. What are the potential threats? React like lightning. Make decisions quickly. Network to gain information from the right people. A lack of awareness will lead to business failure every time. Like a plant or animal adapts to its environment so must we adapt to survive. Otherwise you will become extinct. It is the nature of the universe, so makes perfect sense in business too. Invest in the best people, but keep your relationships professional. The cross over into friendships (although it’s bound to happen with the special ones) will cloud your clarity of vision. It is important to look after your staff, but not at the cost of the business. Think extremely long and hard before taking on business partners with different ideologies. The success of anything is about working as a team, and if ideologies are so contrasting, it is bound to end in disaster. Be stoic. Invest for the future and not the now and you will be on the path to greatness. I have always had a YOLO attitude, but my latest learnings through failure are to invest, invest in your family, invest in your future. Our social media lifestyles focus on convincing the exact opposite of stoicism. For me personally the success lies in maintaining a consistent brand - through social media, but in reality I’m very aware of the need to save for a rainy day. The backbone of every successful entrepreneur is a timely dedication to saving for the winter months. You may have had an amazing summer period of high yields, but know winter is coming and you’ll need your supplies stocked! Believe in yourself. Even if others doubt you. One third will hate you. One third will tolerate you and one third will LOVE you! i.e. In my situation, I know I am working toward positive ethical outcomes for the future and that if people doubt you, that’s their negative space, not yours. If you back yourself, others will too! Be a chameleon. If you can morph into any situation and become that environment, or fit into that scene or situation you are more likely to have allies and allies promote business success. www.clairedelunedesigns.com
