Good morning everyone and welcome to this week's Midweek Wednesday Blog. I really hope you have all had an amazing week.
Today I'm going to give you all a bit more information about myself and let you guys all get to know me and my background more.
(Picture from 2004 of me and my mum)
Growing up in Wiltshire I count myself as being very lucky I grew up in a 2 parent family that stayed together was big on family and support and were always there for me. In my childhood I remember my home always being the home where my friends would come to hang out, play and make memories. It was a happy family home with many memories, laughter, tears and generally an awesome happy home.
Why do I say I count myself as lucky?
The reason I say I was very lucky is because I'm fully aware there are many people growing up in unsettled homes, single parent families that don't have family around, not much of a support network and in some cases worrying about when the parents are going to eat. So yes I count myself as being very lucky growing up as I did have a happy family home. But I always remember the friends who didn't have the happy family home.
With all this in mind it does not mean i put myself as being better than anyone and i will never compare myself to anyone else, i like to try and put myself in others shoes to understand their upbringing and if there's anything i can do to help and support that person. You never know when you may be the only real support that person has to achieve their goals and dreams.
So why not help and support them to achieve their life ambitions.
So within my business I try my best to include anyone and everyone to help support everyone in finding clothing they love at reasonable prices, or help to get them started within their own businesses.
When it came to a time where I had to choose what I wanted to do in life I always said it would be a choice between child care and IT and computing. When I turned 15 it was when the big case was going on with a child protection case and decided I didn't want to be put in a vulnerable position and that I decided to pursue my career into IT and Computing.
I studied hard for 5 years and at one point i was told i didn't get high enough grades to continue, but one teacher had my back and said "she can do this i know she can" and thanks to that one teacher i was allowed to do the second course and i blasted that course and came out with Distinctions across the board. This then enabled me to get onto the Bath University HND course i was aiming for and i graduated from University with a Distinction Distinction Merit. I was totally amazed and impressed all at the same time.
If it wasn't for that one teacher who had my back i wouldn't of been able to complete my courses and graduate from University. So i will be forever grateful to that 1 teacher who had my back, fought for me, encouraged me to go for it and allowed me to achieve my goal of graduating.
Ever since that point i have always wanted to help more people, have others backs to achieve their goals and ambitions, without them feeling judged but instead encouraging them to keep pushing and fighting forward.
With all this in mind, i had said for 3 years i wanted my own business to help other people move forward, support people and help as many people as i can and that's when i decided to link together a love for my creative side, my IT expertise and Printing Clothing which i had done briefly on a weekend for a while and i learnt most of what i no now.
After doing 2 years of research, looking into other businesses to work out how i can be different to everyone else. I soon realised that there wasn't anyone out that has incorporated the 2 items together.
For me this was a massive gap that i needed to fill to allow people to have 1 person to go to for all their business needs, instead of having many different businesses doing different things for them.
So MHBiz was born, after sitting on the fence for those 2 years and not realising why i couldn't push forward when i found my barrier, i got up i put the family home up for sale and started my search for my new home and area that i felt was like home.
Whilst house hunting i always had a promise i had made to my mum in my head and that's a promise i WAS NOT BREAKING and i didn't. It became apparent as i was looking for my new home i needed to get out of Wiltshire and make a fresh start, there was nothing left in Wiltshire for me and it no longer sat right with me to stay in Wiltshire.
Ruby gave me all the signs of when she was happy and every time i came into Wales she was happy, jolly and totally a different child so i knew at that point it had to be Wales. When i viewed the house i am now living in, she was happy, running round telling me mummy i like this house so i knew this is where i needed to be and now the rest is my past of where i've come from and now I'm truly happy, living my best life with Ruby and my business is growing from strength to strength and going in different directions i didn't think it would go in.
If i can say anything to anyone who has been sat on the fence for a while, had an idea but doesn't know where to turn, go for it, take the risk, ask the questions what is the worst that can happen? They can say No, it doesn't work out, its fine build up and change direction.
I too the risk, I listened and watched Ruby and how I felt myself and for me it's been the best move of my life, no looking back only looking forward. I am now here to stay and i want to help other people feel happy whether its a set of clothing, a new business venture, what ever way i can help I'm here to stay and I'm here to help.
As my mantra says:
What ever you're doing this week, just remember someone is there to support you, encourage you, take the risk, go for it and remember you're stronger than you believe.
Obviously this is only a small insight into me and my life but i hope it helps you to get to know me a little bit better and why i do what i do.
I'll be back new week with my next installment of Maria's Midweek Wednesday Blog.
Have an awesome week
Maria xxx