I’ve been thinking about a business I used to have a few years ago.
It was one of the most natural things I’ve ever done.
I genuinely enjoyed the work. Nothing felt forced. I loved serving my clients, solving problems, and watching the business grow. Every now and then I find myself wondering whether I should go back to it.
Then I remind myself that not every beautiful season is meant to last forever.
Some seasons end exactly when they’re supposed to.
That business was one of them.
But there’s something about it that I’ve been reflecting on lately.
Not a single one of my clients was a friend.
Not one.
Not a family member either.
Every person who kept that business alive was a complete stranger.
At the time, I don’t think I appreciated how remarkable that was.
Now I do.
I’m thinking about it because I’ve started a new business.
It’s still in its early days, but it’s been pulling at my heart for a long time. Naturally, my mind has been occupied with marketing, advertising, and wondering how to get it in front of the right people.
When my first shipment arrived, my family were actually the first people to buy from me, and I appreciate that.
But I’ve also come to recognize something that feels different from genuine belief.
Sometimes people buy from you because they don’t want to be seen as unsupportive.
Not because they’re excited about what you’ve created.
Not because they truly see its value.
They’re simply being polite.
There’s nothing wrong with that.
But it’s different.
With my previous business, I spent a lot of time advertising to people who knew me.
Very few were interested.
The people who became loyal clients were people I’d never met before.
Strangers.
And somehow, that feels encouraging rather than discouraging.
It reminds me that a business doesn’t grow because people know you.
It grows because what you’re offering solves a problem for someone.
Strangers don’t buy from obligation.
They buy because they want what you’re selling.
There’s something incredibly honest about that.
So this time, I think I’m going to stop worrying so much about convincing the people around me.
I’ll spend my energy finding the people who are already looking for what I have.
Maybe they’ll be strangers too.
In fact, I hope they are.
Because strangers don’t know me.
They don’t owe me anything.
If they choose to buy from me, it’ll be because they genuinely believe my product is worth paying for.
And somehow, that feels like the strongest foundation a business can have.