Our 7th Birthday - A Message from Rach

7 Years of Bear Burners.

Year 7 has not been for the faint hearted. I’d love to say we sailed through it and we’ve bossed year 7, but that would be telling a porkie pie. This year has tested me from angles I didn’t even know existed, and it’s truly been a year of perseverance. I am never one for new year, new me kinda thing, but right now I am focusing on it.

From signing for our new cave (boy was that a commitment) to ripping the whole place apart to make it cave approved, I can hand on heart say, I shall not be doing that again - all you renovation peeps are bonkers.

7 lessons I’ve learned from 7 years of building this.

Be kind to yourself. Many are quick to critique time keeping, commitments, availability, time. But how many are knee deep in building a business from the ground up? Keep doing you. You matter.

Opinions. Everyone’s got em. Don’t try to change it. If they ain’t gunna like you, you could give them a pot of gold and they’d still not like you. They only matter if they sit at the same table as you. Any others. Let them.

Stories. Lies. The amount you’ll hear about yourself, is insane. And truth be told up until 3 months ago, used to hurt me. Now. It’s happened too much and I’m focusing that energy into my business and my reasons.

Don’t chase growth. Let it come naturally. We’ve always grown organically, and got lost the last 2 years or so, and in that respect, lost all the things I love about Bear Burners.

Scrutiny will always happen. No matter the good you do, the bad will be focused on and you cannot change that. You cannot control people’s narratives, but you can, just, let them.

Time. You won’t get it back. So don’t be the

nice guy and sacrifice it in the thought you’ll get it next week, next month, next year. It doesn’t happen. Make the time.

Personal health. There is no let up in business for this, believe it or not. So get a plan in place. I’ve done myself damage this year returning back to work when I shouldn’t have - not because I wanted to mind. Prioritise you, because no one else will - a lesson I’m still learning.

What will I take in to year 8. Slow, steady growth. Happiness, health and putting my little family first.