I recently got asked to be a Young Ambassador for Big Ideas Wales, where I have to go around schools and explain my journey in the hope to inspire them to take on self employment. Therefore thought why not write about it here. Hope you enjoy.
BUSINESS IN ME
Since a young age I have wanted to run my own enterprise constantly day dreaming and planning. I made a magazine whilst in primary school, created logos and pros/cons lists and at 13 sold sweets at school for double the cost along with profit/loss spreadsheet. Wishing I could just leave school to manage my own affairs I wasn’t the most focused student, what can I say tapping had more appeal than French. But being too shy and scared to do something different, I stuck to the 
conveyor belt of education and ended up taking a degree in Business Management and Business IT (2009). Hating the programming IT side of affairs, I fluffed my way through begrudgingly, nearly quitting at the end of 2nd year. Something of a miracle whilst, running a society and working 16 hours week at Tamed, I managed to get a 2-2 (best marks in business modules – operation and innovation, leadership and consumer behaviour.) I found confidence in my natural business mind, my intuition (gut feeling) and just really wanted to go for it.
(Was reading about being an entrepreneur and related, so wrote the entrepreneur in me: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/entrepreneur-me-emily-farr?published=u)
LIGHT BULB MOMENT – what business do I do?
With so many ideas constantly invading my brain space, I was unsure where to start. Which will be the golden egg? How can I find something so amazing….like the chocolate is to the cookie? It wasn’t until America in 2011
where I had no guitar and got chatting to people about music and my thoughts on teaching and creativity, that I realised I had to pursue music one way or another. Voted president of Aber Live Society during my 3rd year, I followed my American guitar home (had to get 
one….7 weeks was just too long) and got cracking on trying out some of the ideas. Starting with a Rewired Workshop booking website/ database for my dissertation whilst, taking on the society from a business point of view, having the chance (with someone else’s money) to gain knowledge and experience within the field, implementing a lot of MY ideas in MY way.
A year later loosing and gaining committee, I was inspired and had hopefully inspired others! Winning society of the year I knew the potential, but had to pass on the baton to a new committee. Continuing my work at Tamed (uni café) I made many coffees and helped with many a function, but the tea and money wasn’t enough motivation. I got awfully stressed and very bored, so found myself writing ideas on napkins. Realising I wasn’t even really playing music I felt stuck and missing being involved in the scene tremendously. SO that was it! Aber Live fell on it’s a**, me crying on the inside and had no new committee to take it on. I had been planning Rewired Music since 3rd year and undertook a little market research so saw this as my chance and took the leap…….! “But you won’t make money” Parents and old Aber Live committee… “SO?” My reply. REWIRED MUSIC BORN: MARCH 2013
BUT WHY O WHY???
Education/ jobs
I never truly engaged at school. Once got detention for playing cards in music class…..#ironic. Just didn’t appeal to me, as I felt forced into a structured system of academia, when I really wanted to get practical and creative. I got and get bored very easily, so I flitter between things…….ooooo squirrel. Nowadays, this has probably got a title and medication, but for me it is creativity! I can only play a game for an hour, rubbish on TV makes me sleepy and can’t often get past the first 2 chapters of a book. I need problems to solve, ideas to create, questions to answer, things to learn, music to play/ listen to and people to inspire…. 9-5 jobs make me stressed and slightly depressed as become routine and boring. I wanted something of my own, something I would work at and reap the reward. Mostly I wanted (want) to provide a service that I never had! Struggling with confidence I never thought music would be for me, pursuing Art, DT and IT. Later realising I had been writing lyrics since 14 and music was a need, a solace, that I want to share with others to hopefully encourage them to do the same.
Freedom & Variety
I can work when I like, not specifically routine 9-5 everyday 5 days a week. Being a random 
individual (get to know me its funny) I often go on what I feel like doing. Generally prefer to work at night so do 11pm – 2am (with many tea breaks of course), or sometimes an out of the office moment is needed (today) or I may want to scout musicians so check out some gigs. This makes for a varied job, with everyday teaching and testing me, keeping me on my toes.
Responsibility
I have always thrived under pressure and when given responsibilities. Otherwise I just get lazy, (bored again), so draw on napkins and count down the hours/ days. Life is too short for that, so want to LIVE it, not spend it in something I hate.
Rewarding
“Life is what we make it” What you get from the business is based on what is put in, so the more done the more reward and the more people involved are affected. Lately I have also realised how much confidence I have gained and how people I have worked with have inspired me. Is a win, win really! I enjoy knowing I am in control and can prove I CAN do it, even if it is different….and in my way!
Personal choice and passionate vision
I often think what if? Don’t we all? I remember wanting to be an architect around GCSE time as enjoyed designing but was put off by 7 years at Uni. My DT teacher spotted my flare and suggested Cardiff Uni to take product/ graphic design, I shortly quit DT – Fear is weird. Now I know that we all have a choice to change. I could still undertake 
product design or maybe just start a range of Rewired earphones (Watch this space). With a personal vision that I have so much passion for, it can be tailored to fit. “Being you is better” Big Ideas Wales. I can constantly be thinking up new, innovative ways to better the business and how to implement them in the most efficient way. It may have a posh business name somewhere, but don’t care if I feel it will work!
Problem Solving
I have always been up for a challenge and getting my teeth into a problem. Now as the boss I must be the trick of all trades…..and wear different hats so to speak. Can be hard to get to grips with some things, but once give it a go and succeed feel such achievement. Friend once said “Life is simply a series of problems we must solve”, which makes me laugh because was also said in Downton. No seriously think about it, if we just ignoring/ escaping problems and decisions it just makes for a bigger pile of sh*t to sort out. So get ya Sudoku on!
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So basically I feel I have to do business, it is hard sometimes but SO worth it 🙂 After nearly leaving it all in August I realise now how much I live and breath Rewired Music. It is me, because that is how it should be! That is my story anyway, so hope you go and make yours. Every one is different, every journey is different, just make sure it’s an interesting one!
Here is a video Somewhereto_ filmed on how to grow a business: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RL4vu6H2bPg
Next blog will be….Is business for you?
REWIRED MUSIC 