Do I or don't I...?

You guessed it...

I asked myself this question countless times.

For a year or two leading up to registering Dodimead Horology Ltd with Companies House, it continually bounced around in my head.

I already own a 200-year-old, fifth-generation family business, but like most new ventures, stepping into the unknown brings with it a whole range of emotions. Positivity, conviction and self-belief are essential, but overconfidence can be dangerous. Finding the right balance isn't always easy.

The risks, increased workload, finances and the possibility of failure all reared their ugly heads in the lead-up to making things official. There was no shortage of reasons not to do it.

However, as soon as that final step was taken, a new set of feelings emerged, and fortunately they were predominantly positive.

After all, the entire premise of turning this passion into a business was simple: to ensure that collecting, learning about and experiencing as much horological goodness as possible could continue... whilst hopefully covering the overheads and generating a little on top in order to grow.

For me, adopting a relatively laissez-faire approach, combined with a healthy dose of professionalism, means there is very little pressure to perform artificially. This business has come about organically, and I believe it should continue to grow in the same way.

My ramblings here are not specifically about horology, but they have played an important role in shaping my thinking when building this business.

In truth, I don't have to model it on anyone else's idea of success. There are no rules. I don't have to buy stock for the sake of it. I don't have to employ sales tactics that make me uncomfortable, nor do I need to place unnecessary pressure on myself.

Passion, professionalism, transparency and integrity are really the only things that matter to me.

With a bit of luck, the rest will take care of itself.

Onwards and upwards.