Chapter Four: Business Is Not a Bed of Roses
1502 Words
Elena had a serious problem.
Well, technically, she had three.
First, one of her customers wanted a personalised gift box delivered by Friday, despite contacting her on Thursday evening.
Second, the supplier she had ordered ribbons from had suddenly increased the price.
And third, her phone battery was at twelve percent.
She stared at the screen as if the battery percentage had personally offended her.
“Not today,” she whispered. “Please, not today.”
Her phone vibrated.
Customer: Good evening. Please, I need the gift tomorrow morning. It's very important.
Elena inhaled slowly.
Elena: Good evening! Thank you for reaching out. Unfortunately, I can't promise delivery tomorrow morning because the preparation requires time. I can offer you the earliest available delivery slot instead.
She sent the message and placed her phone facedown.
A few seconds later, it vibrated again.
Customer: But it's just a gift box. Why will it take so long?
Elena closed her eyes.
“Because I'm a human being, not a factory,” she muttered.
She wanted to type that exact sentence, but she resisted the temptation.
Running a business was teaching her many things. Patience. Communication. Budgeting.
And the ability to delete a message before sending something that might destroy her reputation.
She returned to her worktable and examined the materials she had left. A few boxes, ribbons, decorative paper, greeting cards, and several small items she used to create customised packages filled the shelves beside her.
It wasn't a large business, but it was hers.
Every order represented somebody trusting her to make an important occasion special. She took that responsibility seriously, even when the customers made her question her life choices.
She checked her notebook and calculated the cost of the materials she needed to purchase.
The figures weren't encouraging.
“If I increase my prices, people will complain,” she said to herself. “If I don't increase them, I'll work for free.”
She tapped her pen against the notebook.
For a moment, she considered putting the business on hold until she had more money. Perhaps she could look for another job and return to her dream later.
The thought unsettled her.
She hadn't started this business because she expected everything to be easy. She had started because she enjoyed creating thoughtful gifts, and she wanted to build something of her own.
She wasn't ready to give up.
Her phone rang.
“Hannah,” she answered, “if you're calling to tell me you're buying another pair of shoes, I don't want to hear it.”
There was a brief silence.
Then Hannah burst out laughing.
“Good afternoon to you too!”
“I'm working. What do you want?”
“First of all, your attitude is terrible.”
“Second?”
“Second, I have an idea.”
Elena leaned back in her chair. “Should I be worried?”
“Probably not. Listen, one of my clients mentioned that her company is organising a small appreciation event next month. They might need customised gift packages for the staff.”
Elena sat up.
“Wait. Really?”
“That's what she said. I haven't promised her anything, but I told her I know someone who does personalised gifts.”
Elena's heart began to beat faster.
“How many packages?”
“I don't know yet. She said they're still discussing the budget and the number of people.”
Elena grabbed her notebook.
“Okay. Ask her what kind of gifts they want, their estimated quantity, their budget, and when they need everything delivered.”
Hannah laughed.
“See? This is why I called you. You sound like a businesswoman now.”
“I am a businesswoman.”
“Yes, ma'am. I apologise.”
Elena smiled, already thinking through the possibilities.
A company order could help her buy materials in larger quantities and introduce her products to people who might become regular customers.
But it could also become a problem if she accepted more work than she could handle.
“Don't promise anything yet,” Elena said. “I need the details first. I don't want to accept an order and disappoint anybody.”
“Fair enough. I'll ask her.”
“Thank you, Hannah. Seriously.”
“Don't thank me until you see the amount they want to pay.”
Elena laughed.
“Leave me alone.”
“You love me.”
“Unfortunately.”
Hannah ended the call, leaving Elena staring at her notebook with a cautious smile.
For the first time that day, the future looked a little less intimidating.
---
That evening, Elena sat with her laptop open, researching ways to improve her business.
She read about product photography, customer retention, packaging costs, and the importance of keeping clear records.
Some of the advice was useful. Some of it seemed written by people who had never tried to start a business with limited funds.
One article suggested hiring a professional photographer.
Elena looked at her account balance.
“Excellent advice. Let me first hire a photographer who accepts prayers as payment.”
She laughed at her own joke, then picked up her phone and opened her business page.
Her pictures weren't terrible, but they could be better. The lighting was inconsistent, and the backgrounds sometimes distracted from the products.
She decided to start small.
She cleared a corner of her worktable, placed a plain background behind a finished gift box, and positioned it near the window. Then she took several photographs, changing the angle until she found one she liked.
The difference surprised her.
The box looked more elegant. The colours were clearer, and the photograph made the details easier to see.
She edited the caption and uploaded the new picture.
This time, she didn't sit staring at the screen.
Instead, she returned to work.
She was learning that growing a business wasn't always about one big breakthrough. Sometimes, it was about noticing what wasn't working and making one small improvement at a time.
Her phone buzzed twenty minutes later.
A new message appeared from an unfamiliar account.
Customer: Hello. I saw your gift boxes on your page. Do you make customised packages for birthdays and special occasions?
Elena smiled.
Elena: Hello! Yes, I do. Please tell me what you have in mind, and I'll be happy to help.
The customer explained what she wanted, and Elena responded with a few suggestions.
They discussed colours, items, pricing, and delivery.
Eventually, the customer asked for her payment details.
Elena read the message twice.
Then she sat perfectly still.
An actual order.
A real customer.
Someone who had seen her work and decided it was worth paying for.
She wanted to jump up and dance, but instead she covered her mouth and smiled at the screen.
“Thank You, God,” she whispered.
It wasn't a huge order, and it wouldn't solve every problem she had. But it was a reminder that her efforts weren't pointless.
She confirmed the order, recorded the details in her notebook, and returned to work with renewed determination.
---
Later that night, Hannah sent a message to the group chat.
Hannah: Ladies, important announcement!
Ara: If this is about another outing, I'm unavailable.
Hannah: You don't even know what I'm going to say.
Ara: I know you.
Elena: Let her speak, Ara.
Hannah: Elena might get a company order through one of my clients!
Ara: Wait. Elena, are we celebrating?
Elena: Not yet. We don't have the details.
Ara: Fine. I'll prepare a small celebration. Something affordable. Maybe one biscuit each.
Hannah: Your generosity is overwhelming.
Ara: I give from the abundance of my heart.
Elena laughed, reading their messages.
Then Ara sent her a private message.
Ara: Seriously, I'm proud of you. Keep going, okay? Don't let the difficult days convince you that you can't do this.
Elena stared at the message for a moment.
Elena: Thank you. I needed to hear that today.
Ara: Good. Now send me a picture of the gift boxes. If they're nice enough, I might order one.
Elena: You mean you'll pay?
Ara: Why must you bring money into every beautiful conversation?
Elena burst out laughing.
For a while, the worries of the day felt lighter.
She still had bills to calculate, materials to purchase, and orders to complete. She still had no idea whether the possible company order would become a reality.
But she had made progress.
And sometimes, progress was simply deciding to try again tomorrow.
As Elena put away her notebook, she noticed a new notification on her business page.
It was a comment beneath her latest photograph.
Comment: These are beautiful. Do you have a physical location, or do you take orders online?
Elena smiled and began typing her reply.
She didn't know who had written the comment. She didn't know whether the person would become a regular customer or simply scroll away after receiving an answer.
She only knew that somebody new had noticed her work.
And that was a beginning.
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