This week we celebrated this small business's 2 year anniversary. 2 YEARS!! Can you believe it? We hardly can.
What has this past two years taught us? A LOT but let's not go through the steps and thoughts, difficulties and fun again. ;-P
We aren't only celebrating a birthday but a huge change in cycling. A historic change to be precise. The first Tour de France Femmes is under way and it's as exciting as we thought it would be. This is a huge milestone in women's cycling and a change we, female cyclists, have been waiting for a long time. There has been many comments on this that goes anything from 'why is it only a week long?' to 'it's not as exciting as the men's race'.
We are not here to analyse this as we are not experts but we have our own opinion.
This race follows years of campaigning by professional teams, passionate every-day female cyclists and organisations who always believed in women's cycling. After many historic attempts failed due to financial difficulties, limited media coverage and trademark issues, 2022 is finally the year when we can see women fighting for the yellow jersey and stage wins.
When professional male cyclists admit that it is more exciting to watch than men's race, we believe there is a place for women's racing. These professional cyclists have daughters and they will be very glad that there were women fighting for their daughter's future (if they wanted to become professional cyclists).
While even women absolutely love watching the men's Tour de France, wouldn't be time to actually allow the women to do the same? Change is inevitable and we can't just get stuck in the past and say 'but this is how we've been doing this in the past 100 odd years'...it doesn't matter how it used to be. What matters is that we develop, improve and change things to the better.
We already did a blog about women in sport so we won't be talking about it again but we wanted Tour de France Femmes (TdFF) to be used as the perfect example for how change is happening all the time (sometimes after a very long time but still) and it is up to us how we react to it.
Most people are scared of change. They are actually terrified of it. Why? Because it's different. Most people live within their comfort zone because it's familiar, it's known and almost certain...but why are we here on Earth? (The grand question) To live within the familiar and known or sometimes get out of our comfort zone and experience the unknown? Only you can answer for yourself but if you ask us, we went for out of our comfort zone to start this business.
Was it scary? YES
Was it unknown? YES (still don't know what i'm doing tbh)
Was it worth it? YES
Despite not knowing how long we can carry on for, I can honestly say, it was the best decision. I did not want to look back in 10 years time and wish I had the courage to do it. Even if it didn't work out I am so grateful for all the people who I met (online and face-to-face), they showed me there is hope and love for small businesses. The people who helped me along the way; friends who gave their time to help with social media and modelling. Returning customers who became more than just customers; our ambassadors who I feel so lucky to have and happy to see their journey into motherhood and new friends who I might have not met without having my business. It may not be what I originally thought but it could lead me to something different but better. There is always a silver lining and I chose to see it that way.
I had huge personal changes in my lift recently which was definitely scary. Most of you know our little business moved from London to the Peak District. Not knowing the area or anyone around was very scary. Leaving the familiar, the known and friends behind was definitely difficult but I was ready for the change. I welcomed it and wanted it....bought a house that needs a lot more TLC than we thought and to save money, we are doing most of the work. Do I have any idea how to fill holes, caulk or decorate properly? No but it was a challenge and its still is. Every day there is another fault to fix and I can do it. It's something I am now very proud of. It's hard work, it's very tiring but I learn as I go and I can honestly say, it was the right decision.
We never grow when we don't take risks, when we don't go out of our comfort zone and face the unknown. Change is the only way to live life. It can be very hard at first, of course it can be. But we always realise that every change brings another opportunity, it brings new perspective and an even better outcome that you didn't think could happen.
Let's not be afraid of it but face it, work with it and create something beautiful at the end of it. :-)
Do you agree? Let's hear it. X
Chapeau, is the kit women's only ??