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Name: Julia Bishop

Business: TenByWhen

Location: Houston, Texas, U.S.

Industry: Consumer Goods 

Reason for starting? I started TenByWhen, an online store, simply out of desperation for a job and an income. I had just completed all of my studies, and then I experienced a time of great pain with the passing of several family members in a short time. Rather than keep me in the fold, my boss at the time did everything she could to prevent me from working or getting a job anywhere. In the end I concluded that I must have done something wrong and decided to use whatever skills I thought I had to help myself. With my confidence shaky and not sure of what I was doing I decided to start and fiddle my way through until I was sure. In the end I loved it. It was easy to use, fun and most of all made me believe I had a future again. I even started to think of more businesses to develop if we are successful. As I think of it, I would be happy to be an employer and help transform lives someday!

Related: Read about another Consumer Goods entrepreneur here. 

How do you define success? Someone who has it all but remains humble! I imagine that the highlife is fast paced, and it’s easy to move on when the people around you remain the same.

Biggest success: My biggest success is simply starting. The journey to this point has been a battle with uncertainty and doubt, naysayers and distractors, users, tricksters and liars, but we have launched and are going to make the best of it. Up until this point the death and grief I’ve experienced with my son and his disorder as well as my joblessness and a general lack of specific experience. At this point though, I think they have all made me more decisive. There are always a lot of needs and wants, but these restrictions make me say: “This is what is going to happen because this is all I’ve got” and then, “hope for the best!”

What is your top challenge and how have you addressed it? So far, I’ve experienced a lack of support, services paid for but not delivered, and general adaptation to various technological requirements, but nothing to my mind compares to working from a home office with a child with attention deficit disorder. The days seem extremely long, but the time to get work done seems extra short and tasks don’t seem to end. I try to address it first and foremost by eating well and trying to get some exercise, by trying to communicate better with him, and lots and lots of planning. Making sure that we spend quality one-on-one time connecting is important.

Related: 5 Crowdfunders to Watch – Inspired by History 

Who is your most important role model? My Mom. I don’t know how she did it all… a working wife and mother to two children, but as I continue on this journey I’m learning to appreciate her more and more. Thanks Mom!

[box_light]Website   www.tenbywhen.com
Twitter   @tenwhen
Facebook   www.facebook.com/tenbywhen
Instagram   @TenByWhen[/box_light]

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Edited by The Story Exchange