Written by: Marsha Parcou, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
My journey began as a businesswoman in 2017 when I took the decision to go full-time into business with my husband. I had been employed for over 10 years and getting a full-time salary. What was becoming clear was that I now had to wear a different cap.
“You can fail one million times, but you only need to succeed once.”
Chatterbox was born in 2017. Neither of us had ever run a coffee shop before and had no experience in running such a business. As they say, eating in a restaurant and managing a restaurant are two totally different things, and I could not agree more with this appraisal.
We knew that from the outset, it would be chaotic and that many mistakes would be made along the way. We were comfortable with that because we both knew that we had embarked on an adventure and had a steep luring curve to learn about to improve our business.
Most businesses in Seychelles, faces identical challenges, particularly when it comes to staff. This was our greatest challenge; we could not find or maintain a good local workforce. As a result both of us had to do everything, from cleaning, cooking, running the daily errands and overseeing the daily operation of the business. Chatterbox was very much our newborn baby! Our life schedule was grueling.
My husband and I have different management and leadership styles: I am more of a team player. My husband, on the other hand, has a somewhat authoritarian approach. We used to clash a lot about the matter since our operating styles were very different, which in a positive light, allowed for our strengths and weaknesses to be complimented.
In the beginning it was quite challenging, particularly, because I did not know how to draw the line between business life and married life. My husband was no longer just my husband he was now also my business partner. We had to wear different caps and at times neither of us knew how and when to switch caps.
I did not have a clue how to deal with my emotions or how not to take work issues personally. It took time to learn to maneuver all this, but the bottom line was I had to learn how to separate our business life from our personal life. The business was not only putting a toll on our marriage, but it was also putting a toll on my mental, emotional, and physical health.
Two years after opening Chatterbox my husband, decided to open a bar and grill restaurant. Fatefully, this new venture brought more problems and sorrows to my existing plate.
Already, we were under-staffed, and when my husband travelled I had to step in and manage everything during his absence. I found myself juggling two very demanding businesses. I had no balance in my life and i did not know how to process and deal with all the business pressure and stress.
As months passed by, we began to realised that this venture was not the right business model for both of us. Therefore, we decided that there was no significance in pursuing it and so we called it a day. As an entrepreneur, you must know which battles to fight, and which ones to walk away from. I embraced and thanked that experience and see what lessons I could learn. At the end of the day, if the business or anything associated with it is causing unnecessary stress or mental health issues, it is not worth all the sacrifices and hassles.
At the core of my being, I am a driven, passionate woman who has always wanted to be the best in my field. I must say my career has, in effect, been my foundation. As a businesswoman my role has changed; I have become like a mother to my business. I have no choice but to make my business work. When you are employed, you look forward to receiving your paycheck but when you are a business owner, especially during challenging times, you do not look forward to the month’s end. That is because you know what is expected of you.
The businesses taught me many lessons and which pushed me to the edge where there was the option to either sink or swim.
Fear and failure have been my number one twin. It took me so long to realise that this is part of life and that I must become comfortable with, it if I am to succeed. I learned that I will not always get it right and that is totally OK. Failure is necessary, and it is part of the process because if you do not fail, then how will you ever learn?
I learned to better manage and control my emotions. I reminded myself that no matter what challenges I was facing, my job is to be at the service of others.
I learnt that success is not gifted to me. I must work hard for it. In the end, the satisfaction is knowing that success is an extension of your own idea and creativity.
There is a time and season when you must be willing to walk alone. This is the season when it feels like everything is working against you. When you will be standing at the edge, you will have two options: either you call it a day, or you continue. By choosing to continue you will know that it is not going to be an easy journey.
Entrepreneurs swim against the tide; they do not go with the flow, and it is very important to remain resilient through all the hard times and often against the odds.
School and society do not prepare and form entrepreneurs. Nobody is there to tell you what your journey will look like; they do not prepare us for the failures and what to do when we stumble. Persistence is key. If you believe it is really the right thing. Commit uncompromisingly!
Marsha Parcou, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Marsha Parcou is an entrepreneur, based in the Seychelles Islands, on a mission to empower corporate teams and employees to find confidence in themselves and maximize their wellness and productivity.
As the founder and figurehead of Fasinasyon, she runs a multi-faceted lifestyle brand that promotes a healthy and holistic approach to the body, mind, and soul through a range of services, from corporate and life coaching to beauty and skincare products. Accredited by the Health Coach Institute, USA, she coaches using International Coach Federation (ICF) tools and exercises whilst delivering her own unique framework for personal and team transformation.
Marsha is also an accomplished public speaker, she has been interviewed on SBC, Paradise FM and TeleSecel. She also recently held an event to celebrate the launch of her debut book 'Becoming A Famn Fasinasyon'.
Alongside her work within the wellness industry, she is also the co-founder and part owner of Chatterbox Café located at Eden Plaza, the famed first ever 'coffee shop' on Mahe Island, Seychelles. Previously to owning and operating her businesses, Marsha has 10 years’ experience in tourism marketing management having worked for Seychelles Tourism (then known as the Seychelles Tourism Board).
