The flame that started... then died

Many months ago, I had a meeting with a friend that triggered this journey of starting a home-based business. But before that, let me give you some backend history.

When I was much younger, I had always wanted to open up my own brick and mortar all-day breakfast joint. With an entire row of overflowing containers dedicated to all-time favourite cereals like Trix and KoKo Krunch. Milk being supplied directly from a "cow" hung in the centre of the shop, where the cook will be flipping pancakes and where customers have free access to maple syrup, butter and other condiments. 

Of course, this was a dream. Something I can only conjure up in my head. Renting, let alone owning, a shop in Singapore is a huge cost to burden in the 21st century, not including the supplies and inventory needed to sustain such a business. Hence, the dream remained a dream and life went on as it is. 

20 odd years later, I am married with a few kids in tow, such dreams continue to be well tucked away. Priorities changed and you continue to hold down that desk job to get paid monthly. But what my friend shared about how her friend started a home-based business while on her maternity leave, changed my perspective and woke me up from dormancy. It's all a matter of how badly I wanted to actualise my dream. And now I finally am.

That same night, after that meeting with my friend, my mind went into overdrive on all the possible businesses I can start from home. And then it hit me, baby gifts! 

Many days went on with me researching into baby products, sieving through AliExpress for wholesalers and looking up all other baby gifting companies in Singapore. Truly, after a week or two, I was disheartened. How am I, a complete noob to business in general, going to compete with all these established companies. There is no way I can even get a small piece of that pie. 

 So I gave up the idea altogether.