Helping My Friend Start a Crochet Business Online Reminded Me Why Small Businesses Matter

Save

One of my friends recently started a small crochet business.

And honestly?
Watching somebody try to turn something they love into something real is both exciting and terrifying at the same time.

Because people online make starting a business sound simple.

They show:
✨ polished packaging
✨ viral videos
✨ aesthetic workspaces
✨ “small business success” montages

But they don’t show the part where somebody sits staring at a blank Instagram page thinking:

“What if nobody cares?”

And I think that’s the stage most people get stuck in.

Not because they aren’t talented.
Not because their products aren’t good enough.

But because being seen is scary.

Starting a Business Is Vulnerable

My friend makes genuinely beautiful crochet pieces.

The kind of handmade creations you can immediately tell somebody poured time, care, and personality into.

But like so many creative people, confidence was the hardest part.

Not the crocheting.
Not the products.
Not the ideas.

The posting.

The showing up online.
The possibility of putting work out there and hearing… nothing.

And honestly?
I understood that feeling immediately.

Because I’m exactly the same.

The Fear of Posting to an Empty Room

I think one of the biggest misconceptions about social media is that confident people are the only ones who succeed.

But most small business owners start by posting to practically nobody.

No audience.
No engagement.
No customers.
No viral moment waiting around the corner.

Just:

• one post
• one product
• one idea
• and a quiet hope somebody somewhere connects with it

That’s how almost every small business starts.

And I kept reminding my friend:

posting to an empty room is still posting.

Because consistency matters more than instant attention.

People often quit before their audience even has time to find them.

Helping Build Confidence Through Branding

One of my favourite parts was helping with the branding side.

We worked on:
☕ logo ideas
☕ colours
☕ usernames
☕ social media setup
☕ content ideas
☕ audience direction
☕ overall aesthetic

And honestly?
Something changes when a business starts looking real.

A logo suddenly makes an idea feel tangible.
A social media page makes it feel possible.
A brand identity gives people confidence in themselves.

That’s one of the reasons I love helping people with websites and branding so much.

Because sometimes people don’t need somebody to “save” their business idea.

They just need somebody to help them believe they’re allowed to take it seriously.

Your First Posts Will Feel Weird

I told my friend something I wish more people understood:
your first posts are probably not going to be amazing.

And that’s okay.

Everyone starts somewhere.

Most successful businesses have:

• awkward first logos
• inconsistent branding
• old posts they cringe at later
• content nobody saw
• launches that barely got attention

That’s normal.

Social media growth takes time.

The important thing is learning:

• what your audience likes
• what feels authentic
• how you want your business to sound
• and how to keep showing up even when growth feels slow

Small Businesses Need Personality Now

One thing I think helps small businesses massively now is personality.

People don’t just buy products anymore.

They buy:

• stories
• creators
• aesthetics
• values
• connection
• community

Especially with handmade businesses like crochet brands, people want to feel connected to the person behind the creations.

That’s why I encouraged my friend not to wait until everything felt “perfect” before posting.

Perfection usually delays growth more than imperfect action ever will.

Why I Care About Helping Small Businesses

Honestly?
Helping my friend start this crochet business reminded me exactly why I created Lazy Girl Builds in the first place.

Because so many talented people are hiding incredible skills behind fear and self-doubt.

People who:

• can create beautiful things
• have amazing ideas
• could absolutely build successful businesses

…but convince themselves they aren’t experienced enough, confident enough, or “professional” enough to start.

And I think we need more honest conversations about that.

Not everyone starting a business is loud and extroverted.

Some of us are anxious.
Quiet.
Overthinkers.
People hiding behind laptops trying to build something meaningful while doubting ourselves every five minutes.

And honestly?
That doesn’t make your dream any less valid.

The Most Important Thing I Told Her

Save

At one point my friend worried nobody would see her posts.

And maybe at first?
Not many people will.

But every successful business once had:

• zero followers
• zero customers
• zero confidence
• zero clue what they were doing

The people who grow are usually just the people who kept posting anyway.

Even when it felt awkward.
Even when engagement was low.
Even when they questioned themselves.

And honestly?
I think there’s something really brave about creating in public before you feel ready.

Final Thoughts From Lazy Girl Builds

Helping somebody build a business from scratch is such a reminder that most people don’t need more talent.

They need:
✨ encouragement
✨ honesty
✨ support
✨ consistency
✨ and permission to start imperfectly

Because confidence usually doesn’t appear first.

Action does.

And sometimes the difference between:

“I wish I started…”

and

“I’m so glad I tried…”

…is simply pressing post for the first time 🖤