Someone's idea of failure could be your greatest small business success, and why that's OK!

Helen Munro

1 day ago4 min read

I recently chatted with Lorraine Donaghey on The Cultivating Creative Podcast about her life and career. Lorraine explained how she accepted a place at the prestigious Royal Ballet School but eventually realised that it wasn't for her.

Can you believe her ballet tutor used the threat of ending up in an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical if they didn't work hard enough?! However Lorraine later realised that musical theatre was actually what she wanted, so she dived into auditions for musicals and this was the start of a career that included roles in Phantom of the Opera, Cats and more recently Mama Mia.

What could have been seen as a failure to some, was a huge achievement for others, and Lorraine has gone on to have a successful career appearing in popular West End musicals and shows. When she had children she pivoted again, starting her own business by founding Mini Molesey Theatre Club and Molesing Ladies Choir.

Lorraine's story shows how things sometimes don't go the way we expect and that's OK. Sometimes we need to redefine success in our own terms. Here's why:

Our definition of success doesn't need to match other peoples

Often, success is defined by traditional markers such as a high-status job or a certain level of income. However, there are so many other factors that define success. In a recent Instagram reel you'll hear me ranting about the self-titled Instagram experts who tell you what you need to do in order to be successful. First of all I don't agree that there's a one-size-fits-all solution to social media and small business marketing, and secondly who says what success is? Why do we need to feel obliged to conform to other people's definition of success when we have different desires and priorities?

Many years ago I worked in a sales role and there was a lot that I enjoyed and a huge amount that I learnt. Every month we had a sales target and we'd do all that we could to hit those targets. But whether we hit the target or not, we'd get a new target next month and start the process again. At the end of the year you might get a thank you for your hard work but you'd just get new targets and off we'd go again trying to hit the new targets (which would be higher if you hit the last ones!). Whilst I always aim to do my best, the constant targets didn't give me a sense of success, especially as when I hit them it was immediately onto the next. The real successes I took from that role were learning to speak in front of an audience, leading training sessions, creating incentives and holding my own with sales people in a male dominated context. I learnt to manage myself as I was based from home and my confidence grew. Those were my successes - I have no idea now how many times I hit my sales targets!

True success is about finding what you love

Lorraine's passion and hard work led her to a career in musical theatre, even though it wasn't the path she initially started out on. When you're passionate about your work, you're more likely to be successful and happy. Lorraine found that she loved the creative process that came with being involved in original musical pieces and this paved the way for her future role leading Mini Molesey Theatre Club where she now compiles the scripts, directs acting, dancing and singing, creates the costumes and so much more.

Failure is a learning opportunity

No-one loves it when things don't go to plan. Sometimes pushing ourselves outside our comfort zone comes with the risk of failure but the rewards can be great. If we never push ourselves we won't achieve our full potential. Since starting Cultivating Creative I have pushed myself in ways that I never thought I would in the past. And the more I'm willing to try new things, the more confidence I have to keep going, even when things don't go as planned.

Your definition of success may change over time: As Lorraine's career evolved, her priorities shifted. She quickly found that performing on stage wasn't compatible with raising her young children so she found new ways to use her skills and pursue her passions. It's OK to change your goals and redefine success as you grow and evolve. In fact I'd say it's actually essential!

My suggestions for Small Business Owners:

Be open to new opportunities: I never imagined that through Cultivating Creative I would start a podcast. But I created the opportunity and gratefully accepted the offers of help that I received.

Don't be afraid to pivot: If your initial business idea isn't working, be willing to adapt and change course.

Focus on your strengths and passions: Build a business around what you love and what you're good at.

Define success on your own terms: Don't let societal expectations or other people's opinions dictate your goals.

Celebrate your achievements: Acknowledge and celebrate your accomplishments, no matter how small they may seem.

Lorraine's journey is a reminder that success is not linear. It's OK to deviate from your initial plans and embrace unexpected opportunities that might come your way. This might be as a result of life changes or it could be through being open to what's available at a certain place and time. By staying true to your values, focusing on your passions, and defining success on your own terms, you can do what you love, even if it looks different to what you originally imagined.

Thanks for reading! If you have any comments do share them or you can contact me on Instagram. Here's where you can listen to the podcast: