“Running a business, a lot like building something new, it is a long road of making decisions in the dark and holding this vision in your head when no one else can even see it yet. It can be slow, scrappy, exhausting. It’s a process. There’s no road map. There’s no manual. And if you knew how hard it would get, you might hesitate to start at all. But that initial bravado, that feeling of ‘I got this’, maybe it’s essential.”
— Meghan Markle, Confessions of a Female Founder
This quote hit me deeply, because I felt every single word in it. Listening to #ConfessionsofaFemaleFounder reminded me how powerful it is to hear stories of other women who turned a small spark into a meaningful impact. These Inside-the-journey conversations with brilliant founders aren’t just relatable, they’re reminders that you’re not alone in the chaos of building something from scratch.
When I started DolMel ™ , I didn’t just start a business. I started a dream that had lived in my head long before it was tangible, long before it could pay salaries or create jobs, long before it made sense to anyone else. And one of the hardest parts of building that dream? Building the team to carry it with you.
Coming from a structured background shaped by years in the corporate world, I thought I knew how to hire. After all, I had spent a significant part of my career understanding systems, people, and performance. But when it comes to your own business, hiring isn’t just transactional, it’s personal. It’s a gamble. It’s emotional. You’re not just filling a role; you’re inviting someone into your vision. That requires funding, yes, but more than that, it takes time, intuition, and a lot of trial and error.
I remember one powerful lesson I learned during a mentorship session hosted by Renew Capital: Hire slow, fire fast. Especially in a startup. Especially when resources are tight and every decision counts. Bringing on someone who’s already experienced and trained can do more for your momentum than hiring someone with zero background and trying to mold them from scratch, no matter how enthusiastic they seem. I made that mistake. I hired someone with zero experience, poured time into their growth, mentored them daily, and just when they reached a level where I no longer needed to micro-manage, they left.
It hurt. But I learned.
This is the beauty and heartbreak of running your own business: the lessons are real-time and often expensive. And yet, you keep going.
Finding the right people who not only understand your brand but are also capable of carrying it forward while you zoom out and look at the big picture? Incredibly hard. And in my case, I am the big picture.
I am the designer, the creative director, the accountant, the marketer, the saleswoman, the buyer, the customer service rep, the social media manager, the content creator, the communicator, the fundraiser, the visionary, the everything, and still, the one washing the samples when needed. It’s laughable sometimes, but also deeply humbling.
Yes, I am a multitasker, but I’m also human. There’s only so much I can carry alone.
That’s why learning to delegate and outsource has become more than a necessity, it’s a survival skill. Whether that meant partnering with garment constructors, tailors, or pattern makers to streamline production, or developing a basic internship program to fill gaps, I had to learn to trust others with pieces of the vision I’ve been holding so tightly.
The catch? With limited finances, I couldn’t afford seasoned professionals. So I brought in interns. And then realized: even that requires a structure. A training approach. Clear expectations. Basically, a whole system, just to get help.
But I’m learning. I’m learning that done imperfectly is better than perfect and never done; progression over perfection. I’m learning that it’s okay to grow slow, as long as it’s real. And I’m learning that building the right team is not just about resumes or skillsets, it’s about heart, grit, and the ability to see a future that hasn’t been built yet.
As I continue navigating the chaos and beauty of building DolMel ™ I’ve found comfort and clarity in voices that remind me I’m not alone. One of those voices is Meghan Markle’s in her new podcast, #ConfessionsofaFemaleFounder. She speaks with women who’ve turned tiny sparks into global brands, and who, like me, have wrestled with doubt, exhaustion, and the messy reality of doing something that doesn’t have a manual. These types of conversations offer not just insight, but real, grounding solidarity. They’re a reminder that while we’re each carving our own path, we’re walking a shared journey, one brave, scrappy step at a time.
Let’s keep going… shall we?
#DolMelWave Continues
