No matter what type of business you’re building — size, stage, industry, team — if you’re an entrepreneur, I’m sure you can relate to moments when you question: what am I even doing building this company?

I’m not afraid to say I’ve been there. You shouldn’t be ashamed either if that’s been you.

Funny enough, on a few of those nights, I can recall reading a book to my daughter at bedtime that likely impacted me more positively in the moment than it did her: The Magical Yet by Angela DiTerlizzi.

It’s funny how, before having a child, I’d forgotten how many positive lessons sneak into children’s books. There are so many good nuggets for us adults.

The opening page of The Magical Yet sums up the story’s core theme well:

On the subsequent pages, the book depicts a child learning to ride a bike and, after several setbacks, decides it would be better to quit than to keep going in misery.

Enter…

The Magical Yet 🪄.

The Yet is a whimsical creature that helps children see how far they’ve come, even when the feelings of failure take over. The Yet doesn’t remove the challenges or provide immediate gratification, but rather guides towards practice, hard work and, importantly, perseverance.

Instead of I can’t ride my bike. I quit!

The Yet would encourage a reframe: I can’t ride my bike YET.

This short picture book is full of other lessons, too:

The book is really all about teaching children a growth mindset from an early developmental stage. That’s not a lesson that goes away with age.

“Yet” is a small word, but it helps you dig deeper and find a positive path. It doesn’t allow you to be consumed by feelings of defeat. It opens the opportunity to navigate the problem and come out stronger on the other side.

It’s also not simply about “believing more” until the outcome manifests. Part of the book’s power is in illustrating what it takes to get better: “Yet doesn’t mind warm-ups, fixes, and flops, do-overs, re-dos, stumbles and stops.”

In the example of riding a bike, that looks like getting back on and practicing through a couple of falls and frustrations until it clicks.

In business, that could look like:

I want to make sure I’m clear on one point here. Using “yet” as a positive reframe does not mean “keep going no matter what.” At the end of the road, the answer might simply be “not this.” That’s OK.

At least you thought through it instead of throwing up your hands.

At least you know better how to move forward, instead of feeling stuck.

The Magical Yet hasn’t solved problems I’ve faced. But it has forced the reframe. On more than one occasion, that has pushed me in a more productive direction in the days and weeks that followed.

The next time you’re really feeling the weight, think about the Yet. It might help you reach the next peak, or guide you to the next chapter.

Antoinette’s is a place to meet friends and neighbors, whether that means hanging out in the backyard, settling into a cozy couch for date night or grabbing a hostess gift and the essentials before heading over to someone else’s house. It’s whatever you want it to be and hopefully a little more.

Q: When did you know you were destined to build a business?
A: “Growing up, there was always an entrepreneurial spirit in the air. My brother and I were always encouraged to stand on our own, figure things out, and build something for ourselves. I even dipped my toe into entrepreneurship before Antoinette’s. I had a wire-wrapped jewelry business selling out of my tiny home/studio at the weekend markets around Nashville. So I guess you could say the entrepreneurial itch has always been there. Antoinette’s was just the first time I decided to drop every other distraction and really go for it.”

Q: What’s the most unexpected thing (+/-) that’s happened along your entrepreneurial journey?
A: “Honestly? That I actually got to build the business I originally envisioned. In a town where small businesses are struggling with rent and other expenses, I was nervous we would even be able to get it off the idea stage. Not to mention, I was very picky…and very specific about what I wanted Antoinette’s to feel like. Finding the perfect commercially zoned house was a huge piece of that, and then came all the permitting hoops and countless questions and doubts. There were plenty of opportunities to compromise along the way, but somehow, four months in, I can look around and say we built about 85% of what I originally pictured. So big cheers to that.”

Q: When did you hit your first scaling challenge, and how did you overcome it?
A: “I think we’re just starting to hit it now as the weather cools down. We opened at the very end of the good-weather season, and our backyard is such a huge part of the space that we haven’t really seen its full potential yet. Now I’m trying to anticipate what we’ll need as we head into different seasons (especially staffing) without putting the business in a position where I’m spending money before I know I need to. It’s a constant balance of planning ahead while also being willing to wing it.”

Q: If you were starting all over, what’s one piece of advice you would give yourself?
A: “Just because you’re afraid of doing something to jeopardize permit approvals and have so many other tasks to finish opening the doors, doesn’t mean you should put off neighbor outreach. Knock on the neighbors’ doors. Drop off a gift basket, tell them what you’re doing and what you hope the business will be for the neighborhood. If someone is going to be unhappy that you’re there, you’re probably not going to change their mind, but at least you’ve done your due diligence and gotten your licks in before the stress of opening. And that is okay. I wish I had done more of that earlier. It’s a lot easier to build those relationships before you’re actually open and dealing with all the chaos that comes with it.”

Q: Do you have one ask or offer you would like to share with the Empower community?
A: “Just come hang out. Bring a friend, sit in the backyard, play a game, grab a bottle of wine, or let me help you find your new favorite. Tell me what you usually drink or what you think you like, and I’m happy to find something you might love. That’s one of my absolute favorite parts of this job.”

Q: A fun one, what’s your all-time favorite restaurant and where is it located?
A: “When I think about an all-time favorite restaurant, I immediately go to nostalgia. So much of Antoinette’s was built around that feeling of how I grew up, and I’d be remiss not to mention a Mobile, AL favorite. When I go visit, there is always a stop at The Bluegill Restaurant on the Causeway to sit on the back patio with live blues playing in the background while the smell of flaming oysters makes their way to the table. Nothing fancy is found here. Just more about the whole experience: the setting, the food, the people, and that feeling of a really good day that you don’t want to end.”

If you’re in Nashville, stop by Antoinette’s, bring a friend and let Lauren help you find your new favorite bottle (with or without alcohol). You can also learn more on the website or follow along on IG.