Hekkal Inc. is the business I own with my husband. The name is a combination of my initials and his first name. Hyde is what my friends call me. Hekkal & Hyde began in 2011 and I am it.
Some may call it being a control freak, but I like to think of it as "creative control" or "controlled freakishness". Yes, I do everything myself and I like it that way. Could I use some help? Of course. Do I get help indirectly by those who love me and do things to ease the burden of so many tasks? Absolutely. Although extremely grateful for this help, it is not "Help", per se, in the sense that I have assistance in the day to day of my creative business. In this sector of my life, I am on my own, and proud to use the pronoun "I" in my dealings.
It has never been clear to me why so many entrepreneurs employ the royal "we" when referring to their small business babies. Why would you want to make it seem like you have help when you don't? As a mom, I don't see the benefit in making the world think that I have a nanny (not that there is anything wrong with that) when I am, in fact, momming on my own. Shouldn't we be proud of our solo accomplishments? Aren't we (collectively, not royally) ecstatic to yell from the rooftops, 'Hey, everyone, I did it! I did it! I did it all this on my own!!!"
Moms especially, think of how much we accomplish in a day that goes unaccounted for, falling into the category of our to-do lists, only to be tossed in the recycle bin (cause that shit's recyclable so it better not end up in the garbage). At the end of the day, when every item is crossed out, we are alone with the knowledge that we did four loads of laundry, prepared two hot meals and three bagged lunches, made a dental appointment, corrected the spelling of our son's name on the RESP, prepared and sent two invoices for our husband's business, clipped the dog's nails, emptied the compost bin (spilling moldy hummus all over the kitchen floor and subsequently cleaning it up), dusted behind the computer monitor, folded a bunch of clothes that the kids are just going to shove into their drawers anyway, spent two hours driving to and from school and lessons, and crazy glued a clay sculpture of a snowman from our firstborn's ceramics class five years ago...and this stuff wasn't even the "stuff" we "did" today, like run a small business and keep small humans alive.
Herein lies the point: SHOUT THAT SHIT FROM THE ROOFTOPS AND USE "I" WHEN YOU DO!!! Because the stuff we accomplish as women, as moms, stepmoms, fur baby moms, single ladies, straight and gay ladies, old and young women, girls and bitches? It's important stuff. Don't dilute it by saying "WE will get back to you" or "WE are working on our next project", when you know damn well you are busting your ass, staying up late until you look like a pug with a bad wig, doing everything by yourself. Own it. Be proud of being the "I" in "I".
So here it is: I made everything you see here with my own two hands. I sourced and designed and constructed every bag. I created and designed the website. I take all of the photos and maintain all of the social media accounts. I set up and work every market I do and I painted and designed the displays and signage for that too. I design my own business cards and promotional materials and I wrote this blog post. I do all of this in addition to taking care of my three sons while my husband is self-employed and traveling the world doing his work. I couldn't have done any of it without him or my parents or my in-laws, but I did it, and I continue to do all of this every day, with my two hands.
Hyde