Managing a Business While Working Full-Time | Ribbons Aruba

When starting a business, we often start small and on the safe side. But what is safe? For most of us this means we have either put some funding aside or it means that we will be balancing a stable full-time job while the business we are starting picks up. In today’s article, we collaborate with Robin de Leijer from Ribbons. Robin will share how she decided to start her business and a real entrepreneurial story of what it’s like to balance a full-time job while running your small business.

Meet Robin
Robin was born in the Netherlands and moved to Aruba when she was 15 years old. She is Aruban/Salvadoran descent from her father’s side and Dutch from her mother’s side. Family has always been important for Robin so wherever she is, she always tries stay connected with them. Ever since she started her business she has gotten a lot better at planning to reach her goals, something that wasn’t really a personality trait of hers before.

The journey to starting Ribbons
After months of going back and forth between the Chamber of Commerce and the Department of Economic Affairs, Robin was finally able to launch Ribbons in January 2021. The whole process definitely took a lot of determination, courage and most of all patience but Robin says that it’s all worth it. Ribbons is a business that focuses on creating unique customized gifts for its clients. Ribbons can customize on items such as canva bags, shirts, tumblers, toiletry bags, scented candles, wine bottles and so much more.

The idea of Ribbons started in May 2020, during lockdown. Robin was with a friend and they were talking about potential business ideas that she could venture in and so a switch came on when she thought about the idea of customized gifts. Once she had the idea, she started to really plan it out. She used every free moment she had to work on her business plan. “It was a lot of “figuring out along the way” because I never started a business before in Aruba and my family and friends didn’t either because they are not from here, the rules are different when you’re from abroad so I really didn’t have anyone to go to for advice” says Robin.

Robin says that entrepreneurship is something that has always been a part of her since she was young. When she was 10, she created outfits for stuffed animals and eventually sold these to family and friends and when she was a teenager, she started a small jewelry website. Aside of her small business ventures as a kid, Robin is always coming up with new creative ideas or is always thinking on ways that an existing business can be improved. Robin confesses that for the past few years, she has been writing a lot of plans and business ideas in hopes to execute them one day soon but for now her main focus is Ribbons.

Balancing a full-time job and a business
Juggling a full time job while running your business is definitely very challenging. Robin tells us that she is still learning on how to find her balance but she is definitely getting better at it. It’s all in your daily routine. Robin says that she is now waking up a bit more earlier than she used to so she can have more time to work on Ribbons before she goes to work. “If it’s a busy day I will work during my lunch break and in the evening until I finish all the tasks” says Robin.

What Robin really recommends from personal experience is to plan your day and make a to-do list, whether it’s a weekly or monthly list. It gives her satisfaction when she is able to cross things off her list! Ahh we love a good organized entrepreneur here at BoldBizz.

Robin was kind enough to share some tips on juggling it all
1. As mentioned above, make a to-do list and goals list. You can plan this list on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. “I started with “Passion Planner”, this is a great tool to help you achieve your goals in life. I don’t use it anymore because I customized my planning to how it works best for me, but Passion Planner was a great start.”

2. Surround yourself with people who want to see you grow. Your support system will motivate you and keep you in check.

3. Listen to motivational videos on YouTube.

4. Be consistent. It’s ok to make mistakes and it can be challenging sometimes to remain focused but as long as you refer back to your plan and goals, you will succeed.

5. Celebrate your wins and achievements, no matter how big or small!

6. Invest a percentage of what you earn in your growth and development. Follow a course, a workshop, buy a book for example. Invest in your knowledge, even if you think you don’t have the time, you actually do. Buy an audio book or listen to a podcast while on your way to work or while doing the dishes. If it’s your passion you will make time.

Thank you Robin for these great tips!

The future is bright for Ribbons
When asked about her long-term goals for Ribbons, Robin says that her plan is to grow her business. She wants to reach a wider audience and grow her customer base. She wants her customer base to grow so she can have repeat customers because when you have repeat customers it means that you have build brand trust and eventually recurring sales mean a stable income.

How can you order your customized item from Ribbons?
Ribbons is currently a virtual store, so there is no physical location. Customers can place their orders through social media, on their Facebook page or Instagram page or they can also contact Robin directly on Whatsapp at +297  5630167. Ribbons is not limited to Aruba so they are able to accommodate international orders as well for people living in The Netherlands.

So do support this small business for whatever special occasion you may have. You are helping an entrepreneur achieve her long-term goals.