Small Business Saturday: Meet Life Chronicles Publishing
Today is the final story from our Small Business Saturday competition. It’s been incredible to hear so many stories of businesses starting – and flourishing – during the pandemic.
In our final story of the week, we caught up with Sharon Blake – Founder of Life Chronicles Publishing (LCP), based out of Washington, USA. LCP was founded in 2015 as a publishing company with the aim of sharing real-life stories. Sharon has an inspiring story herself and found that writing was an effective way to support a healthy mind.
Why did you start Life Chronicles Publishing?
I was stung out on drugs and had experienced homelessness and domestic violence for almost 22 years. After I got clean I found a job as a case manager at a homeless and recovery shelter where I worked for five years. I needed a change, but I wanted to continue to foster hope and healing to individuals who were just like me, so I started Life Chronicles Publishing because writing literally saved my life.
I often had to keep asking myself why I started Life Chronicles Publishing; but I reminded myself that my business is helping, healing, and bringing hope to individuals, and that’s what kept me motivated to continue in the publishing world.
How is the business doing today?
I started my business in 2015 after writing my first book. The first two years were very trying and difficult for me as an entrepreneur of a small black-owned business. But I stuck it out through the hard times and we are now almost 7 years old and have grown tremendously.
What would be your advice for anyone starting a business?
Don’t quit. Running my own company has been one of the most beautiful achievements of my life! It’s been challenging, overwhelming, and has brought me immense pleasure. I’ve cried many nights asking if this is truly what I’m supposed to be doing because I felt like I was failing in business. However, I didn’t quit. And here we are.
Congratulations to LCP and Sharon on being one of our winners, a truly inspiring small business story! Thank you to all of our Small Business Saturday winners, we hope you’ve enjoyed reading their amazing stories as much as we have.
