Pampered Aesthetics Preps for the Punk Rock Festival: The Beautiful Chaos of Market Life

Pampered Aesthetics Preps for the Punk Rock Festival: The Beautiful Chaos of Market Life Well, here we are. The countdown is on, and Pampered Aesthetics is gearing up for what might just be the wildest ride yet—our very first Punk Rock Festival in Oshawa. I mean, who wouldn’t want to combine the beauty of a DIY, holistic skincare brand with the raw energy of a punk rock festival? Sounds like a match made in… well, chaos. But hey, that’s what we small business owners thrive on, right? Let me walk you through the emotional rollercoaster that has been the last few months—complete with mismatched containers, new labels that (almost) didn’t arrive in time, and oh yeah, a small injury, just to spice things up. Because what’s prepping for a major market event without a few extra bumps along the way? I wish I could say this process was smooth sailing, but that would be a lie. The minute I committed to this festival, it was like the universe thought, "Hmm, how can we make this as complicated as possible?" First off, there was the bottling—months of it. Now, I love our products, but after labeling my hundredth bottle of cleanser, I started having vivid dreams where labels were attacking me. And just when I thought things couldn’t get any crazier, the new containers arrived…in the wrong size. Let me tell you, unboxing 200 tiny jars that were supposed to be "generously-sized" was a humbling experience. Picture me, staring at these mini containers, wondering if I could pull off “skincare for ants” as a new marketing angle. You know when you’ve spent months dreaming up a new label design and then, just when you need them, they’re delayed? Yeah, that happened too. There’s something special about staring at piles of unlabeled products, wondering if you’ll have to resort to hand-writing labels like some 18th-century apothecary. (Spoiler: I didn’t. The labels finally arrived—phew!) In the rush of everything, I—of course—forgot to price a few products. It wasn’t until I was halfway through packing that it hit me like a ton of bricks. So, picture me frantically printing price tags while mentally calculating what is the absolute lowest amount I can charge and still feel good about my sanity. Relatable, right? And because no pre-market prep is complete without a little physical pain, I also managed to injure myself in the process. Ever tried packaging products with a foot injury? It adds a whole new level of difficulty. But hey, this is small business life. No sick days, no subs to call in. Just a lot of grit and maybe a few tears shed over a jar of face mask powder that fell on the floor. While all this prep is going down, I still had to keep my service-based business running. You know, the part where I’m supposed to be pampering people and keeping it all together with a smile? Balancing it all has been a masterclass in multi-tasking. But you don’t get into this game for the easy days. You do it because you’re passionate (or maybe just a little crazy—probably both). Despite the chaos, the excitement of heading to the Punk Rock Festival keeps me going. It’s not just any market—this is next level. We’re talking thousands of people, and I’m likely the only amateur market goer in the mix. Do I feel out of my depth? Absolutely. But do I also feel like I’m on the verge of something really cool? 100%. Here’s the thing: as small business owners, we put ourselves out there in ways that most people don’t even realize. We’re not just selling products; we’re selling a piece of ourselves—our passion, our blood, sweat, and tears (hopefully none of which end up in the skincare, though). Let’s be real. I could forget half my products, realize I’ve priced everything wrong, and trip over my own booth setup (thanks, injured foot). But you know what? I’m still showing up. That’s the magic of running a small business—you hope for the best, prepare for the worst, and somehow, you keep moving forward, injury and all. So, here’s to all the other small business owners feeling the pressure, juggling a million things, and still trying to make it to the finish line. We may not always have it all together, but we’ve got the hustle, the heart, and just enough stubbornness to pull it off. Wish me luck—I’ll see you at the festival! And if you happen to see someone frantically labeling jars at the last minute, well, just pretend you didn’t. It’s all part of the fun, right?