Let’s be real — building a brand from scratch isn’t just about having a great product.
It’s about getting people to notice it.
To connect with it.
To buy into the vision, especially when they’ve never heard of you before.
And that’s where the hard part really begins: marketing.
As the founder of CIK Eyewear, I’ve experienced this firsthand. From designing sunglasses rooted in Black identity and culture to building an e-commerce store, visuals, and packaging — I thought the hardest part was launching. But I quickly learned: it’s what comes after the launch that tests you the most.
🧠 1. Visibility Isn’t Guaranteed — Even With Quality
One of the most frustrating parts is knowing you’ve created something meaningful… and it still gets overlooked. I’ve poured energy into handcrafted designs, product storytelling, packaging — and then uploaded content that gets 5 likes or doesn’t get seen at all.
You think:
“If people just saw what I created, they’d get it.”
But the algorithms don’t work like that.
You’re constantly trying to crack visibility, competing with trends, bigger budgets, and viral randomness.
📱 2. Social Media Is a Full-Time Job (That You Don’t Get Paid For)
Let’s talk about Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, all of it.
To stay relevant, you’re expected to:
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Post multiple times a week
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Shoot and edit your own content
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Write captions, research hashtags
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Engage in comments, share stories, repost UGC
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Be trendy and authentic, polished and personal
But when you’re working a full-time job, running a whole brand— designing, handling inventory, managing orders, customer emails, and everything else — that kind of consistency just isn’t sustainable without help.
And when you do finally post something you're proud of… and it flops?
It makes you want to ghost the app completely.
📊 3. Engagement Doesn’t Equal Sales — And That Messes With Your Head
You might get a post that performs well — good likes, saves, maybe a few DMs. But none of that guarantees a sale.
And when you're building a business, especially with tight margins, low conversion hits different. You question your branding, your product, your price point, even your worth.
Sometimes, marketing feels like shouting into the void.
Sometimes, it feels like no one is listening.
But deep down, you know: they just haven’t found you yet.
💰 4. Paid Ads Are a Gamble (Especially When Money’s Tight)
Let’s be real — I’ve tried paid ads. Instagram boosts. Google. Collabs. Gifted outreach.
Most of it either:
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Doesn’t convert
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Costs more than it returns
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Or doesn’t reach the audience I actually want
And when you’re bootstrapping your brand, you can’t afford to keep throwing money into the unknown. But without paid reach, organic growth feels almost impossible — a catch-22 for small brands trying to scale.
🛑 5. It’s Easy to Feel Like Quitting — But I Won’t
I won’t lie — there are days I’ve wanted to step back from it all. When it feels like no one sees the work. When I question if it’s worth it.
But then someone messages me saying how much they love the brand. Or someone buys a pair of shades and tells me how confident they feel in them.
And I remember: I’m not just selling sunglasses. I’m building identity. Culture. Confidence.
I’m showing what it looks like when a Black creative builds something from scratch — and keeps pushing.
🔁 The Process Is Slow — But It’s Still Worth It
So if you’re reading this and you’re building something too — whether it’s a brand, a business, or a new chapter in your life — know this:
Marketing is hard. Visibility is inconsistent. And self-doubt is real.
But none of that means you’re not worthy of being seen.
Your voice matters. Your work matters. And even if the world hasn’t caught on yet — your moment is coming.
Until then, we keep building.