Seat 32B: Where the dreamers sit

Lately, I’ve been doing a lot of traveling for work, and I’ve noticed something. I always seem to end up toward the back of the plane.
There’s a definite pecking order on an airplane. And you can pretty much figure out where you stand in life by where you’re sitting. Or can you?

First class. Ahhh, those people must be doing something right.
You see them waiting at the gate. Sometimes they have slightly nicer sneakers, better luggage or that certain quality of clothing that says, “I don’t worry about my electric bill.”

But not always.

Sometimes it’s just a regular-looking guy in jeans and a T-shirt, and you find yourself wondering, “What does that guy do? How come he’s sitting in first class?”

Then comes the boarding process. Zones 1 through 9, or however many they’ve decided to invent that day.

First class boards, of course. Then Zones 2, 3 and 4. Who are these people? Did they pay extra? Do they have special credit cards? Did they buy six more inches of legroom? What exactly qualifies someone to get on a plane seven minutes before me?

And then there’s the rest of us.

The back-of-the-plane people.

The college students in sweatsuits, the solo travelers, the bargain-ticket hunters, the people who packed their own sandwiches.

And the entrepreneurs.

Yes, the entrepreneurs. We’re back here, too.

And there’s absolutely no shame in that.

Because when you’re building a business, every dollar has a job.

And sometimes that job is not getting you a better seat on an airplane.

When you’re faced with the choice of buying 500 shelf displays for an upcoming Walmart purchase order, making payroll, ordering custom T-shirts for your posse or paying an extra $300 to sit closer to the cockpit, guess what wins?

Seat 32B.

Every. Single. Time.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’d love to sit up front, sip something bubbly and stretch my legs without accidentally kicking the person in front of me.

But right now, I’ve got bigger things to spend my money on.
I’m building something. Something I started from nothing. And every display, every label, every jar of sugar scrub and every person I employ is part of that dream.

So the next time you’re boarding a plane and walking past those big, comfy first-class seats, don’t feel like you’re somehow less successful because you’re headed toward the rear.

Put on that hot pink branded T-shirt. Smile big. Know your worth.
Because success isn’t always sitting in first class. Sometimes it’s dragging a carry-on down a narrow aisle, squeezing into a middle seat and knowing exactly why you chose it.

Welcome to the back of the plane.

I like to call it the Dreamer Section.

And trust me, we’re going places.

Wendy Kushel is the owner of Wendala’s LowCountry Sugar Scrub, LLC based in Bluffton. Drawn to the beauty and personal care industry, Wendy founded her company in 2020. Her background includes stand-up comedy, film, TV and a lot of sales and marketing. For more information about Wendala’s® LowCountry Sugar Scrub visit www.lowcountrysugarscrub.com or call/text 843-949-8933.