Now or Never

Life can be so interesting sometimes. With everything that has transpired in the past several months, I'm getting ready to do something I never thought I'd do at this stage in my life.

I'm going back to school.

When I was younger, my parents owned a little fast-food joint in the small town where we grew up. That entrepreneurial bug bit me back then (even though I never wanted to work in the food industry again) and has always been there in the back of my mind since - nagging away like a bitter old woman.

So I'm going back to school to garner some additional skills and open my own business.

With my many years in the banking and finance industry, I've gained a wealth of knowledge and skills that will translate to any industry - leadership, management, financing, tangible equity, spreadsheets, P&L's, and (my favorite) employee development. Many people go into business very knowledgeable in their field but without these basic elements of finance and management to help them succeed. This is a death knell for any small business owner.

So many new business owners only look at the income without focusing needed attention on the bottom line. They pull the equity out of their business for their personal needs without leaving that necessary element in the business to build it for the future. They think once they start their business that they'll become wealthy and can relax and live a life of leisure while the peons take care of running the business. Wrong-o!

Being a small business owner means you are the first one in and the last to leave - plus you take it home and work on it every single night. You're constantly researching to stay ahead of the curve and keep up with the latest industry trends. People have short attention spans and you must keep finding inventive ways to make them come back for more. Ownership is not an 8-5, 40 hours a week event. It is a marriage, 24-7.

I remember how my mom would open the restaurant and my dad would close it (after he got in from his teaching job). My mom was a teacher at one time too but they quickly learned that they had to have someone onsite at all times, so Mom gave up her position to focus on the business. Even after closing, they'd count up the money and do the books during the late-night newscast. Anytime we tried taking a vacation, ultimately we'd end up cutting it short and rushing home because of some emergency or mechanical failure.

One time we were in Florida for a long-term family vacation, the first we'd taken in many years so far from home. My dad ended up having to fly back home to take care of a massive mechanical failure and then fly back to Florida for the drive home. The potential income lost was greater than the expense of a last minute ticket.

So here I find myself, on the threshold of headaches, heartburn, and pocketbook failure potential. But if I don't do this now I may never have said opportunity again. Reward never comes without a measure of risk.

Mom's taught me that.

The Object of Desire

Well I ended up not getting any writing done today.

Ended up spending a little time with my salon friend. She's getting the remake completed and really wants to work with me on marketing and employee development. Met her new business partner, who is really sweet and a people person.

I'm looking forward to seeing what I can do for them.

Also spent time this afternoon working on finding a real estate agent and looking up property tax information on some homes we're going to be perusing. My parents are coming back up next weekend and we're going to do a few run-throughs on about eight to ten houses in the area.

It's going to be alot of fun for me, probably a little stressful for my dad. But I think he'll like the agent I found. My dad is no-nonsense when he's considering property. He's not interested in salesmanship, just someone who can let him look and give him time to make decisions then wrap up the details with a nice bow at closing.

He's going to be impressed with this agent. I had a wonderful conversation with him this evening and think he'll be just the perfect match.

You know, it's so nice being needed and wanted.

This job prospecting has been rather frustrating. Since the industry is so depressed at the moment, there's almost no activity happening in my area of specialty. But I'm a quick study and can always take my specialty and translate it into something else.

I think the other problem is that the finance industry probably doesn't want to pay the salary I previously earned. It's not the salary I want, it's the opportunity! I'm more than willing to take a cut just to get in the door and show someone the value I can bring to their organization.

However, I do not want to get back into the big corporate lifestyle, but I do want to work. Which is why this freelancing stuff just might be my ticket. I've even got an online publication that wants me to write articles for small businesses. Little money, but good publicity potential, eh? Hard work getting things off the ground, but hey! I'm a single mother.

Hard work is my middle name. It isn't for cowards either. Neither is freelancing.

Which is why I might make it.

To Do Or Not To Do

Tonight I'm feeling a little torn.

I've been talking to a friend of mine all week concerning coming into her shop and helping her with managing her employees, teaching them some soft-sell techniques, marketing skills, etc. We're planning to meet Monday to finalize things for me to get out of the house and work with her until more permanent employment comes my way.

The plan is basically that I would volunteer my time until she could pay me something for my work. She'd scratch my back a bit and I'd scratch hers. My goal is to help out a dear friend in difficult circumstances and also to help keep myself sharp.

This evening I received a call from my former boss. He and his wife were out to dinner with another couple and they brought up my current problems with trying to find additional lucrative employment. One of them made a call to someone they know and - BOOM - they want me to come in next week.

I should be overjoyed. I should be excited.

Actually I was more excited to try and help out my friend. Be an entrepreneur for a little while and get my feet wet.

The entrepreneurial bug bit me long ago. For the last ten years my life has been involved with helping small businesses, government relations, etc. I've learned so many things and had the opportunity for experiences I'd never before chanced.

It also made me excited about someday going into business for myself. For now, I just didn't have the guts to do it with the responsibilities of my son, my home, etc.

After being laid-off from the corporate world, I actually have been excited about helping a small business directly - utilizing so many of the skills I've learned throughout my life. Even though it's scary, what do I have to lose right now? Absolutely nothing!

So now I'm faced with the possibility that I may have to choose between going back into corporate America or the excitement and hard work necessary to see the backbone of America succeed.

Tough position at the moment. Well all I can do is see what they've got to offer. My friend could still use my help on the side or at least during the time I have left at home.

Then again, I could choose to take the risk, throw the known aside and head into the frightening yet exciting world of entrepreneurship.

Prayers would be appreciated right about now.