Tomorrow is it - the big day.
The last day.
Yes, tomorrow is my final day of cosmetology school. It feels almost surreal. I've been so busy lately that I have hardly had time to process it all. Plus the last few days I've been preparing an enormous meal for 150 people.
I'm catering a wedding dinner for a friend for a little extra cash. Hey, I'm an entrepreneur now, remember?
Being so busy has also helped the time go by quickly. From the little bit of buzz I've been picking up at school this week, sounds like there may be a little send-off from the gang.
Yes, I'll probably cry a bit.
These months I've shared alot with these girls and guys - their heartaches and joys, losses and gains - that it is hard not to be sad in a way. Likely I will never see them again after this.
But yet I'll also be running off and starting employment in the next few weeks once I get my temporary license. Then it is off to Topeka to take my practical exam and obtain my full-fledged license. After a few years of working hard, hopefully I'll get to open up that long-dreamed-of salon.
In the meantime, I'll savor my last few hours with the girls tomorrow. Let us eat cake!
Showing posts with label entrepreneur. Show all posts
Showing posts with label entrepreneur. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Friday, May 14, 2010
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.
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.
Friday, January 23, 2009
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.
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.
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