What you are called to do, you are equipped to do!

When you find your purpose in life, you discover you have a passion to do what you are called to do. Finding your purpose and passion doesn't mean you find motivation. If we look at history, Moses himself had quite a list of objections as to why he could not fulfill his purpose. With each objection God responded with a solution. While it may seem a little odd from the outward perspective, the idea someone would argue with God regarding what he has called them to do, we all have objections to why we feel we are not able to pursue our purpose/visions/ideas. I'm not smart enough, I don't have enough degrees (my personal favorite), who will listen to me, I don't have the start-up capital. The bottom line is, what we were called to do, God has already equipped us to do it! There is a solution to each objection we may have, we just have to be patient to seek out the answer, or bold enough to just move forward with the vision.

There are two reasons why we fail in life, and as simple as that may sound when reflecting on my own business choices I realize this formula rings true. We fail because we are either not faithful to something or not called to it. I told you it was simple. Look at failed relationships, job opportunities, educational goals, even businesses. When you are called to something there is no escaping it, every road leads back to your purpose. You will either embrace it and be satisfied in life, or attempt to ignore it and spend your life running around fulfilling fruitless dreams. Your purpose will typically help build others in some form or fashion, as we were not put here to be islands to ourselves. You will build something that others will enjoy, use, need, or require to help fulfill their purpose. Pursuits that only fulfill you will leave you feeling useless. It's only when we help others that we grow.

After making several excuses as to why I couldn't march forward in my businesses, I am reminded that what I am called to do in life cannot be ignored. All the challenges I faced of not being enough had to come to a halt if I plan to be successful at all. There is a difference between furthering your knowledge base and sharpening your mental skills to perform the task which you are called to do, and just sitting down altogether. I'm looking forward to pursuing the three things George and I are focused on in this season; business, family & real estate. Choose three items to focus on in the first quarter of 2010 and passionately pursue those three items. If you have more than 3 items, push off the extras until the second quarter. Having too many things to do, will cause you to lose focus. Write those three items down and put them on your bathroom mirror. When you wake up in the morning review them and make sure your daily tasks put you closer to your goals. You will find yourself leading much more productive days rather than stuck at the starting line finding all the reasons why you cannot fulfill your purpose.

Keeping in Mind the Reason for the Season

JESUS, hello!!!! Dorian is six years old, and there is no time like the current to reinforce the real reason behind the Christmas season. Making him aware of the true reason prevents his little heart from being broken when he doesn't see that $269 portable PSP under the tree. Most of his friends have them, and while we are blessed enough financially to buy him one, really what is the point. Most people blasted Bill Gates for stating he was not leaving most of his estate to his children. He worked for his estate, and encouraged them to do the same. (Let's be honest, if he left only 25% of his estate to his offspring, they'd be well taken care of). While we do not have the wealth of Bill Gates (currently, anything is possible), being frivolous with finances is not an area of concern for us. You will find that most wealthy and successful business people have a handle on where to invest their monies, and portable PSP's are not necessarily one of them. If he saved up his allowance throughout the year (after giving 10% of it in tithes) and he had enough to purchase items for others and had enough left over to purchase a PSP, then fine, but that is not the case. At 6 years of age, he has yet to grasp the true value of money. If you give him $1, he'd play with it and talk about how he had a dollar, then eventually lose it if he wasn't made to put it in his money jar in his closet. Some of you parents are shaking your head right about now, because you're still stuck a few sentences back on how he must give, then give to others some more. Well let me help you with this principle found in the Bible in Luke chapter 6, verse 38 the first word to reaping blessings is to GIVE! This is a principle that not only Christians understand, but wealthy people in general. Look at Oprah, Bill Gates, etc. They often donate to charitable causes. We are teaching our son the best way to position himself to be blessed and extremely wealthy.

As the director of Orangeview Family Services, I experience an array of teenagers with an entitlement mentality. They feel their parents are required to buy them iPods, cell phones and PSP's. The parents send them to me wondering what the heck happened to their children, all they ever wanted to do was provide them with all the things they never had. What we forget is that all the things we didn't have, kept the dream alive to work hard to pursue those "things." Growing up in my household, and income of $800/month was considered good, and an 800 square foot apartment in the ghetto was a big place. Today we are temporarily living in an 1,100 square foot townhouse while awaiting the finalization of the purchase of our home and it's driving George and I crazy. The wonderful thing is that it allows Dorian to experience a little of the humble beginnings George and I experienced, as well as strips him of the entitlement mentality. He recognizes his birthday is his day. We purchase more gifts for his birthday than for Christmas. We don't get caught up in the commercialism of Christmas and the holiday madness, we keep it in perspective to the true reason for the celebration of this time. This helps to not only develop some understanding with our 6 year old regarding the holidays, but also helps to keep him grounded. Don't get me wrong, there are several things from our childhood that we just refuse to subject our son to. Like going hungry. Because George and I were limited on the types of cold cereal we ate as children, we now keep a minimum of 25 boxes of cereal in our cabinets from adult cereals like Raisin Bran to fruity kid favorites like Fruity Pebbles..... and Dorian won't eat any of them because he doesn't like cereal (go figure). The one thing we don't deny, is if we hadn't gone through the trials of our childhood, we would not be who we are today, and we want to raise a son with strong moral fiber.

So don't feel bad if you don't have the money to go crazy with spending this Christmas. There is no time like the present to begin to teach your children the true meaning of Christmas and eliminate the "entitlement mentality". If you do have the money, save it or give it away to a less fortunate family this year, spending less on your own family, and find yourself feeling better than ever as well as positioned for prosperity.

How It All Began... and then some!

When George and I first met, it was love at first sight.... for him! I was fresh out of Air Force Basic Military training, and the single parent of a one year old who depended solely on me for food, clothing and shelter. After months of unsuccessfully attempting to find a job after the military, I decided my own business was the only solution. I started with insurance. The course was 6 days long, it cost me $700, but I was told the investment would be well worth it. George walked in the fourth day, late (which I have now learned is his unfortunate character flaw). He had on a full motorcycle suit (okay so I was watching, but how many black men wear a full motorcycle suit in Anaheim, CA?) and a scarf still tied to his head with his helmet under one arm. I purposely positioned myself in the classroom farthest away from the entrance, so no one would sit next to me to try to talk to me. He stood in the door (as I silently chanted, "don't sit next to me, don't sit next to me.") and looked in my direction and walked entirely across the classroom in front of the instructor and class and sat in the empty seat next to me at a table that only sat two people. As he sat his helmet on the table, I was not impressed by his confidence at all, not to mention I was on a mission to pass the insurance test the first time only, as I needed to work ASAP because my savings was quickly being depleted. He looked me up and down, and then let out a sort of cave man grunt of approval which totally turned my stomach sideways. Over the course of the day he struck up conversation.

I had already made a decision in my mind if he asked me for my number or if I was dating someone that I would not give it to him. I detest lack of creativity, it to me is a sign of weakness and if you cannot figure a simple way to reinvent the common pick-up line, you aren't "man enough" to claim my phone number. As a single mom, I had no time in my schedule for dating. He must have heard my silent ramblings because on the second day, he asked if I liked motorcycle riding and perhaps he could take me sometime. He catered to the "tomboy" in me, low blow, but he won the number for cool points. I made him wait the last day of class to get the number, because I wanted no phone calls or distractions during the course of my class. The last day at 8 am, I didn't expect George to be there, he was late every morning. But 10 am rolled around, then 11 am, then 12 noon and no George. I thought to myself, that is why he didn't need my number because he wasn't serious. 12:30 pm, he comes strolling in. A few of the other women in the class were impressed by his, what I now call "super suit" (motorcycle suit) and his confident walk like he ruled the world, so they asked him where he had been. Apparently his motorcycle went dead so he pushed it for several miles in attempt to make it to class to get my number. When that got old, he took the battery out, walked to Autozone to have it charged, walked back to the bike to put the part back in, then rode the bike the remaining way to class. Okay so it's starting to sound like a real love story right? I give him my number (it was years later he admitted to the great details involved with getting to class that day) and we began our phone relationship. I was very protective of Dorian, and I had a new business to start up. Not to mention I had finally had the courage to stop forcing a relationship between Dorian biological DNA donor and Dorian, and didn't want to get into anything at the moment. I told George he had two things counting against him, one he was from the south, which meant he would want me to cook a lot, and two he was a Marine, which meant he was crazy.

Five years later and I was right about both things. When he finally met Dorian, they're relationship grew quicker than George and I. Dorian had always slept through the night, and whenever George was around and it was late, he'd wake up, and George would always go into his room and rub his back and kiss him back to sleep (he would never admit to it in public, but I would stand at the door and watch him when he didn't know I was there.) George is the only father Dorian knows and the only one he cares about. George insisted on letting him know (even though he legally adopted Dorian and changed his last name), but Dorian just shrugged it off, and said okay whatever and continued at whatever task he was working on.

We decided to have our wedding on our four year anniversary. George's dream was to marry someone after dating for only 4 years, my desire was to only date for 2 years, because realistically if your eyes are wide open, you should know within 1 year the next year should be spent planning. At 2 years, I was certainly not ready. Although I loved George, I was so scared to commit I kept looking for reasons to run. So I said okay, how about year 3, let's compromise and split the difference. 3 years rolled around quick, I was still gun shy, but Dorian was 4 and what was I really waiting on. So one morning a few months after our 3rd year anniversary we woke up one morning, looked at each other and said "today, yeah let's do it." Dressed in jeans and T-shirts with my best friend as our witness and our five year old telling us (quoting a Tyler Perry movie he had recently seen) "don't do it, don't do it" while the county clerked couldn't stop laughing, we did it. We said I do, and told no one! Not because we didn't want them to share in the moment, but because the moment became an intimate treasure between us and our commitment to one another before God. We later shared during our wedding day, as that was the celebration we wanted everyone to be involved.

We are amazingly private people about our businesses and private life, but if I don't talk to you, my readers, who else can I share with? I find that some information that is shared can be useful to helping others, if not therapy for the writers soul. There is nothing ordinary about life, it's just the lenses you are looking through to view it. If things are fuzzy and dull, clean the lenses and enjoy the brilliant colors and amazing moments!

Back on Orders

So you can probably guess from the title of this entry what this post is about. George is a US Marine Reservist (as most of you already know), and he has been recalled to orders for a one year period of time. His duty station is almost 100 miles away from home, so he stays on base during the week and is only home on the weekends. Besides it being a challenge to run our businesses, it is difficult to raise our six year old son and continue to go to school. I'm also human and I miss my husband when he's gone. I've always said it takes a special woman to be a military spouse, and I'm always up for the challenge. It gives us an opportunity to miss one another. George will have served 20 years in the Marines in February, and in order to further advance his military career he needs a certain amount of time on active duty. There are also certain benefits that come along with being on active duty. Because he has gone back on active duty, our home in Georgia will remain ours. The bank was not willing to do a Deed in Lieu, nor are they willing to modify the loan. We have solicited the assistance of a military attorney (who is free to active duty military persons) to work with the bank so that we can lower the monthly payments. There is a lot of work to be done in 2010, and I'm creating a list now so that I do not become overwhelmed with the big picture.

First we plan to enlarge our family. Yes (for those who personally know me), I did just say we plan to have more children. With the assistance of IVF, we plan to have twins this upcoming year. This will conclude our family. I have scheduled a consultation for next month, which means if we get started in February as we plan, I will spend part of my pregnancy mostly alone while George is away on orders.
Second I plan to continue growing our businesses, mainly Orangeview Family Services and OFS Consulting. There is a major event that I have been wanting to launch with Orangeview that will take place in 2010. I am still attempting to solidify some guests, but as soon as I lock their schedule in, I will give you more information.

Third, I'm still going to school, and will continue until I have acquired my doctorate degree.
Fourth, George and I are looking to purchase 35 acres in Perris, as well as 244 acres in Mississippi. With the 35 acres in Perris we will build our home on 20 acres, and the other 15 acre parcel will be used for commercial purposes.

Finally, but certainly not last, I will continue to grow and work in ministry at Purpose Center International Ministries in Perris, CA, where I am the Chief Administrative Officer. It's enough to make anyone overwhelmed, but now is the time to get it all done. The first thing I've put off in the past in having more children and school, as they seem to be commitments I can get to later, however the older I get kids can no longer be put off, and in order to further our businesses it's important for personal development through higher education.

Our recent vacation to Mississippi was a two fold trip. One we took some time off and away together before he went back on orders, and two we had a meeting with his family regarding the purchase of 244 acres for the development of a family farm. Our personal goal is to work our tails off now, and semi retire early (I say semi because we would both go nuts if we had nothing to do all day). George will be able to pull his military retirement by the end of next year (and he will only be 38 years old), but he will postpone pulling it until a later date, allowing for career advancement and a higher pension.
I'm having to get used to him not being here again, and it's been difficult nights getting to sleep. I'll get back into the swing of things, and I'll be able to refocus on all that we will get done next year. Thank God for his guidance, or how else would we get all this accomplished.

Year End Shuffle

Do you find yourself trying to scramble to either get those last few contracts to add them to you 2009 income statements? BIG DEAL! I mean really, the bottom line is pressing the issue becomes and annoyance to your potential client, a distraction to you and unnecessary stress. One thing I can admit to, is that the drive I have at the end of the year sometimes drives me to be unproductive. I know this sounds like an oxymoron, but I find myself attempting to accomplish everything, thus only completing parts of lots of tasks instead of completing any of them. Staring off into the distant future, does nothing for today's task list.  The holidays are approaching, which means time off work and closed offices, which equates to time loss. So stop worrying about tomorrow and focus on that pile of unfinished business that you could get accomplished starting today.

George, Dorian and I take a road trip to Mississippi every year, and instead of thinking of the items I need to pack, I'm thinking of the work I can get accomplished by taking my cell phone and laptop. We are staying with my sister-in-law, and she lives in an area that doesn't get internet service. Being technical savvy, I have made sure earlier this year I purchased a laptop that synched with my cell phone through bluetooth wireless technology so that I can surf the web via my cell phone connection. We plan to stay for a week, and while I can't take the entire time off class so I'll need this technology to complete assignments, it is perfectly okay to take the time off work. We will make a stop in Arizona to visit my mother and her husband, travel to Texas where we will stay overnight and begin our travel the next day refreshed. I would rather fly to save the time and aggravation of driving such a long distance, but George and Dorian love the drive.

While I want to focus on all the ideas and tasks I have for my organization, business and church, I would miss out on all the beauty that surrounds this time of year. We Californians have had the opportunity of an extremely long summer, but it has finally started cooling down and beginning to look like fall outside. The wind is blowing, the air is crisp, the leaves are falling, and we can actually see the mountains in the distance interrupting the blue sky. If you spend this entire season rushing to close out the year by gathering as many contracts as possible you will miss out on the beauty around you. What is the worst that will happen if you do not get those five contracts signed by the end of the year? Will the world suddenly spin off her axis? If you signed them in January, would that be so terrible? Then chill out, enjoy the ride to the end of the year and know that your business is still blessed and so are you.

Overspending produces higher prices

Okay, this post may sound like the mad babbling of a weary consumer, but really folks the more we spend the higher prices will go. While I'm not suggesting staying at home not purchasing anything at all to "stick it to the man", I am suggesting becoming extremely protective of your hard earned money. Economist call it "disposable income", and since when did any income become disposable. That's what we have become, the country who produces a small portion of what we consume. We are the worlds largest consumer, yet we have no where near the largest populated country. I had the opportunity to have a great conversation with my dad this morning, and we began to discuss the rise in cost of fast food. Certainly there is a rise in cost of of food, but not so largely a rise that my favorite combination meal at the local taco join has increased from $5.89 to $7.49. I am almost ready to purchase a cooler that stays in the back of my SUV and pull over to slap a sandwich together should I become hungry on the road. Although I may not be old enough for stories of when a loaf of bread was a nickel, I do recall when gas prices climbed up to $1.00. Clinton was in office, and I thought it was extremely crazy that our gas prices had gotten so ridiculous. Here I am today, having to pay a minimum of $3.25/gallon for premium unleaded (the price I pay for owning the vehicle I have) and I actually get excited about only having to spend $50.00 to fill up.

Being a society of locusts and leaches (plug in the word consumer if it makes you feel better, but we are what we are) we become susceptible to misuse and abuse. The last couple of years of Bush Jr.'s reign, people began to cry out for an audit of the major oil companies (as if he was going to do it being that his family is heavily invested in the market). We had reached record highs of fuel cost, in some areas hitting the over $5.00/gallon mark. The governmental explanation for it all was due to the "War on Terrorism." If that is/was the case then why with the changing of presidents did fuel prices drop immediately. I'm not suggesting it's all Bush's fault, but we paid the additional cost and oil companies reported record profits (after taxes) in the billions. Understanding simple supply and demand will help you to understand why the oil companies are making such large profits.  They sell the oil on the NYMEX or other means to the refiners, refiners sell it to distributors and distributors sell it to us. When we demand more, they drive the prices up (because we will pay for it, just as I still paid for my favorite combination meal at the local taco joint all the while complaining). We as consumers have more power than we know.

I have recently stopped shopping at a local hardware chain simply because of their lack of customer service towards women. I walk in looking for something and I look lost...OF COURSE I DO!!! Yet no one will assist me. I tested this theory recently (at the same location) thinking perhaps I was exaggerating my experiences there. When a woman associate walked passed me to the man behind me (even though she made eye contact with me and I spoke). She cut me off and asked if he needed help with anything. I left my basket parked right where it was in the middle of the aisle and walked out. When my 6 year old asked me why we were leaving, I said in her earshot, that I refused to spend my money at an establishment that refused to assist me. Consumers drive the market. When we no longer like something, we don't buy it and we force manufacturers to come up with something else that we will purchase. If we decided tomorrow we were all going to use the public transportation service to save on gas, the demand for gas would go down thus driving the cost down, they would have to develop a better transportation service that would accommodate everyone, and Southern CA would see less smog filled skies and our environment would thank us. I am just as guilty, we like door-to-door travel, we want to go when we feel like it, and we respond to the current problem with public transportation rather than understanding we have the power to change it. So let's stop being gouged. I for one have not been back to one of my favorite taco places, I keep my driving to a minimum and attempt to schedule all appointments and/or errands on the same day. I search for the best printer to print my business materials (that's a whole other gouging issue, since when did business cards go from $35/500 in color to $134/500), and shop various stores for other necessary supplies. Let's continue to become smarter consumers, and not let the world of retail eat up our "disposable income" that can be better invested in other areas.

Funding My Business the Old Fashioned Way

I've decided to revisit some old friends. Earlier this year, around April, I interviewed for a director position of an after school program. The process required several expenses that were not reimbursed and not worth pursuing unless I was interested in a long term position. I received several phone calls after the interviews requesting I work with their company. While I enjoy working with the teenagers at my youth camp for behavioral challenged students during the summer months, working with staff and younger students daily was a much bigger commitment. The location was great, and only 4 miles from home but the hours were from 8 am - 5 pm. I was more interested in helping them to develop a program they needed to fully develop to fund a grant they had been awarded. During the initial interview process they had already began making plans to quickly promote me to the next level in their corporate office within 3 months of hiring me. Their corporate office was located 60 miles away, and the morning commute was a terrible one. I let the prospect of working with their organization fall by the wayside. Yesterday while running personal errands (my Mondays are typically reserved for personal business) I received a phone call from a number I didn't recognize. I let it go to voicemail, and checked the message when I got home that evening. It was the company I interviewed with in April asking me to please return the call and they were still interested in hiring me.

Knowing they are anxious to work with me gives me an advantage that I don't plan on letting pass. While I dislike the commute into Orange County from the Inland Empire, I will gladly make it after
10 am (when traffic has died down some), and only 3 days per week maximum. This will allow me to have a steady flow of disposable income that can be put directly into the businesses for further development. I would love to be able to walk into a bank with my business plan that would blow away any loan officer, but the fact of the matter is banks are even more skeptical these days and are not lending to start-ups. So I have to fund my business the old fashioned way, by working for it. This is how most of us start our businesses, we save we work, we borrow from friends and family who believe in what we are doing. Funding a business (that is not a non-profit organization) can be a challenge and you must sit down and develop a way to fundraise just as you drew up how to start your business.

So I returned the phone call, and received a call back within 15 minutes. The two woman who originally conducted my first and second interviews, were so impressed by the interview portfolio I put together (that left no room for questions wether or not I qualified for any position within their organization), they want me to start immediately. Apparently the school program has received more funding and an elevated status. Therefore they are no longer requiring I go through the extra expenses they were not willing to reimburse me for, and I was not willing to eat the cost. I was informed they would be calling me back to inform me of "any" open positions. I quickly dispelled the myth that I was desperate and still searching for employment after all this time. I reminded the woman that I still had my own businesses, and unless the position fit my needs, I would not be interested. It seems they are in a bit of a jam to find someone who is available still (after all this time) that has the educational requirements to fill the needed positions. She offered me a teaching position and I respectfully declined. After I hung up, I immediately began to develop my consulting proposal that I would submit to the corporate office for review. It's well worth the shot, after all I now have advocates on the inside of the company that can speak regarding my professionalism and educational background.

We'll see how it goes! This is one method of funding my business, I'm currently working on several others that are further along than this one. I'll let you know how it goes. In the meantime, instead of always hiring yourself out as an employee, consider asking for a consultant contract instead. It allows you to set your own hours, make more money, and it saves the employer in insurance expenses, payroll taxes, etc. They will enjoy that part, and admire your for being businesses minded enough to consider their expenses. Be smart, at the end of the year they will 1099 you, and you will have to do your own business taxes (which you will be able to write off way more things). You are worth more than the paycheck you earn!!

How's It Coming?

A couple weeks ago we said we'd get our operating manuals started, so how's it coming? I know, I'm having the same problem. It's hard to figure out all the details of exactly what you do all day, let alone attempt to put it in a manual. My solution has been to keep a journal of daily activities. This helps to not only make sure I stay on task, but to also create a log that can later be transferred into items for the operations manual.

Duplicating yourself is not an easy task. After all, you didn't learn everything you know about your business overnight. My business fantasy is that I will find a partner who knows just as much as I do about business, and more in some areas so that we can build the business together. Because I didn't start my business with a partner, that remains a fantasy. Truth be told, even George has no clue what I do daily and is often taken back by tasks that he deems as unfruitful but are a necessary part of the process. I am a researcher, and instead of reinventing the wheel will often find someone who has done what I'm attempting to do or similar and find out what successes they have had. George, on the other hand, feels that once you have the business idea in mind, you should be able to move forward and start making money the very next day. Our different business models often collide and cause problems that we have to analytically resolve without throwing a stapler across our shared office space. During this season in business, because I have refocused on some necessary fundamentals in business, I don't even venture into our shared office space. I find solace at my kitchen table, coffee table or bed in order to complete all the research items necessary to market our businesses appropriately. Completing a market analysis of your business is a time consuming and challenging task when you are doing it yourself, but can be costly if you hire an outside firm to complete one for you. So I may not have my operations manual draft available by my original deadline of October 31, but that is the beauty of being in business for yourself, you can adjust the deadlines to more realistic ones. Once I am complete with the market analysis of my business model/plan then I can begin to figure out what my immediate course of action should be.

Some days I look at how many hours I spend working my business and long for a regular 9 to 5. When I worked a corporate job, when I left I did not take work home with me. I left the office at 5pm and had the rest of the evening free. My weekends did not consist of me working, but the gratification of being on my own time, working from home, spending time with my 6 year old son Dorian, and fulfilling my God given purpose in life is much more rewarding. Sure it's taxing now, but with good investment strategies and retirement planning, I won't have to work until I'm 65 before I retire. So stay encouraged, continue developing your business strategy, and let me know how it's coming along, I am curious to know how you are doing. Thanks for those of you who keep me informed via Face Book (Shot out to Roni Facaine, not only a follower of my blog but a great business woman and an inspiration for me to continue moving forward).

Birds of a Feather.....

Birds of a feather flock together! My mother would say this repeatedly when she didn't approve of my friends and I would tell her I am nothing like them. I had no clue what the heck she was talking about truly until I became an entrepreneur. When birds are migrating, they often fly in a V pattern. The bird in the very front has the most energy during that time and the wind from his wings will often pass through the birds flying behind him. This pattern of wind flows through the entire flock of birds flying, and the birds towards the end don't have to do as much and are able to sail on the winds of the birds in front of them. As business owners we could learn a lot from birds. Typically the big successful business with the most energy do not lend the wind beneath their wings to the smaller upcoming business behind them. It is up to us to form bonds with one another (as entrepreneurs) that will allow us to lean on one another for strength when we may be lacking in an area.

What does this look like? If you could cut open the brain of an entrepreneur, you would probably find some substances that are foreign to others. We have a certain level of courage that others envy that borders insanity. Our ability to understand the need for security but disregard it for advancement is limitless. We are often misunderstood as being fearless and driven, instead of simply encouraged to overcome our fears by pursuing our purpose. We must engage in tasks that may seem unnecessary to others. Proper analysis that are time consuming, scrapping and redeveloping new business models that may seem as though we are beating a dead horse lead to the outsider's judgement of us. This is why it is so important to surround yourself with like minded people. People that can influence and encourage you to continue pursuing your passion. I know it seems this person should always be your spouse, best friend or close relative, but this is most often not the case. In relationships we confuse our personal life with our business life and it doesn't always mix. While George is supportive of my business ventures, and has his own business ventures, we are two very different people and our business opinions don't always mix well. George is from Mississippi where your word and a handshake has still not been replaced entirely by a solid and well written contract as it is here in California. He is laid back with his work schedule, and I'm a stickler for making certain my clients receive services in a timely manner delivered with excellent customer service. George believes in fixing all the unseen problems of the persons vehicle or computer and I believe in giving my client only what they've contracted for. While we talk business and share our office space (temporarily), we most often do not talk business because it leads to unnecessary issues.

I choose to surround myself with like minded entrepreneurs. They keep me fresh and the ideas free flowing. Although this can be a challenging task at times, it is much easier to find like minded people in this technology age. With Face Book, Twitter, Flickr, etc., there are so many ways to connect to entrepreneurs besides your local Chamber of Commerce. When you get those seminar tickets in the mail to attend a free lunch seminar, go! George and I would attend these all the time. We would both take note pads and pens and we would both get different business ideas out of the same seminar. We'd meet afterwards and brainstorm about ideas to help our various businesses and would have the encouragement and steam we needed to launch the next venture/marketing idea. They are usually a few hours out of your day, often are on the weekend and typically serve free lunch so what harm is it. We have connected with some amazing business people doing amazing things and even had a few clients come out of these seminars. Pick the one you like the most and attend. If you don't receive these types of ads in the mail, get online and search for a free seminar in a subject you are interested in. Just get connected and plugged-in to some like minded people soon, before your light begins to dull and your flame goes out. If all else fails, I'm free for lunch most Tuesdays and Saturdays and would love to hear your business ideas. (smiling)

Education by Failure is Free

Successful people in business understand something unsuccessful people do not (besides the obvious of being successful), they know you must fail and do it miserably. I know you are scratching your temple now thinking I have completely lost my mind, or wondering if the medications from my recent illnesses have not completely left my system, but it is absolutely true. I am currently over 60k in debt in student loans as I attempt to pursue my MBA on through to a doctorate degree, and yet out of all my education, nothing has taught me more than the times I have failed in business. Embracing the failure, accepting the loss, and growing and moving on is the key to helping you understand what to do and what not to do in your next business venture.

I started my first California corporation when I was 19 years old. As long as I can remember, I've marched to the beat of another drum. As a child I never had aspirations to do the cookie cutter jobs that all my friends had. Visions of becoming a ballerina never entered into my head, I wanted to own the ballet company. My first company was a performing arts group. Me and a few friends had the absolutely best time touring and performing. I will never forget our first paying gig. I ran everything with no assistance (my 19 year old peers were little assistance for helping to develop the business side of my corporation). I scheduled for us to perform at a park, but hadn't discussed the payment needs with the event organizer. She had seen us perform at a dance concert, and wanted to schedule us. She had been used to paying such costly prices for performers, and said this year their budget would not allow for it. I told her we could fit her budget (as I was so excited to get paid, I didn't ask what her budget was). We all piled into a friends car and drove 45 miles one way to the performance. After we were done, I went to speak to the event coordinator regarding our pay. She smiled and handed me a check for $65. I was so upset, but realized without written contracts, prior agreements, this was my fault. Needless to say, that lesson taught me a very valuable business lesson, that didn't cost me 60k and an MBA to learn.

My second business venture may have been more successful than my performing arts group, however I began to realize that I still needed the formal education to open doors for me that were closed due to lack of a degree. My ability to write a business plan, develop a well written proposal or project management meant nothing without the acquisition of my degrees. It doesn't make sense to get angry or depressed about having to acquire my degrees (although the pursuit is sometimes challenging) it is well worth the effort. I attempted to assist others in business by developing a program that would generate more clients. It ended with me working independently in their offices as a telemarketer soliciting business on their behalf, but being that I did not negotiate a base salary, nor a retainer fee I ended up working mostly for free. Needless to say my haste in launching this business venture, and without due diligence on on each business client I was unable to determine what their true market penetration capabilities were.

While I could have given up on becoming an entrepreneur, there was this fire and passion within me that would not allow for me to give up. George often refers to me as being stubborn and hard-headed (laughing), but these are the necessary qualities to become successful in business. That is what successful people understand. Learn from your mistakes and move on. In business I have had to revamp several business ideas in order to ensure the further growth of my companies. Sure some have cost me (financially as well as timely) but that doesn't mean that I throw away the entire business idea if there are some credible and workable items to it. Most successful people speak only to their current venture, but next time you have an opportunity to speak to a truly successful business owner (who did not inherit the business but built it from the ground up him/herself) ask them how many business ventures they failed at before stopping at their current successful venture. The question may surprise them, but it will relieve a lot of pressure from your previous belief in that you are not capable of succeeding. Stumbling along the way to your breakthrough in business is entirely different from failing to get back up and work your passion and purpose. You will never be satisfied until you find your purpose and passion and are successful at it, so take the time to learn how to get there.

Take This House & Shove It!

When George and I met, I was fresh out the military, and he had just been reactivated from the US Marine Corps. We were under no pretenses about great credit scores and bills when dating because we understood, SHQWITM (Stuff Happens Quicker When In The Military). Not to say that being a federal government employee isn't a wonderful duty to our country.... okay I can't even finish the sentence it sucks. I wasted so much time in the Air Force at the end of the pay period I almost felt guilty to take a paycheck.... I said almost! George has been screwed over so many times it's ridiculous. He's been in for almost 20 years, so with the ranking of an E-8 (Master Sergeant) he should be well taken care of.

Prior to meeting each other, we led great lives. He had a profitable business in Georgia, had purchased a home, life was great. I myself had just had Dorian, was attempting to adopt a 2 year old girl (that didn't work out) and had a great job with excellent benefits for myself and dependents. After running into some medical bills and legal issues concerning the adoptive child, my funds were depleted and I turned to the Air Force. By the time I left for Basic Military Training, I had worked all my problems out, but was devoted to serving in the USAF. Once completed with my training, I was told my recruiter had not filled out the proper paperwork for my MOS, and I would be given one and assigned to an oversees unit. As a single parent this would have been difficult. Due to stress I developed some physical problems and they signed paperwork for me to go home, or if I wanted to stay in sign a waiver that stated they were not physically responsible for me and I could stay (I later found out the waiver was a fraud, but they were 19,000 over manned and needed to relieve some entry level employees instead of higher ranking officers). I refused to sign, so they put me on the next thing smoking back to CA.

George, on the other hand was doing great, until he was activated. He was told he was being sent oversees, but then later was told they had given him the wrong information and they were shipping him to CA. Most people who have never had dealings with the government assume you are well compensated for your job. Those of us with real experience know that you earn on average 1/3 less of what you could make as a civilian. George has a bachelors degree in electronic engineering technology, which average makes 80k annually as a civilian, yet in the Marine Corps his annual salary is half of that, with two dependents. So imagine going from having your own lucrative business and job, to active military duty. He paid the house note in GA as long as he could, but with rent and obligations in CA, he could no longer afford to live in two places, and the renters he had were destroying the property and not paying rent. After evicting them, the house was not rent ready, and he couldn't afford to hire a property manager. The house has been vacant and on the market for well over two years now.

So now what? I am an avid researcher. I have one of those irritating personalities where I want to know everything about anything that is of slight interest. I want to be able to drive/fly any vehicle. I want to be able to speak several languages (although language acquisition is extremely difficult the older we get I found as a result our brains.... of course some other book I read about brain development). I was told my first word was "why." So we found an attorney to handle the home with the bank, the banks these days are morons, let's face it. Apparently they foreclosed on the house twice, sold it in auction once, didn't notify us, all while George was on active duty (which there are strict legal rights for military personal away on duty). We have been trying to work with this bank and it comes down to this (as we attempt to purchase property in CA), I have decided to pursue a Deed in Lieu on the property with the bank. It will cost us no more than $2,000, but we will be done with the house and take a smaller ding to the credit than a foreclosure. This is why I love research and learning, the more you know the more you are empowered!! Look it up people, don't allow the bank to have all the information on what they will decide for your property and credit. We will have to wait years if we loose the house in foreclosure, but a Deed in Lieu, gets them off our back, and they will not be able to collect any further money from us if the house doesn't sell for what we owe (which in this market whose home isn't upside down).

There was another great thing that came out of being bed ridden for several weeks, endless researching opportunity! Knowledge is the key to empowerment, stop waiting for extrinsic rewards of empowerment, do it yourself now!

Whew! Now That That's Over!!

I suffered through the flu for over a week, followed by acute tonsillitis for two weeks, that had been misdiagnosed twice. Once I finally saw the ear, nose and throat specialists, and the proper procedure was done (without me hitting anyone in the doctors office for the pain they caused me) and the appropriate medicines prescribed I am now feeling 80% better than I did just yesterday. After 28 hours of labor pains and attempting to push out my small 5lb 7 oz 2 week early bundle of joy who is now 6 years old, that seemed like a cake walk compared to having 80% of my throat swelled shut causing excruciating pain and nausea for nearly two weeks. I realized the same thing most mother's, wives and business owners discover when they fall ill and have yet to duplicate themselves in business, I CAN'T AFFORD TO BE SICK!!! I missed blog postings, face book friends, and all other technology like the telephone because I couldn't speak. Sure I attempted to drag the laptop to my bed, but I had to lay in a certain position in order to breath. I would find myself waking up abruptly throughout the night because I had shifted positions and stopped breathing. Even a trip to the emergency room proved unproductive. My herbs weren't working, so I relied on al I could rely on, prayer.

I didn't want to totally coin my husband as useless when I'm ill, but there are some things I'm beginning to realize about his personality that you can only find out over time. First off he's a US Marine, so you can imagine there were days where I felt like I was in boot camp. Days where he felt if I just got up and moved around (despite my lack of oxygen) I would fight the illness better. Then there were those days he would not even check on me at all. One evening around 6pm when I hadn't had any water or liquid or food that day, I simply asked him to get me a bowl of cold cereal, he said if I wanted it I'd have to get it myself. He left the room, came back in a short time later eating a bowl of cereal. Most women at this point would have been calling their attorney, signing on the dotted line, and cutting her loses. LOL I must admit, it did certainly enter my mine (that or slipping him some of my meds into his cereal bowl when he wasn't looking). Then I stepped back and analyzed his behavior, as I mostly do with everything. How many times has he witnessed me defensively ill in the 5 years we've been together? Only twice. I had always worked through my minor illnesses. Even the one major occurrence that landed me in the hospital last year, I still refused to be admitted and was out within hours and the next day back to work. As a Marine, he is used to following specific orders that have a start and an end. This is not the case with illnesses. Each doctor we visited he attempted to diagnose me (with the irritation of the doctors, not really understanding his personality), attempting to get them to determine a time of how long it would take before I was well again. None of them knew, which added to his irritation. Everyday he'd walk over to my side of the bed and ask "Are you feeling better today? You look better today?" Meanwhile I still couldn't talk or breath without my special position. Then it hit me, he's a sprinter! He'll run really well and dedicated for a short period of time, then he becomes exhausted and looses heart. This doesn't mean we are fated to divorce in the next few years. I noticed this about his personality before marriage. I often joke diagnosing him with ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), not for his lack of attention, but his attention to everything so much that it is difficult for him to focus on what is important. He has to stay active, doing something or he will become bored. While taking care of me is on his "to do list" taking 100% care of me, including daily needs is a challenge. Marriage is a grooming process that we both have to go through. I have to train him to take care of me the way I need to be taken care of when I sick. We don't like the word "train" as it relates to relationships, but we're perfectly accepting of the word as it relates to a job or special assignment. I watch George read countless manuals on how to fix things, but believes that there is no need to read a manual on how to make a marriage work. Most of us feel that same way.

We often conduct business in this matter. We don't create an operations manual for our businesses, thus if something happens to us, no one is able to step in and take over to keep things going. I'm guilty as well. I have let the lack of funding to hire an associate hold me back from continuing to go through the process of duplicating myself, which should never be the case. So several doctor visits and trips to the hospital later, as well as about 100 bucks down in meds, I get it!!! Whew, it could have cost me more, it could have cost me my entire business if I was down long enough. So let's get to work people! Let's get to work on this immediately. I'll make a pact with you, and you can join and follow my blog to let me know how it's going for you. By this years end we will have the rough drafts of our operations manual in place so that by the first quarter of 2010 we will be able to duplicate ourselves and continue in business no matter what may come. I vow to have the first few pages done by October 31. Let me know how you all are coming along.

I'll Show You Mine, If You Show Me Yours: Reprograming of Our Business Models

As I read the business headlines I recognize the current financial climate does not lend itself towards further growth and development for business ventures. History (which repeats itself) will however prove once again that the small business sector will save the day by creating the most jobs and revenue, more than can be expected from government bail outs, stimuli, and incentives. Don't get me wrong some of the programs were great, George and I have enough vehicles to bankrupt the cash for clunkers program, but not all affect the lifelong challenge of financial restructuring and redevelopment that desperately needs to occur. While turning a deaf ear to the media hype of our current financial woes is not necessarily the answer, perhaps looking at the thriving business sectors would be more encouraging. Globally we have all taken a financial hit, however this may be the perfect time for joint ventures.

It is said that the oldest profession in the Bible is prostitution, but that is inaccurate, it is farming, after all Adam and Eve had to eat something. Before the exchange of currency for goods and services, the barter system seemed to produce all of the wealth and security anyone ever needed. Somehow, once we began to exchange currency, the true value of our individual businesses and pride began to deteriorate. If we receive enough currency from one market segment, we neglect the others. We have somehow gotten to the point today, where we are reinventing the wheel. Example, the man who invented the round wheel created something everyone needed, but he was not without his needs. He needed a storefront shop, he needed display cases (okay perhaps the modern references don't apply, but humor me), and he needed food and shelter for his family. He gave four wheels to Jim the Farmer, Jim paid him in fresh veggies, grain & meat. He gave four to Joe the Carpenter, Joe built his shelves. He gave four to Julie the interior decorator, she designed his home. Soon his mills ran over with grain because he brought in more than he could consume and was able to cure world hunger. Do you see where this is going? You have something others need, but you need what others have as well. If the dollar were to drop bellow the value of a peso, what would you do to survive? We need to think this way also in business. How do we work without start up capital? Business cards cost money, I can't have them printed for free. Who says you can't? Have you ever asked the printer? Of course not, because we were previously limited in our thinking. Find the mom and pop printing shop that does great business but does not have the exposure they need. Offer them your service as well as advertising space on each business card and brochure if they will print it for you. Find the Joe the Farmer who needs tires and can help you feed your family. You may be able to reduce or eliminate some operating expenses or start up costs.

Certain times call for being a shark in the business world, and other times call for being a whale. While sharks are successful at what they do, everyone (including the shark) knows the whale is no competition. Gentle as they may be, both creatures in the sea and on land see them. It is time we stop focusing on the kill in business, and the next best business deal, and start focusing on the greatness our goods and services provide, who needs them, and how can we get what we want by offering what we have. Stop reading the headlines, and start making them with a new business structure, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) that will rock the entire business world.

Motrin and Mechanics

Certainly the past two weeks have no reflection on the remainder of this year in business! First, we invested in a luxury sport utility vehicle that would allow me to conduct business both as a consultant as well as travel to youth camp sites during camp seasons. God blessed, and we were able to pay cash and get the vehicle for an extremely low price, as well as talk the dealer into giving us a warranty on the transmission for no additional cost. A week after driving it, we decided to take it in to have the transmission looked at (just in case) before the warranty ran out. The dealer had us take it directly to their transmission mechanic shop. It has now been over a week, and the mechanic hasn't even looked at the vehicle. Just when I thought I had figured out what the process would be for drumming up new clients without the use of a decent vehicle (as my best friend says, there is a combination to driving all of our other trucks). The suburban, which we call "The Tank" because of it's gas guzzling quality and it's ability to roll over smaller cars and keep going, is now stalling and cutting out when idling. The Jeep sputters, and the Ford Ranger pops out of fifth gear so you have to hold it in gear. None of these vehicles speak to having had any success in business, however they are all paid for, and George and I are against acquiring a car payment if we don't have to.

I decide I'm gonna use the Jeep. It's dusty on the inside, and you can't wash it because the windows leak water (so it also cannot be driven in the rain), so it's extremely dirty. I sit down last Thursday to finalize my game plan for the following week. I had meetings and obligations on Friday, so I decided to get a fresh start on Monday. As you all know, I have been really pushing past my own physical exhaust. Well the problem in doing that, is our body's immune system relies on plenty of rest and a good diet in order to combat illnesses. Seeing as how I took neither one of those items seriously, when the flu went around I found myself bed ridden and not able to stand without the room swirling around. You may say it to yourselves ("I told you so") but refrain for sending me comments stating how you knew I should have taken a break and other wonderful after-the-fact advice (lovingly smiling).

Today, while I am still running a low grade fever of 99.7, I decided I needed to get out into the day, get some things taken care of, and now here I sit, back on my couch, dizzy and typing this blog post. So now I have lost one week without transportation, one week with the flu (and they still have not finished with my vehicle) and if I don't do something soon in business, we may be eating Top Ramen noodles for a long time. I'm trying to remain calm and not call the transmission mechanic, however staying calm when someone is clearly wrong is not necessarily my strength. George, however, is able to face ignorance and stupidity in the face, politely ask it's supervisors name, and move forward to get the job done, all without raising his voice. He has the ability to keep a person on the phone for over an hour annoying them until they make something happen. I will leave the mechanics up to him, continue taking Motrin for a fever reducer, and let the illness play out so I can be clear in what needs to be my next step to producing in our businesses and making sure my six year old gets a better dinner than dad's "pizza again nights."

Take It By Force!

Over the past few months, I have given my readers (those of you who actually follow my blog) some openings into the personal lives of "The Joneses." I am a very transparent person, and George is my polar opposite. He won't admit to being tired, he'll just sit around for a few days attempting to complete tasks that all end up half or incorrectly done. I don't fault him, he's a 19 year US Marine veteran (who may be going back on orders soon), and he's a Mississippi country boy. His ways are sometimes as stealth as those of the Samurai. After being married to him for a few years, I can tell when he is on the verge of a burn out, but I also know the "Semper Fi" (always faithful) side of him and his need to provide won't allow him to rest. He recently took on a new position with the ministry we are a part of. Because he takes everything he does extremely serious, he has been running non stop for the past 4 going on 5 weeks. As you well know, I reached my burn out stage several weeks prior, and am now attempting to off-load some of my unnecessary responsibilities. George, on the other hand, is looking for more tasks to add to his already full plate, that will allow him to generate more funds to maintain his societal obligations. Business is slow right now because I have not dedicated the necessary time to GROW-ing my business due to my commitment to ministry, but our businesses are what pay our bills.

What do you do when organizations continue to add to your full plate? You just say no! I learned it in school, when someone offers you something that is not good for you (i.e., drugs) you "Just Say No." Perhaps the most beneficial campaign Nancy Reagan created, and yet we only applied it to drugs in life. Our phones ring all times of the night, mainly because we continue to answer the calls. People have began to realize that we are the couple who is committed to carrying out whatever task is set before us, no matter what sacrifices we have to make. If we do not make a change, it may eventually cost us our marriage. We have been at each other's throats for a few weeks. We recognize it now as being extremely exhausted and not having spent any real time together outside of work. While we manage to escape late nights after we've put our 6 year old son to bed, it's not enough time because shortly thereafter we are sleeping ourselves. It's time we take a more serious role in our vacation!

I am demanding a two week vacation at the end of November. We typically travel to Mississippi to visit George's side of the family for a week during Thanksgiving, perhaps we should extend it to two weeks. We will take an additional two weeks in December during Christmas when our son has off from school, so that we can just lounge around the house in pajamas all day watching Christmas movies and eating junk food. Waiting for a little break in the storm has not proven to be a successful method in determining when would be a good time to take a vacation. We are gonna take one by force, in the middle of the storm, because when we get back the world will not have tilted off it's axis, it will still revolve around the sun and take 1 year to complete it's cycle. Sometimes you must do what is necessary for the sake of sanity, after all mental health affects physical health, and if we are unable to run our businesses because we have worn physical selves out, then how will we eat? Time off from obligations is an important part of business as well. We have not had a vacation in over 5 years and it's time we learn balance!

Incoherent Babblings of a Tired Business Woman

I missed celebrating my one year wedding anniversary and wasn't upset about it. We were busy working in ministry, and so we resolved to do exactly what we did one year ago 9/13 on our wedding night - sleep! Although technically we were legally married long before our actual wedding (which took place on our 4th year anniversary of dating), but that date remains confidential and only the knowledge of ourselves and the two witnesses present at the civil ceremony. We still acknowledge 9/13 as our anniversary, a year ago in the presence of God and our family in a small traditional Mississippi wedding, we vowed to cherish each other until death do us part. Because we are like minded people, we understand the sometimes necessary sacrifices required to conduct business. We also agree that we need time away together, which in five years of being together is new for us. 

We have not had an opportunity to unpack any boxes after the move because we went directly into working a major weekly event at our church. I have decided to relax this week. I am not working on consulting contracts, nor am I working on Orangeview Family Services Youth Camps. After this week of resting, lounging around the house, and sleeping in as late as possible (I still have to get my six year old to school on time), we will get back to work and focus on what needs to be done to acquire our new permanent home, as well as GROW our businesses. Orangeview has major events on calendar for next year, at it is time to work on solidifying sponsors as well vendors. 

With all the current projects going on in life, I'm certainly thankful for the blessing in disguise. I had to sit out of my MBA program for four months while my BA posted to my transcripts correctly. I was a bit irritated at first, but I am definitely thankful now. The time off has allowed me to focus on moving, finding a home to purchase, as well as develop new business strategies. I recognize the need for assistance in business, so I am planning to meet with some successful individuals that will be helpful in preparing for upcoming events. I am taking on some new business partnerships and co-sponsors to insure the success and proper funding of upcoming events. 

Before I can do anything, I need to find time alone with my husband, and get some rest! Nothing is worth pursuing if it causes you to lose your family and those you love and who love and support you. Perhaps this weekend we will find some time, and a corner to retreat to where we can just rest and hang out with one another. 

Seriously Though, How Do You Spell Relief?

We finally got moved, and all the utilities are now on (including internet). It is a difficult task to manage living without internet. We've connected everything to the internet, our home phone is through Vonage, which doesn't work without high speed internet. My business line is through MagicJack, which also requires high speed internet. No e-mail, no telephone, no faxing, no Face Book, no blogging, I felt like I was stuck in the twilight zone. The irritating thing is I got a call from an agent who e-mailed me a contract and asked me to sign it and fax it back to him. I told him I have no internet and phone service as of yet. He honestly could not figure out how to get the contract signed and back in his e-mail inbox. I reminded him of the big thing outside with the four black rubber wheels on it. "That thing is called a vehicle, you hop in it and drive to meet me somewhere if you cannot wait until Friday morning." Yeah, I know gas prices have gone back up, but honestly, a $5,000 contract should cover the cost of gas to drive 10 miles round trip no matter what you're driving. We had to run to a coffee shop with free wifi, download the contract and save it to a thumb drive, take it to Staples to print, sign and fax it back to him. Needless to say this will be the last time I deal with this agent. On top of this brainless agent, (who didn't inform us we had to move earlier than as planned until 7 days prior to the move) we moved to a much - I do stress much - smaller home.

There is nothing like an uncoordinated move, lack of current funds, and a smaller new place with a shared office to test the limits of your marriage. Okay, I'll save the stress of the move, lack of funds and smaller home for another post, but a shared office is enough to drive anyone insane. I know it's only temporary, but I am sharing a 200 s.f office with a slob. I'm no neat freak, but occasionally I like to see the floor of my office. George has four computer towers under his desk (which is larger than mine so he already is not staying on his side), several tool boxes, a dozen little small boxes with God-knows-what in them, and has already taken over the entire closet as his storage space. I am shoved in a corner with only my two drawer filing cabinet and a two shelf supply cabinet. While we search for a home to purchase, we have moved from our previous 5 1/2 bedroom home to a 3 bedroom townhouse. I am a week behind in work, I can't even find my shoes in this smaller space that has boxes stacked along every wall. I'm not sure if all my important office items are here, or across the street in our 10 x 20 storage that is filled to capacity. I still need that vacation, and now I've had to use the funds set aside to take a mini vacation to purchase extra storage cabinets for our kitchen that won't hold enough food and dishes for the three of us. Perhaps I'll run away for a few days and sleep in the park in my truck, I'm used to camping out. I recently stayed in my truck instead of my tent at the Orangeview Family Services youth camp this past summer, it's not that bad. Seriously, I need to schedule a break.

Take 5

I have worn myself down to barely nothing. I am literally so tired there are body parts and muscles beginning to hurt from stress that I didn't even know I had. No matter how many vitamins I take, or coffee I drink I still feel tired and physically ill. My father, who is an entrepreneur, used to take vacations often. I don't mean the kind you drag your entire family on to see the worlds largest frying pan, but the kind where you leave everyone and everybody at home and at the office and take a few days to decompress. I didn't get it then, but he seemed to always be at the top of his game. If a contract was too stressful, or a client too demanding, he would take an early sabbatical. He has been telling me for years the importance of taking care of my physical and emotional state. Until now, I never really saw how it connected to business. In my opinion, I always thought it took away from business because you utilized funds and resources that could be reinvested back into the business to create further production. 

As an entrepreneur, I'm certain you are having the same challenges we all have in the beginning, how do I duplicate myself so that I can further the vision of the company? Well while you are still searching for your dopple ganger, you should take the very best care of the only one version of you. I have been away from the office for nearly 3 weeks now with trying to prepare for this move. I find myself sitting in the middle of madness that once was my family room, trying to figure out what to pack next. It would all be so much easier if I were taking everything with me, but half my belongings are going into storage, and only half are coming with me. While packing I have to make a decision of what can I live without for 6 months. I would like to take a week off once the move is complete and we are finally settled in our new temporary home, however because of the time I've already taken off from my business I can't afford to do so. I am not at my best, nor am I effective when I'm this tired, so what do I do? 

Really, what do I do? I haven't figured out all the answers yet. Part of me says to take the week off and come back with more energy and even stronger than before, while the other part of me says to hit it hard now, and play longer later. There are no guaranties in life and especially business. I find myself starting from scratch with my leeds, and combing the newspapers trying to locate a company that can't afford not to hire me. There's so much to do, but I'm still learning that it doesn't all have to get done right now. "Calgon, take me away"..... but-bring-me back-in-time-to-call-my-potential-clients-so-I-can-get-a-contract. 

Help! What do I do? I have $500 in a reserve account. I need new business cards and brochures which will cost me $150. A 3 day mini vacation will cost me $395 or I could wait until the end of September when it will cost me $150 to stay at Camp Pendleton's beach front cottages for 4 days. Or I can work hard now, get a couple of contracts within 90 days, and take a 7 day cruise at the end of 90 days. 

It's Me, Not You

If you've ever been in a relationship that wasn't quite going the way you planned it, and the person was great, but just not what you wanted or needed, you may have had to utter that dreadful line, "It's me, not you." Everyone knows what is next, but you try to salvage some type of friendship from the whole ordeal because you just don't want to crush that person. I've recently experienced this in business. I met with a potential client, spent 2 hours (on which was supposed to be an hour visit) discussing some of the areas they wanted to grow in. I made certain to choose my words wisely, because I love what I do I sometimes offer unpaid advice. I informed them during my initial phone conversation how the process worked. I would visit them once to have an initial one hour conversation, and then return at a later date to offer them a proposal of areas of improvement. I reiterated the process once more before I left their office and headed out the door feeling very positive about the prospect of working with this non-profit organization. I spent exactly one week on their proposal, so that I could get it back to them as soon as possible, and before the week was out I called to schedule our next appointment. There was no answer, as well as no return phone call. I felt like I had been stood up for my senior prom. Instead of driving by the clients office and egging their building (like a stood up high school girl would do), I instead used this opportunity as a time to reflect on what could have possibly gone wrong. 

1. Did I devalue my time?

2. Did I not address every concern?

It is possible to show someone you are not valuable because you do not stick to your own time line. If the appointment was for an hour, then I should have shut it down after an hour. Staying for an additional hour lets the client know that you either don't have any other appointments, or if you do you are so desperate to get their business that you are not concerned with other appointments. If you are not concerned with your time and other appointments, then perhaps you will show this same lack of care regarding handling their organization. So now what? Well, this lesson just cost me a weeks worth of work, but the cost could have been greater. Lesson learned, next time I will monitor my time more carefully. This too must be handled with great care. It is in poor taste to keep looking at one's watch during a meeting, but there are other ways to manage this. I will just put that smart phone I purchased to use.

There were several questions asked during the course of our meeting, that touched into some of the items I include in the initial proposal. While I wanted to address every concern, the person seemed to have no regard for my livelihood. If I gave him everything up front, there would be no substance left to include in the proposal, he wouldn't need me and he would attempt to complete all the tasks I charge a fee for. I'm all for having a discussion regarding your business, and offering free advice and perhaps building a networking relationship with our businesses, however there is a difference between taking advantage and just shooting the breeze. I politely touched on some concerns, and then reminded the person why I was there. To gather information and come up with solutions to their problems. He seemed entirely pleased with my answers, and I don't believe myself to be a poor judge of character. My years spent at Cal Poly Pomona struggling to get a degree in communications (before getting smart and heading off to a private university) provided me with some knowledge of how to read people. If it were a game of poker I would have lost. My bruised ego would not allow for me to call another time, but I did anyway, still my call went unanswered. Sometimes I can't wait until camp season again, so I can refocus on Orangeview Family Services youth camps for teenagers with behavioral challenges. Working with the teenagers over the past summer, may have been easier than working with adults that are business and organization leaders. 

Moving On

I hate hate hate, no loathe moving!!! Last week I had to assist with the relocation of the organization for which I am the Chief Administration Officer, and in two weeks I must move from my current residence as well as move my home office. Let's start with the home first.

George and I were leasing to purchase a home. The first home we attempted to do this with, the owner (who was a real estate investor) purchased the home through a 1031 exchange. She released this information to me 1 year into our 2 year contract, not knowing I knew what she was talking about. I then let her know she would have to pay the penalties of selling the property early. Unwilling to pay the penalties, and us unwilling to extend our contract another 3 years, we decided to move into another home. 

They new owner seemed desperate for anyone to rent, purchase, or just take the property from him. We negotiated to purchase the house from him, and he agreed to use a portion of our monthly payments towards the purchase. Somewhere around month 4, he stopped paying the bank the mortgage but he continued to take our monthly payments. So once the notice came that the property was in default we spoke to him about it. George being a man of his word, wanted to continue paying the owner the $2,000/month we originally agreed to pay him. We did for two months, but then we got a notice the house was being sold in an auction. The owner became furious (of course, who wants to lose their $2,000/month spending change) once we stopped paying. He paid us an unannounced visit, to which George made it very clear he no longer owned the property. The bank informed us we would have to move in order to purchase the property from them like the rest of the public. So here we are to date, packing and searching for another place to move. All the while still having the responsibility of school, businesses and community obligations. Which is a great segue into having to move the ministry in which I am the Chief Administrative Officer.

Prior to my having become a part of the organization, they entered into an annual contractual agreement with a school district to rent an auditorium at one of their elementary schools. The contract had problems from the beginning. First off, it was an hourly contract, and without anyone to monitor the actual usage the cost began to vary as the school district faced financial woes. After advising the head of the organization to move their operations they decided to find a permanent home. During the negotiation process of the permanent location, the school district began to apply pressure for the organization to pay an increased monthly amount. The school district threatened not to allow access into the building if the organization did not bring in a check to their offices for $7,600. The non profit ministry, being unable to pay the amount decided they would have to pull together their resources to relocate with less than 48 hour notice. We not only pulled it together, but we turned the day into a celebration, and worked aggressively to make sure all of the members and associates knew of the new location. The relocation was not only successful, but the members and associates were excited about the new location and the organization was able to save more than $2,000 per month while waiting on their permanent location.

While moving is a pain, there is definitely a way to make certain the process is a smooth transition for those involved. If the ministry survived the move with less than 48 hour notice, I'm certain I'll survive the relocation of my residence.

Passion Requires NO Motivation

So I heard it say, that if you have passion for something, you don't need to be motivated to do it. Okay this is very poetic, but extremely unrealistic. Passion takes you on a great ride for the first 6 months or so, then reality swats you back down from out of the clouds, and you begin to realize the business you once had passion for has now become just another job. I've met people who claim to love their job, and don't get me wrong, I still love my businesses also but let's keep it real! Just as in any love relationship, you get frustrated, irritated, have moments of pure elation and moments where you want to throw in the towel and call it quits. So how do I get back to being passionate about my businesses? Just as I do in my marriage, I talk about it. 

My husband and I are often too busy to be bothered with one another, and the only time we are in the same room these days is when we go to sleep at night. We recognize when we are loosing passion for one another, because we are not concerned about one another's needs. It's during these times we set aside all distractions and focus on one another....for about an hour or two. LOL You'd be amazed how that small period of time helps us to reconnect and make certain each other knows how important the other is to us. That seems like an easier fix than the relationship we have with our businesses. How do we schedule a two hour date with our business to rekindle that spark that drove us to start it in the first place? I usually start by taking the day off. Yes, I said take the day off, you can do it! You spend only a portion of the day reflecting on why you started the business to begin with. Who were your target clients? Did you meet your goals? If not, how close are you and how do you get there? After you've answered these questions, you will be able to begin patching the holes in your plan, and growing towards sparking the flame that excited you about your business in the beginning. 

Surround yourself with other entrepreneurs and build business relationships with others to strengthen your support base. Not everyone can understand what entrepreneurs go through on a daily basis (sometimes not even your spouse may understand). Just remember, your customers/clients and potential customers/clients rely on your business for a much needed service/product and if you don't fulfill your business potential due to lack of motivation you will be doing a disservice to them, and more importantly to yourself.

Chivalry, Customer Service and Other Dead Things

I'm sure you've had to call some professional office, whether it's your bank or doctor's office, and you get the dreaded menu of what number to press to get to where you might be able to get to a shorter menu that might be able to get you to a live person. I never wanted to operate one of those types of businesses. I would rather be placed on hold for a minute or less listening to great hold music, than to have to attentively listen to a menu that may not be helpful. 

My husband has very different views of customer service. He is from a small town in Mississippi where your word is your contract. If you say you are going to do it, then you get it done. They have no regard for the process in which they complete the task, nor the time in which they complete it, but they will get it done. My husband owns and operates an auto mechanic shop, as well as a computer tech company, all while maintaining his duty to our country as a US Marine Corps Master Sargent. While he is currently off orders, he had a customer solicit his mechanic shop for a major repair. My husband exhibits traits of adult ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) and often multi tasks to the point of non productivity. He has difficulties staying focused on the task at hand. While he was committed to completing the vehicle, there were major breakdowns in his methods. As his wife it doesn't matter that I may know something about business, at the end of the day he does what most husbands do....totally ignores the somewhat business rantings of his wife. He ordered parts for the vehicle (after having it parked outside his shop for 4 days which he told the customer was a 4 day job to complete) and they did not all come in. Rather than finding another supplier, he dealt with the same parts supplier. He then realized he needed additional tools, so he purchased them as he went along (instead of altogether when he determined he would need more tools). While working on this vehicle, he also begin working on items he needed to complete for the military, as well as worked on his personal network. Meanwhile the client is riding around in a rental car at the rate of $25/day. My husbands southern work ethics, drove him to push to complete the vehicle without considering breaks and mealtimes for himself. Due to low blood sugar, he began dropping tools and bolts under the hood of the vehicle. One tool fell and ruptured a hose that led to the vehicles air conditioning unit and leaked freon all over the ground. As you can probably determine, you can't just replace the hose, you have to replace the entire unit, which was $200. He then had to purchase another piece of equipment to replace the freon. This added an additional 3 days onto the time of the completion of the vehicle. It was now 20 days total that he had the vehicle, and there was no end in sight. The client remaining calm (even at having to pay the cost of $25/day for a rental car) but was losing his patience. I then had to step in and take the vehicle to another shop who had the manpower and time to complete the vehicle, as my husband had a meeting and it would have cost the client an additional day. It cost an additional $200 to have another shop complete the repairs. So now my husband is out $400 on the cost to repair the vehicle, and the $200 I threw in to get the vehicle back to the client. 

There is no way this will be profitable!!! So after discussing with those in my social and business network, they've all suggested one thing....take over his customer service for him! Customer service, operations, business etiquette-how to do business in the California market, the list goes on and on. It's very difficult to offer help to someone who doesn't feel there needs to be a change. So for now, I simply focus on school, my businesses, and paying clients. 

Doing the Things That Work

While it may seem a bit backwards to begin at the beginning of your business, it helps put things in perspective. Remember the first two weeks of opening the doors of your business, and you were so excited you told everyone about your vision and you make $12,000 in sales? Okay, that may not be your story, but it holds true for me. My husband was more excited then about my success than I've ever seen him. He was willing to get on all fours and help me scrub the floors if necessary. So what happened?

After the initial excitement of business, we often get caught up in the daily operations that don't necessarily produce anything, they just make our business life a little easier. I spent lots of hours developing an employee handbook, that included all the necessary bells and whistles from paid family and medical leave to fraternization policies. I created the perfect vision statement, forms for new employees to fill out, etc. It took me well over 6 months to create these items, as some I wasn't aware I would need them until I crossed that bridge. The problem is, for six months I failed to market my business, some calls went unanswered during the months my assistant returned to college, and all the arduous form creating work had killed the original passion I once had for my business so I wasn't telling anyone about what I did. 

I had to find the middle ground, and quickly. While the forms are necessary (and every entrepreneur can relate) it takes time away from GROW-ing the business. I designed my own websites, brochures and business cards. I handled my own marketing, and when my business did produce income it always went on making payroll and bills so there was never a reinvestment into the business to facilitate growth. I was digging myself into a deeper whole and beginning to forget why I went into business to begin with. 

As a consultant, I know exactly what is necessary to further develop my business, but am often too close to see what needs to happen. Business owners hire me to help them with areas they may be lacking in, or simply so they can take a step back and continue to grow their business. It is easy to get caught up in believing that hired help is just another bill, but they are often just the support we needed. If you cannot duplicate yourself in your business to hire someone to do exactly what you do so you can continue the vision of the business, then hire someone to support your role. Volunteers and interns can also be useful. Whatever you do, do it soon so that you can get back to the passion that drove you in your business and produced results.

GROW-ing our businesses

Recently I decided not only was it important for my further individual development to embark upon this journey to acquire my MBA, but also for the future success of our business. My husband has a computer networking business as well as an auto mechanic shop, and I have a youth camp for teenagers with behavioral challenges and a consulting business. After having several successful camp seasons with my youth camp, I seemed to reach a threshold in business that was difficult to breakthrough. One summer, I found it imperative to revisit the business plans, in order to find out where we were going wrong. We refunded all the camp tuition that had come in, and referred all of our clients that summer, to other out of state camps. Some may think this was a crazy decision, but it proved to be the best decision ever. 

Taking time to revisit the business plans, allowed us to see what skills our staff, as well as our leadership team (including ourselves) were still in need of acquiring. It was then that I was able to see that either my husband or myself needed to return to school in order to get an MBA. Within my first class, I began getting knowledge on how to GROW our businesses. I sat down with my associates and developed not only the ELEVATE (Empowering Leaders in Education Via Appropriate Teaching Environments) program, but the GROW (Give, Reproduce, Observe Work) program as well. It is sometimes necessary to hire outside help for the purposes of business marketing, development, technical support, etc., but it became too great an expense to do this for four businesses. 

There are great programs and schools of business available for those of us who are too busy to sit in a classroom on a daily basis. I was able to find grants and small loans that covered the expense of school so that I did not have to make any initial financial investment. While it has been a challenge managing my time between family, school, business, and community commitments, the value I have added to myself and our businesses as well is far greater than the stress during this short season in life.