A Tale of To Do or Not To Do:
Part I
September 15, 2009
When I decided to go out on my own - about seven years ago, now - I didn't think about leadership or employees or payroll. I only thought about starting a business that I was responsible for, primarily because the 'companies' I had worked for since my divorce had all been... less than what I wanted out of life. Yeah, let's say that.
I became an entrepreneur without hesitation. Ladies Who Launch have nothing on me! My mother was the same way. She got tired of working for other people, also. Back in the day, way before women were accepted as business professionals or business owners, my Mom got a bank loan and opened a small grocery store about 2 blocks from our house. I did not realize how big a deal that was until many, many years later. Not only was it unheard of for a woman to want to run her own business, it was incredible that a bank was willing to give my Mom a loan! Wow! That little grocery store supported a family of 5 for many years before it was sold.
I must have absorbed some of her spirit for being independent and not accepting the status quo, because I jumped at the chance to be my own boss - with nary a thought of failure. Oh sure, I thought about bills and how I was going to pay them (mortgage, lights, heat, phone, food...just the little things), but I didn't think, "This could fail and I could be in big financial trouble!"
There I was - with my DBA, attending networking events, picking up enough clients and enough work to cover my bills, when...I met Tom, wrote a book, used POD to publish it - and (with Tom's support and encouragement) decided to create a real business, complete with employees!
And therein lies the tale - to do it: create and establish a business that could employ other people, and serve clients better than the competition; or not to do it: stay where I was, scrambling for clients as a solopreneur, covering my bills and not much more, but not responsible for anyone else - just me.
My book drove me to create the business. My Tom encouraged me and worked with me side-by-side, to do it right. My life exepriences (much of my inspiration and ability comes from my Mom) gave me the courage.
And so, my first company was born, Windsor Media Enterprises. My self-published book begat the company, and I became a POD publisher. With employees. What a difference a day makes.
Stay tuned as I continue this tale - a tale of success, a tale of woe, a tale of confusion, a tale of learning, and a tale of discovery. Because life is not the same now. I have a whole new view of life and business. How that all happened will be revealed over time.
Come back next week for Part II.
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