When I Grow Up? [Issue I]

Ah, sweet memories… I remember being in Ms. Virginia Hoffman’s 2^nd grade class being asked what I would like to be when I grew up. Questioning begun with Sauna Mars, my first girlfriend that only lasted 2 days. I want to be a nurse Ms. Hoffman. As the answers snaked around the room, my mind raced for an answer. I mean come on, I was only 7 and being Batman was a realistic option. After repeated Doctors, Lawyers, Firemen, Policemen, Soldiers and much more; I, with the confidence of Napoleon and other great leaders decided… I want to be President!

I’ve looked back at that day repeatedly and realized I never wanted to be President. Going through college, I noticed no one ever said I want to run my own business. With the inception of small businesses on a constant climb, how come? What is funny is that at 7 is when most of us start our own first business. Even then, after school I would offer to rake leaves for the neighbors at a rate of $2; this was enough for me to go to McDonalds and have a field day.

I had to manage my time to accommodate school work, house chores and my “extra” work. What was truly amazing was I had to organize my day to be back in the house before the street lights glared. This was a difficult task growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, because the lights were powering up by 5:30 pm and school did not let out until 2:30 pm or so. Fortunately, my parents understood more so than I the importance of making it on my own; that they allowed me to do my schoolwork when I was summoned to return home by the street lights. Their understanding allotted me more time to do neighbors yard work and other menial tasks for “extra” money.

Now that I look back, I was a successful business owner at 7! Why did I not want to be a business owner the day when Ms. Hoffman asked me? Could it have been that I didn’t know what it was to be an entrepreneur? Maybe no one gave me the information to explore this as a possibility. Could it have been the fear that I thought that answer wasn’t acceptable?

Many of us adults look at our talents and hobbies as just that without the drive to make them successful businesses. We fear what others may think of us if we fail. We fear that the decision to start our own business could jeopardize our families. We fear giving up the security and stability of our 9 to 5 for the opportunity of having our own unsuccessfully. One thing I was taught in college, “Fear is a mind killer, it is that little evil that destroys us from inside out. I must learn to face and control it. Fear.”

I can admit that statistics show that failure is more likely than success. Statistics show that businesses open and close everyday like the doors on high school lockers. How many times have you been “stuck” in a dead end job? How many of you are in one right now?

I challenge you to do your research, plan an exit strategy from your current job and give business ownership a try. If not full-time, at least to develop a foundation that gives you the option to leave that dead-end job and explore a new wealth of possibilities as a successful business owner loving what you do. As they say… car $25,000; house $200,000; current job $50,000; working for yourself and enjoying what you do… Priceless!