August 16, 2007
All of the business magazines talk about how being an entrepreneur is so "in vogue", it is now studied at the best universities, oh and us Mom's that want to run our own business, sista' pleeeze! We are growing in leaps and bounds - they say that the numbers are too large to measure. More times than not, when I meet someone and tell them what I do they go, "Oh my gawd I would love to do that."
So.....with the week I just had, I thought that I would tell you what it is really like to run your own business. I would like you to think long and hard about what it takes to run a business. See if you really want to do this:
"I would love to be in charge of my own destiny"
Really? Ya, that is what I thought when I started JPD...in fact I like to say that when people start quoting self help books, Tony Robbins or any of that super age....cra........stuff. Being in charge is great, however you are in CHARGE with a capital "C". You have to decide what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. You may have to figure out how to get sales, how to build a website, how to fix a printer, who to call when your garbage cans are stolen. You and only you get to be in charge - I don't know about any of you out there but I am already in charge at home....sometimes I would like to NOT be in charge. Some days it would be nice to let "the man" write me a check for my work, pat me on my head and send me home on Friday. As an entrepreneur I don't REALLY leave work on Friday......ever.
"I would love to be the one who makes ALL the money"
Um......well who doesn't want that? I mean, okay so that is NOT what it is all about, but for argument sake let me address this comment. Unless your company is totally funded (and if your company IS, please tell me all about it, 'cause that is not the case with me) and you are taking home a HUGE salary you are going to make sacrifices - maybe not monetary ones, but sacrifices none the less. Even IF you take a pay check, you will be working LONG hours and long hours equal.....about $2.45 an hour. You do NOT get to work 9-5, you will not take long fun lunch breaks, you will NOT relax on vacation and you will NOT make tons of money while you are starting, growing or working IN your business. You may make tons of money later on, but at what cost? What sacrifices are you willing to make? What is your family willing to risk? Willing to sacrifice? Trust me, there will be sacrifices.....
" I would LOVE to come and go as a I please, you have SOOO much freedom"
Yes........that is right I just lolly-gag in around noon, take a long lunch at 1:00 p.m. then cut out early for a mani-pedi, golf lesson, massage, possibly a nap in the break room or gee a shopping spree at Neimans (is that what they call it?). Okay, I do have the freedom to leave early, volunteer in my children's classroom, go on SOME (not all) field trips, and use the photo copier at my free will. But, but, BUT....screw the however - I then make up for it ten-fold. I work weekends, I work nights, I work mornings or I answer emails in traffic, I take my lap top on vacation, I check my blackberry when I am in bed with a 102 temperature, I check voice mail while driving to a field trip (okay not the driver, not the driver). My freedom comes at a cost, and I am always attached to my business - you have to be.
"Wow it must be so exciting and FUN, you are like famous!"
Pssstttrrfffoooooo........excuse me, while I spit my drink out all over the person that just said this to me. First of all, publicity IS great, and it does help your business grow, but don't believe the hype. In almost five years in business I have sort of found it just feeds the ego of the owner of the business. It does validate the business, however it takes hard work and lots and lots of sales to put food on the table. And let me address that FUN aspect, being in charge is not always so much fun. I get to make the bad decisions too. I get to decide when to let someone go, I get to decide when to not do something, and I get to decide to what to do next. If I make a bad decision I get to own it, I have to be the one to explain myself, or uh fess up, or eat crow - I do not get to hide behind a manager - I do not HAVE one. And if letting someone go is part of the day's agenda - guess who does that person's job? Guess who cleans up the mess? Guess who gets to be the bad guy......er gal.
This is not complaint or a rant post, or a "poor me" - this is MY life, and I chose it. Running your own business and being run-ragged by your business are two different things. I do not know who does NOT live in their business. Though we did move it out of the house close to two years ago and that does change things a bit. However, it is like the college student that left home, but still comes home to wash clothes, grab some food, sleep on the couch, get money for tuition, rent, books and then ask to borrow a $20. That college student may weigh 175 pounds, be 6 ft tall and 23 years old, but he will always be my baby - no matter how far away he lives, or what he does. That is my business - it is mine - and it will ALWAYS be a part of me.
So - does this still sound like fun to you? Does this still sound like you want to roll up your sleeves and jump in? Are you salivating at the mouth and saying, "sign me up!"? If so - then good for you, that is great. I have to say, I never knew that running my own business would be as hard as it has been. I did not even think about these things.....I was that person that said those silly things to other entrepreneurs. So, good luck - you GO girl! Call me in about 4 years though, and tell me if I was right, okay?
SOOOOOOOOOOO true...but if I (and am sure you would too )do it all over again...I'd still do it.
Always have been a taker of the Road Less Traveled. Adventure will always have a huge appeal. Romantic enought to believe in the infinate potential of things!
Posted by: Vicki | August 18, 2007 at 10:57 AM
Ah, the downside of working without a net! Great post!
Posted by: Mama Zen | August 19, 2007 at 12:54 PM
Ah, the downside of working without a net! Great post!
Posted by: Mama Zen | August 19, 2007 at 12:54 PM
Ah, the downside of working without a net! Great post!
Posted by: Mama Zen | August 19, 2007 at 12:54 PM
Ah, the downside of working without a net! Great post!
Posted by: Mama Zen | August 19, 2007 at 12:54 PM
Working without a net - sort of like raising children, the risks are also high! Thanks for the comment!
Jamie
Posted by: jamie lentzner | August 19, 2007 at 01:30 PM
I just read that there is a reason you go into this with blinders on - if you really knew all the work it took, you'd never jump.
I'd stick with this decision a million times over. Hindsight is 20/20 - yes, you get a paycheck in the corporate world, but I had to eat my mistakes, I had to work ridiculous hours, I had to answer to others, meet ridiculous deadlines, and as a bonus, sit in traffic for an hour a day. I was MISERABLE. And someone else was going on those field trips with my kids.
Now, I work a lot harder, and crazier hours - true, but I LOVE it. Painful experiences and all...
Frankly, the thought of ever spending 10+ hours a day away from my kids again (and bringing work home still) scares me into working that much harder for my own business. :-)
Posted by: Amber M. | August 20, 2007 at 04:30 PM
Love this post - I can't even tell you how much I relate. Friends and family members are always saying things like "I wish I were as lucky as you and had my own business" or "must be nice to not have to deal with the boss". My first impulse is to tell them how it really is, but I realize that it would be impossible for them to understand unless they were already in the same boat.
But, the passion drives me breathe life into my business everyday. I'd be miserable if I weren't doing it!!
Posted by: Melissa | August 22, 2007 at 07:19 PM
OMG, Jamie...Just read this after your comment over there on the Boonie Blog. Definitely separated at birth. So glad we found each other!
Posted by: The Hen | October 30, 2007 at 03:41 PM
So similiar I know - thanks for the comment. Funny thing is people thought I was being negative I was like NO - just be realistic, realize what it takes to start a business. I did not know what it would take - but I stick by my word - 'my worst day owning my own business, is better than the best day working for the man'. Good luck this holiday season!
Posted by: Jamie Lentzner | October 30, 2007 at 03:55 PM
Great post! And so very true. People think is sooo easy.
Posted by: M | November 23, 2007 at 12:56 PM
Nice summary of the unglamorized life that is so rarely portrayed on Oprah. Didn't some episode inspire most of us? Haha!
Posted by: Kelly King Anderson | February 12, 2008 at 08:57 PM
Nice summary of the unglamorized life that is so rarely portrayed on Oprah. Didn't some episode inspire most of us? Haha!
Posted by: Kelly King Anderson | February 12, 2008 at 08:57 PM