‘Enterprisingly Me’ is a monthly feature where you can follow my entrepreneurial adventures. Names have been changed to protect the innocent but everything you read really happened.
I hope my story inspires you to take your first steps, or if you already have, then it lets you know you’re not on your own. Starting and running a successful business isn’t about being perfect. It’s about loving what you’re doing, learning from your mistakes and keeping the faith!
Business is brisk and I’m feeling really good about things. I’m working 7 days a week which doesn’t leave much time for a social life, but I seem to get all of the pleasure I need from my business. Who would have thought it?
I’m getting lots of opportunities to talk to people interested in working with us but really struggling to fit everything in as the business grows. I sometimes feel its like going out and selling a bike and then coming back and making it… thinking I need to be either saying no or maybe looking to bring someone in to help me with either the business development or the training delivery. I’ve got the chance of employing an apprentice to help out in the office but this does mean moving to a bigger place as there’s just not enough room what with all of the desks I bought taking up the space!
Big changes at home. My son is about to leave home to go to University which means that I’m not only losing a son but also losing my live in child minder given my daughter is still too young to leave alone. It’s a real balancing act and I need to think through how I’m going to manage everything at home when I really need to invest all my time in my new business. I probably didn’t properly consider the responsibility I was taking on when I decided to start employing people. Its really easy to get carried away with things when you’re getting such a buzz from doing well. I really must make a plan – preferably before I finish off the bottle of Prosecco that will only go to waste if I don’t finish it!
Anyway, good news! The man from Del Monte says YES (maybe some of you will be able to remember the advert??) and so we’re all systems go. I’ll have to employ someone to help me. Its really exciting to secure such a large piece of work but scary at the same time. I’m busy putting an advert together for a new member of staff but in the meantime thought I might involve Marie in some of the training delivery. I’m sure she’ll enjoy the challenge…
I’ve started to look at new offices. My hotel owner customer and now friend has offered space in the hotel which I’m considering.
Reasons for saying yes:
- Free space with no overhead
- Access to meeting rooms and refreshments
- Access to training facilities (obviously we would pay for this but at a reduced price)
- Its very posh!
Reasons for saying no:
- We may lose our brand identity
- Its further to travel to from where I live
- I’ll feel obliged to pay them back through providing them with free support. This will certainly cut into the little time I have now
- I want people to see I can stand on my own two feet!
You’ve probably guessed what I’ve decided to do… Yes I’ve viewed some offices nearer to home and will be signing on the dotted line in a weeks time ready to take up occupancy next month. Is it too soon? Am I making a mistake by jumping in with both feet? Who knows until I try it. I’m not sure where this drive is coming from but I do know that’s it intoxicating and has taken over my every waking moment and also some of my dream time. (I do have other dreams but nothing I feel is appropriate to share with you… well not at the moment anyway, maybe later when we know each other better).
Oooohhh how exciting, more things to buy. I’ll need more office furniture and we’ll have a training room so we can start offering courses delivered in our own premises. I’m speculating to accumulate which means investing some of our hard earned money in tables and chairs for our new training suite. (OK its just a room but suite sounds much better don’t you think?) Marie and our new apprentice, Claire, are helping me to get everything ready and I’ve booked a holiday. It’s the first time I’ve been able to afford to go abroad with my daughter so as you can guess the business is starting to do well.
Things haven’t gone entirely to plan with the move and unfortunately we won’t get the keys for the new office until we go away on holiday. I’m leaving everything to Marie and Claire so fingers crossed everything is OK as I won’t even be in the country. I’ll be partaking of all things you partake of on holiday including good weather, good food, good wine and I’ll leave the rest to your imagination.
After a very hectic week packing up the office along with launching our new management training programme, interviewing the new prospective member of the team and working with my women returners, we are all packed and ready to go on holiday.
Just as we are about to leave for the airport I get a call from Marie to say that the keys they have given her don’t work and what should she do. We have the removal men ready at the old office to put our office furniture in the van and the telephone company waiting for access to install the new telephone system. I’m tempted to postpone our holiday and then I look at my daughters face… what is more important? As I struggle with my need to know that everything is sorted out before we go and the tug on my heart strings I ring the new landlord giving him Marie’s number and he agrees to meet her at the new premises to sort out the problem.
With my heart in my mouth we set off for the airport and I can report that all is well. Reasons to be cheerful:
Part 1 Marie and Claire are safely installed in the new office
Part 2 The telephones are installed and working
Part 3 We are sunning ourselves in Menorca and its almost wine time – well anytime is wine time when you’re on holiday right?
Me x