From Unemployed to Business Owner

When I was initially doing a search on the topic of starting your own business, I was amazed at the overwhelming amount of articles, links, advice, websites that came up in the search results. I very quickly realized that the search topic was a bit too broad, so had to figure out how to narrow the field down. That didn't really work out so well either. "Photography" itself is a huge field and put together with "business" makes it even more so.

However, at last, with never ending support from my husband, we got it narrowed down to Florida regulations and requirements and rule and regulations. So, after endless repeated information entries and website visits and trying to figure out legal jargon, we got the paperwork done. We finally got registered and established. We opened Boyden Galleries LLC. I have proudly displayed the Articles of Organization and other documents on my wall.

I stepped back and took a deep breath. Great! We were legal, we were recognized, and we were current with all the required payments and fees. Now what?..Sales...displaying our work...making contacts...the "fun" part.

I have no problem with filling out paperwork online (or at an office) - as frustrating and confusing as it can be, because really, it's pretty straightforward, once you figure out what the questions are really asking. But going out into the real world, making face to face contact with potential buyers/sellers/organizations...that scares the heck out of me. I'm a naturally quiet and shy person. The Sales people I've encountered are usually extroverts, outgoing, sometimes (overly) aggressive, and even in your face. The exact opposite of me.

My husband, Jerry, on the other hand, is simply awesome. Coming from the background of car sales, he has a natural and unassuming way of approaching people, getting them to open up and can present our business in a way I don't even think of doing. We went out together one day and I very willingly let him take the lead - in my head, Sales meant dressing up (the church dress attire), brief case in hand, business cards and portfolio at the ready...with full business/professional attitude. That was anything but his style. Dressed in shorts and a button up, short sleeved, collard shirt, we went around to a different locations. We'd go in the store, look around, then approach whoever was at the counter. He was so casual and informal my first thought was, no way in heck is anyone really gonna take us seriously...and each time I was proved wrong. I don't like to be wrong, but in this case, I am definitely very glad to say I was wrong. Each person we spoke with expressed what seemed to be genuine interest and while some asked for our business cards, the others were not adverse to accepting them when offered. On our way home, he asked me, "What did you learn today?"  I smiled, "Sales is not my thing and I definitely have to refine my approach."

I realize that there are times when the business attire and briefcase and formal attitude are required, but I also realized that I would need to learn to distinguish between those times. Making contacts is crucial and knowing the way to approach and establish and maintain those business contacts and relationships requires the ability to not stereotype or blanket all them into one.

Working for yourself versus working for someone else is both an awesome and daunting  experience. I have to admit that sometimes I miss being able to leave work at work and come home to home life. Then I think about the benefits of working for yourself. Instead of some higher up executive enjoying the fruits of my labor and hard work, I get to enjoy them and share them with my husband and kids.  Yes, I can no longer leave work at work, but my time, energy and effort are going towards a result that I don't have to see someone else enjoying and soaking up.
Granted, the business will rise and fall with how much effort and energy is put into it, I realize that, and that is somewhat of a scary thought. But knowing that I have some control of how it goes, and not having to worry about losing my job due to a merger, lay offs, downsizing, management change which could lead to personality/work conflict...it's all worth it.

So, is being a Business Owner worth the huge responsibilities, the stress, the ups and downs of simply making a business work? DEFINITELY! Would I change anything? Yes, hindsight is always 20/20, but I would only go back and change things if I could go back with the knowledge of what I have learned in the process.
What would I change? I would get the paperwork done prior to leaving my old job so that my focus after leaving, would be the Sales and Marketing. But again, what I have learned in the process is invaluable and if I had to give up that learning, then no, I would not go back and change a thing.

Business Owner is a huge responsibility and for all its ups and downs, its stress and surprises, I don't regret the decision at all.

I recently had to make a very serious decision: whether or not I wanted to continue to work for someone else or work for myself. I had been over this in my head at least a thousand times over the course of the previous year, and always came to the conclusion: at least if I was employed by someone else, it was income and benefits. Income is always important, but even more so during these hard economic times. And benefits? A must have for my kids.

So I stayed employed by the company - got up every morning, went to work, clocked in and answered (sometimes extremely ridiculous) calls, clocked out and went home. When I first started working for that company, it was great - but over the course of the next couple years, my co-workers remained awesome, but I started to see issues with the product we were selling and supporting. But even more bothersome, I began to notice signs of failing health...I passed it off as stress from going through a divorce, being a new single parent, the whole transition. But even after that calmed down, my health was never back up to 100% - but I had my job, my income, and benefits, so it would all be okay, right? Wrong.

I woke up to reality. Yes, I had income, I had benefits, and I realized, I had a health problem - it isn't normal to wake up every morning with knots in your stomach with just the thought of going to work; it isn't normal to want it to be the end of the work day before it's even started! I tried taking "mental health" days - time off work, but it was a temporary fix. So I made the decision to resign. During my exit interview I had a tiny voice in the back of my head saying, "I hope you know what you are doing!" At the end of the interview, back at my desk, collecting my personal belongings, I had a strange feeling: no knots in my stomach, my nerves weren't on edge...I knew then I had made the right decision. Despite the "guaranteed" income, the benefits, the great co-workers, leaving was the right decision.

Do I regret my decision at this time? Not at all. I can connect with my co-workers and friends via social media or text or a phone call. Am I nervous about my decision? Yes, but I am also comfortable with knowing that taking care of myself enables me to take better care of my kids.

Next Chapter: From unemployed to Business Owner