What a whirlwind of a ride 2018 was! I was able to validate some of my thoughts and concepts, learn some new and interesting technology and was able to expand my business in a way I didn’t anticipate. While all of these things are typical, a business owner is trying to find solid footing to continually build. We will always encounter setbacks, how you adapt to those changes is what can define future success.
My business is hardly a few years old. I started on my birthday October 13, 2016 and worked on The City Mix part time. I started to make progress with my business, but not as much as I would have hoped to have. Challenges happened at my old company and while I understood those challenges, it was impacting me on a personal level. Being a widowed father of two children and traveling 3 hours a day took too much time away from my children, I couldn’t justify that change. While the immediate reaction was to take it personally, I realizes that it was a sign. It was a sign to push me to where I am now.
I decided to go full time on August 2nd, 2017 and it was a struggle. Paying business taxes, understanding what I could write off, establish baseline metrics and refining how many hours I had to work each month to break even was eye opening. During that time I reduced many of the expenses that I once thought was imperative to my goals and found cheaper if not free products that could accomplish the same result. 2018 was fun because I learned a tremendous amount of how to run lean and achieve a great work life balance. Being a business owner was fun and I survived year one, that is the goal. My first full year, I broke even and by all accounts, personally and professionally, that was a great year! On the personal front, Anjali and Devin have flourished! I am able to make all of their practices, plays, recitals, soccer games and school events because I am home with them.
I am living the American dream and I love where it is heading too!
