I have a canvas tote bag from a trade show that says: "Yeah, I'm a goal digger" and it's my favorite. I'm hard-working, driven, creative and to quote Stuart Smalley from SNL, "doggone it, people like me!" Yet, while I read this week's course material I kept thinking, "Why haven't I taken the initiative to invest in myself earlier in my life? What have I done in my life that was worth meaning? Please don't let my kids make my obituary sound as boring as Aunt Denny's." My patriarchal blessing encourages me to chose a career path that I will be happy and successful with. The problem is, I'm halfway through my life and I haven't decided on a career path! I've worked in restaurants and decided that although I love people, it's hard work and late hours away from family. I've worked with general contractors, subcontractors, and project management, I loved seeing things go from the drawing board to real life, but in reality, it really was just a paycheck at the end of the week. I got creative and started decorating for weddings, but I was working for pennies on the hour, so that was a short-lived project. I worked with my sister, who is an Interior Designer, and the great thing about helping her was the contacts you get at Trade Shows. It's all who knows know in the business. So, while we're chatting with a floral designer at the High Point Furniture Market, I get the guts to say, "Hey, if you ever need help in Atlanta, give me a call." We return home from our trip and a few days later, he calls and asks for me to help at the next show! I'm so stoked, you can't believe it! Except, it's not with florals. It's with his new home business. Well, not exactly what I was hoping for, but it's a foot in the right direction. So, although I haven't learned anything about florals in the last year, it's a step in the direction of learning business.
In the first week of this class, our icebreaker introduction asks us, "What kind of job you have or hope to have in the future." Well, my dream job is to work with flowers. I've known that since I saw some rom-com as a teenager, where Christian Slater played a florist. I even worked at a florist shop for a short time before we moved to Atlanta and I loved every day of it. I love flowers. Flowers make me happy. When I walk through a garden, I can usually tell you the names of half the plants in it and the other half have me taking pictures and googling them. Who doesn't love getting or giving flowers? So, as I was writing in my introduction, "I would love to have my own flower stand someday. There's a company called Floret that'll teach you everything about growing, designing, and selling your own flowers. It's a dream that hopefully someday could become a reality." It felt right. That's what I really wanted and I was allowing myself to say it out loud. The only reason why I haven't taken the course at Floret was because it's six weeks in Oregon and not cheap. But, news flash! I just checked the website and their class is now online! No travel is required, I just need to decide if it's worth $2,000. All of the entrepreneurs that I've read from this week would probably say something like, "Invest in yourself." or "You gotta spend money to make money." Yet, this is when the voice in my head starts telling me every reason why I shouldn't step up to the plate and swing for the stars. I think I'll take this opportunity up with the big guy upstairs. He usually knows the best way to direct my life.
Here are some thoughts I've had while reading my course material:
What are my gifts and strengths? I'm good with people, I'm creative, I'm good with colors, I can sell ice to an Eskimo. I like to communicate, but I don't over-talk. I'm a hard worker and I don't quit until the job's done. What are my joys and passion? My family, road trips, a new project, flowers, gardening, arts & crafts. What does the world need? Other than the beauty pageant answer of "world peace", I'd say, more acts of kindness and ministering to one another. Maybe I could add a little beauty to this world with flowers.
Am I taking the stepping stone to a career that I love? No! I'm working during the day in my kids' cafeteria and not in a florist shop and my other part-time job is with home decor. Step #1 - Finish out the school year and quit the cafeteria job. Keep the home decor job for now, it pays too well. Step #2 - Have 20 seconds of outrageous bravery, walk into a florist shop and offer my help - the worst they could say is "no". Step #3 - Communicate to my other boss, I'd love to help with florals and not home decor.
The best video I watched this week, was actually the one after "The Start-Up of You", it was Denzel Washington giving a commencement speech about Failing Forward. He talked about how he had failed an audition that was for a stage production, but because of that audition, he figured out what kind of an actor he was. Thirty years later, he was back on the same stage, but this time as a successful actor. He didn't fail and quit, he failed and kept going. Success doesn't happen overnight. Good things take time.
Books to Read:
George Clason - Richest Man in Babylon
Og Mandino - 10 Scrolls
Viktor Frankl - Man's Search for Meaning
Stephen R. Covey - Seven Habits of Highly Effective People (Done. Read it twice.)
Jim Collins - Good to Great
Steve A Hitz - The Ministry of Business
Women are not as successful in business I think largely because men are more willing to take risks.
How can I find the balance of being a mom, wife, leader while also being an effective entrepreneur?
How can I make my flower stand different from others?
Who do I know in the flower business? Who can get me started? Where can I go to learn more?
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