I sat around the table Friday night with my husband, Rich, three of my best girlfriends (Kris, Kathy and Cathy). My friend's husband, Chris, was in the kitchen making me the best dirty martini I've ever had.
Cathy was asking me about Fresh, and I told her about a new line of underwear and tank tops that I wanted to add to the website. She laughed at the brand name, and the whole table erupted in laughter.
"Michelle, you're crazy!" They said. I smiled. It's not the first time I've heard that.
Today, I got a phone call from a marketing friend who was calling for some advice. After answering her questions, I told her I might take her up on her offer to help me with some content development on the new website, because I knew what I wanted, but I have so much going on, it will take me a while to focus on it. She said, in a joking, but slightly sarcastic tone, "Oh, and you want to run a bakery on top of it all?" (Referring to the Sweet Cakes bakery essay contest)
"No, I don't want to RUN a bakery. I want to OWN a bakery. There's a difference. I can buy the supply chain for $59.95. I will keep the current staff and hire a manager to run the bakery. I just want the cupcakes."
Pondering these reactions to my business idea, I realized this entrepreneurship thing is not for the faint of heart. I have a very clear vision of the business as a whole, and all of the moving parts I need to make it successful. People I talk to can't possibly have the vision I do, and think in terms of their own perspective. That's okay. I don't mind if they think I'm crazy. I take their comments with a grain of salt. I know what I'm doing.
I can see that they are all thinking from the employee mentality. (And, yes, some of them are reading this, and I'm not trying to belittle you here at all!) I'm just pointing out where I would fail as an entrepreneur, if I got sensitive about every negative comment ever made about my ideas. I would never get out of the gate.
Running a business is not the same as having a job. No, it is not possible for me to do this alone. I cannot create the business myself to the scale of my vision. I cannot be out with bachelorette parties until well after midnight, drop them off at the mansion, then open a bakery at 4am, then go home to feed my kids breakfast, have meetings all day, make dinner, then go back out and do it all again that night. Now, THAT's crazy talk. I will have to get LOTS of help in this business, obviously.
The key is to have a strategic plan, which I am currently working on. What needs to be done? Who will do what? How much money do I need to fund all of this activity? How much money will be made by the various products and services? When will I break even? How profitable will I be? Who do I know who can help me plug in all the pieces?
These are all the questions one must answer when starting a business. And if the answer to all your questions is, "I can do that myself to save money," then it is not a business you're making at all.
It is a job.
And, you will be the worst boss you ever had. You will work yourself to the bone. If the business depends on you to do all the work, then it is not a scalable business, and you will never be able to sell it, unless you sell yourself. Does that make sense?
So, Friday, I have a big strategy session planned, and I've invited some key people over to go over my strategy and poke holes. I'm ASSUMING none of them will tell me I'm crazy, though I expect them to play devil's advocate and raise concerns, so that risks and pitfalls may be considered. Out of this session, I hope to get an actionable map of what the business needs to reach my vision.
Friday night, Chris came back to the table with my martini, and also asked some questions about the business. Being a small business owner himself, he was asking about the branding, potential services, and seemed eager to brainstorm a bit. I appreciate friends like this. I appreciate all feedback, positive or negative, but I get energy from other entrepreneurs who think like I do.
So, Chris, I raise my martini glass to toast you in today's blog. (I've been toasting a lot of people in this blog - see a trend? ;-) Thanks for playing with the idea, and if we ever institute a "least eligible bachelor" night at Fresh, you'll be top on my list. (It was his idea...and I love ideas! ;-)
Wow, Michelle, quite brilliant. I love the new biz idea. My husband said to me the other day, "I really didn't think you could make your business work." To give him credit, he supported me anyway. But if I hadn't believed in myself, it would have been awful lonely out there in entrepreneurland. Good luck with Fresh and let me know how I can support your vision (and company!).
ReplyDeleteLisa, don't you just love husbands?
ReplyDelete'I had to laugh or I would have cried this morning when my friend Rebecca (from California) posted this comment on Rich's Facebook page:
"Michelle, we want to formally invite you, Jessie and Nicholas out here because your husband knows nothing about what you do. We have lots of questions..."
Last night, Rich spent the evening with Rebecca and her husband Nate (Rich's childhood friend) because he's in LA on a business trip, and we haven't seen them since they moved several years ago, before we had kids. We've all reconnected on Facebook recently.
So, isn't it lovely that my husband can't answer the question, "What does your wife do?" Nice. I'm sure he'll get an earful when he calls this morning. Granted, I'm a tough one to keep up with, but really, does he ever LISTEN when I talk about work, ever?!?
Do I really need to develop the PowerPoint training on "What to Say When Someone Asks You What I Do" for when he gets home?
Of course, I just replied that I prefer to keep him in the dark about what I do. Maybe it's better that way after all... ;-)
To your point, hearing, "I didn't think you'd make it in your business" from a loved one isn't what you want to hear, but how lovely it is to have proven yourself in hind sight!
And, equally lovely is the fact that he supported you anyway, and kept that comment to himself. That means that while he had doubts, deep down, he really did respect you and trusted you to give it your best shot (in addition to raising his two boys at the same time!)
So good for you, and good for him, and good for the kids! I celebrate you all....and all the husbands out there who keep their mouths shut and let their mompreneur wives do what they want to make their businesses succeed. (I know I love mine for it.)