vendredi 11 juillet 2014

Hello from Pacific Northwest

Hello,



I will go by my nickname and I am an entrepreneur and owner of a small cafe of 3 years now.



I literally started my business with nothing. In fact I have a lot of debt to payoff, a school university loan and family business loan. I've never had much money in my life growing up. I've worked a lot of different types of jobs, from teacher assistant at a preschool, to welding, to data entry in a city, to working in a winery. I originally asked my brother to come along and help me start my business. Since that time, he has quit and left me with all the responsibilities and obligations.



It is very difficult. I work 70-80 hours a week, due to my second job working at a restaurant. I really have no energy from one day to the next. Over the few years of starting my business, my hair is thinning and graying. I have wrinkles on my face now. I am aging rapidly. I have not even made a profit or broke even yet on my business. I often doubt myself and consider quitting. I pay myself nothing, nothing. I hired a couple different employees over the previous year, working them part time, about 10 hours per week. I pay them about $10 an hour. They get paid before I do. I have not yet paid myself from my business revenue.



I cannot afford rent or privacy. Recently I've been thinking of buying a van or another vehicle to live in. So I will work 80 hours per week and go homeless, to start my business. Nobody really seems to notice or care about my hardships. I never complain to the public or let anybody really know what's going on with me. I always keep a front and tell people "I'm good". Truth is, I consider quitting everything from week to week. I constantly reevaluate what I'm doing and whether it will be worth it in the long run. I have a lot of opinions about small business and the economy now. I realize a lot.



I highly respect other small business owners and corporations now. I do not have as much respect for workers, employees, and "average" people who don't know where their paychecks and welfare comes from. It comes from other men like myself, who work hard, and get nothing in return. It comes from many small businesses who struggle, and never get their head above water. It comes from loss, from others that people never hear about nor care about. So yes, I have a newfound respect for these people and institutions. I adore business owners, entrepreneurs, bosses, corporations, employers, and all others who have struggled to get where they are.



I realize that success is always a gamble. You can work hard, but, that doesn't guarantee anything. Going homeless and working 80 hours per week, not paying yourself for 40 of that, doesn't mean anything. You may lose. You may work yourself to death. Nobody may care. And that's the reaffirming aspect of business and entrepreneurs. It's the freedom, taking matters into your own hands, and fully appreciating the fruit of labor. Employees and average joe and jane, don't know, don't care, and don't appreciate this. That's fine. Because that's also their choice, to live life from paycheck to paycheck, following orders from a boss.



To each his own.



I hope this doesn't seem like complaining to you, although it probably will. This is merely my introduction. My short time in business and ownership, so far, has been fruitless. I have not yet given up hope. In fact, I somewhat plan to die for my cause. Because I have nothing else in life. This is it, for me. This is all I really have. I don't really have friends or romantic relationships. My business is my only hope. And I own it. That's the positive. That's the magic. I own something. I own my own labor. I have that freedom, American freedom. I have that opportunity for which I am too grateful and thankful.



I do not plan to inspire new business owners and entrepreneurs. In fact, most new, small businesses, fail. Many people fail, give up, and quit. There are many reasons for this. I'm not necessarily going to encourage young people or other business owners.



I just wonder if this is the right place for me, and if anybody here can empathize or understand what I'm saying? I hope so.



--Kreater




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