Entrepreneurship Doesn’t Mean Working in Pajamas
My daughter Sally is 50+ years old and amidst an outstanding career in public health with CDC and FDA, she decided to become a coffee roaster. Her motivation, she told me, is that she and her husband always wanted to work together, wanted to build something from nothing. For her it’s a creative outlet; for him it’s the freedom to be his own boss. He still works at his job in Washington, DC, but works remotely from their new home in Oriental, NC, where the lifestyle is the antithesis of DC commuting.
The biggest differences for the entrepreneur is there is no backstop, no safety net, no guarantee. When you have a job, work hard, do it well, you get paid, you get rewarded. When you start your own business that goes away. For Sally and Charlie, the risk wasn’t quite as overwhelming; Charlie has a job, a paycheck to pay the bills, and insurance. But still, the business must support itself.
One of the biggest challenges for Sally, she says, is her age. “People have the perspective that, at my age, this isn’t a serious business venture, but more of a hobby, something to do in retirement. They don’t see this as my plan to build and grow a business and many are surprised to learn that I get up and go to work every day. Many people have a different perception of what is means to own your own business and work for one’s self.”
While struggling to maintain a balance in life and build her business, Sally knows the need to be constantly discovering new resources. They’ve moved to a small town that happens to have excellent community college resources. She’s taken their classes on entrepreneurship and has joined a network of 200 business women who own, run, or retired from their own businesses. The monthly luncheon surrounds her with positive, like-minded women who give feedback and mentor, offer services, and make recommendations.
Sally has zero regrets. People doubted her sanity, she says, when leaving her secure government employment to start her own business. “It’s not a no-brainer,” she says. “Not everyone could do it.” Her recommendations to those who want to venture are to first talk to people who’ve done it. “Learn first hand what the sacrifices are and even though you plan to work for yourself, without a network you will be overwhelmed. Partnership is a good idea. I have Charlie. We share the vision, share ideas, pick each other’s brain. It’s important. Have a very clear vision of what success looks like to you. Don’t let other’s visions deter yours. Listen to them, take advice, but at the end of the day, it’s your business. Don’t try to do everything at once. Bite off a little at a time and do each part well. Reevaluate often. But keep your vision.”