My life is pretty darn great. My marriage is solid and healthy, my children are blessings and growing like weeds. My friends are steady, supportive, and inspiring. I have a nice office job, where I am respected and relied upon (perhaps a bit too much for my pay grade) and I am happy even as I realize this company has no where to grow.
But I am itchy. I have always been itchy and ambitious about my career. I've always known that I am an entrepreneur at heart and that I would one day own my own business and make my mark in this world. Moving up in the world in another's company is not my ultimate goal. I am proud to say that I have left my mark in each company I have been with; positive contributions that have stayed with those few companies even after I have left. I have also learned so much, having been blessed with many amazing mentors; ingenious, creative, and brilliant people. But my dream is for me to leave my mark on my company, on my community, and on my family. A legacy my children will be proud of their mother for.
I have been asking myself in the last several weeks, "What are you doing? Where are you going next, professionally?" Granted there has also been a bit of, "Where did I go wrong - why am I not as successful now as I always thought I would be? How do I define 'success' - and if I don't like it, how can I change it now, in this economy?" The headlines these days can make a dreamer feel a wee hopeless sometimes...especially when this dreamer was one of the first to be hit by the recession, if you want to call it that. My husband and I lost absolutely everything we owned and all that we had in investments and retirement. It's okay - it is all just stuff and we are young enough to rebuild. The reality of our last few years just places an obstacle in my path that must be overcome; there will be others, I'm certain. It's a good thing I don't scare easily...
So what do I want to do? What am I good at? What will make me happy? What does this community need or want that I can provide? These are just a few of the questions I have asked myself over the years, yet I just hadn't found the right fit or the right inspiration for me personally. Oddly enough, I was getting ready to call it a night a week ago, reading the latest headlines in The Huffington Post via my Android as I lay in bed, and I happened upon a random article about some guys in the Midwest. I was struck. Immediately.
This is it - the right fit!!!
I have been living, breathing, researching, planning... about this ever since. I have reached out to one of the guys in the article, hoping that they have franchise options far enough in development for me to launch here in GA. I would prefer to go this route, but I don't have to. Nope, not at all. No patent infringements or trademark issues here, that is for certain. While I would prefer to franchise, it is great to know that I would not have to if it came right down to it. That knowledge is invigorating.
So this is me, an entrepreneur whose sights have finally come into focus, and this is my journey to get there. Perhaps there are others who will share their journey with me, or lend their wisdom to steer my path. I am inspired and so very, very excited!
