Small Business Is Risk and Change

Risk comes with life-long rewards, whether the business is successful or not.

  Starting a new small business venture can be daunting and a risk but it also comes with life-long rewards, whether the business is successful or not. Few things are more chilling – or thrilling – than taking a chance when starting a small business. People will either scoff at you or become your biggest cheerleaders. But it’s that sense of “new”; new challenges, new people, new places – that make it all worthwhile. When my husband and I were about to embark on our first small-business adventure, an accountant told me something he had observed in his clients: The older ones, those who had now started focusing on retirement or were retired, that the ones who lived life with risk, for better or worse, success or failure, seemed happier. Those clients, he said, were more relaxed and content, whereas clients who were very conservative and never took risks had more of an edge to them and were very worried. Fast forward almost a decade later when I decided to go out to Los Angeles to check out the writing scene with my five-year-old son, husband and pets in tow. Telling people about this decision was an interesting experience. I was met with everything from anger (“You’re crazy! How could you make your family do that?  You need to think of them.”); to envy (“You’re so lucky. I wish I could do that!”); to elation (“I’m so happy for you! How wonderful for all of you.”). I can’t nail down any type of person who said these things. Some were successful through their own risks, yet were scolding me for mine. Some had never done anything so bold, yet loved that I was doing it. Others from all walks of life were either supportive, thought we were nuts or wished they could do the same.

Everyone had their own views and everyone shared them.

While in California, an opportunity presented itself: I published two children’s books. I networked, made new friends and began a whole new phase of my life all while taking that huge load off my shoulders and getting rid of that dreaded “What if?” It’s why I had to go. It’s why my husband understood why I had to go. It’s also why I am so thankful we did. So very happy and thankful. Taking that risk changed our lives as individuals and as a family. We all want to travel now and have discovered that being somewhere else, living somewhere else, is fun. It’s an adventure. It completely changed how we view the world.  It opened our eyes to the differences between here and there and allowed us to appreciate them.

Change as a Constant

I’ll tell you flat out it wasn’t easy. It was the most difficult thing I’ve ever done in my life. It was the most stressful two and half years of my life, and financially, it was draining. But… We would all do it all over again in a heartbeat because it was simply that awesome. We learned not to be afraid of the unknown, we learned how to deal with stress and figured out what makes us who we are, and we learned that we don’t need stuff – because there”s nothing wrong with living as a minimalist. Small business is all risk, for better or worse, through success or failure. Every small-business owner who’s taken the plunge knows the doubt, has met the naysayers and cheerleaders, seen the world through different eyes and, best of all, is fearless. It’s all about “new” –  starting a new phase in your life, meeting and working with new people, seeing life through new eyes. It’s not easy, as we all know. It’s downright stressful. Hershey had several failed ventures before Hershey Chocolate took off.  I bet his family and friends thought he was crazy. I bet he just liked new. Nothing stays the same in this world. In fact, the only constant is change (or so I learned in a high-school science class). Small-business owners are the pioneers of new and accepting the fact that the only constant is change. They change their lives and the lives of their family and friends by starting a small business and bringing new experiences with them. It’s risk, pure and simple. It’s also courageous. There’s a sense of pride and strength that goes along with “When I had my own business…” When we’re older, sitting in a rocking chair on that cliché front porch, looking back at our lives, I think we’ll be able to look back and smile, for better or worse, through success or failure, because we knew what new was all about.

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