What Does It Take?

Last week, a friend of mine and I had gone to lunch in Old Town Alexandria (where Zoe will be located).  As we were walking back to her car, we stopped in a housewares shop.  As we were browsing the shop, she told the owner "My friend is going to open a clothing boutique here in Alexandria!"  While I won't share exactly what he said to us, let's just say he was not at all supportive and called my sanity into question!

It was ok because I've certainly called my sanity into question at least once a week since I started considering this idea a little over a year ago!  It was actually very helpful to find a couple of quotes that were encouraging:

Business plans are less important than businesspeople, according to Paul Graham, founder of Y Combinator. When considering an investment, Graham writes, he wants to see four characteristics in an entrepreneur: determination, flexibility, imagination and naughtiness. Naughtiness? "Morally they care about getting the big questions right but not about observing proprieties," he writes. "... They delight in breaking rules -- but not rules that matter."

While I feel strongly that it was and is important to have a good business plan in place as my guide, I realize that I'm going to have a lot of surprises thrown my way, as well as things that I just can't control.  I'm going to have to continue to be flexible and determined to meet my goal.  I've always had a good imagination and, believe it or not, a certain amount of naughtiness (which I'd more define as knowing what to care about and what not to care about)!  


I also liked this quote from Confucius:

“When it is obvious that the goals cannot be reached, don't adjust the goals, adjust the action steps.”

Once again, it speaks to having that flexibility to work with whatever is given to you.  I've really had that trait since my father was diagnosed with cancer over 6 years ago.  My feeling was, "Just tell me what it is, so I can figure out how to deal with it."  There was nothing that I could do to cure him but it did allow me to grieve and to prepare myself to help and emotionally support my family.  A true example of what doesn't kill us makes us stronger!


Not everyone will think what I'm trying to do is a good idea.  With God's help, I'll do the best with what I've been given!