I had avoided the attic in my house for quite some time. I dramatically looked at it as where all my dreams have gone to die. If you stepped into my attic, you’d find boxes and signs of every business I ever started. I guess one could say I’m a serial entrepreneur. My accountant once asked me if I had ever been dropped on my head as a child because of how many businesses he has advised me on. I had business ideas on the brain at a very young age. I just wanted to do what I loved and made me most happy while making a living. And lucky me, I have a few interests!!
Let me see….there was that time when I was an Event Planner. I had come up with the best portfolio of a wedding, wedding shower, and birthday party that I had ever planned. Granted, it was MY wedding, MY wedding shower, and MY mother’s big birthday party. I was not being dishonest as I had planned two of them and attended all 3. I didn’t get paid for it, but everyone had a fabulous time and I loved planning it all! So of course, what does this crazy lady do?? I start a business!! Woohoo!! This business then brings me to the online wedding supplies/favors store I had. I attended HUGE wedding expos in Boston and spent a fortune on getting this store up and running. It did alright, but the overhead was costly and it just didn’t make sense anymore to keep it up.
Then there was the Concierge Management Company….I had an AMAZING website, all the contracts drawn up, and one person call me, so I don’t think I have to elaborate on this business venture much more than that.
Ok, what’s next….Real Estate!! Oh I love houses!! I love looking at them, love decorating them, I love meeting people and talking to them about houses, but selling them in a competitive market with a newly diagnosed 3 year old with Autism and a newborn….not the easiest thing I’ve ever done. With my young children and son’s intensive therapy schedule, it was hard to be available in a busy real estate market. I did pretty well with it, even with the schedule challenges. Plus, I met incredible colleagues and some life-long best friends! But my family had to come first AND I still had one business idea that never left the brain and because I thought I was getting soooo old (insert eye-roll here) I decided to take my last big real estate commission and start a………WOMEN’S ONLY BOXING GYM!!
Oh yes, I started a woman’s only Boxing gym. Truth is, this was my first and only business idea I ever consistently thought about. If I could have started one in my 20’s I would have, and perhaps the outcome would have been different, but it wasn’t. I loved the sport and staying active, so it was right up my alley. But with the start-up costs, it never was the right time when I was younger. And when it was financially the right time, I was now a Mother to two young children who REALLY needed me. I did well with this business but if I had to pay someone to train members so I could be at home more and do all the therapy that my son needed, it then would not be worth it financially. I had to make the painful decision of not renewing my lease when it was up and I went back to starting all over.
But this time I was done. I had no other business ideas because the gym was “my baby” and all that I had ever really wanted for a business since day one. I let some gossip get the best of me about how many “careers” I’ve had and how I’ve “failed” at them all, and it made me stop all things I enjoyed, One of them being writing. I became afraid at “failing” at that. Even though, I have always just written for myself and it’s been my therapy and hobby for years. Yes, I realize I’m an idiot for letting people get the best of me.
I had written a list of long-term goals when I turned 30 about all I would achieve before I turned 40. One of them was to start that Boxing gym, run and finish one Boston Marathon (I’ve finished 2 of them) and write a book. I reached 2 of those goals. I told myself the book thing would never happen. But after a deep discussion at the kitchen table with my then 5 year old daughter, she inspired me to dream again and just write. So here it is, I finally have my website officially launched, all neat and organized in a pretty little package to document my journey all along the way in this crazy and beautiful life with plans to write that book! BECAUSE I love to write. BECAUSE It makes ME happy and it’s a form of therapy for ME. Did you hear that? I’m doing it for me…and my family. It feels good to not worry about what others may think about anything I do.
OH! And another thing I’m doing again… Real Estate! The kids are older and both in school full-time. Therapy appointments can be shared with my husband that FINALLY has a better work schedule so he can help out more in that aspect. I can focus during the day and give 100% to my work and clients. It feels good! What else…..Oh yeah, we started The Wicked AUsome Foundation for Autism because apparently I had some more free time and my children don’t allow me to sleep, so why the hell not?!!
When I didn’t want to go into the attic for all that time because of having to face my business burial ground, my brilliant husband would tell me that I should be proud of those boxes and signs in that attic because it means I’ve lived without regret and “just went for it”. He said that has given me all that I can write about. He’s right. (Just don’t tell him I said that)
That attic is now full of proof I’ve lived and I’m not afraid of it anymore. I’ll head up there this year for all of my seasonal decorations and will smile at all the multiple business memories that greet me as I walk up there. I’ll use it as inspiration that I have fallen multiple times, have gotten back up and learned to stand taller. If it weren’t for all of those business ventures, I would not have the confidence nor the knowledge to do what I’m doing today. I’m not afraid of “failing” anymore. I’m not afraid of it because I no longer believe that you have failed at anything if you gave it your all. Life has a way of closing doors to lead us to others that we need to open. I’d rather add more to my attic than be left with wondering what could have been if only I had tried.