Day 281 – My green thumb.

Most of this blog will cover what I am sure is most of my audiences least favorite subject but it is what my day was about.

I have a few plants that I have been growing out doors this summer to experiment with and try to understand the cycle under natural conditions. It is good to know when I am growing indoors in an artificial environment  just what it is that I am trying to duplicate. It has been a mostly positive experience as we have had a good summer. Since we are into Fall officially and we have had some rain I have experienced some mold. It seems with the cooler days and the rain that the plant is not able to completely dry out during the day and mold is created. This is generally not a problem indoors as the plants are fed directly to the soil and not over the plant like in nature. Since the outdoor plants are not completely done I have built a shelter for them to allow them to get the light necessary but also will protect them from the rain. I will take on more of a indoor feeding regiment and see how it works out. The outdoor crop has really been more of an experiment and I am not into it a whole lot of money. Regardless, it has been a good experience. I have been able to see hoe the plants react to light and temperature swing and I can understand why farmers love what they do.

It is immensely satisfying to see something planted to grow and reach maturity. Plants become like dependents.   Without the care and attention of the farmer they will simply die. Of course some will survive as most plants do but, I have been able to keep them all alive.

Later tonight I had to go to the warehouse and spend about 5 hours with those plants. I needed to cull the dead vegetation, feed and stake several of them as some of them are almost 6 feet tall!

After I was done i could not help but step back and again enjoy the vision of what I have done. I have learned a lot in the last year. Before then I had never taken care of so much as a house plant nor had any concept of what was needed outside of my vague recollection of Junior High science class.

In any case I am going to bed feeling pretty accomplished!

 

Day 271 – Highs and Lows

The morning started out pretty stressful.

I had to spend over an hour cleaning up my computer and restoring some things just to get it to connect to the internet. I really should take better care of my computer but, I get so busy that I forget to restart it and do the updates. The stress of a deadline that I have to get my blog submitted for my quiz on Tuesday night does not help. It literally came down to my deadline when I finally got it done and uploaded.

I did get some awesome news this morning in the heat of my repairs. Our Distributor in Minnesota has already re-ordered! Went through his first 14 cases faster than our Washington Distributor did and it I was not there to push sales. I wish all distributors were this great! And who would have thought Minnesota!?

Spent some time working on the Executive Summary for Eve’s Moonshine Co today as well. This will be the backbone of the business plan we will need to secure the funding we will need to start the location here in Snohomish and the one in Leavenworth. Lots of details to work out but it is a very exciting time.

I am also really looking forward to a meeting we have next week at the farm with the owners and Will from BB Ranch meats. There will be a lot of vision cast for what we will be able to do to create what we are calling a modern farm. Businesses on the farm using the products created on the same property. It is a super cool idea and there are some super ideas that have already been discussed.

The last thing I did today was to locate a guy that can help process all of the left over scraps from out first harvest at the warehouse into usable  product that can be sold. This process with the Washington State Liquor Control Board is really wearing on me. There were about 2700 people apply for the Producer – Processor license we applied for and they have only approved about 200 so far. We turned in our application on the last day so we are at the bottom of the list and I fear that we will still not be contacted for months. In the meantime we are still paying a lease and other bills with limited funds coming in from what we can grow under the current medical growing laws. Coupled with the fact that we do not have a real grower and I am having to muddle through it with an education of Hard Knocks and YouTube, it is difficult. I ma staying above water but even treading water gets tiring. I know I am going to make it but just like everything else I tackle this is a difficult process.

No self pity just sharing my struggle and it is real.

Day 136 – The Road to success is never an overnight road trip.

When I started this blog I only had a goal of documenting my struggles and victories as a small business owner.

So many blogs are available to read on a daily basis and there are a plethora of subjects. So many of them are blogs that are selling something or sales tools for another purpose. This blogs is neither of those things.

This is more of a personal journal and I have chosen to share it with anyone interested. I am not selling anything, I am not trying to promote anything. I am simply trying to share with the world the journey.

So many times when we hear about a successful business owner or entrepreneur nad all we hear about is the success. There is an illusion of an overnight success and we never get to see the years of struggle that got them to that point. The hard truth of the matter is that there is struggle and a lot of it. There is no such thing as an “overnight success”.

There is a path of sacrifice and hard lessons than give experience to the entrepreneur. 100’s of closed doors, unanswered calls and rejection. Ups and downs with many nights filled with self doubt and worry. Unfortunately we never get to see or hear about those times. It is my desire to share those with everyone.

Of course there are lots of really awesome things that happen too and I love to share those as well. This blog will always be real and sometimes raw. A glimpse into what really happens when a small business person embarks on a journey.

Sometimes I may take a slight detour but not too often. This Blog has been a great tool for me to get my thoughts and reflections down. It is really for me to process but I am happy to have anyone join me for a leg of the trip!

Day 108 – Sometimes I feel lazy

So 108 days and I have had lots to say. I am going to be honest. There have been many nights that I struggle for something to write and end up actually coming up with content for the sake of content.

I have committed to write a blog every day of 2014 but, I may be doing a misservice to my regular readers.

People have told me that they appreciate my honesty and candor  so here is some more.

Today I really did not do much in my business. I mean I had some things to do but it was minimal. I picked up some props for the photo shoot tomorrow and I talked to the distillery but that was it.

There are two things at work here.

#1 Sometimes there is just not a lot that I do in the business. Sometimes I only do what I have to  and not necessarily the things I need to do. Some days I just want to do the minimum – and that makes me feel horribly guilty. Especially when it has been one of those days and it is 11:00 at night and I am trying to write a blog about what I accomplished that day.

#2 Sometimes I don’t know what to do so I tend to shut down. There are times when I am at a crossroad or have a decision I don’t know how to make and I just shut down and find something else to do. I need time to stew and think. Or sometimes I just let it fester until I am forced to deal with it.

Today  was a bit of both fueled by a very convenient opportunity to hang with one of my kids. My number 2 son Wesley recently bought a boat and had asked if I would come with him to pick it up. I took the opportunity to arrange my day to go with him. I look so forward to spending time with my kids.

I got done the things that I needed to and had the opportunity to do something that I wanted to as well. At the end of the day I actually feel a bit lazy,  And you know what? I am Okay with that.

Day 55 – I thought what I could see was daunting

I knew it was going to get busy. I know that I have said that several times but, already and the enormity of this task is actually starting to unveil itself. The closer I get the bigger it is. I am starting to realize that more than just busy, this is going to be the hardest year of my life.

When things get hard for me I have a self defense mechanism that I cannot afford to use. When things get hard I have a tendency to shut down. To sleep more and find excuses to become reclusive. It is the self defense mechanism that can easily turn into self sabotage.

Juggling 3 different businesses in 3 very different stages has many challenges and I find my self switching hats several times a day between tasks and businesses. Today I was up and out of the house making sales calls in Seattle for Moonshine. Conference calls to a box maker and a Florida broker in my car. Home to update my budget on the warehouse and adjust my timeline. Wrapped up the taxes for Wired Wyatt’s and started working on Kokopelli which is a large part of our personal taxes. Met with a custom box maker, organized some more sales calls for the week and then cleaned the house! While this sounds like a crazy day, this is the stuff I can actually handle.

Where I get into trouble is the prioritizing of those tasks and then the emotional stress that comes with them. I know my limits and I have been riding pretty close to those limits. When I get something out of the blue that takes an emotional toll I have nothing left for it. It is like an electrical breaker than is running at capacity and then you plug in the vacuum – the breaker flips. That is what happened today.

I am discovering that a lot more people are reading this than I had ever really expected so early on. I am glad you are here and I value the support. Sometimes, what I get may not be support, and that is just something I have to figure out a way to deal with. I knew this would not be easy ventures to take on and that because of who I am, people would hold me to a different standard.

As much as I try to put out a persona of this confident capable businessman, I am more insecure than I like to admit and I am flat out lying if I say I don’t care what people think of me. I think everyone cares to some degree don’t they? Unfortunately what happens is that I spend too much effort trying to live up to what I think are someone else’s expectations. Most people form an opinion of who we are based on the things they know about us and couple that with personal experience. I don’t know how I could possibly think to know what that is or how to live up to it but, that is a time waste and energy suck.

I have the support of my family and Amy has always been, and will always be my biggest cheerleader. I live and thrive on her love and support for me. We are in this together and I would not have it any other way. If I am honest I would say that I couldn’t do it any other way because. without here I would not have the strength. As I discover the size of this endeavor I will be relying on her more but, also on God. I pray for strength and guidance to help me stay on a very tricky path, maintain integrity, and set an example for those around me.

And coffee . . . lots of coffee!

Day 50 – Why?

If you have been following me for anytime you know that I believe I am an entrepreneur, and was created to be one. What you may not know is why. My journey of discovery has been one that has paralleled my business journey.

Making money and working for myself has been with me most of my life. I have owned several businesses and been a part of several Network Marketing companies. I learned to dream at an early age and dream big. I was initially drawn in with dreams of Ferraris, Yachts, and mansions, but my dreams grew as I got educated. I exposed myself to Napoleon Hill, Dale Carnagie and J Paul Getty. These men all had something in common other than just material wealth. They had happiness and peace. They believed in the principle of helping others and seeing them succeed. Napoleon Hill actually says that if you want to be wealthy, just help someone else become wealthy. He says that material wealth will come, but this made me ask the question. What is true wealth?

I began to look and see how I could make a difference in someone else’s life.  Where would I even begin? Making a real difference in someone’s life seems like a paramount task and I had no idea where to start. Instead of cars and houses I started getting visions of making a difference on a much larger scale. I see reaching out to people I don’t know in countries I have never been to. I see empowering people to be able to take care of basic needs that I take for granted. I see showing others that they too can make a real difference. I had NO IDEA how all this was going to happen but, the visions became stronger and in the last couple years, my visions have turned to desire.

When I read Sir Richard Branson’s book, SCREW BUSINESS AS USUAL. The underlying theme is what he calls Capitalism 24902 (the circumference of the earth at the equator is 24,902 miles). It represents Corporate Social Responsibility on a global level. Business should not try to give back as publicity but, he says they actually have a responsibility. Everyone who is in business is a citizen and citizens have responsibilities. How can we be exposed to what we see every day in the papers and other media and do nothing?

I am an entrepreneur not only to take care of my family and my own desires but, to have a much larger impact. I have been called to the marketplace to make a difference and set an example. To empower people to make a difference wherever and however they can. My why is not so materialistic as the title of my blog may suggest. My why is fulfilling and even just writing about it is making me smile. I look for opportunities to give and to make a difference in the smallest way possible. Even if it is to encourage another or listen as they bounce ideas around. I try to find ways to give that have a larger impact than just sending money. Helping to fund a well in an impoverished village or helping to provide education and resources to people who would not have that opportunity at their fingertips like we do in this country. That is what turns my crank. Yeah I will take the Ferrari for a spin, then I will probably sell it to provide micro loan funding in another country so that someone else can have a chance at a life I take for granted every day.

 

Day 49 – Opinions are like . . .

I remember when I first saw this meme and I laughed. Today actually I had the opportunity to live it. As most of you know I have a few irons in the fire. I have three different businesses that are totally separate from each other. Hey, someone told me to diversify!

I was taking an order from a customer today and the subject of Eve’s Moonshine came up. After about 30 seconds he told me to repent and not to worry about his order as he would not be needing my services any longer. I paused for a moment before asking if he was serious and he went off on one of the most self righteous tirades I have ever experienced first hand. I felt embarrassed for him actually as he spewed such superiority and distain over my choice of products and marketing.

I would like to point out that I am not perfect, nor have I ever claimed to be. I go to a non denominational church and I am what some would consider pretty involved. I tithe regularly which means that my endeavors help support my local church and missions in Malawi Africa, Brazil, Pakistan and others. My businesses are legal and I pay taxes. This one man’s opinion seriously took me back.

Hey I get the fact that people have different opinions and different strokes etc. We had a good business relationship for well over a year and now it is over. I just do not get it. As I have been reflecting on this for a while it has given me pause. While I have my own opinions of others and the choices they make, I pray that I never show show much hate in the name of Jesus as this man did. While I do believe in right and wrong, I also believe in tolerance, grace, and mercy. All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

Wow I did not mean for this to take such a turn today but it was the most significant thing that happened today and I have been thinking about it all afternoon. Luckily this man’s opinion means nothing to me as I am not accountable to him for anything. This business belongs to Amy and I and we believe we are doing what we are supposed to be doing. Evidently we are doing something correct as this has been our most successful project to date and it just keeps looking better.

This is a journey, sometimes it is a stroll on a path in the sun on a warm summer day and other times it is traversing a 300 year old goat trail on the side of a mountain during a monsoon. Most days it is somewhere in between but this journey is mine. Thanks for being a part of it.

 

Day 21- Habit Formed!

So they say it takes 21 days to form a habit and here we are. Day 21 0f 365. I would say that it is definitely a habit at this point as I am thinking about my blog several times during the day. What will I write about? What has happened? When will I have to write it based on the days schedule? Well Tuesdays are tough because I have so much to do and it is my night to run the Pub Quiz at my local watering hole The Irishmen.

The last 24 hours have been very stressful. One of my projects has been moved to the front of the line and it has taken a lot of time recently. Last year I was approached by an acquaintance of my accountant. As you may know Initiative 502 passed over a year ago legalizing marijuana for recreational use in Washington state. I was approached by a couple guys asking if I would help them navigate the licensing process, help them secure a location and set up an operations plan. Business is business and this new industry is no different. Its no different from the alcohol business or the food business or the contracting business. There are licenses, corporate documents and vendors to deal with. In return I have been given a 20% share of this company. Now that is a significant part of any business but let me assure you I have earned every point. You see that is my talent. I get things done and make things happen. I use my knowledge as currency and my reputation is my credit score. Never under value what you bring to the table. Especially if its knowledge and experience that you bring.

The guys I am working with are very smart and talented business people. They are not potheads or even casual users. They are like me, they see opportunity and jump. Now their expertise is definitely in starting a business. They understand marketing and food and have great ideas but they needed me to put the rubber to the road. In the last 24 hours I have really had to rely on how much they actually trusted me as we just signed a 3 year lease on a facility that is 6-7 months away from seeing its first dime in revenue. It took a lot of explaining, conference calls and emails. Explaining the basics of a lease, what triple net is and how it is standard on commercial properties, all the while fending off other people that really wanted this property and assuring the landlord that we actually have our shit together. I can tell you it was exhausting. Walking out of the real estate office I felt like I had just gotten married lol. It was a big day in that project and there is a lot of work ahead but it looks like I am in the Marijuana business now too.

Lets see how well I juggle all of this!