Perspective

During a recent vist, a colleague of mine brought up the Gerber (E-Myth) quip, "You're working IN your business, rather than ON your business." when he asked how much time I spent at work.

There are two main reasons why someone opens a small business.
1) They love what they do (and they make money doing it).
2) To make money supporting what they love(d) to do.

Now if your love is money, or your love is owning a business, then there are many businesses you can start with that end goal in mind. Create a business. Create a system. Watch the business grow. Repeat. Now if your love is books, or pastries, or sushi, or coffee, or cute crafts, then at what point does your love become business?

Let's look at owner operated shops in other countries. You can see many of them if you watch Rick Steves travel shows, where tourists walk around happily to happy owners in happy shops all over Europe. Small restaurants, wineries, caffe, pub, clothing stores, etc. Some of these are fourth or fifth generation. Families go into work doing something they love as part of their culture, family, or something they discovered in their journey of life. Work schedules are long, but not overwhelming... Want a vacation? Take one! Want to change the schedule? Change it! Want to begin something new? You can do that too. The idea that working successfully IN your business is not as rewarding as standing aside and watching someone else do it often mystifies me.

Again, ask yourself the question, "If I love X so much, then why is someone else doing it for me?" And that's ok. It's just a different perspective.

I love working for myself. I love working with my wife. I love making, tasting, brewing, roasting, and understanding coffee and espresso. It's not work. It's love.
But I don't think I need to limit myself to one song, one drink, or one business. Sharing the daily opportunity for us to grow this business together will always make the caffe "home", but that doesn't mean there isn't a little condo we have our eye on as well.

Stay tuned...