Category Archives: Self Help

Hi Jack, it is time to say goodbye.

Really? Why?

I was promoted in my day job and transferring to Cairns for two years.

Remember how I discussed my ideas in the team meeting instead of bouncing my ideas off Gladys?

Yes, you silly bugger. She stole your ideas and made out they were hers. Then when you used your brains and spoke about your ideas directly in the team meeting yourself, the boss liked it so much he implemented them into the workforce and asked you to work on it further.

The boss is opening another business in Cairns and asked me to set it up with my ideas I had shared in the team meeting.

Congratulations Sam! See what happens when you are no longer distracted by an obnoxious workmate and focus more on your work because you pretended it was your own business, and got more involved in what you were doing in your day job.

I am going to continue with my writing. I am taking a writing course, and practice on the book I am currently writing.

AI is another issue writers must worry about these days, but we are all in it together so we will venture our way through it.

I’ve done just what you told me, to seek people who know more about writing than I do. I’ve outgrown you as far as writing is concerned. Yet, I know nothing about the scheme of books, marketing, etc. It is time to move on and consult the experts in writing, marketing, publishing, etc.

Sam, I believe you are sacking me. I started you off thinking of business. Now you are dumping me for the experts.

Jack and Sam laughed. Their get togethers was only going to be for a year until Sam got a bit of grounding in small business and writing.

I will be back in early 2025. I will tell you all about how much more advanced I am in my writing. Hopefully, by then I will be good enough to leave my day job.

So you still intend to take up writing full time if you can, Sam.

Definitely! In the meantime, I will be in Cairns, I can’t think of anything better.

All this happened because I listened to you, to share my ideas in the right venues, and to think of my day job as my business. To learn about small business and get involved with experts in the field I want to pursue, which is writing, etc.

I will miss my coffee sessions with you, but the show much go on as they say.

Sam, does this mean I will not know about ISBN numbers until you came back in 2025?

I will tell you that publishers are happy to provide your ISBN numbers, but they belong to the publisher, not the author. So people will track the publisher, not the author, and naturally you want to be tracked and have people ask you the questions because you own the ISBN number. Besides, a publisher will charge you a lot more for the numbers than if you had bought them yourself. I am sure I will know so much more in two years. I’ll come over your house and say goodbye on the weekend, then see you in two years.

I am so proud of you, Sam.

Thanks Jack.

Jack: Let’s talk about editing. I know you are not keen on it and have previously said you will not bother with it, although recently you mentioned it would be a good idea. Tell me why you changed your mind.

Sam: The more I read about being an author, the more I realise there is a lot more to it. I would not get an editor; but I am glad I changed my mind. There are different types of editors, one does not fit all.

I can see why you told me to continue working and check all these things out before I just launched myself into a full-time author.

I gave a few friends two chapters to read to see what they thought of it. Now, I know these people are called Beta readers. They are not real editors. They want to read your book because they are interested. They give you their opinion before it goes to editing and, for their effort; they get a free book when it is available.

Jack: Did you benefit from this?

Sam: Yes.

Then there is the proofreader, who checks punctuation, formatting, gramma, missed page numbers, and all those tiny things that matter.

The critique editor is the sort of coach that gives you feedback about the characters I have written about, how they think the story is going, and give ideas on how to improve the book.

The developmental editor focuses on structure, grammar, diction, and punctuation, it makes the story flow and so much more.

I am so naive; I thought an editor could editor everything, but there are editors for children’s books, fiction, non-fiction, and various genres.

Jack: Maybe because all you could think about was how horrible your co-worker Gladys was. It distorted your thinking, and you could not think beyond her. It stopped you from looking at anything else clearly, including what is involved with writing. You were in such a rush to get out of your day job without planning where you were going. Now you are being more realistic, you are looking at Gladys differently. It has cleared your mind up so you can learn more about what you want to do, such as writing and all it entails, before you move right into it. I never make a move unless I have planned it well. I am not saying I don’t take risks; I am saying I always have a backup plan.

When we get stuck with someone or something, it consumes us and we cannot move forward, just like you and Gladys. When you were not as bothered about her anymore, you started to think clearly. So, don’t hold on to negative things. Let it go, so you can move ahead.

Sam: As I write, I discovered I am a discovery writer. Sometimes I will change chapters completely. I think I am going a certain direction, then it changes, then I get mixed up, then get back on track.

Jack: That is the joys of being a discovery writer. If you were a plotter, you would have an outline and know what you are doing, but writers have their style. If you think of a title, write it down. If you think of the chapter title, write it down. Write it both in the chapter section and also in the index itself. If you change it as you go along, it is done, rather than do it all at the end.

Sam: It is okay to be a discovery writer, isn’t it?

Jack: Of course, it is. There are skilled writers in both areas. For example, George R. R. Martin, author of game of Thrones and Stephen King, author of IT, Carrie and the Shinning etc are discovery writers.  JK Rowlings is definitely a plotter. There are benefits and downsides in both ways of writing.

Sam: Well, I am glad we are done with finances.

Jack: You are not done with finances. You must remain vigilant in what people are offering you as a new author. I am leaving it up to you now.

Sam: I am up to chapter three; do you want to read it and give me some constructive criticism?

Jack: No, I don’t want to read your book. I am showing you some basic business ideas, not specific writing ideas. You need to ask people in their field about the genres they write or coachers in this area. I could lead you astray. This happens to new authors. They get all excited and want their families and friends to read their work and give feedback. The people who are interested and give you feedback are your beta readers. It can be a big disappointment when you realise people you care about are not interested in your book, or don’t think you can measure up or, worse still, give you the wrong advice.

Just because someone you love is interested in you does not mean they are interested in your books. If it is not their field of expertise, they will most likely know less than you are on the subject than you. Thank goodness for editors!

Sam: They are worth their weight in gold. It is true. You never write alone. Many contribute to our books. I won’t forget to mention these people in the acknowledgement section.

Jack: Now you are thinking ahead and being proactive.

Sam: Thanks.

Jack: Just a little more on finances, then I will leave it up to you to deal with your own finances. Remember, I have only shown you the very basics of finances. You need to remain vigilant, as I have previously mentioned. Watch out for all the shiny scammers who are just waiting for new authors. They promise many things; you pay heaps of money and all you will get is disappointment.

It is important to keep financial records, to keep a track on where your money is going such as your editing, you book covers, and illustrations etc.

When you sell your books, keep a track of the profits you make.

• If you do not keep a track of these, you can get yourself in a mess, so it is important to keep a date of these transactions and what money is coming in and what is going out. Remember, you are treating this as a business from the very beginning.
• Keep your business liabilities to a minimum because debt can creep up on you.

---

You have written your disclaimer. What else can you do before you complete your book, so you are not rushing at the last minute?

Sam: Index for all the chapters, and the title of the book.

Jack: Do you know them already?

Sam: Not really, I am a discovery writer. I make up the story as I go along. Sometimes I will change chapters completely. I think I am going a certain direction, then it changes, then I get mixed up, then get back on track.

Jack: That is the joys of a discovery writer. If you were a plotter, you would have an outline and know what you are doing, but writers have their style. If you think of a title, write it down. If you think of chapter title, write it down. Write it both in the chapter section and also in the index itself. If you change it as you go along, it is done, rather than do it all at the end.

Sam: It is okay to be a discovery writer, isn’t it?

Jack: Of course; there are skilled writers in both areas; for example, George R. R. Martin, author of game of Thrones and Stephen King, author of IT, Carrie and the Shinning etc are discovery writers and JK Rowlings is definitely a plotter. There are benefits and downside in both styles of writing.

Sam: Well, I am glad we are done with finances.

Jack: By no means are you done with finances. You must remain vigilant in what people are offering you as a new author. I am leaving it up to you now.

Sam: I am up to chapter three; do you want to read it and give me some constructive criticism?

Jack: Not really. I am showing you some basic business ideas, not specific writing ideas. You need to ask people in their field about the genres they write or coachers in this area. I could lead you astray. This happens to new authors. They get all excited and want their families and friends to read their work and give feedback. Some people are interested, and some are not. It can be a big disappointment when people you care about are not interested in your book, or don’t think you can measure up or worse still, give you the wrong advice. Just because someone you love is interested in you, does not mean they a re interested in your books, and if it is not their field of expertise, they will most likely know less than you on the subject.

Behind every good book, there is a brilliant market. Can anyone in our family market besides me?

Sam: No, our family is full of nurses, carpenters, schoolteachers, a couple of police officers, etc. Not in the marketing business besides you.

Jack: Well, why ask any of them to help you with your books? A lot of new authors ask their family and friends for feedback with books, ask an expert instead.

Sam: Point taken.

Jack: Hi Sam, last time we met you said you are writing about your horrible workmate, Gladys. Have you written about how terrible she has been to you, or have you turned it into a self-help?

Sam: I’ve turned it into a self-help book, that way I can help people in similar circumstances to me to benefit from my story.

While working with Gladys, I have been looking at how I see things, not thinking about her perspective. So by turning it into a self-help book, I can see things from both her and my perspective. What do you think?

Jack: You can learn from Gladys’ behaviour and your interactions with her, then transfer that knowledge to your books.

In your books, you need a protagonist, similar to how Gladys is your protagonist at work.

Sam: I followed your advice and wrote my disclaimer ahead of time, so I won’t have to rush to finish it when I’m done writing the book.

Jack: That is good. Now, would you like to talk about finances?

Sam: If we must.

Jack: Tell me, when setting up a business, what do you need to consider when developing a service price?

Sam: The value of what I am providing, plus what my competitors are providing. So, I have to be better than my competitors for people to buy my books. I must have great content, plus great marketing to get myself known.

I am developing my brand, I helps me identify and understand my strengths, and how I might be better than others in the same genre, so I can compete in the market, and outperform others.

I am starting out as an author. This sounds impossible when you consider all the talented authors, like Dan Brown or Brené Brown. What hope do I have? I can’t compete with them.

Jack: We all start at the bottom, including the talented authors, so ask yourself these questions:

1. What are your strengths?
2. What makes you unique?
3. What do you value the most?
4. What are you passionate about?
5. What happens to you if you don’t pursue this dream?
6. What happens to you if you pursue this dream and reach your revenue and market goals?
7. What will happen if you maximise your profits?
8. What motivates you, having a talent to write, money or a combination of both?
9. What drives you?
10. Do you have enough finances?

Sam: Well, I must think about all this given I am doing something different than what I know. It’s very different from my day job.

Jack: As I repeatedly say, I am pointing you in the right direction. I will not tell you how to do every little thing, everything.

Sam: Napoleon Hill said: ‘Successful people move on their own initiative, but they know where they are going before they start.’ It backs up what you told me, to check out other areas before I venture out full time on writing. Like; marketing, finances, and some basic business skills. Thanks, I’ve already checked out some self- publishers who are ‘rip offs.

Jack: True, books do not market themselves, and some of these agencies tell you they will market your book for heaps of money and don’t do what they say they will.

Sam: I like what Napoleon Hill says in scroll one, ‘not to be like a ship at sea without a rudder, powerless and without direction. Decide what you want, find out how to get it, take action and achieve your goal. May I add, watch out for scammers!

Jack: Napoleon Hill’s advice is still valid today. It’s good to use old and new ideas. It works well for me. Next time, I’ll talk a little more about finances then it is up to you to follow that through, except for the odd question here or there. We need to get into other areas of business.

Sam: Good Idea.

Finances:

 Jack: If finances are the basis of a business, how do you set up a business?

Sam: Continue writing my book, have a budget, have unfinished business sorted and have a clear enthusiastic mind.

Jack: Good start, plus I want you to think about the establishment costs, such as legal fees, phone, printers, raw materials, security, business registration, insurance, registration of business, and domain names, to name a few.

 Sam: Now you are going overboard, I just want to be a writer. I don’t need all that stuff, especially legal.

 Jack: It is good to be aware of general things, then you can be specific of your product, which is books. Do you think you do not need any legal information? What about copyright?

You need to include a laptop and cartridge for your laptop in your budget, and that is only a start.

Sam: Cartridges are just basic stuff.

 Jack: That costs money over time, because cartilages then fall into ongoing costs. Is that in your budget? All these little things creep up on you. Before you know it, you wonder where your money has gone. You need to pay for domain names, set a website for your books, an editor, etc.

 Sam: Ok, I get the message.

 Jack: You need to think about the establishment fees, ongoing cost at the beginning of starting a business.

Here is another one for you. The cost of goods sold. (COGS)

 Sam: I know I am going to regret asking you. What does that mean?

 Jack: It means the cost of goods, such as the books you sell. It means all the direct costs of producing your books or videos etc, like editing, book covers and the time spent doing these things. However, it excludes indirect expenses like sales, marketing of your books, etc.

 Sam: Do go on.

Jack: Actually, I think I’ll stop here. You can look up the rest for yourself as we go along. I am just pointing you in the right direction.

Sam: You call this the fun of finances.

Jack: I am making sure you know how much you are making or losing from the beginning. You don’t want any unexpected expenses that you had not planned on blowing your budget. A friend of mine learnt the hard way. She got a verbal quote, not a written quote, for some illustrations. My friend had no way of proving the amount they quoted to her. Remember, in business, always get a written quote. Besides, you will need it for taxation.

Sam: My book is coming on, and even though I find finances boring, I can see how what you are saying will help me in the future.

Jack: What are you writing?

Sam: It is all about my day job, and the difficulties working with people like Gladys.

Jack: will Gadys think it is a good book?

Sam: I will not let her read it. Why would she want to?

Jack: Maybe to sue you.

Are you going to complain about how terrible Gladys has been to work with, or are you going to use it to help other people who are in similar circumstances by giving them solutions on how to deal with the situation?

If you turn your story into fiction, change the characters around, change the story around not to identify anyone and make it very different to read from reality, you can address the problem with a solution, not concentrate on how people affect you personally.

If you write your book as fiction, remember the disclaimer. Many new authors don’t think of a disclaimer. They leave it to the end, or don’t think about. If you get used to doing this from the very beginning, it will form into a habit.

 By writing with the end in mind will make a big difference in the way you write. Just imagine you had written a book on how Gladys is annoying and all the things she has done and published it. She could sue you, plus it is not a good idea to write about people in that way. Use the experience to help others and yourself, but do not put people in a poor light.

Sam: That makes so much sense, it makes it a more rounded way of writing. It’s like filling in the boring pieces like a disclaimer as I go and not at the end trying to get it all finished.

Jack: That’s right. Tell me, do you see any fun in finances now?

Sam: Actually yes, especially if I hit the big times and make heaps of money. Also, knowing all the pitfalls as I go along can save me making stupid mistakes like your friend with the verbal quote, you are right; it is a business. Thanks Jack.

Delece Ford 29th May 2023

Jack: Given you still have a day job, I want you to think about any unfinished business you have, both in your work and personal life, like Gladys who is always annoying you in your paid job. I want you to be focused on the business you are creating, not on her.

You can use the experiences to improve your future, not to talk and rehash them, because that will only hold you back. So, fix it and move on, just say to yourself, I’m done with that. Business is not just about making money; it is about developing good relationships along the way with new people you meet with and work.

Here is a poem to think about.

New mindset

Goodbye unfinished business. I leave you far behind.

The things I regret, I’ve removed from my mind.

A brand-new adventure, a brand-new mindset

So many new friends I have not yet met.

New situations and challenges to take on.

Oh, I can’t wait, my business to hurry it along.

‘Unfinished Business’, I have taken care of that.

My new business, I will put up with no crap.

I have identified what bugs me.

And I will deal with it differently.

My new mindset, and great new plan

Means my new business is going to be just grand.

So ‘Unfinished Business’ good riddance to you

In my new business, my life will be rich and blessed, and that is true.

Delece Ford 2014

 

Sam: That’s a meaningful poem, I’ll remember it.

Mentors:

Jack: Some time back, we spoke about mentors. Tell me who have you found that will be a benefit to you and why?

Sam: Brian Tracy International www.briantracy.com , the reason I choose him is that he is an author, public speaker and shows you how to set business goals, time management among many other things.

Jack: I prefer to call it self-management, but it means the same thing.

Sam: I also choose to listen to Louise Hay. She does daily affirmations, and new age, author and speaker. We need to be inspired regularly having a small business.

Jack: I am not into new age at all, but she was very motivating. Didn’t she die some years back?.

Sam: She did, but you can still see her videos and writings, etc.

Jack: The good thing about mentors is you can get new ones as you are developing in business, keep the same ones, or just add them to what you have already. I will leave that up to you. Now, let’s concentrate on finances.

Finances:

Jack: The financial objectives and goals of the business are to make a profit. There are many ways of doing this, depending on your business.

For example, the objective might be to sell more books at a certain time. The goal is to sell so much in a month and have a net profit. However, this depends on the stage of business and all the external factors that occur. There are always variables. Who wants to buy your books, etc.

Some things you need to know are:

• What are the costs of goods sold and overheads?
• What extra expenses do you have?
• What are the gross and net profits?
• Can you live off this money?
• What about break-even?

Sam: Break what?

Jack: Now you know why I am suggesting you learn about business before you toss in your day job, especially if it is to become an author. Few become best sellers. I am not putting you off. I’m just being realistic and preparing you.

That is as far as I am going in finances today. You have no clue more next time. Your goals need to be specific and measurable. Learn this further. I am only showing you what to think about and where to go; I am not giving you a full course on starting up a business. I am setting a disclaimer right here, understand?

Sam: Yes.

Jack: In the meantime, keep writing, take some writing courses.

Sam: What about explaining to me what you  have said in more depth?

Jack: I am giving you ideas, do your own research, check on what your mentors say, and definitely buy some courses if you need to.

Sam: You are not making this easy, Jack.

Jack: Where did you get the idea, that running a small business is easy? You have to work on it to make it work.

Sam: Thanks Jack, always the realist.

Jack: Next time we will speak more about finances, please keep in mind I am not an accountant, I have learnt these ideas as I’ve worked in my business; I wish I had learnt a lot more before I started my business. It would have been much easier. I am not trained in this area. It works for me, that is all I can say. Bye for now.

Sam: Bye.

Please note this is a work of fiction. Names, characters, place, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, or events is entirely coincidental.

Delece Ford 3rd May 2023

Jack: Your dream has to be realistic, and you need to act on it. Dreams alone do not work. Some people think if they put their ideas into the universe, it will manifest. They forget a major part of manifesting is to work on your project, that is doing your part. You get out of it what you put into it.

Last time we were together, we spoke a bit about finances and having a mentor. They are very important, so keep them in the back of your brain.  We have so much to cover, that is why I said we will do this over a year, but let me be frank, in business you never stop learning, you need to keep updated all the time to stay on top of the market. You need to start with a business plan.

Business Plan: 

Before you start your business, you need to check what you need to know, what to plan, work out how it is going to work and manage it as it grows, and much more. Just because you are good at something does not mean you are going to succeed in business. You are a talented writer, but what do you know about marketing?

Sam: Nothing.

Jack: You are bankrupt before you even start.

Sam: You are so blunt, Jack.

Jack: At least you know where you stand with me. Now, I want you to think about what motivates you, because motivation gets you through difficult times and helps you focus and solve problems. I don’t want you to throw your hands in the air and say, ‘oh this is too difficult,’ a year or two down the track.

• What motivates you?

Sam: I love writing and sharing my ideas with people. I can see myself being a full-time writer and making a living from it.

Jack: Why do you want to start a business?

Sam:  Financial independence, work my own hours, make my own rules, not what is dictated to me by a boss and their dysfunctional procedures and policies.

Jack: You will find out all about trial and error. Don’t expect to get things right the first time you do it. There are always areas to improve in.

Jack: What are your goals in the next three, six months, one year and five years?

Sam:  Three months

• Build my business up slowly.
• Have a few mentors in place to follow that are specific to my area.
• Finances, work out my budget to see how much I can afford to put into the business before I commit to anything.

Six months:

• Edit my manuscript.
• Learn about marketing and social media to upload my books.

Five years:

• I can’t think of five years ahead.

Jack: If you can’t think five years ahead for now, start planning, especially your finances.

Sam: That is impossible to calculate that far ahead, so many expenses will come up I did not think of.

Jack: That is right, so you need to calculate a budget and see what you can afford to lose.

Sam: I don’t intend to lose anything!

Jack: No one does, but people lose money in business, so make it a point of only using what you can afford to lose. It’s like gamblers, some gamble money they can’t afford to lose. They end up losing their house, spouse and cause a lot of hardship for people they care about. I am not putting you off starting a small business. I am making sure you know what you are doing before you take the plunge. Even with a budget and projecting what you might spend your money on, something will creep into your budget you never expected. So you will be better prepared.

• I know you have a budget for your family. How much can you spend on a business?
• Running a business is time consuming. How much time will you give your business, your family, and what are you prepared to give up?
• What about customer service, networking, managing staff?

Sam: I will not employ staff.

Jack: You’re not? Who is going to edit, publish your books, illustrate the cover of your books, etc? You are going to outsource your work. That means employing someone to do this for you.

Sam: Hell!

Jack: Writing is only one area of your small business.

Leadership, managing personnel, communication, forming connections, constructing networks, outlining, and problem-solving must all be considered.

There appears to be many gaps you need to improve or buy from expertise from outsourcing.

What laws need to be adhered to, taxes paid, financial records kept, paperwork completed, operational principles respected, customer rights and duties do you need to know?

There might be different words for what I am saying, but it is all relevant to you. Your writing, as I’ve said, is only part of your small business. Do you still want to proceed?

Sam: Definitely!

Jack:  1. You need to be flexible and review your goals and update them, but persistent.

2. You need to learn not only from your mistakes, but from mistakes other people make. It will save you time. That is one reason you need a mentor.
3. Do not give up, but do not feel bad if you need to take a different direction and define the difference between perfectionism and stupidity.

Next time, we will be more specific, ok?

Sam: Yes. Thanks Jack.

Delece Ford – April 2023

Jack: Hi Sam, I have your coffee ready to save time. Let’s get straight to business. There are many ways to start a business, and many topics I could start with, but this is my way. I suggest you stay in your day job, while learning about small business. Then you will know the pros and cons before you get into it. Just imagine leaving your job then not being able to make ends meet. I mean, lots of people do that and find they were not prepared or had the resources. Contrary to what some people say, you need more than a dream. You need to be prepared and set some goals to be successful. I don’t remember where I heard this, but it has served me well. ‘Proper preparation prevents poor performance.’ In fact, that saying has served me well in everything I’ve ever done, whether business or personal. I do not have all the answers.

Mentors are a must in business, no point in making all the mistakes yourself, learn from people who are further ahead than you are. Check the net, look at videos, podcasts or even do some courses to start with or join a forum online, etc. Different people will give you various perspectives on what works and what does not. Think carefully before getting involved in things because scammers are rifle out there.

We have spoken about your reasons for wanting to go into business before, so let’s clarify your reason.

Sam: I want to follow my purpose, my passion. I am wasting my time in my job. I know I complain about the culture and people about work, but the reason I want my business is to share my message with people, and I believe I can do this by writing.

Jack: You better be good at what you write because there is no money in being a mediocre author. It is about being good enough to get paid for what you write so you can pay your bills. I knew you were going to talk about writing. That is why I want you to keep your day job. If you are going to be serious about being an author, you need to run it like a small business. There is more to it than just writing. The fundamentals in business are the same for everyone, but I want to tailor make this because everyone is an individual. This way, it gives you a chance to pull out anytime if you think this is not for you and you have an income coming in from your day job. Just Imagine giving up work, writing your books and no one buys your books. Just because you think your writing is good, does not mean other people want to buy your products. It is best to check the market first.

Meeting for coffee is not long enough to teach you much, so you are going to do a lot of research yourself, but I will point you in the right direction for you to get started.

A quick review:

1. Proper preparation prevents poor performance is an excellent motto to have.
2. A mentor, or better still, mentors are great to have because it gives you many ideas, and you will not make the same mistakes as many new business owners do.
3. You do not have to do any courses to start up a small business, but you are better off to do so, there are many around.
4. Stay vigilant! There are con-artists everywhere.

Sam: Thanks, I feel I have something to work on. I will check all this out. What are we going to talk about next week?

Jack: Depends on what you have done with the information I have given you today. So start writing a business plan, we will talk about that and finances.

Sam: Goodbye Jack, at least I feel like I have something to aim for, not just work for a boss. I have more meaning in my life, whether this turns out as a small business or a hobby.

Jack: We will aim for small business.

Delece Ford – March 2023

Sam: I’m so glad you are back from holidays, Jack.

Jack: It was marvellous…

Sam: A colleague had lunch with me while you have been on holidays. She is also sick of the work culture. Fed up with Gladys, her games, etc.

Jack: Every job you’ve had there is a person who makes life difficult for you or the team. In this job it is Gladys, your previous job it was Jenny.

Don’t take what people say personally, be solution focused regardless of the culture.

I didn’t have a chance to tell you about my holidays. I get sick of hearing about your work. I thought I had given you a formula. In fact, it was working for you to pretend your job was your business. So here is the question; Do you want to work for an organization or start your own business?

Sam: umm.

Jack: We get together for a coffee, to lighten up, to laugh, not to talk about work all the time. Leave your job at work!

Sam: I want to go into business like you, Jack.

Jack: You are serious aren’t you because I will not waste my time and talk about something that will not happen. You need to start a business for the right reason. Not because you don’t like someone or a culture in your 9 to 5 job. You need to be prepared to work hard and smart, and – be prepared to do things you dislike.

Sam: But…

Jack: But nothing! Stop winging about work. I want to see what you are made of, be prepared to work, to be positive, because a lot of small business fail in the first five years, then it is you going back to your day job.

Here are some words for you to think about until we meet again and get right into it.

Business Law | Financial Plan | Human Resources | Marketing | Small Business Planning | Operational Planning | mentors, etc.

Sam: What does business law got anything to do with small business?

Jack: Sam, you need to continue to work your day job while I teach you about small business. I want you to lighten up, not be so preoccupied with your day job, stop letting it consume your whole life. It will destroy you.

If you carry on the same way in a business, as you do in your day job, you will not last because things will go wrong there too. We all have to work with people we do not want to at times. You must work with and around people, whether they are nice or not.

Are you ready for the adventure because a small business will challenge you. You might even wish you were back in your boring, pathetic 9 to 5 job at times.

Sam: I’m up for it.

Jack: If you are not following your life’s purpose, you are wasting your time. So here are some more ideas to ask yourself:

• What talent do you have to implement in your small business?
• What are you going to do that makes you satisfied and fulfilled in life?
• What do you have to give up, to get something better in your life to feel totally fulfilled?

I want an answer next time we meet. You are either committed and learn about small business, or our coffee dates are over because all you do is complain. Doing coffee is to laugh, relax and have fun, not to crap on.

Now, this is what I did on my holidays….

Delece Ford – February 2023

Marg: Coffee time Sam. Do you want company until Jack comes back, or do you prefer to be alone? 

Sam: We had a good chat last time. Let’s do it again.  

Do you go to the same place? 

Sam: Yes, it is like a ritual, Jack, and I have. When we are not meeting from work, we go to different places. We have been to heaps of countries and had a blast. Maybe you should go overseas since you don’t have anything worth living for. Put a spark back into your life!

Marg: I am in a rut. Work is drab, my partner is drab, and I need to do a 360-degree turn. Maybe I am a dull person. I need to revaluate my job, partner and life.

Sam: That sounds more than just work that is spilling over into your personal life, which you told me the last time we met.   

Marg: That does it! I am going on a holiday! I always wait till I am hanging out for a holiday. I spend the first week sleeping to get over work, the second week thinking about the holiday, then two weeks enjoying the holiday. I need to have holidays while I am still fresh before I wilt, and do not enjoy it.

Sam: Sounds like a plan.   

Marg: I am tired of pretending everything is ok. I am sick of work, its culture, and Glady’s games. I’m having a holiday before I am completely run down.

Sam: Many people wait until the last minute to go on holidays, then spend half the time getting over the execution of work before they enjoy holidays and do not have enough time to rejuvenate before they get back to work.

Marg: It’s the little things in life that we neglect, then these little things turn into big things, and we wonder why everything gets out of control. Rest, recreation and re-energize can help you be more productive.  

Sam: Covid has made many people re-assess their lives and have made major changes. Don’t wait for disasters, to make us re-assess our lives, we need to just do it! As someone once said, ‘turn your adversities into your advantages’.

Marg: Who said that?  

Sam: I can’t remember. I just think it is a good idea, and that is what I am doing.

Marg: Considering Jack is your mentor, you have some great ideas yourself, maybe you too should mentor people.

Sam: I will leave mentoring to Jack; I am more interested in other areas.   

Marg: Hopefully, I will be on holidays, so I might not meet you next time you go to coffee.   

Sam: Everyone needs to go on holidays before they are exhausted.  

Sam and Marg walked back to work, chatting, and feeling elated. They talked about changes they would make and planned a bright future for themselves.

 

Delece Ford – November 2022