A Very Sticky Situation: The Business of Getting Into Business

I never knew how tight a spot could be until I was trapped in a corner that was so hard to maneuver, figuratively speaking.

What I'm really saying is, there are difficult situations in life that you come across with and until you're in it, you will have no idea how difficult it is.

On my wall this is what is etched, "You miss 100% of the shots you never take" which is in essence a very inspiring message for each one of us to not be afraid to test the waters and see if we make it or break it.

The same saying prompted me to invest my talent, my skills, my energy and my finances on an entrepreneurial endeavor filled with big dreams and endless hope for a fruitful future ahead. Duh, it's a business venture, nothing more. That's what it is.

After moving and barely being able to adjust my life to my new zip code, I jumped into an opportunity that just presented itself unexpectedly—a chance of owning and running my own business. I didn't even bother to look at the uncertainties that lie ahead. I simply grabbed it and fostered the chance as if adopting a foster child and raising it on my own. Whew!

See, that's the bad thing about being so optimistic in this very uncertain world. You create your own misery when you could have very well happily sit in front of your computer and waste your time away doing all sorts of unmanaged affairs and not minding what time of day it is. Life was much better when you were in your own happy little corner just running your little world and not having so much to worry about. Then you decided to partake in life's race to become a successful and an accomplished human being and your misery begins.

So the agony started way before September 1st though I formally opened the business on that date.

I had to pour endless days and nights prior to the opening doing all sorts of research and preparations to be ready for the business world. But, what do I know? I wasn't carved for this trade, that's what I know now. Running a business isn't that simple at all. You've got to have the heart and the guts to run it with undying spirit, and must also be equipped with the necessary skills to compete in the business world.

The business was slow right from the start, but for someone who has just started there was too much optimism for a better tomorrow. I had the enthusiasm and the excitement which made me believe that things will pick up after the clientele is built up. Little did I know that in the hidden corners somewhere, an economic storm was brewing. And it did wreck havoc when Wall Street panicked and big companies started losing by huge margins. In turn, the consumers reacted with a sense of restraint, holding off on their expenses, slowing down retail and sending the economy in a deeper downward spiral. What a vicious cycle!

At the moment, not much of my enthusiasm and excitement is left. Things aren't getting any better either not even with the holiday shopping season at hand. Really, there is no sign for the economy to get any better soon. Thus, I am in a very challenging predicament right now.

My only option is to react the same way consumers are reacting. If they hold off on spending, then from a retailer's end I must also hold off on my investment. And for what I've already invested into the business, let's just say that I'll be exceptionally happy to just break even.

Well, that's it. In closing let me rephrase the quote on my wall with a more fitting message, "You miss a 100% of the SHIT you never take."

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