As we wind down the work week and gear up for Thanksgiving, it seemed appropriate to write a blog post about everything I’m thankful for. I generally try to be polite and say thank you, but in business I feel that some cultures have gone overboard with the thank you culture. I think it is a silly practice to say thank you ever time someone sends an email, sets up a call or does basic tasks within their job function. If overused, I find it cheapens the sincerity of the praise. I would much rather get praise for going above and beyond what was expected of me.
We are 9 months in to running our business as our sole source of income, but have been running it off an on for the last 3 years. During that time, we didn’t ask our friends & family for monetary contributions, but we did rely heavily on them for support and input.
The 4 things I’m thankful for are:
- Our parents – Both sets of parents were entrepreneurial. We were raised in environments where we were constantly involved in new adventures. Some worked and some didn’t, but that was ok. We were raised to take chances. Without this instilled spirit, we might never have jumped ship from safer, more stable jobs for other people.
- Our family – It’s often written about the stress the entrepreneurial lifestyle has on families. Our immediate and extended family, related or adopted, have all been extremely supportive. Our daughters got involved as interns, learning real-world development tools, designing real-world solutions. They have patiently and quietly stood by as we’ve changed or over-ruled plans to accommodate travel, business meetings, networking, etc.
- Our friends & colleagues – Our friends & colleagues are fantastic. We had an overwhelming response to our newsletter launch and our friends have been the source of our work. On top of that, many have been around to talk shop and share their expertise in all things, from sales processes to government contracting.
- The startup community – I have spent much of the last 9 months learning and growing. I couldn’t have done it without the help of Community Business Partnership, DC Web Women, Women in Technology, Drupal agencies and conferences, plus various other organizations, conferences, meetups, and events. Each of those made talking about our business easier, gave me tips, tricks and tools to leverage within my business and all were open and willing to share their experiences.
To everyone who I’ve met along my journey, thank you for sharing, caring & supporting me on this new adventure. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!