Ready to Transition

Some people are inspired when they read about how a young couple got out of debt, paid off their mortgage, and now can invest $20K a year just in building wealth with only one spouse working, 3 little kids in tow, and their dream house completely paid off before they turn 40. Me? It makes my head want to explode.

I have been busting my chops to pay myself $160 a week. That's right, folks... $160 big fat buckaroos. I used to make more on unemployment. Sure, I can take pride in saying that I EARNED that $160, but I've never worked so damn hard to make peanuts. I'm talking about at least 70-80 hours a week, no joke! My weekly schedule looks something like this:

Monday: Day Off / Buy more jars day.
Tuesday: Prepare purchasing list, menu, and go all over the city buying supplies.
Wednesday: Finish purchasing and begin production.
Thursday: Production continues and label all the jars.
Friday: Prep work for the panini stand. Set up one of the market booths and prepare inventory for the other market booth.
Saturday: Run booth at one market and then go to other market to close.
Sunday: Open and play short order cook all day at the panini stand.

REPEAT.

I'm tired. I am soooo tired. There's so much more to it than this, of course, but you get the jist. Earlier this week, I was thinking about how I would ever achieve any of my dreams or get a break with only $160 per week. The answer: never. Frustration and desperation washed over me as I thought about the mess I have gotten myself in to. Then today, as I drove around shopping for supplies, a scary but liberating thought crossed my mind. Sell the business. Well, the panini stand portion of it, anyway.

My first reaction was to pretend it hadn't crossed my mind. Afterall, selling my little startup would be like giving up my firstborn for adoption. But the more I thought about it, the more liberating it felt. If all goes according to plan, the panini stand will be placed on the market by the end of the first quarter or beginning of the second quarter of 2012. After mucking through these horrendous summer months, you better believe I have every intention of rocking the high season months before bowing out. Afterwards, I'll just continue to dedicate time to selling my sauces and take it from there.

It's impossible to predict what's going to happen in the next six months, but I do know that I'm ready to move on. I suppose that having the wisdom to know when I've had enough and having the courage to let go are two important lessons I'll be able to take away from this experience. I created something really nice, and it's been a great experience, but it's time to step up onto the next rung of my career ladder.