Starting a business

I want to own my own business. I have racked my brains and can't come up with anything I want to do passionately. I would like to own a restaurant but I'm not sure that is a good idea as we may be moving back to Tennessee any time between now and eternity.
I am sick of getting up every day at 4 am and putting in 8 honest hours of work for little pay for someone else.
I am looking for some ideas for new businesses. Any ideas?
chick

Girl, if you want to talk about long hours it would be in the food industry.

Have a friend who owns one and he had a great chef if that's what you call someone who cooks food for a sports bar/restaurant. Sure enough, business is good and the chef wanted more money and the problem is, they can hold you hostage because the can walk out.


You have to be there all the time if you want the quality that you expect plus, employees can rob you blind.

What do you love to do?

Dianne, I love to sell. It is broad I know but I like meeting people who need a product, service etc. and accomodate them. In my lifetime, I have sold everything from junk to jingles. I can do/make anything...you name it and I will take a stab at it. I think that is my problem. I don't feel challenged any more. Been there done it all and need something more.
I need to have a bricks and mortar place to go to every day that houses a product/service. I am at a loss....
When I was younger and had more barriers than you could imagine, I didn't have the funding/backup. Now there is nothing to stop me, but I am stopped...dead stopped.
How can I live my passion....when I don't even know what it is????
Geez, I'll never know what I am supposed to be when I grow up.
Girlfriends, I need your help.
chick
Oh yeah...I love to talk and talk and talk.

[ February 22, 2006, 01:15 PM: Message edited by: chickadee ]

Reading a magazine the other day about a lady who loved drinking tea. She had all kinds of keepsake teacups, given by family and friends...she displayed them around her home.
She started throing tea parties for her girlfriends. Who enjoyed iot so much, they encouraged her to open her own tea shop.

She stated she was so stressed by her corporate job that she ended up in the ER with stress related asthma.

Three months later, she opened her tea shop. Where she proudly displays all those teacup sets... how cool.

Dianne's right, it's all about what you love.

First you need to know what you getting into. Create a business plan, and be patient with yourself...you'll be living your dream in no time.

Chickadee, I worked for a food broker for manyyears. He used to say thtat the restaraunt industry was the hardest and had the highest failure rate. And Dianne's right--if you are wanting to avoid long hours a restaurant is not it.

You said you like to talk. Is there any topics that really 'turn you on', that you have a passion for? Could you move that into a newsletter or develop into a speaking topic. Since you love to talk could you find a way to utilize that element of your personality?

For example: someone who loves gossip becomes a gossip columnist....perhaps not the best example but hopefully you see where I'm going.

I know a girl who loved makeup and playing "dress up" and doing everybody's hair... she started out working in a salon shampooing hair. She is now one of the most sought after makeup artist in the biz. She lives in Atlanta and visiting her one weekend she said she had just return from a set in Calif. where Elton John as one of the people (among others) who they did the makeup and hair for... She started with a dream.

I know another woman who was in a similar situation as the one cited above. She now owns a biz called The Traveling Tea Lady. She is in Colorado. She is doing a tremendous business, and has just become an "empty-nester" so she has more time than ever to devote to the business. She also has the personality for it. She throws parties for shut-in's, groups of baby boomer women, invalids, girls just wanting an excuse to get together, birthday parties, children's parties, whatever. It is a great business and it all started by her wanting something she loved....turns out it was her love of the teacup and saucers...isn't that cool? She started with a dream.

Chick, if you lived near me we would have a brick and brick building with a biz if you wanted to because I truly believe you could sell snow to the Eskimos...

I have had a great biz idea for over two years, but no backers. Ain't it the way? And it started with a dream.


JJ

Try this meditation. It really works.


Sit in your favorite room, in a comfortable chair or stretched out on the floor.

Begin to breathe slowly and deeply, relaxing your mind and muscles more with each breath. Breathe from the abdomen, rather than the chest. Do this for several minutes until you basically feel like a lump of very soft matter, blending in with the floor or chair.

Picture you walking along the beach, digging your toes into the warm sand. The weather is perfect, the sun is warming your body. All conditions are perfect in nature and in you.

You see a cave imbedded in the high cliff and enter it. There is a full-length mirror, a large pot of boiling acid and a garment hanging from a hook in the corner.

You turn and look at yourself in the mirror. You see all of your past mistakes, your regrets, your guilt and pain. You see all the negative comments people have made to you. You know what you are supposed to do...you slowly unzip the human packaging and step out of it and throw it into the boiling pot.

You then walk to the garment hanging from a hook and step into it. When you do, it turns pure white and as you look at yourself in the mirror you realize this is the way you’ve always been but allowed outside forces to tarnish and blacken you.

You notice a door and slowly open it. In this room, you will create it anyway you want. It can be white, red, pastels, your choice and what you like best. Also, in this room you will bring in your Higher Power–God, and make him look exactly the way you desire. He can be on a throne or relaxing on a chair.

Kneel before Him and study His face for a while and let Him feel your feelings and emotions. You realize that He has always seen you in the white garment, not the one you boiled.

Take time with this. Really study His face and feel His presence. What are you feeling? I felt great love and warmth but you might feel something different.

Look into his eyes and ask, “What is my purpose? What is it that you would have me to do and what I was born to do? I know you gave me the talents but I need your guidance.

Usually, the first answer that comes into your mind is the right one. Don’t discount it. My answer was to work with battered women and at that time, there was no way I was interested in doing that. But, everything fell into place, doors opened and the next thing I knew, I was working with battered women.

Beautiful Dianne. I love it. How soothing.

Chick-a-roon-ey....see lengthy email coming your way.

Hugs, JJ

JJ, I had a good mind to pack it up and come that way...but I'd miss MOH too much. Maybe God will send us that way soon for both our sakes and yours.

Dianne, I did what you suggested and I came up with...a lifelong (forgotten passion) of a ventriloquist. I did some of it a few years ago on a small scale and absolutely loved it. It is like being onstage as another person...kind of like wearing rose colored glasses in the limelight. I thought about doing it for groups i.e. red hat society. I could do a "boomer theme." Even a menopausal theme for some groups. If the elvis impersonator can do his stuff in the restaurant up the street, maybe I can do my debut there. I wanted to design my own puppet. How did I forget about her? Maybe it should be a He! An old boomer far*, lol. I can't run out of material, that's for sure. Being a boomer is material enough for me. Can we talk? Ha!

Dianne, I am totally impressed with your idea and gratefull that you took the time to give a somewhat lengthy reply explaining how to do this. Thank You.
I have excitement butterflies...how wonderful is that.
Gone to find a dummy that will work for peanuts...Ha ha ha ha ha
chick

I'm excited for you and I'm laughing because you have so many talents and this is yet, another one.

I'll be looking forward to hearing your progress reports. Have fun!

Dianne, how thoughtful to share that lengthy, thoughtful reply! You're a gem.

Chick, I posted in the NABBW forums about a book I'm reading. It's called When a Woman Discovers Her Dream: Finding God's Purpose for Your Life, by Cindi McMenamin.

It is a tremendously encouraging book. She even has some exercises to help you uncover your dream.

The amazing thing is that I totally believe everything she shares because it is exactly how I discovered my boomer women dreams.

I got it at the local CVS. I'll buy books anywhere.

I'm putting you on my prayer list of women searching for purpose at midlife. There are so many...

Hi Chick and Wonderful Boomer Women!

As a new member, this is my very first post, but I just had to acknowledge your quest for a new business and all the sweet women who encouraged you. Here's my two cents...hopefully it'll help...

When I was wracking my brain for a new biz idea, it helped to reflect on my passions, what I had always loved doing, what brought a glow to my heart and a smile to my face. As is mentioned above, take some time for stillenss and soul-searching....and listen to your wise women's inner voice and hear what comes to you. Maybe only pieces...or clues (like to the treasure hunt that is your life!) at first...but soon you'll find a pattern.

On a practical side, I also read magazines like Inc., Entrenpeneur, Home Business, etc. to get ideas, contacts and resources and did a bunch of research on the web. I then contacted or studied with the experts in my chosen fields.

Needless to say, doing these things led me to take the huge risk (and alot of gulps) and start my own Humor/Laughter/Coaching company called Happiness Is...two years ago and it's been exciting, challenging and fun! Best part of it is, I get to empower and support awesome Baby Boomer women the world over! So go ahead...believe in yourself! Here's a quote that inspired me alot when just starting out...

"Sometimes you just have to take the leap and build your wings on the way down!"

And if you'd like, since this is an issue many of my clients struggle with at first and I'd like to support a fellow Boomer woman member, I'd be glad to offer you a free Success Coaching session over the phone to get ya started!?

Best of luck Chick,
Warmly, KC

That is so nice of you KC. Why not go to the welcome page up top and introduce yourself so everyone knows you're here. Welcome....

[ March 05, 2006, 08:17 PM: Message edited by: chatty lady ]

KC, love the quote. I've never heard that one. It's great to see you here.

Ladies, be sure to visit her site.

KC,
Can you tell us who originated that quote? It's a good one.

smile

Chickadee - I sure know where you're coming from.

I have tried just about everything and just can't seem to find that "nitch"

I really did well on EBay for awhile - but I had a yarn shop full of merchandise to sell. I would have loved that to continue but my mom and I just didnt seem to see eye to eye on running the business.

I tried real estate - I still have my license but that world can be pretty hard to be a part of and like they say - timing is everything - the timing for that just isnt right.

Now I'm trying Avon (on the side of course as I have a full time job working for someone else)It could really become a great opportunity in a little while so I'm concentrating on it for the time being -- it's amazing how much they've changed since I sold it 20 years ago (PM me if you'd like to get some details on that)

I want to find something my hubby and I can do together. It's so annoying to work 40+ hours a week for someone else so they can reap the rewards. I don't mind working 60 hrs a week for our future though !!

Could you and JJ put her idea together via emails and make it work "long distance" ????

DONT GIVE UP !!!

lion, why don't you send me something for the NABBW newsletter about your Avon? Hurry, today is the deadline.

Hmmm, let's think. What could you and your hubby do?

I'm thinking pet sitting. We have many pet sitters in this area who do well.

Or, some kind of service oriented business directed at the elderly? Maybe Adopt a Son/Daughter? You could do what so many out-of-town children can't do for their parents.

Lionspaaw I have something thats perfect for wife and husband together, email me for the info okay?

Hello KC...I just found your post today. Wow what a generous offer. Of course I'll be happy to oblige. Welcome to the site. God sent you, right? Seems he sends us all here to find one another. At the right time and for the right reason, too.
Thank you for your generous offer. Check your box for a Private Message, K.
I have started a post about a new innovative idea. Tell me what you think. Here's the link.

http://www.boomerwomenspeak.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=17;t=000076;p=1
You will enjoy it here.

chick

Hi All: Thanks for the warm welcome and the sweet input! What a neat group of women! YAY...how fun this will be getting to know you.

I'm not sure if he originated it, but I have a card with the quote written on it by Kobi Yamada. It's one that helped me and many of my clients (especially women) who were afraid to take the leap and believe in themselves. How empowering it is when they do!

Take care all and please keep in touch. Let me know how I can support YOU!

Warmly, KC