OK, the kids keep saying , "You been talking about starting a business, so just do it already!" So last night I began a 12 week study put together by the Small Business Administration. I am fortunate to live in Arkadelphia where there is a SBA at Henderson University. One of the two Universities here in town. The guy that runs it is a friend of the family and he isn't just an egghead about business, he has run a business and his wife still runs it now that he is working with SBA.

The Course starts out very simply as if you know nothing about starting, running, or keeping a business. Which is exactly where I am. I have ideas, but I don't have a background in business from any side of my family. And, although being a homeschool mom has helped me in many ways, it as not set me up with the skills to own, run and profit from a business. So here goes. This course should tell me by the time I'm through if I really want to run a business.

Last night was the opening night. In this group, we had a man who wants to run a tour boat business; a man who wants to get into rental property; a man, (professor) who has a recipe he wants to market; a man who wants to open a saw shop; a woman who is involved in too many ventures and wants clarity; a man who wants to transport animals; a man, (grandfather), who wants to build a business for his grandson to take over; a woman who wants to open a landscaping business; and a woman who wants to get out of the teaching profession with some kind of business.

Talk about diverse. Business suits, cowboy hats, t-shirts, young, middle age and older , men and women all had one thing in common. HELP! Where do I begin and how do I navigate this adventure without losing my shirt.

Of course the first thing the facilitators of this course mention is a "Feasibility Plan," which means how to make your dream feasible. Then they back up and make you think through "Why do I want to do this business?" It all has to make sense in your brain, before it makes sense in real life.

If You Fail to Plan, You Plan to Fail!

One of my assignments for next week is to make a page size picture that expresses , Me as the entrepreneur, My product or service, My customers, The money and The future. I am to cut and paste literally, so I am going back to preschool and make a collage. Here goes!

Here is to To Maw and Nana. The Ying and Yang of life. Where would we be without family. I'll let you know how it is going.