Brownie Points

Who of you hasn’t jumped off the deep end into the world of being your own boss, setting your own hours, and owning your own company? Having Entrepeneur, Owner, or Independent Consultant on your business card puts you into the right frame of mind (and it really feels hopefull and empowering), but…as the days and the hours pass, the job description continues to grow. If you are in a vicious circle of learning from your own mistakes through character-building experiences, you may find the book Brownie Points by Aundrea Lacy filled with some course-correcting ideas*.

*Note, the book is fundamentally geared towards people starting a business from scratch, understanding your market, advertising for the best return on investment, and growing strategically. In a future post, I’ll discuss the pros and cons of working for a company with an established product line, training, support, customer service, and brand recognition.

Here’s my favorite quote (page 69):

“As an entrepeneur, you are likely to put more hours into your new business than you will spend with your family or in any other aspect of your life. If you can’t find any enjoyment in that time, there’s no point to it. In the long run, it won’t even be profitable—you can’t keep coming up with the best product for your customers if you don’t respect that product and those customers. Don’t just chase the money. When you work toward your dream and love what you do, things fall into place and the money will follow. Don’t be afraid to stick with your own interestes and enthusiasms. The fact that you know more and care more about a particualr field than most people is going to give you an edge. Just make sure the numbers are there, too. If it pays its own way, and you love it—that’s your business."