Telling my family about my intentions to start a business has been a slow progression.
I first told my mother and sister a few years ago after I initially thought up the name Live Love Life Now™. Last year I told my father during a get together in Santa Fe and I recently told my brothers about the company while we were catching up in Vegas.
Each time was a little nerve-wracking because their opinions mean so much to me. It’s not as if I thought they would hate the idea, I just didn’t know what they would think or say about something so personal to me.
Fortunately, they have each offered up their full support and encouragement without reservation. And one of my brothers, who had done sales work in the past, immediately came up with some good marketing and promotion ideas and told me to call him at any time to brainstorm.
His offer of help meant more to me than he can ever know and I immediately took him up on it once I got back home. I sent him a picture of my first product and also some bullet points (his suggestion) on what I want people to know about the company.
Since then, we have exchanged a few more emails back and forth – more communication in two days than I’d had with him ever – and it feels wonderful!
So perhaps change isn’t so bad after all. Ever since I committed to taking that risk and going after my dreams, one door after another has opened. And behind one of those doors has been the opportunity to get closer to my family.
I’m now in talks with my sister about collaborating on designing some products and my father is getting me in touch with some professionals who can give me more legal direction.
It may take a village to raise a child, but it is clear that it’s going to take my entire family to help me build this company. And knowing that each of them is behind me and my dreams a 100% is the biggest blessing I could ask for.
The fact that they want this for me as much as I want it for myself is everything.
I will not let them down.