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Looking at both sides...or trying to.
The question was posed to me: do you want to make bopper-weapon covers and tights full-time?
That's a hugely complex question, and one that I've been wrestling with for some time. Michelle and I hashed it for four straight hours on the drive down to White Hart on it's last weekend.
Short answer: yes, that's a goal.
That's a hugely complex question, and one that I've been wrestling with for some time. Michelle and I hashed it for four straight hours on the drive down to White Hart on it's last weekend.
Short answer: yes, that's a goal.
Believe it or not, I could quit my day job today and go full time, not hurt for work, at least for a month just playing catch-up, and come close to making what I make at my day job, if not more!
Now the complex part: if I were single, I'd have already done it. But, having a family changes the mix. Without reserves and plenty of debt spread around, that's a harder jump to make.
We'll probably scale our offerings way back once the faire season is over to just making tights, try to find some retail outlets and become a manufacturer/wholesaler, even to the point of farming out the construction to jobbers. Not just for faire tights, but for more generic offerings as well. The faire circuit has been good to us, but the volume isn't great enough and, to be perfectly frank, much of the target market can't afford the product.
As to the computer job, I implied to my officemate last week that the company needed to see some sales or it would lose me to tights-making. He was SHOCKED when I told him I could more than replace my income and benefits. Probably put the fear of God...or at least codpieces... in him.
The advantage to staying with the company is that, should this ship ever find land, it will have the greatest return for the least amount of effort: once software is written it's written, and you can sell it over and over and over. The disadvantage is that there is someone in control of my finances who doesn't share the same values I do. If you've been reading my journal in the past, this will not be an unfamiliar issue to you.
The cons to leaving: my office mate gets screwed. I'm not worried about CFO. He, unlike my officemate, has multiple income streams. He starts and closes companies for lunch.
When I go, so does 1/3 of the company, and neither CFO nor my officemate can do what I do. I don't have a lot of depth of professional skill, but quite a lot of width. Jack of all, master of one or two.
The advantage to leaving is simple: my schedule, my destiny. The entreprenour's dream. There is less of a guarantee of income than even with CFO, but what is me controlling my destiny myself worth? It's not a question I find easy to answer. Of course not, or I'd have already done it.
Pros and cons on both sides, and it's frustrating.
Now the complex part: if I were single, I'd have already done it. But, having a family changes the mix. Without reserves and plenty of debt spread around, that's a harder jump to make.
We'll probably scale our offerings way back once the faire season is over to just making tights, try to find some retail outlets and become a manufacturer/wholesaler, even to the point of farming out the construction to jobbers. Not just for faire tights, but for more generic offerings as well. The faire circuit has been good to us, but the volume isn't great enough and, to be perfectly frank, much of the target market can't afford the product.
As to the computer job, I implied to my officemate last week that the company needed to see some sales or it would lose me to tights-making. He was SHOCKED when I told him I could more than replace my income and benefits. Probably put the fear of God...or at least codpieces... in him.
The advantage to staying with the company is that, should this ship ever find land, it will have the greatest return for the least amount of effort: once software is written it's written, and you can sell it over and over and over. The disadvantage is that there is someone in control of my finances who doesn't share the same values I do. If you've been reading my journal in the past, this will not be an unfamiliar issue to you.
The cons to leaving: my office mate gets screwed. I'm not worried about CFO. He, unlike my officemate, has multiple income streams. He starts and closes companies for lunch.
When I go, so does 1/3 of the company, and neither CFO nor my officemate can do what I do. I don't have a lot of depth of professional skill, but quite a lot of width. Jack of all, master of one or two.
The advantage to leaving is simple: my schedule, my destiny. The entreprenour's dream. There is less of a guarantee of income than even with CFO, but what is me controlling my destiny myself worth? It's not a question I find easy to answer. Of course not, or I'd have already done it.
Pros and cons on both sides, and it's frustrating.
*snicker* "WWSD" bracelet
What is satisfaction worth? I don't know. The question I kept asking myself was, "what amd I worth"? That one became more important the more miserable I became.
I vowed to be happy and give myself, my step-kids, my friends/family and the world the Star everyone deserved.
It's not easy and I'm not always happy and sometimes I'm so scared I can hardly breathe. But not matter what I am no longer miserable and therefore I have the ability to weather the storms that my emotions/fears/thoughts create.
I cannot imagine what it is like to have others truly dependent on you for so many things. I have been blessed and cursed in some ways to only have myself for the majority of my life. It has made me much more trustworthy and confident as I have grown older.
I am all for another venue. I would say anytime but the reality of our lives is that's not really possible. Know, that when we take the time to create the opportunity, I will cherish it as the priceless treasure it wil be.
~S