In general what has been very helpful to me is not borrowing money to get started. I skimped and delayed purchases that in my younger days I would have deemed "necessary" to run the business and I would have falsely justified the incurred debt and mentally minimized the subsequent large risk. Needless to say it's hard work, but well worth it.
And there you have it....
I had several people including relatives offering to be partners, give loans, and of course all the credit card companies begging me to sign on the dotted line.
I resisted the temptations and stayed focused.
Now as the economy has declined and business has slowed some we are building a new shop and looking to hire another person.
As a manager of a business, I'm actually janitor, manager, all most President. All I can say is get your tongue ready to have a hole in it from biting it. You HAVE to be nice to everyone even when they are A- holes to you.
I expect my employees to be courteous and polite.
However I don't expect them to take verbal abuse from a customer.
Since 2003 we have only had one customer that could not be reasoned with.
He was given fair warning 3 times, then he was shown the door and the police were called.
Sometimes you have to eat some crow to get to the turkey, but that doesn't mean you have to let the buzzard bite you in the backside.
