As I write this at 8:30 p.m., my phone is buzzing with multiple text threads. I’m scheduling a build for Thursday, ordering materials, lining up windows and doors and booking people.
At the same time, I’m coordinating tomorrow morning’s completion of a high-end condo sale, and organizing my clothes for a 12-hour shoot day on “Love It or List It.”
I have an inbox full of emails to get answered, as well as my ‘to-do’ list from two strategy meetings this morning that will direct my social and web agenda for the remainder of 2018.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg and I love it. I truly thrive in the entrepreneurial world. For me, it’s about being in the position to continually create the future I want to have for me and my family. It feeds me and excites me. But that is only half of the story ...
The other half of the story
Before sneaking out of bed in the morning, I grab my phone to review emails, social media, my site, read some breaking news stories and do a little online banking. It’s a quiet moment when nobody or nothing else is vying for my attention.
That’s my life: an imperfect mix of things all happening at the same time.
I’ve become really interested in the modern dad or mom who is going full out in their career, as well as wanting to have a complete family life too. It’s a totally new way of doing things and technology has made it possible. It’s made it possible for us to be with family, work from home, go on vacation and keep our business running and thriving.
Juggling two worlds
Being an entrepreneur and having a family, it is important to learn to flow with each moment. You also need the ability to smoothly transition from one activity with family to another business task without having either suffer.
The real skill is being present and fully invested in each moment.
The interesting thing about choosing the entrepreneurial path — running a business and assuming all the risk and reward — is that most of us want to be our own boss and crave that freedom and flexibility.
The irony is that it means you are under the thumb of your own decision-making all the time if you are not actively creating it. This is the true sign of an entrepreneur; someone who is willing to take on the responsibility of following their own structure that ultimately creates success.
The secret is no secret: Find the right partners
To create the ultimate flow demands an infrastructure that supports it. This means partnerships and a team. Expanding my future meant expanding my capacity — one person can only do so much.
I also recognize there is one area in particular where I do not benefit from taking it on myself. I’m an admitted techno-peasant. Thankfully I have nephews, and in-laws and other people in my life who are really good at that kind of thing.
My website is the central hub that replaces the traditional brick-and-mortar office, while social media allows me to communicate and share in real time with my followers and clients. This is the key to the ebb and flow of my life’s fluctuating balance.
I try to surround myself with enthusiasm, talent and integrity and GoDaddy shares the same spirit I have for business (and judging by their name, family too). Having a web presence has really helped me as an entrepreneur, as communication is really important. Running multiple businesses and always being on-the-go, I really rely on having a strong online presence as a hub for people to learn about all the things I do. With the help of GoDaddy, I have been able to maintain a great online presence with my website.
In it for the long haul
The digital world is ever-evolving and so is my business and brand. I definitely don’t always get it right, but I know what I’m striving for and I know what signs to look for when things are out of alignment.
What I’ve learned is that if my career choice doesn’t work for my family, then it doesn’t work for me. This realization took me a while to get clear.
