40 Years and a Mule

And I’m the mule. Hard-working, stubborn at times with a long face and 40 years under my belt.

That’s part of this story about how and why you start a business and keep it when the whole world has changed by technology, pandemic and way different attitudes about how people buy products and services.

So yes, this is a bit personal but could be relevant to other folks wanting to own their own business. But beware of what you think you want. Owning and operating a small business is a full time commitment for most and many people who have tried and failed do so not because of outside forces but from within. I mean you have to be willing to do the really hard, time-sucking things that are required to make a successful small business and often you will not want to do them.Or you won’t know how.

Now here are some things I’ve learned over 40 years that may be of interest.

When I started I quickly found out that I was too stupid to know better than to open a jewelry business in a location where industry was shutting down and not growing, where there were a lot of elderly and economically disadvantaged people and where several name brand jewelry stores were already operating in the main street of the 80s-the Mall.

Dumb! Plus I didn’t know anything about marketing, good advertising practices, business infrastructure like insurances, government regulations and so much more.

That’s when I began saying to friends, family and customers who asked me about starting up their own small business “Hey there’s nothing like a good job.”

I actually discouraged more than a couple people from opening a small business once I considered their plan and their personality.

And there were early years when I had to tap a loan on Friday to make payroll and I had to call vendors to ask that I make payments because I simply didn’t have the money to pay them.

To say the least it was hard in so many ways and I was working 7 days a week for almost 2 years.

But each week I learned a little more, attracted a few more new customers while satisfying the return customers and built a staff of good people to back me up and thrive on their own.

And most importantly I had determination (hard work), perseverance (stubborn) and a family that supported me all along the way.

So do I believe that one can start a business like this in 2025 America with all the noise out there on social media, Internet shopping, employee attitudes and all that goes with a startup that’s not a digital company.

Yes I do. Nothing’s changed while everything’s changed.My story is as old as America itself, older even. Offering goods and services to others is how the world has worked for thousands of years. So you have a new reality, a new context, yes, a super computer in your hand as does everyone else.

And you also have time. Add some mule-like determination and perseverance and you may find yourself looking back at 40 years of mostly ups and always a few downs.