Bzzzzzz

Well, it’s February 21st and I have been a busy little Bee. But I have not been a busy little B-logger. Oops.

So, since the last time you’ve heard from me, I signed my lease for the building space at 1800 NW Upshur St. Watched construction proceed at a painstakingly nonexistent rate. Got hired back at Agency X for a four months contract position (cha-ching). Had my second “last” day at the agency last Friday. And now I’m back in the full swing of Canvassing.

So, what does “full swing” entail?

First, the stuff I want to think about: inventory, art supply samples, interior design, paint colors, kitchen build-out, menu creation, bread samples from Grand Central Bakery, website design, learning Illustrator and Photoshop for POS, promotions, “opening day” preparations, screen printing shirts and aprons, staffing, entertainment, networking… About 3/4 on this list is a “check”!

Then there’s the stuff that I don’t want to think about, but is super key to the success of the business: POS or cash register system, internet/phone hook-up, Quickbooks accounting, payroll, licensing (business, liquor, kitchen), insurance. I’d say I’m about 1/2 way there on these items.

It’s ironic, because my vision of developing a creative outlet has become a new source of paperwork and project management — what I was trying to escape in the first place!  Ha!  Everything in balance though. I’ll smile my way through the POS demos and endless mail exchange with the City of Portland because I know what I’m working for and how great it will feel once I get there.

The things I have learned the past few months that I’d like to share with fellow entrepreneurs are:

1. Think twice about leasing a space in “shell” state. On the up-side, you get to design the space to your liking. On the downside, there’s lots of planning and expense involved in the space design, and most of all, construction takes forever – impacting your income and schedule most of all.  (I was supposed to have my space complete January 15. It’s no February 21 and completion is scheduled for March 14). So, know the ups and downs, but also know if I had to do it over again, I wouldn’t change a thing.
2. Keep focused on the end-result and don’t lose sight of your vision. Reread your business plan, remember why you wrote it. Keep a blog, read it, be inspired by what you wrote in the early phases! Make time to connect with like-minded people who share similar visions. It’s very easy to get overwhelmed with all the to-dos that go into planning for the business. When your passion, your joy, starts feeling like a job, it’s time to retrace your steps and remember how you got here!
3. The “limbo” stage can be hard to adjust to. When you’ve left your old job, but you haven’t opened your doors yet, or aren’t in your space yet, you may have trouble adjusting to the lack of structure in your schedule. You also may not literally have enough work to fill 8-9 hours a day. So, if you find yourself creating work for yourself  – shopping before you can buy something, researching things you don’t need, redoing your excel sheets — stop wasting your time! Enjoy the time while you have it and add structure to your day by allowing yourself time to exercise, read, eat healthy and do other things to keep your mind and body sharp.
4. Keep a list. Obviously, this is a no-brainer, but so many things will pop into your head on a daily basis that you really need to write them down — in one notebook! Speaking of which… I need to get on some list making!

This week I’ll be shopping/purchasing upholstery fabric and foam for the built-in seating units (Jacob and John finished building the structure today!). Doing a walk-through with the electrician to make sure everything gets put in the right place. Meeting with a POS vendor from Micros. Trying to find a good panini press. Sampling Portland Roasting coffee. Finalizing inventory spreadsheets so I’m ready to order first of March. Reviewing website designs. Visiting Rebuilding Center. Building the tables and buying paint!

Now I’m off to play some disc golf — hey, I’m self-employed! It’s one of the perks!

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