I have just reached a milestone of 15 years in business. It has been challenging, rewarding and enlightening. I have had to learn to do things it never occurred to me I would have to do when I started out. I have had opportunities and experiences that I would never would have had. I have met people I never would have met. I have won awards and so has one of my team. I have given evidence to a Parliamentary Select Committee. I have been on the radio. I have been to award ceremonies at the House of Commons. And as a business we achieved Investors in People.
Of course being in business has its ups and downs and sometimes you can feel like it is two steps forward and one step back but when you have the right team and enjoy what you do it is not a job.
Yesterday my brother and I were looking through a memory box of our parents things. We make time to do this on his occasional visits from New Zealand as it is great to share family memories. This time I spent some time looking through my mother's autograph book and came across this poem by Grace B. Hinkey:
Better to strive and climb and never reach your goal,
Than to drift along with time, an aimless worthless soul
Aye better to climb and fall or sow, though the yield be small,
Than to throw away day after day and never strive at all
It reminded me that I have that poem in the autograph book I had at school too. I remember it making quite an impact on me at the time. I haven't seen these words for a long time. I find them inspirational. Seeing them again reminded me that you have to make an effort in life. Time is not endless and if you spend too long thinking about doing something may mean you never get around to it.
Business is like that. Sometimes you just have to make the leap. You have to make decisions which you aren't 100% sure of. You make mistakes. Its hard work. But whatever you achieve is better than wondering and wishing. And sometimes we just have to do things that we want to do - whatever anyone else thinks. Not everyone needs big goals. Just achieving something for yourself will do. And we will meet people along the way who will help us. They will be supportive, inspirational and motivational.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my 15 years in business and am looking ahead to many more. I have a great team working with me who seem to enjoy what we do as much as I do. Here's to the next milestone!
