You got to know when to hold them….
Know when to fold them….
Know when to walk away, know when to run…

These are the famous words from Kenny Rogers in “The Gambler” You gotta love that song. It reminds me a lot of our new business. Sometime, we are like the Gambler at the table and we are trying to read everyone’s faces and figuring out what is best for all. It feels a little like gambling to be honest. But it is only uncertainty and even mature businesses have it.

We have had a very good week. A very nerve-wrecking week. We had some good deals happen this week and some others that just won’t settle down, but one thing is common – the people I am dealing with are mostly honorable people and you can’t put a price on that. They are treating us well and we are looking for ways to make them grow as well.

This week one of the prophecies came true and one of our principals went the direct route and tried to knock us out of the way. A big company too, not small by any means. We talked about this before, give them a chance to screw you always, don’t worry, as they will do you a favor and get out of your way. The result… our client told us and did not seem to impressed by their strategy, a good client and a bad reputation for that vendor, as expected. I had actually mentioned this in my initial posts, and it came thru and funny as it is but two days before I was telling my partners how I thought this vendor was acting a bit funny and we all shared a good laugh after this.

So, as good vendors and good customers summon a good future, I am doubling down on my non-success. I am giving myself into this project until March for evaluation but I will not fear to go all the way until then and decide. It’s all-in and more resources will be destined to it or nothing. We have nothing to lose but money, and I am not doing this for money…. I am doing this for freedom and happiness.

Keep Calm and Stay Humble…

Well, last couple of blogs we have discussed how the deals have been coming in and how the dominoes are falling where they should be. As you well know, reality is not as pretty as it seems. Most deals are still in place and we have actually landed a couple of more deals since then, but there are always issues – and they are not really issues – but they are challenges and they take time.

We have always said in this blog that time is a good friend and in this case it is being an obstinate friend. It is that buddy that won’t leave when you are already tired. It is that dude that does not get the hint when you are cleaning and telling him, “I gotta get up early tomorrow,” and he laughs and cracks another beer open. That is time right now, a good friend that is annoying me and my partners. He will not disappear and make all of our deals progress.

But….time is a good friend, and good friends help us when we are down and cheer us when we are up. As things progress and take their course, we continue to struggle and be positive, we continue to laugh while we are dead-broke and we continue to ignore critics and cheerleaders. Our job is to continue to be awesome every day and we are succeeding at that. Our focus is to keep our business growing and we are happy to do so.

This week the hits keep on coming and weeks ago we did not want them to stop. Relativity, as Einstein would say. Anyway, we hope to share more news with you next week, if time allows it…

Keep Calm and Stay Humble….

In loving memory of Jayden Rios who brought joy and happiness to all.

A beautiful 8-year-old who left us too early and is now with God.

As we mentioned before, we closed 3 deals by press-time last week.  Well – my mistake, I should have waited, but Thursday is blog deadline and I had been late the last couple of weeks.  In reality we closed 5 deals last week. And we closed another 3 deals this week related to those.

My partners have been going crazy this week and are overwhelmed.  We will knock out one of those projects by Friday and focus on the ones for long-term.  I saw my partners frustrated, like they wanted to kill me, but did not have the heart to tell me.  I also saw them anxious because a drive-by deal got in the way, and they can’t attack their main deals.  I also saw them frustrated, as we are waiting for some information to continue finishing up deals from last week.

All in all, it has been a seriously busy week and we expect to bring in handsome rewards in the next 60 days.  All we have to do is make sure we don’t go broke by then and the worst will have passed.  As you know a new business, requires not only time and money to be invested, but lots if tender-loving-care and a s***load of patience.

We are so busy we realized we have to hire 2 more people within the next 2-3 weeks and we have not received a single dollar from our clients, but if we want to make our deals work, we have to invest heavily and that is where I have to pony up, whether I want to or not – more money from my already-hurting pockets.  As I see it, if it all goes well, and all of our plans come together as they should, we will have a very good 2nd quarter and hopefully by then we can start collecting some sort of salary.

Here is looking at all the risk takers and letting you know, keep it up, don’t give up and have trust in your abilities, and surround yourself with loyal, honest and hardworking people, who you will do right and share your rewards. You can’t do it alone, don’t be greedy

Keep calm and stay humble.