I was smiling today because I signed my first check for payroll for myself. The business has done very well over the last 6 months and I have been able to payoff any outstanding debts for the business. No long-term debt on the business side, only on the personal side, and there is a bunch there. I had not experienced debt in over 10 years and although it is an uneasy feeling, it is comforting to know that it is personal and that the business has none. It is a healthy and lean venture.

Most people would be embarrassed to say that they have not made any money off of their business in a year and a half in business, but that certainly is not the case.

First, I am not embarrassed at all; on the contrary, I am damn proud of the fact that I was a person who saved and used his savings to start something good and productive. I am very proud that my kids, who have always had everything needed, did not always have everything they wanted. You have to make them hungry for them to work hard. I am also extremely content that I did not have to go to banks or angel investors to help me fund a business. It is because of a fairly simply thing – I was in no hurry to get paid, so I did not need their money.  Most other people that do not save can’t afford this.

Second, it would be irresponsable for me to curtail the growth of my company just because I need to get paid. I pay my employees, pay my bills and have paid off HT’s debt. Cash Flow is now healthy and now I can actually get a starting salary of not much, but enough to help start replenishing the pot. I am very sure my Visa, AMEX and MC cards will be happy to start getting more than minimum payments. Interest payments? they do not bother me, I would rather pay the bank for once than someone else who could have a claim on my business.

So it seems, at least for the next few months, that I will be getting a check every two weeks. It is about 10 times smaller than my last one, but it somehow feels different. I understand its currency value, but its pride significance is unimaginable. I am proud of the checks I used to get, but I am prouder of the fact that I chose to let those checks go and traded them for no checks for so long and now for a modest one. Who knows?  Maybe I will get a raise soon… Yeah, right.

Stay Calm and Keep Humble…