Out of Hiding and on the Hunt

Well, it surprises me I've been silent for two weeks. It started when I realized I couldn't pay the rent on the business on March 31. That sucks. Really sucks. The economy's "rough patch" has just turned into an economic downturn. No perception here. Just tough reality.

I figure if I have to close up shop and face the creditors, I'm in pretty good company. There are big companies out there who are in real trouble along with thousands of entrepreneurs like me. All day long, I see people traipse in and out of the nail salon next door all day long -- and I also notice the long lines at the fast food dives when I drive by, but there's little disposable income for the gym where people can save money on health costs by losing weight, managing pain and getting their endorphins going. Crazy.

A lifelong friend -- he taught me to bee-bop when I was in sixth grade -- has blessed me with sage advice. He reminded me that I am still above ground with thousands of blessings to count (my family and friends, you know who you are) not the least of which is an unidentified opportunity waiting for me to find it. He set off a bell in my head (I always did like a good mouse hunt) and energized me. Oh, and he made me write this down: Never ever, ever, ever, never ever, never ever, never, never, never give up. (That's a quote after Winston Churchill's heart.)

Here's a screwed up state of affairs. My friend has been a highly successful entrepreneur/business man for decades. He grosses more than a million a year. But he's been hit hard and is making some tough decisions. He consulted a business lawyer who advised him that his business doesn't make enough money to declare bankruptcy -- it takes a minimum of $11 million to handle the accounting and legal reporting that must be done in that situation.

So, I don't know my next move. But I know there will be a move. Whether it's literal or figurative, I'm thankful that cats always land on their feet!