A new outlook on life?

[Doughboy]

I've got to say, quitting where I was working and going into business for myself has got to be the best move I've ever made. Im damn near broke from opening up, and have never been happier. It's amazing what being surrounded by good people in the workplace can do for you. Theres almost no stress (other than being in debt up the ass for a while). No more working 60 hours a week for some chump change, making other people rich. Plus, I get a ton more time to spend with the kids. We get to go to Disney World for the weekend, and theres no way in hell I'd have the time to do that before. It's amazing what enjoying where you work can do for you. No more waking up in the morning trying to think of an excuse to not go in that day. Get to get out of bed and smile every day now. Actually get to enjoy things like the sunrise now. Not to mention, it's made me feel the best I have in years. Yay for decent health again. I'm sure that I've started rambling by now, so I'll just shut up.

*** Edited to add:

Life dont suck anymore!!!

[Jolena]

Eric, you gotta share with us what type of business you opened! And congratulations on the new lifestyle and outlook. :D

[Stretch]

You can't make money working for someone else.

Props for stepping it up and doing your own thing, but hope you're prepared for all the risks that come with it.

If you want to hire a consultant, I'll give you a cyber-friend discount rate of $160/hour.

[Doughboy]

Back to doing what I love doing Jolena, cooking. Have a catering company to call my own now. Hopefully I'll be out of debt by the end of the year. It's the "off season" right now, and I've booked two huge contracts already. So hopefully things will work out. I've got people working for free right now that arent even complaining. I guess they can see the future or some crap. Good thing is that a business loan I applied for went through today. At least I'll be able to pay these poor guys something for helping get me off the ground.

We did a large bridal show this weekend that should bring us in a ton of business. We litterally, killed all the other vendors there. The woman that was in charge of the show said we had the best looking booth that she's ever seen in like 20 years of doing these shows.

Stretch it's not even about the money at this point. It's about being happy and comfortable. The people I'm working with and I are not out to own the planet. I just want to make sure my kids are taken care of, and eventually be able to tell my mom and dad to retire and send them off to Aruba or someplace like that.

Luckily, the market person we have working for us is amazing. She's managed to book us NFL sanctioned super bowl events for the upcoming games in Miami. And we also have picked up a Starbucks contract. Now it's my job to actually make those happen.

[HarmNone]

Sounds like you've found your niche, hon. I'm really happy for you! :)

[Daniel]

It kills me that most people think working for money is the way to go.

[Bobmuhthol]

I find it just as absurd that people think working for money is not most important.

[SpunGirl]

In an ideal world, we could all do a job we love for top dollar. In the real world, people have to choose, and I don't know why it's one person's job to tell the other what their choice should be. Congrats, Dough:)

-K

[Daniel]

I find it just as absurd that people think working for money is not most important.

Well Bob. When you actually get a job and pay a few bills you may be lucky enough to realize that there really isn't that much of a difference between a Camry and a BMW aside from the status of one over another.

Of course, this is entirely different than the person living off minimum wage paycheck to paycheck. However, for people such as yourself the greatest mistake you could ever make would be to make a career decision solely because you'll make an extra 8k out of college.

Money isn't everything and some of the most miserable people you'll find are those who think it is.

[RichardCranium]

Money isn't everything and some of the most miserable people you'll find are those who think it is.

It isn't everything, but it's a whole hell of a lot.

[Daniel]

Spun: I couldn't care less what people do. I'm an avid proponent of doing whatever the fuck you want. I'd just offer the advice to anyone that if you want to be happy, than it would behoove you to find something that allows you to wake up everyday with a smile and do it. Instead of going for the money and hoping the happiness thing works itself out.

[SpunGirl]

My comment was mainly in response to Bob, but it goes both ways. For some people, nothing makes them happier than a fat bank account, and all the family/friends/warm fuzzies in the world wouldn't help if they had an average balance of less than $12,000,000,000,000,000,000.00. The same is also true of what you said.

-K

[Daniel]

I never meant to imply otherwise. Some people genuinely love money. Donald Trump for example, but if you aren't popping boners everytime an Ad for publishers clearing house comes on than you probably aren't one of those people.

[thornhappy]

You know I'm happy for you, hun.

Glad that you're doing so well and that you're finally de-stressed. :)

-the thorn in some ranger's ass

[Augie]

Eric, I know you are so happy by doing this. It's been nothing but you all excited ever since you started out on your own. I am so proud that you were able to get things to take off as they have.

Plus, think of the perks! SuperBowl tix ftw! Haha. Anyhoos, great job gettin out on your own and best of luck with it. If ya need any spare help for big events, ya just let me know. ;0)

[Janarth]

Spun: I couldn't care less what people do. I'm an avid proponent of doing whatever the fuck you want. I'd just offer the advice to anyone that if you want to be happy, than it would behoove you to find something that allows you to wake up everyday with a smile and do it. Instead of going for the money and hoping the happiness thing works itself out.

Its hard to do "whatever the fuck you want" with no money. I'm not saying money is the most important at all, but it does open up possibilities. Augie needed cash to start the catering company, etc etc. Its real fun to go out to eat and try different things, but its expensive. People like to travel, and yes you can do that smartly and not spend extravagantly, but it does cost money. You get the point. I dunno...they call work "work" for a reason I guess. I'd rather have to do so something that is hard...interesting, but hard...and that I sorta like, but wouldn't do for no money that pays pretty well then something like...playing GS3 for just enough to live on. Why? I like going out on the weekends. That said I'm broke as a joke right now.

[Apathy]

Lack of money is the root of all evil.

[Asha]

Or lack of sex.

[Doughboy]

Its hard to do "whatever the fuck you want" with no money.

Yessir it is. But, if you find yourself around good people. Good things happen. One of my coworkers has a boyfriend thats very important in the production business. He's got 6 Emmy awards, and is responsible for producing 10 of the top 20 highest rated sporting events ever. Nobody involved wants to screw anybody else, we've all been through that crap in the past. It's looking like a good situation for now. Plus, if it bombed on us, oh fucking well. At least I can say I tried. And I fully plan on enjoying it for as long as possible. I'll do anything in my power to make sure we dont go under. Theres peoples lives on the line basically. And I dont want to be in any way responsible for something bad happening.

[Daniel]

Augie needed cash to start the catering company

^

So she worked until she got the money neccessary to do what she truly wanted. Not really a hard concept to understand. Afterall, its why I'm school. Everybody has to pay dues in some manner, the difference is that she obviously did something in pursuit of what she wanted to do compared to someone working just to be working because they needed money.

[longshot]

Doing something fulfilling is an important part of happiness, I'll agree on that one. It's really, really hard to fake it... even if the money is good.

I read one of those "Rich Dad Poor Dad" books (try not to laugh too hard here...) by Robert Kiyosaki or whomever. He made a really good point that while money can't explicitly buy you happiness, it often offers a way to get out of doing things that you know you don't like.

So, I think the two concepts work really well together... if you can do something fulfilling, and somehow make enough money to hire other people to do things you hate, then you've got it made.

I think Spun and Daniel can both be right here.