Another thing I’ve started working on is starting my own business, again. This time in Ft. Myers as opposed to Yangon. I still want to tutor adults in English and have started researching how to go about it best. One thing I learned from Matt was that great ideas and businesses need to be different on several levels depending on the cultural context. I have some ideas for pricing and other things. I just submitted my information for making a business card with NMSI. When I get that I plan on attending some different networking events at a Christian businessmen (and women) Chamber of Commerce monthly lunch as well as a Hispanic business Chamber of Commerce biweekly lunch.
My friend Ryan is an excellent networker. My first experience with him I didn’t really get it to be honest as he will attest to. Now I’m realizing it’s a huge part of business and getting the word out about whatever project you’re working on whether that’s selling a product or trying to expand an entrepreneurship school to extend your reach and start more businesses. I have started reading a book (again) on networking that I started in Yangon that he suggested that’s really good so far. It’s funny because I see how he used it in everyday life now that I’m reading more of it.
Changing careers is no easy task. Raising your own salary isn’t easy either. As my dad and Ryan have both told me though, “Anything worth doing isn’t easy.” That’s a paraphrase of course but it’s a good reminder nonetheless. If you want to grow your own capacity you have to be committed to reading great books in whatever field it is, asking experienced leaders in the field good questions and often and get practice at whatever it is you want to help others with. I’ve heard a quote several people have used but I forget where it originated now. “You’re going to be the same person 10 years from now except for the books you read and the people you meet.”
Thankfully I have had some great mentors and leaders in my life who have helped guide me in this new endeavor both by example as well as answering questions. My dad is the primary one as he has been in business his whole career and is a gold mine in terms of experience and advice.
Ryan Russell was a huge help in Yangon with answering questions about how to start something new, cast a vision and get people on board. Matt Wallace was incredibly helpful and a great teacher on the operations side of things. He also did a great job at our weekly meetings of essentially playing the role of a counselor; early on I told him I had started viewing our weekly meetings as therapy sessions.
Adam Hunt taught me the importance of keeping track of finances and more importantly the discipline of patience. I learned more from watching him as he seemed to have a level head almost all the time no matter the situation. He was one of those guys who seemed rather quiet but could make me laugh so incredibly hard when he cracked a joke. Johnny Knox had an incredible heart for the lost and helping church planters get started and I really wished I could’ve spent more time with him before he left for furlough midway through my time there.
My friend and pastor Ryan Sudsberry has always been such a great help as I stumbled through my 20’s as a single guy trying to figure things out and now as a 32 year-old trying to figure out how to be a good husband to my new wife. Soon he’s going with his family to Scotland to help plant churches over there and I honestly dread that day. As Steffani reminded me, I’m the one who usually does that to others and now I’ll know how he has felt. I retorted that I much prefer to be the one who leaves rather than the one who is left behind.
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