I got laid off. Then I got a dog. So, naturally - I started two businesses.
Updated: Mar 8, 2022
I was all pumped to start the new year fresh with a new attitude but the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry, you know what I mean? I got laid off a week after we returned to the office from Christmas break - it sucked but it didn't destroy my world like getting laid off when I was younger and more unstable did. By being laid off, I had been given a little bit of breathing room to figure out what I was going to do next. I could go back to work in an administrative role outside the home, or I could take this opportunity to focus on getting my own business ventures off the ground.
About a month after I got laid off my boyfriend and I adopted a Rottweiler puppy named Quigley, and we freaking love him to death. I'm his primary human - I really can't believe it took me this long to complete my life with a dog. Do you see how freakin' perfect he is? The only downside is that a month after he arrived, I realized that my options for working full time outside the home are pretty limited pretty much forever. While he's in this young puppy stage he needs constant supervision and regular training intervals throughout the day (not to mention the potty trips). I have also read that Rottweilers are not a breed that should be left alone in the home for extended periods of time as an adult for emotional reasons - that's creating a huge risk for an attack Rottie. So, no office for me, I guess! 2020 also taught me that I don't love working from home on the computer. I had hip surgery last year, and when it became obvious that sitting 40hrs a week was the quickest way to undo all my hard work at physical therapy, I knew I didn't want to be behind a desk on someone else's clock until I retired. I also didn't particularly love being so disconnected from my workplace and I definitely missed the structure of working outside the home. I have taken all of this to mean that it's high time for me to work as hard as I need to to be self-employed, and I am proud to say that as of June 2021 your girl owns two LLCs in the state of Arizona! It's scary, but it's such a powerful feeling to know that I have the means and skills to be in full control of my earnings and my time. I've been working on this for the past few months and having the requisite anxious doubts every few weeks, but what really solidified my choice was seeing my grandparents for the first time since December 2019. I know that if I work hard to build my businesses I will get to spend more time with them in their later years than I could ever have hoped for while working for someone else. I'm excited to share what I have learned and will learn about the process of starting an LLC in Arizona. It was fun, pretty easy, and sharing knowledge is a key part of my community-focused small business owner vision. So congratulations to me and my baby LLCs, and here's to a whole new work-life balance too!