How I define success
I’m not sure I ever grew up with an idea of what success was, but I did grow up learning to discover what brought me joy and what lit that fire of enthusiasm deep within me. My parents both had started businesses while I was in high school, and I rather suspect observing their choices helped me to become an independent thinker. Their road was not an easy one as I observed the long hours and many financial challenges.
I didn’t venture out in life to be or do anything specific; rather I was on a journey of self-discovery throughout my twenties. My independence and creativity, both artistically and as a visionary, directed me to think outside the box of choices that many of my friends were making in their twenties.
I started following a dream of self-discovery and adventure at the age of twenty-eight. I took a job in California and moved across the country simply to have the experience, and to expand my view of what might be possible somewhere else. Having made several trips to California prior to the move, I felt exhilarated and had no fear of making such a big move alone, knowing there were such new and different opportunities that I wanted to explore.
After working for several different companies the first ten years after I moved, each was a small business, and I observed both the good and bad of how they ran their businesses. It became on-the-job training for my future as a business owner. My first entrepreneurial venture began following a job lay off. I took a hobby and turned it into a moneymaking activity. This was a symbolic moment when something clicked for me. I discovered what I really wanted to be in life was independent, and uncover my creative talents and skills. I remember reading issues of Entrepreneur Magazine and becoming inspired by the stories of success about people who were creative and now calling their own shots. I kept a clipping from the September 1990 issue of Entrepreneur Magazine because it impacted my life. The editor wrote in part, “Dreams are the stuff entrepreneurs are made of. They’re what push us to succeed, beyond the realm of possibility.” All these years, this article has inspired me to keep going even when I became discouraged or failed.
My parents encouraged and supported me along the way but ultimately my success came from my own self-determination. When an opportunity came, I seized it. I was and am still very self-motivated, coupled with a good amount of tenacity mixed in.
We all have business and life challenges
The challenges I faced along the way through my business success have been many—from lack of financial capital to becoming partners with my spouse. Early on, I was challenged with a girlfriend who had become a business partner, and this ended in bad feelings and a dissolved partnership. This was a great lesson in the importance of having all your legal ducks in a row regardless of the friendship—which we did.
After the dissolution of that partnership, in 1996 I started working with my husband in the business he had started a year prior called GIR Graphic Art. He began by developing marketing materials for small business, expanding over the years to provide a variety of marketing, promotion and design services. We changed our company name to GIR-Graphics & Innovative Resources with a tagline “We Make You Look Good,” which reflected a more diverse brand.
In 2005, my husband/business partner died from an accident. Suddenly I realized we didn’t have a plan in place in the event of the death of either partner. That topic was one of those life-planning events we did not address.
From my experience, here are some things husband/wife business partners should talk about, put in writing and update as needed:
- Have trusted advisors established that both of you know (attorney, CPA, financial advisor, insurance agent, banker, etc.).
- Have your legal documents in order: A will, trusts, powers of attorney and medical directives. Update as needed.
- Have access to each other’s contact information of friends, family members and business associates.
- Have open and honest discussions about your wishes, especially if you have children from previous marriages.
- Talk about the “if’s in life” while everyone is well and strong, if necessary, with an attorney or financial planner present. Discuss how you want assets to be distributed (especially if there are “yours,” “mine” and “our” kids), and any philanthropic legacy desires. This becomes extremely important if the surviving spouse gets remarried and more children are brought into the family.
- Think of your spouse as a key employee. If that person died prematurely, what impact would it have on your income, business, and your lifestyle. Protect your loved ones and obtain life insurance to help him/her survive in your absence.
- Know what each other is working on so that the transition is easier.
- Keep personal and business expenses separate.
- Have all passwords, PIN numbers and other security info written down so the spouse can easily locate them.
- Business resources/vendors: both spouses should know where to locate contracts and contact information.
- Make sure both know the banking relationships.
- Depending on progression of inheritance, consider having the family home in joint tenancy with rights of survivorship.
- Know where to locate the safe deposit key and make sure you are on the signature card allowing you to access it.
- Double-check ALL investment and insurance policy beneficiary designations, including primary and contingent beneficiaries.
After my husband/partner’s unexpected death, I was forced to make changes to the business, which included selling off the screen-printing business and retaining the marketing clients and services. In 2007-2008, I learned and implemented online marketing strategies and social media into the company, recognizing this was the future trend of marketing, and I knew with certainty this was the direction the business needed to go. Today, I help small business owners gain more exposure for their business through proven marketing strategies. I also teach social media strategies and implementation to individuals and companies.
Looking back, working with my spouse was the most challenging because it required balance and diplomacy to make both the marriage and the partnership work. When your partner is your spouse, you never get away from work. I had to learn to engage in other conversations with my husband, and to find outside interests that would offer the balance.
Two years following his death, I decided to move from California where I had made my home for nearly twenty-five years, back to my hometown of Minneapolis where I had support of family and friends. My stepdaughter was finishing up school in California, and was making her way in the world, and I simply had financial decisions to make about the business and home—and moving was that solution.
Not only was I starting my business again, but I was starting life again.
I believe that success is defined individually and not universally. You can only measure what you achieve for yourself by your own yardstick. Perhaps you measure success in meeting your goals, or by your happiness or wealth. Success can also be measured by those in whose lives we may have made a difference, or by lending a hand up to another, by a kind word, by being a mentor, a leader or a friend.
Success in business and life takes vision, determination, resilience and a dash of courage from time to time. Success requires us to set some goals, be as prepared as we can, and then be willing to adjust the sails.
My real success came when I knew that I was able to inspire others to their own greatness. This is my why—the why I get up every day.
Remember the Entrepreneur Magazine article I quoted earlier? The last paragraph had the most impact on my success; it is what kept me going all these years later, and perhaps it will inspire your own success.
“So don’t let anyone discourage your dreams. For without dreamers there’d be no computers, no automobiles, no airplanes, phone or electric lighting. Without dreams, there’d be no point.”
This chapter was taken from the book “Unlocking the Secrets of Successful Women” published by Younique Press Oct 2013. Book can be purchased on Amazon.
