525,600
We’ve reached that time of the holiday season where we are just baking all of the pies in all of the sizes and it seems to never end. Today Seasons of Love from the musical Rent came on our playlist and I told Madeline that five hundred twenty five thousand six hundred minutes could be our theme song if we simply changed “minutes” to “pies”. And if either of us could sing. She thought that was pretty funny, but only because it felt really true by the late this afternoon.
And look, I’m not complaining. I know that in just a month, we will be smack in the middle of January and we all know that I have some serious side eye for January. From the day we signed our lease on PJP Nifong, the slow days of the winter months have been weighing heavily on my mind. So now is the time for all the hustle…but that doesn’t make the long days any easier. (And every one in retail who reads this just collectively whispered “AMEN, SISTER”).
Also, I’ve set a serious goal for PJP for 2019 and there are 15 business days left to achieve it, so I’m feeling the self-imposed pressure. If I ever refresh my resume, I’ll be sure to include “excels at setting major goals based on nothing scientific except intuition and then refuses to be dissuaded in pursuit of said goal”. Oh, and “skilled at making everything personal, regularly getting feelings hurt when unable to make everyone happy and then stewing around about it for five to seven years”. I guess let’s all hope I never need to apply for a job separate from PJP.
Every now and then, I’ll look around PJP and actually feel astounded that Jeanne and I have created a business that is growing - and never stops needing us. And I wonder if all entrepreneurs feel this way, because frankly, none of working for yourself is for the faint of heart. And all that must mean that at some level, we all strongly believe the risk is worth the reward. Or:
Our desire to do things our way outweighs the risk of self-employment.
Our wish to be creative without limitations is more important than the stability of a 40 hour work week.
Our desire to avoid office meetings, happy hours, and holiday potlucks in traditional work environments justifies 15 hour work days.
Our push to see how far we can grow PJP is worth everything it takes to get closer to our goals.
Or, we are just crazy.
Or a little bit of it all, I think.
