The Hot Iron

Sunday, July 06, 2008

Redeclaring My Independence

As I wrote my entry on Independence Day, I began thinking a lot about my own independence, namely in owning my own business.

When I set out and started Dunkirk Systems, LLC over 3 and a half years ago, it was with attitude and bravado that I could actually do what I wanted the way I wanted.  This type of thinking wasn’t always with me, and surely wasn’t the case about 4 years earlier when faced with a decision to go out on my own or get a full-time job with a company, as I chose the latter.  At the time it was the right choice for me.  It was during that period where the desire to work a certain way came to the surface, and when I moved to Chicago, I felt there was no time like the presence to start my business.

Like many entrepreneurs, I saw events and activities in my business playing out a certain way.  Call it optimism, or call it dreaming, but you play things out in your mind’s eye as they unfold, hoping they play out in real-life the same way.  But like life itself, you cannot predict what will truly happen.  You may lose the client you thought you had locked up, only to gain the client you never saw coming.  Where these are the large events, many small events occur on an almost daily basis.  This is why I say everyday I learn something new about owning my own business.

Recently I have been thinking more and more about how my business has progressed, and what course I want to take next.  As this holiday weekend unfolds I will be putting a lot of thought into my business and how I see it going forward.  In this reflection, I will look at what has worked, what has not, what surprises I encountered and how I reacted to them.  I will also take a hard look at where I want to go, and what it will take me to get there.  Equally, I will take a look at my life outside of work, off the grid, and what goals and plans I have for it.  I want to make sure by having my own business I don’t negatively impede my personal desires and activities.

On this journey I have tried to have no regrets, and so far so good.  In redeclaring my independence I will reaffirm my choice and make any adjustments necessary for the next stage in this journey.