07/14/2026
When I get approached by someone who says the want to start a business, I 1st say don’t do it😏. Like having children, it may look like terrific fun, but it’s more work than you can ever possibly imagine. Of course they then say you need to hire people to run it for you, but finding those people who have your work ethic and vision is next to impossible. If you are very lucky and are able to find those rare unicorns, they understandably have visions and ambitions of their own and eventually move on. Rhonda from Kopi and I discussed this in the infancies of our businesses, and we agreed that if we knew how hard it would be, we never would have started.
After I give someone all the warnings against doing it, if they still feel determined, I suggest these two books. “When Smart People Fail” explains thru multiple personal anecdotes that failure isn’t an actual event, but an interpretation of events. No one ever closes you down and tells you that you’ve “failed”. You don’t suddenly hit a wall and there’s nothing on the other side. In business, there are constant obstacles that you hit, and you decide whether to keep going or to stop. Every wall you hit (and honestly, they never do stop coming) is your choice to view as a hurdle to overcome, a lesson, or the final straw.
“The E-Myth Revisted” is a very readable blueprint for how to start and grow a small business. The author suggests starting very small (as I did), but laying out a plan of what and who you’ll need to grow. I read this book after I had already been in business 5 years and still found it fascinating and very educational. Following this guideline will give any small business owner a strong foundation on which to grow.
Do I still wish I never started? I honestly don’t know. I love my business, my customers, my community and most of all my amazing staff. I love seeing my customers children grown up and hearing stories of life events that I was able to be part of vicariously thru my work. I love having relationships with my former staff members who frequently remind me of the influence working at ATOH had on their lives and careers. But I often wonder what life would’ve been like if I had more free time, more travels, more investment in my personal life. This being said, I dreamed of opening a restaurant since I was 4 years old, and there’s a lot to be said for seeing your dream come true every single day.
