With the Meetup coming soon and my ticket in hand, I figure it’s a good idea to take @Vigilante’s advice and do a formal re-introduction. I recently have let myself sink into irrelevance on the forums and would like to avoid being “that guy in the corner of the room” that no one has heard from in a long time.
So getting back up to speed…
What’s my story…
In 2002 I started a custom electronics business that focused on providing Home Theater and Home Automation products and services to the residential market. Our business was run locally and offline. I grew that company very slowly over 8+ years until it caught the eye of a larger commercial company in 2011 who then proceeded to acquire us. Once acquired, I was tasked with the objective of developing a sub-division of the company that focused on commercial audio-visual services. Since then, we have grown our division into other technology areas and products such as physical security, soundmasking, distributed antennae systems, etc.
I continue to remain with the company, as part of the acquisition agreement (and because I have yet to successfully start a new venture). Even though it’s not ownership, my agreement with the parent company entitles me to a portion of all profits related to my division. So while I am no longer running my own company, I am at least able to see some of the fruits of my labor. I have also already been asked, along with another individual, to take over ownership in 5 years when the current owners retire. I am undecided at this point if I will do so.
So why am I on the forum and going to the meetup?
While in the eyes of the average person it may appear that my current situation has many of things an entrepreneur seeks - good pay, flexible hours, unlimited vacation, work remotely, etc. it’s just not the same to me. While there are many aspects of running my own business that I miss there are many that I don’t miss too!. But through all I still feel the call to create, build and try to help others where I can. So over the last few years I have re-started my journey and have tried my hand a few small things. None of them yet can be view as even moderate success. Most of my failures could probably be contributed to a lack of proper effort or even misaligned expectations, but none have left me without a wealth of experience and knowledge that inspires personal growth.
I continue to be a member here because I enjoy the community. Amongst the noise there is more value in this place than most realize. As an entrepreneur (or re-aspiring entrepreneur if you will) I find it hard to connect with other like minded individuals in my day-to-day life. This forum provides that mechanism. Speaking from personal experience, I had the fortunate opportunity to go to last year’s meetup and meet some great people in person. There are even a few that I connect with on an almost daily basis and they have been huge difference makers in my life...maybe more than they realize.
To pass up an opportunity like that again would be foolish. So as long as no one kicks me off the forum… I will be here in at least some capacity.
So what value can you add back to the group?
Hard to say. I like to think I have a lot to share but I feel value is both perceived and relative. Unlike some, I have gone through starting a business, growing it and then being acquired. Through it all I am not a millionaire, by any stretch, but my struggles and challenges are real. Most of what I viewed as success in my business life was accomplished in currently less travelled paths...offering products and services offline. Nowadays, myself included, it seems the obvious trend is to find those customers online. I am still sorting through this, so can’t be a huge help to those in that arena. Need to offer 1-to-1 services to local customers… I could be your guy.
I have also experienced everything I have gone through while starting and growing a family. I feel this is one of the lesser talked about things that many entrepreneurs struggle with as they continue to achieve new plateaus in their businesses. Often times the hardships endured by the families of entrepreneurs, whether it be financial, or time related, or otherwise, is never talked about at length. Yet when I talk to someone who is the primary breadwinner for their family and is trying to start and grow a business, the struggles they share are typically far different than those experienced by single, nomadic individuals. This is not to imply the families are a crutch for unproductivity, or that those without immediate families or young children to care for don’t have their own unique set of issues. It’s just a VERY different set of challenges that can take a large toll on someone. It’s a topic I could talk for hours on and have considered starting a thread about, but it’s not relevant to this already too long of a post.
What do I hope to get out of the meetup?
Clearly the lineup of speakers is stellar. No need to revisit the obvious knowledge that will pour out of those sessions. However, I personally want to continue meeting and sharing with other like minded people as I continue through my own journey. I want to grow and make new relationships. I want to walk away hoping I helped at least one person. Those are the kind of things that are much harder to achieve through just a simple forum post and those are the kinds of things that make the cost of the trip insignificant compared to the personal insight you can gain from experiences like this.
If you happened to stumble on any of my older posts, you know I am capable of making this poast 10 times longer than it currently is. I am gonna end here and just say that I hope to see as many of you as possible at the Meetup.
If anything I have said above has sparked interest or you have questions, please feel free to ask.
So getting back up to speed…
What’s my story…
In 2002 I started a custom electronics business that focused on providing Home Theater and Home Automation products and services to the residential market. Our business was run locally and offline. I grew that company very slowly over 8+ years until it caught the eye of a larger commercial company in 2011 who then proceeded to acquire us. Once acquired, I was tasked with the objective of developing a sub-division of the company that focused on commercial audio-visual services. Since then, we have grown our division into other technology areas and products such as physical security, soundmasking, distributed antennae systems, etc.
I continue to remain with the company, as part of the acquisition agreement (and because I have yet to successfully start a new venture). Even though it’s not ownership, my agreement with the parent company entitles me to a portion of all profits related to my division. So while I am no longer running my own company, I am at least able to see some of the fruits of my labor. I have also already been asked, along with another individual, to take over ownership in 5 years when the current owners retire. I am undecided at this point if I will do so.
So why am I on the forum and going to the meetup?
While in the eyes of the average person it may appear that my current situation has many of things an entrepreneur seeks - good pay, flexible hours, unlimited vacation, work remotely, etc. it’s just not the same to me. While there are many aspects of running my own business that I miss there are many that I don’t miss too!. But through all I still feel the call to create, build and try to help others where I can. So over the last few years I have re-started my journey and have tried my hand a few small things. None of them yet can be view as even moderate success. Most of my failures could probably be contributed to a lack of proper effort or even misaligned expectations, but none have left me without a wealth of experience and knowledge that inspires personal growth.
I continue to be a member here because I enjoy the community. Amongst the noise there is more value in this place than most realize. As an entrepreneur (or re-aspiring entrepreneur if you will) I find it hard to connect with other like minded individuals in my day-to-day life. This forum provides that mechanism. Speaking from personal experience, I had the fortunate opportunity to go to last year’s meetup and meet some great people in person. There are even a few that I connect with on an almost daily basis and they have been huge difference makers in my life...maybe more than they realize.
To pass up an opportunity like that again would be foolish. So as long as no one kicks me off the forum… I will be here in at least some capacity.
So what value can you add back to the group?
Hard to say. I like to think I have a lot to share but I feel value is both perceived and relative. Unlike some, I have gone through starting a business, growing it and then being acquired. Through it all I am not a millionaire, by any stretch, but my struggles and challenges are real. Most of what I viewed as success in my business life was accomplished in currently less travelled paths...offering products and services offline. Nowadays, myself included, it seems the obvious trend is to find those customers online. I am still sorting through this, so can’t be a huge help to those in that arena. Need to offer 1-to-1 services to local customers… I could be your guy.
I have also experienced everything I have gone through while starting and growing a family. I feel this is one of the lesser talked about things that many entrepreneurs struggle with as they continue to achieve new plateaus in their businesses. Often times the hardships endured by the families of entrepreneurs, whether it be financial, or time related, or otherwise, is never talked about at length. Yet when I talk to someone who is the primary breadwinner for their family and is trying to start and grow a business, the struggles they share are typically far different than those experienced by single, nomadic individuals. This is not to imply the families are a crutch for unproductivity, or that those without immediate families or young children to care for don’t have their own unique set of issues. It’s just a VERY different set of challenges that can take a large toll on someone. It’s a topic I could talk for hours on and have considered starting a thread about, but it’s not relevant to this already too long of a post.
What do I hope to get out of the meetup?
Clearly the lineup of speakers is stellar. No need to revisit the obvious knowledge that will pour out of those sessions. However, I personally want to continue meeting and sharing with other like minded people as I continue through my own journey. I want to grow and make new relationships. I want to walk away hoping I helped at least one person. Those are the kind of things that are much harder to achieve through just a simple forum post and those are the kinds of things that make the cost of the trip insignificant compared to the personal insight you can gain from experiences like this.
If you happened to stumble on any of my older posts, you know I am capable of making this poast 10 times longer than it currently is. I am gonna end here and just say that I hope to see as many of you as possible at the Meetup.
If anything I have said above has sparked interest or you have questions, please feel free to ask.
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