Entrepreneurial Freedom Reminder in 3 Phone Calls
Entrepreneurs don’t often get reminders about why we all do what we do. We’re rather busy. It helps to be reminded. This weekend I got three phone calls which shine a light brightly on why our efforts as marketing tacticians, helping business owners along a path to greater sales, is so important.
Phone Call #1 from a Friend:
“Why did you guys move away from Los Angeles? Aren’t you missing everything that is here?” Well, no, really. Sedona is just a suburb of Los Angeles that is a little further out. It has most everything we need (except for an El Pollo Loco). And when we look at our views 
it makes a lot of sense to live here instead of a neighborhood in Los Angeles where we were constantly in traffic, hearing overhead plane noise and feeling less than secure. In fact, I told him, you could move here and I think, with your love of doing things outdoors, you would really enjoy it.’
“I could never do that. Probably could not find a job.”
OH! THAT’S IT! The Job Thing. Look, there is nothing wrong with having a job. Sharyn and I each had them for years and they got us prepared for having our company. But the “security” we traded in for entrepreneurial freedom has been well worth it. It was the entrepreneurial freedom we had to be gone for 12 days in Costa Rica filming the Live Your List Entrepreneurial mini-series because we had our own job. We are heading to New Zealand at the end of the year to film the next installment of that mini-series.
It is the entrepreneurial freedom to take an extra day to show clients around Sedona after we get their marketing plans solidified.
It is the entrepreneurial freedom to knock off early on any work day and take a walk along a red rock trail, without having to rationalize it to a boss that we have gotten our work done.
It is the entrepreneurial freedom to not have to set the alarm clock for 6:30 am every day and know that we have to be in the office door by 8 or whenever.
It is the entrepreneurial freedom to use our minds for the good of our clients. To get creative. To make their challenges our own and solve them. To care. It is all these things which in turn creates OUR freedom.
Phone Call #2 from a Client:
–Saturday morning I got a call from a client who was going to call me back on Friday to order her trade show bags. “I’m so sorry,” she said. “My day got out of hand and it was either call you at 8 pm or this morning.”
We laughed when I told her it did not matter. The clock stops over the weekend in the promotional product world, and that I could have the order written and in place for Monday when the factory re-opened.
She made a comment that sometimes she wakes up and does not know what day it really is
“And you have to check your calendar?” I asked?
“YES!” was her reply. “But,” she said, “I really like that. I take free time when I need it and have fun working the rest of it.”
She works in the financial services world and loves helping her clients get their dollars focused. We work in the marketing world and love helping our clients get their messages focused.
Phone Call #3 from another Entrepreneur:
Sharyn saw a friend who owns her own professional services company posted this meme on social media.
Sharyn made a comment that she should join us in New Zealand for the adventure. 30 minutes later, we were all on the phone figuring out how it was going to work in to her schedule. Amazing how much freedom the internet gives us. We can still check emails and handle issues from the other side of the world.
I have known many business owners who did not begin their career as entrepreneurs. In fact, most of them begin in the 9-5 world and graduate to the 9-9 world. It takes a bit of luck and lots of hard work, but I don’t know any of them that would not eagerly do it all again.
It just helps to get a reminder.
If we can help you with any of your marketing challenges, give us a call at (800)705-4265. Send us an email with any marketing question to info@sedonamarketing.com
