Day four of our new parlor, and as I drive across the 520 bridge, I ponder all the ways in which being a mom has prepared me for being a better business leader. (Now that I'm driving across 520 a lot, you may see more postings as I have MUCH more time to contemplate the state of the economy, Julep, and the license plate in front of me).
So here are the top ten ways in which launching another new parlor is like having another new baby:
10. You take WAY less pictures of the last parlor/child because, afterall, you ARE BUSIER this time around.
9. Just when it's too late to turn back, you begin to question your sanity and your ability to take on ONE MORE THING without losing your already tenuous grip on reality.
8. Each parlor / child comes with its own unique, unanticipated challenges that you have to learn, figure out, and create an action plan around.
7. But you love each parlor/child equally for its unique qualities.
6. You're not as nervous that you will be a complete failure because, after all, you and your partner(s) have done this before.
5. "But OMG what if the other time(s) were a fluke and this is different?" you wake up wondering, heart racing.
4. It takes a bigger village with each additional parlor/child. No one can do it alone.
3. You sweat less about the details (no retail display, diaper rash) and are able to focus more on the bigger picture (is everybody alive and breathing?).
2. You start living at Top Pot Doughnuts and gain weight much earlier in the process.
1. You drink more with each additional parlor launch / pregnancy.
