I want you to know...

... that this posting, barely once in a while, if at all has been going on since my mother got me a diary at the Hallmark store in Vandalia, Illinois, that I just had, had, had, had to have, or I would DIE! It was spotty at best then, as it is now. I'm not a writer, or a runner, or a good house cleaner. I just need to get over those facts and move on.

I do know what I am though. I'm a small business owner, a wife, a mother to two fur babies, and most recently.... 

A BAKERY OWNER!

That's right!! The very wonderful women from Sefcu called last week and broke the news. I am funded, as long as I pass a background check. (note: hide dead body better and clean up off shore bank account) So freaking excited and nauseous, and excited and terrified, and excited and I might be having a heart attack.

So this fancy Mexican restaurant is all mine (well leased) and will be opening by the end of October, if everything goes right, which it won't. But that's what happens, every pot hole in the road is expected, even if I have no idea that it's coming. I'll keep you up to date on all the renovations etc. Don't worry, that fancy black plastic out side won't be going away! Not till I own the building, I'm too cheap to fix up someone else's mess. 

So here I go!!!

The SEED Program

So I have been very reluctant to let everyone know about this, mostly because, in the end, it's not definite. And I don't want to tell everyone that I didn't get it. Oh. I should tell you what "it" is...

Earlier this year, I applied for, and was accepted into the SEED program. A small business education and loan program provided by the SBDC (Small Business Development Center)and SEFCU, our local Credit Union. In early July my class met for the first time and was handed our binders. We started class right away, and have met every Sunday for the last 6 weeks. There are 7 other amazing people in my class, all from different back grounds, all with different goals, all at different places in their businesses.

The main point of the class is to prepare our business plan for SEFCU and to give us some direction in our business. Some of us are there because we need to expand (me!) some are there to buy an existing business, some are just getting started out and are really developing their direction through the homework. They didn't just want to hand us checks and throw us out to the wolves, hopefully we'll have a leg up. So in week 7 we are getting down to the nitty gritty of the plan. Hammering out pricing and quantities and lots of stuff. I'm starting to get nervous that I'm not doing as much as I need to do. But I also feel like every business owner goes through this.

So the most important part of this whole post is that I am very very close to having my OWN PLACE!!!! Cue Fanfare. Fireworks!! It's an old Mexican restaurant in Rensselaer. I will use my decorating magic to peel back Mexican and make awesome bakery instead. But settle down, this is all dependant upon the funding. So I am asking for super good thoughts going out to the board that makes the decision. I present on September 7th. It's a Friday. I'll send another message out as a reminder that I need all good juju coming my way. Anyone who promises and sends good juju will get a hug and a cookie. Yes I am using cookies for bribing, and yes, I am OK with that.

So this is why I haven't been as attentive to my blog as I feel I should. I'm hammering out details, that I didn't even know that I needed.

I hope to introduce you to all the folks that I'm in class with once they are up and going. So remember, good thoughts


P.S. Look out for another give away coming soon!