Carolyn Jack

Editor and CEO, Geniocity.com
A project of The Genius Group LLC

Creative Nerve: What It’s Really Like to Start a Business

Missed opportunities.  I realized yesterday that I wasn’t going to be able to promote Geniocity.com at an event that’s coming up this week. I had really wanted to do that.

I’ve also realized at least once a week for months that I can’t network at some great-sounding gathering, can’t pay for or man a booth at a conference, can’t get logo-embossed promotional goods - can’t take advantage of a thousand different chances to get my company name and business noticed.  

The reason is almost always lack of time or money, the two things any entrepreneur tends to run out of. Because I have only two hands and they’re busy juggling every aspect of my start-up, as well as the demands of home, extended family and consulting work, I have almost no spare moments or change. I also quite frankly run out of energy.

The situation feels like a vicious circle to me, because I know my business would grow faster if word about it got around more effectively. And a growing business might mean more money and time – or just more money – to spend on proper promotional materials and events (there it is again – the darned chicken and egg).

But if the choice I face amounts to making dinner for my kids or getting to a business reception, most of the time the kids have to – and should – win.

And what would you pick if you had enough cash either to pay your software bills this month or to purchase 100 plastic gizmos with your logo on them? Yeah, me too - the software.  

So I have to let a lot of valuable breaks pass me by.  I hate that. I’d like to get past the stage of being able to reach people only one at a time, a state a friend of mine in politics once described as “cutting the grass with a plastic knife.” 

But I believe if I reach enough individuals, I’ll look up at some point and discover that Geniocity.com has a following. And some wherewithal. And maybe you’ll find me at some future year’s big July event, sitting in my own booth with a whole array of logo-ed gizmos to hand you. I promise the mini-flashlights will be really awesome.