Business is an interestingly strange entity. I am currently seeking emancipation from the 21st century's version of slavery... employment. I understand that not everyone can work for themselves and be able to live on it, but dammit I will succeed or die trying. I just don't have the personality type to take orders from someone who I am making a fortune for and only seeing a VERY small fraction of. So I have been working on doing for myself what I am currently doing for my employer.
As a tech for the company I work for part of my responsibility lies with the website. We sell all of our goods on it as well as in the store itself. I just did a complete overhall and redesign of the site that took all summer to get done and launched on the 20th of September. Since then I have had to rebuild the visiblity of the site via search engines etc. I have learned a lot about e-marketing, internet sales and customer service in this time. I held up my end of the bargain and increased sales on the web by 25% (Actually I increased it by 27.6% but who's counting). Why not do this for myself?
So I got my Federal Tax ID, awaiting my State Resale Tax Certificate, the bank account is live and active and the vendors are in place. Now just to finish the design of the site and it will be ready to go before the Christmas shopping season. I will be selling all kinds of electronic goodies.
Funny how this can affect current business friendships tho. I have been 10 times happier at work. Mostly because yes I know I am on my way to freedom, but also because the feeling of working here as a tech because I WANT to rather than because I HAVE to. This changes a dynamic profoundly. The little shit that used to bother me rolls right off my back. My friendships within the store are also changing. I had attempted self employment before and it didn't go so well due to lack of prep. My employer knows this and knows that I am looking towards being self reliant again. So I am not hiding what I am doing. This is changing the way I am treated by those I made a friendship with. Some have shown their true colors and are now kissing my ass more thinking I will hit it big and employ them. Some have withdrawn from me, they feel I am going to abandon them. The true friends are happy for me and wish me luck and have no changed their behavior towards me. Go fig, friends and business don't mix tho. So we will see where it goes, can't count my chickens before they hatch. I do plan on leaving NYC for a more suburban life within the next year or two, but even then I think I will continue to give the store tech support via the telephone and internet. Now I am here because I want to be.
This can be dangerous tho, in the sense of "the higher ups have lost control" over me. This can make them desparate and anticipatory of my leaving them during the most important time of the year for them. I would not do such a thing as my bond with the owner is deeper than that. But fear can make people irrational.
Shameless self promotion is next. The store is called Leviathan Electronics and the web address is www.leviathanelectronics.com. Expect the store to be fully operational within the next 3 weeks if all of the red tape gets cut down easily. So if you guys are looking for that gadget to get someone I will have a great store for you to do that with.
The video blog about my FABULOUS weekend will be created later today. I think I will try to rush my workout to get home before Mike so I can tape the damn thing, I don't know why I am so self concious about doing the video blog with him around.
Till' next time sweeties.. ciao!
- Daemian
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