Selling A Dream

Selling a dream to someone else isn't easy, especially when you are asking for a large financial commitment and the prospect of years before you see a return on your investment. Starting a gymnastics school from scratch requires help from a lot of different people including your spouse. My husband is a shrewd investor by nature, who takes his time with any decision that involves money. From the start, he insisted that I go very slowly, research the market, learn the area, take business courses and develop a business plan that looks at least 5 years ahead. I would also have to start small in whatever suitable space I could afford to rent. While it's disappointing not to break ground on a new building (we all want instant gratification), I also understand my husband's points about trade-offs, cost-to-benefit, and time to profitability. His motto is, "You can have whatever you want once you've earned it." It's hard to wait when you are so committed to bringing something so badly needed in this area right now. However, you have to sell it, even to those closest to you. You can't forget that. It's not enough to have a passion for something you want without a detailed plan. You have to bring others on board, even if it means bringing yourself down to earth, starting where you can, and waiting for that dream groundbreaking one day -- after you've earned it.