Alka-Seltzer Logic

The really yucky part about being a one person business is that when that when I am sick the rest of the company related business still needs to function. There are still people who want the keys so they can move into their new homes (Ms. Robin) and vacant homes need to be cleaned up (Mr. Smith's former home) and lots of other minor details that still have to happen.

Though, most of it can pretty much be on hold for the duration of my illness, some things just have to be done. Those minor details are now stacked up in my office, daring me to move them. And, when I am finally recovered I will do just that. Move them.

But, the good part about being the ill one person-run business is that when I am too sick to do anything, I can think. Sometimes thinking is the best thing. So, today's blog is brought to you buy the after-affects of the over-the-counter remedies I took this week.

In no particular order:

In January I went to Birmingham and met with investors, business development people, an and SEC attorney. My mission was to grow our company. Right after that, things for the company started getting worse. I think the state of the economy hit me and my little company before they hit the Birmingham economy. Right now, January's trip seems like a life-time away.

In June and July, when my company's revenues were at its absolute lowest, the Birmingham economy was starting to get bad. I don't know what this means for the future, but now I have something to use for projections. June seems like yesterday.

I have supportive business partners who are committed to long-term success. Sometimes I need to be reminded of this. If I write it down, maybe I will remember it more often.

It is possible to be friends with people who rent homes from you. But, I don't recommend it. If you do make friends, don't let it ever cloud your judgement or theirs.

I finally feel I can say this: The vacancies and non-payment challenges I faced this past summer were out of my control. There is nothing I could have done, no choices I could have made that would have changed this. This includes Mr. Smith. Had I not waited the few weeks I waited to get rid of him, it would not have changed the outcome. In fact, knowing what I know now, it might have made it worse because his reaction is to attack when he is blind-sided. Knowing he had to leave--even if he wasn't willing to do it on my schedule--might have saved me from finding ready-mix concrete in the septic system.

Wayward had to go. I started the process as early as I could--May. It took until August. Getting rid of Wayward was liberating.

Those professionals who were with me in January are still on my side in November. I am grateful for all of them. Even the ones I am slowly paying back.

While leaning against the trunk of my rental car, while waiting in the back of the vacant parking lot last Wednesday morning for Ms. Betty to come and give me her rent money so I could give her keys, a big burly man approached me. He said he saw me alone and was concerned I needed help. He wanted to know if I was ok or needed anything. It occurred to me not only would I never have gotten out of my car in that same scenario in Phoenix, but I also would have immediately have driven away as he approached me.

People in Birmingham are a lot more friendly than people in Phoenix. We really do have that big-city apathetic thing going on here.

There is no such thing as good Mexican food in Birmingham--even if the locals swear there is. But then again, they think they have bad traffic too.

This bad time our company is going through will make us stronger. There is no doubt we will survive it. I realized this week that I have never thought of failure as an option. I still don't. Treading water isn't drowning. And, a piece of driftwood floating by can make a difference to someone treading water out in the middle of the ocean.

This bad time our company is going through will make us stronger because we now have scenarios we never realized could happen, happen. Next time (Heaven forbid!) we will know how to handle it.

Frequent flyer miles are wonderful.

Nobody should run a business if they don't know how to read financial statements.

Nobody should start a business if they are afraid of failure, change or growth. Nobody should go into business with a partner who is afraid of the above.

Contracts aren't for the good times. They are for the bad times.

The unusual idiosyncrasies I write about in the people I meet don't bother me. Most of the time I am just amused. How often does one run across a former hell's-angel-turned-carpet-guy? If they were dangerous (or hadn't already paid their debt to society), I wouldn't be using them.

My ultimate goal is to do right by my family, partners, vendors and tenants. I keep this in mind at all times.

My business degree has nothing to do with my company. No amount of formal or structured education could have prepared me for this. There is no text book that talks about how to handle the tenant situation where you are pretty sure they have had a run of bad luck and really aren't stringing you along. It is all gut and experience.

There is nothing wrong with having high standards for potential rental candidates. There is nothing wrong with wanting tenants who speak fluent, concise English, have decent social skills and don't own dragons as pets.