Trying to start a new business is challenging. Trying to start a new business while your eight year old son is home AND is being homeschooled (by yours truly) has been nearly impossible. Thank goodness we have wound down the school year and with the exception of turning in our books we are technically done with the curriculum. I do however plan to review math and spelling with my little guy at least five days a week though the summer because I do not want him falling way behind.
I typically start everyday with a solid plan and an active to do list. Since March 16, the day school shut down, on most days my plan was thrown out the window. I had all intentions of sticking to this amazing schedule where I would have my work time, personal time and my son would have the same and then we would come together on time together. Well, none of that took any shape. It looked more like a quick workout, lots of coffee, lessons that left my son and I in tears of frustration, mid day chugging water because I realized I had had none, a bike ride or walk, my son playing his game or watching tv for an hour longer than planned because I got caught working on something and days where a long, hot shower didn’t happen until mid-late afternoon. I know you are probably thinking she just has one kid, how hard is it? But for me, it was not hard, it is just a lot of balls in the air. I have always had my son in day care, school, afterschool or camp, so this total devotion of time was a first for the both of us.
So, how did I do or how am I doing with my “new business?” On the transaction and administrative side I am strong because I know I must be. I do not let things sit and wait. I get them done on time or early and often immediately. This has remained consistent with my rental company business as well. I do not let things pile up because I know that can just be a disaster for me. We have great transaction software with EXP Realty and I use Tenant Cloud for my rental company so it makes running the business quick and easy. As far as being an agent, I am still learning contracts and procedures, so it takes me a while. I like to learn things right the first time and not make any mistakes, so I am always double and triple checking my work and numbers. I am sure I will feel more confident down the road, but for now I need to take my time. This is challenging for me because I like to work fast, but I know it is the only way. I put marketing and prospecting to the tale end of my day and often never get to it. I will throw a few things on social media or make a video here or there but there is no rhyme or reason to any of it yet. I need to work on this and plan to be more consistent once I can get my son into camp at least a few days a week. The camps are opening so hopefully by the third week in June he and I will be in a better routine. We both tend to work better when we have a routine.
My rental company business fluctuates as far as time commitment. It really depends what happens that week or what kind of calls I get from tenants. Some things require my time, and some is just a phone call to one of the amazing companies on my team (handyman, plumber, etc). I do drive by every property once a week and clean the common areas of trash (it is amazing what tenants will just walk over daily and not pick up in their own space). I stay busy, but it ebbs and flows.
This is basically how it has been as a working, single mom, trying to start and learn a new business arm and maintaining the existing during quarantine. I will never forget the past two months. It has really made me take a good hard look at myself and what I like and what I don’t, what I can work on and what is ok staying the same. There were many days I caught myself just staring out the window in what I thought was thinking about nothing but really, I was thinking about everything-hope, fear, sadness, denial.
I know we all have our stories and our experiences since March 16 as I enjoy reading them. I hope you enjoyed mine and I look forward to the next time.