My sister took me to Alicia’s for lunch today. Alicia’s is a quaint cafe with hefty signature sandwiches, fresh baked goods (muffins, cookies, cakes), and a friendly atmosphere run by the owner, Alicia, and her 3 daughters.
I want to own a place like Alicia’s.
I know it’s hard work – Alicia said she works 90 hours a week.
I know more small businesses fail than succeed.
I know it’s not as fun as it looks.
But I want to see if I have what it takes to make a successful business. My husband had his chance, and now that my kids are almost all grown, I want to have my chance.
A few years ago, we made an offer to buy a bagel shop. I had all kinds of ideas for it – summer jazz nights, catering to business lunches, breakfast for special community events.
But the seller did not accept our offer. In retrospect, I don’t know if I can handle waking up at 4am to get ready for the breakfast crowd. So maybe God spared me from my own folly.
I still have a dream to own a little business. What I want is a bed-and-breakfast. I’ve been wanting one for a long time. My kids will be on their own, and my husband and I will live in the bed and breakfast. If there are no customers, I’ll enjoy the house. When there are customers, I already have the breakfast menu figured out. There’ll be a homemade baked good of the day, and Bible study and prayer a couple times a week.
When my husband and I die, if my kids want to run the business, they can have it. But when they sell the house, I will stipulate that the money goes to BIOLA. This is the legacy I want to leave.
Will I have time to realize this dream? All I need now is merely $2 million.