Happy New Year !!! 2011

Yes I confess, It's been a whole year since My last post. I think of posting often but never get around to it. I guess it’s not a big deal since I have no followers LOL!!! Well it is January 15 2011 and where doo I begin? So much has happened in 2010 I feel bad that I didn’t chronicle it regularly. I’ll attempt of give a synopsis of the past year. I decided not to continue starting THC primarily because I feel that it was a distraction and I needed to focus on building my Child Placement Agency. I was fired from my job in May, 9 months after I started. I didn’t see it coming, I was asked to come into the office one day and I was fired, I wasn’t even given an explanation. Internally I wanted too flip the table and curse them out, but I had another objective. I felt that If I remained calm and professional I still may contract with this agency when my CPA gets started. The people that fired me (my supervisor the manager and the director) were interesting They gave me the opportunity to quit in lieu of being fired. After weighing the benefits and costs of my next move I chose to get fired. I felt at least I could collect unemployment insurance while I looked for another job or figured out my next steps. I finished my day and casually left the building at the end of my shift. I was somewhat concerned about how getting fired would affect me getting another job but I figured it would be okay. I really did not like the job anyway. Before I got fired I was literally trying convince myself to try to last at least a year. I convinced myself to stay because I was determined to focus on developing relationships with key people in the agency that I would later approach to contract with once my CPA started. To come in contact with those people I attended trainings (that I didn’t Need) and facilitated trainings to get them to notice me. It worked, I met, and made an impression on all of the people that I needed to know, but more importantly the people that needed to know me, now knew me. This all happened before I was eventually fired.

The next day I went to the Unemployment office and filed unemployment for the first time in my life. The next several months were spent building my business while searching for employment. Despite all of my efforts I was not able to find a job, but the irony is that not finding a job gave me the time (and motivation) to focus on building my CPA, but focusing on building my CPA made it difficult to find the time to look for a job.

The process of building a CPA was tumultuous, I paid $627 application fee and submitted a 144 page application. The process was difficult and frustrating, and the State worker assigned to make sure my agency was in compliance with all of the state rules and regulations, was dragging her feet. She would not respond to voice mails or emails. Ultimately after about 10 months of dealing with her she finally emailed me and said that since the process has taken over 6 months than I would have to submit another application and another application fee of $627. I was outraged! I began an email campaign against her and included her supervisor on all of the messages. Eventually I called a meeting with her and her supervisor. We actually meet 6 weeks later and resolved all of the issues. I’m happy to say that On December 22 2010 I obtained my License as a Child Placement Agency. The process that Started in 2009 and was ultimately was the reason the I began this blog was accomplished! Now what? Now since I actually own a CPA, It’s time to make money. I have to obtain county contracts and recruit foster parents. I approached all of the major counties in the state metro area and all except one were on board to make referrals to my agency so that I may place children in the foster homes that my agency certifies. The county that fired me was the first agency to contract with my CPA. Boy am I glad I didn’t flip the table and curse them out when I got fired. I even considered suing them for wrongful termination, but my inner voice told me to let it go, I’m grateful that I listened. Now begins another chapter in my journey from $0 to $1,000,000. After overcoming thousands of obstacles I was still able to open the agency. I even hired a placement supervisor (State requirement) but I’m still broke. In order to save my house I need money fast. The next phase in my million dollar journey is to develop a great business operating system and to recruit 5 foster families a month. How am I going to do that? I was in contact with a local university and they will have their students developing a marketing plan for my business free of charge.

Lesson 2010 was a very stressful and difficult year. In the beginning of the year I had no idea how the year would turn out. I started the year with I job that I hated, and ended the year with a business that I love. I don’t know what 2011 has in store for me but I expect challenges and setbacks. But I will continue to build. I will attempt to update my blog weekly this year. My agency will have to revise my deadline I anticipate that It will take me 3 years to go from $0 to $1000000. I will NEVER become so discouraged that I will ever consider quitting. The night is always darkest before the dawn. Enjoy the ride!!!