Running is business is really hard work.  They are many long days, sleepless nights and some customers that you will never please, but think really hard about this – would you rather be a corporate slave, working for the man?  Would you rather answer to someone who may not appreciate all your gifts? Or how about having someone else getting to decide when you take time off.  Listen, being small business owner is about lots of up front sacrifice, but we live how most people won’t, so we can live how most people can’t. So on this Thankful Thursday, as we honor Thanksgiving across America, I believe it is important to pause and think about what I am Thankful for in my life and in my business.

I am Thankful for….

God’s Goodness and Mercy Always.  I am so grateful that He allows me to be your SmallBizLady. I live my dream everyday helping people start and grow successful small businesses. I am blessed that He continually gives me words of love, inspiration, and education to end small business failure. I consider my blog my mentorship program to give you what you need before you even know it’s critical to your business success

My amazing son. My son JoJo is the center of my world and my joy. He and I talk all the time about what he wants to be when he grows up. These days, he vacillates between opening a cupcake shop and coding his own computer video games. He’s also talks often about getting a branded YouTube Channel, so who knows. He had to do an assignment this year on what he would do with 1 million dollars, he said he would buy Microsoft, so I guess we’ll see what the future holds for him.  I am grateful to be an example of a leader for him. I love him so much.

Team SmallBizLady. Our favorite saying at our weekly staff meetings are that, “It’s takes Teamwork to make the Dream work.” My amazing team Phillip, Dianna, Kathy, Adrienne, Vince, J, Sabryna, Vikki, Yvette, Brihana and Thomas are so wonderful to work with. We laugh a lot.  I actually run two companies, which many of you may not know. There’s Quintessence Group, my marketing consulting firm that serves Fortune 500 firms that target the small business market which I’ve had for 17 years, and SmallBizLady Enterprises, which is my speaking, coaching, and blog business, which has operated for 9.5 years.

My Friends (which I believe are the family that I chose.)  No one can get through life without good friends, and I am blessed with the best. I am so grateful for my professional friends who came for this year’s Reinvention Weekend 2016 conference to DC share with you and help grow your business. They work for food, and I couldn’t do it without them. I am also grateful for my good girl friends, especially the ones I don’t often see, but when we catch up, we pick up right where we left off.  I appreciate my mentor friends who check on me and know how hard it is at times to be a professional single mom who travels a lot for work.

My Customers You can’t have a business without customers, but you really can’t have a business with customers who want you to win. I am so blessed to have a business where I get to work with customers who value my contribution to their businesses. They are the kind that make sure my invoice gets processed.  The kind of customers, who I also call my dear friends.

So on this Thanksgiving day be grateful you are a small business owner, and grateful that you are able to monetize your special gifts.  Eat some Turkey and relax today. You deserve it. Here’s to a great 2017.