Love and Entrepreneurship, with Jason and Megan Gillikin

“I just felt like I was running this race to the finish line, kept moving and I was exhausted, and I was tired and I was frustrated that I didn't know how to win”

I can not tell you how many times I have felt this way. In fact, this is when I say that I start to question my life choices. I find myself asking – why am I doing this? This is impossible, why did you think this would ever work? Megan and Jason were specifically talking about the pandemic and how hard it was to be dual entrepreneurs, parents, and partners to one another and how it felt like an impossible race that can’t be won. And while I am sure we can all relate to this in terms of the pandemic – I was also challenged to recognize when I had felt this before. And it really made me pause.

One of those times was when we were building The Bradford. It was brutal, and exhaustion didn’t event begin to describe. We had a date – our first wedding was May17th (this is actually not common knowledge- because we do not speak of this event). I knew, KNEW, that on May18th – we would have reached the finish line and we would be able to breathe. That was not the case. So, then our next date was August 25^th. I absolutely without a doubt knew that I would be able to breathe on August 26^th – that we will have won the race. Not even close. This went on for years. October was supposed to be the completed second ballroom – didn’t happen. January was supposed to be the alcoves – we literally finished painting them as the couple was walking up the driveway in March. The expansion was suppose to be the next year, it didn’t happen for 6 more years.There was no finish line – there was no winning -ever.

It was a dark time, and there was no balance to my life at all. It was work all the time. And I loved when Megan and Jason were talking about this time and how they realized that they needed to change not only how they viewed the situation, but each other. To recognize the resentment, to be intentional, to pay attention to what the other person needs, and to throw the idea of everything being 50/50 out the window. Because here is the truth- there is no finish line, truly. There is no ‘winning” when it comes to your job or career. You aren’t going to earn a trophy, or finish the next phase of your business, and say, ok I can stop trying now. That is not real- especially as an entrepreneur.

But there is winning in life - however that may look to you. For me, it’s intentional time with my family. It’s taking at least one trip a year where I turn my phone and email off. It’s being able to be my daughter’s assistant coach and my son’s field trip chaperone. It’s laughing with my husband on our back deck. And while I wish I had understood this concept in 2014, I am grateful for the lesson so that when I am confronted with another situation that feels like there is no winning and no finish line – I know that I can create a life where I can still win.