Our Big News~ Entrepreneurship

Well folks,

I've not shared a lot lately, 

so I have a bit of catching up and explaining to do.

Yesterday was my first real day "off" for a while.

I was able to relax and catch up on laundry, dishes, floors, etc.

I know to many that doesn't sound very relaxing,

but for me there is a certain peace of mind in having the house in order.

"House in order" is used loosely here 😊

We (really Mr. LB) opened a new business.

He is a custom metal fabricator.

He does anything from small hand rails to structural packages.

He had worked for his previous employer for over 11 years

so it was a big step for him.

Once the decision was made, it took about a month 

to get all the legalities in order.

Pretty much since Christmas, it's been a whirlwind.

We are actually still in the process so to speak.

The land line is supposed to be hooked up this week.

We don't have a website - yet.

I am still working at my full time job, then doing 

whatever needs to be done in "off-time."

We have a shop leased where the previous tenant was an elderly gentleman who decided to retire after twenty-ish years in this location.

He smoked and I doubt ever cleaned anything.

Things were done with what I call "the Little Rascals" method.

You know how they would find parts and pieces and make some sort of contraption that would do the task - and what that looked like.

It's taking time to SCRUB everything and to undo some of the hodgepodge.
That is PVC then hose running down the wall for water out the other end 
where they punched a hole in the wall.
Yes, it ran right by open wiring.
I have the office area scrubbed with the exception of about 2/3 of the ceiling.  My M-I-L helped one afternoon. Thanks Sharron!

Also, here's a little closer look at those walls.

I also have the first coat of paint on about 3/4 of the walls.

After first coat of paint.

I had a helper.

Mr LB got his last (for now) big piece of equipment Friday.

He received his first check from a client Thursday.  Yay!

As opposed to checks from our savings!

And that brings me to another point.

I think I've mentioned in the past that each year 

I set two financial goals, a realistic goal and an optimistic goal.

In 2017, we saved pretty hard.

It didn't always feel like it. 

Because we were focused on saving, spending was a bigger deal.

We actually exceeded our optimistic goal, not by much, but some.

Having done that is what afforded us the opportunity to do this.

It's huge for us!

It's not that we didn't save prior to 2017 or

that we made a ton of money in 2017.

It's that we made it a priority, and that made all the difference.

Starting a business isn't something we planned.

(That doesn't sound good worded that way.)

It was just timing ~

He was frustrated with his workplace (though left on good terms.)

We saved what we could.

He is an intelligent and talented man 
which makes working for someone else that much more difficult.

He should have done it years ago, but we had debt so couldn't.

We have certain stresses and worries at the moment,

but there is excitement and celebration right alongside of them.

If anyone needs encouragement to save,

please do what you can to escape debt and save.

Even when you struggle, keep at it.

Don't throw in the towel.

The reward is worth it.

And if you forget, just reread above.

We now have our own business-

Metalcraft Northwest, LLC.
Isn't that just incredible?