Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

wow reading this posts has made me more enthusiastic about heading in the direction that i feel is right for me....but at the same it made me realize and made me more scared about  how the odds are staked up  against me even more then for most of you.......

What would you guys recommend for a young single mother of a beautiful two year old girl,  tyring to make it on her own?!...

I have two degrees one in Paralegal Studies and the other one is Visual Communications, I eventually want to open up my own graphic design studio. I am very determined to make a good living for us, but a little direction on how you, the more experienced entrepenuers started,  would help me out a lot.

What do you guys recommend should be my first steps?

Well I love dancing, and working out. I am also a marine (reservist now) so working out for me is not just necessary, but it`s a huge part of my life, which I absolutly love to do.  I have actually been brainstorming the idea of opening up my own fitness studio. I am getting certified to be a kickboxing instructor (have trained for about 9 years now), I also have some years in martial arts training, as well as a Zumba (workout based on latin rithms) instructor, then with time i would like to incorporate classes in belly dancing and some mommy and me time, and also classes for little kids, sort of like my very first gym type of idea, I do encourage my daughter to work out with me, and i think all kids should start early so they develop healthy habits.

That would be my dream come true, make a living working out, spending more time with my daughter, and making people look better, feel happier and healthier.

So like I said before the motivation is all there, and I know that I wont be able to make this happen overnight, but one of the things i have learned from being  a marine is to never give up, although it`s kinda discouraging that the few people that i have mentioned this to (which happened to be close to me) gave me a..."your crazy look"  but this why i like this site so much ....you guys give me that little extra...that sometimes can be more then you can imagine....

So any thoughts you guys have are always welcomed and really apprecciated! Thanks

You answered your own question when you responded to an above post with

"Meanwhile, I would also think that with the growing trend toward Virtual Assistants (VA), there might be something similar to virtual paralegals? "

I think this is an excellent idea. If you cannot pursue your dream entrepreneur job while working your day job move toward it. Use a part time job (like VA) in which you can set your own hours to build up an income (and pay off any debt that is holding you back) until the two balance enough that you can quit or down grade your day job. I have a friend who is doing this very thing. He has temporarily downgraded his lifestyle (smaller apartment, old but paid off car etc) so that he can afford to work a part time job and spend the rest of his time working on his own business. I have another friend that established his own lawn business (started part time) so that he could quit a high salaried (yet high hour) network systems administrator job and then pursue a business in greenhouse management.

As you mentioned, the entrepreneur path can be difficult, but if you have the burning desire to pursue it, you can find a way.

yeah that`s what Im going to do I`m going to start teaching at local sports clubs until i get well known enough, or have enough money saved up to open my own studio....def thrilled and scared but enthusiastic about the journey.....