My fellow Sun`ers : you have totally missed the point from the very beginning.
Contests winners are designed for WINNERS. Not for someone that spills their guts lissting all the tough things that have happened to them over the past year or so.
An Observation: If everyone that is a finalist had the wherewithall to purchase a vacation like the one that is being offered .... would you at this time and moment leave your staert-ups for such a vacation?
In other words, unless you have succeeded YOUR businesses can`t afford for you to take a VACATION away from the business.
Your business doen`t say ... "I`m tired .. I`ve worked hard for the past year ... I deserve to take time off away from you".
You expect your business to perform day in and day out ... 7/24/365 !!
So why is it so unrealistic for your business to have the same expectations of you ??
Folks, unless you have the resources to afford such a vacation .... you can`t afford to be away from your business!!
Staying on focus ... like a laser beam ... is essential to success. Mild diversions are great ... but the "brass ring" was designed to be just that ... THE BRASS RING. The sign of success, triumphing over adversity ... not just showing up.
I wonder if any of the finalists have realized that this vacation just may end up costing them more than they can truly afford ... financially for their business. Its a trip to Orlando, (air and hotel). Ok now you have meals, transportation, tips, gifts, ect.
After reading a number of the finalists submissions ... I doubt if they could afford cab fare. (I`m not poking fun here ... I`m being serious) Folks, vacations are great ... but in order to be successful .... a price needs to be paid.
Is a few days of self-indulgence and distraction worth it ... when you look at the big things in life? Or could some of us really use those precious monetary resources in a better way to further our dreams of success in our business?
I`m not saying never to take a vacation ... but only after you`ve had a successful campaign. And the money that you would spend (even if you won a vacation .. there are expenses) could not be better used to further your business.
SouthWest Airlines and SuN need to be thanked and commended for offering a great opportunity to a member here at SuN. I just wonder .... maybe it should have been better thought out. (We have a finalist that lives in the Philipines. I truly enjoyed reading her submission. But, SouthWest Airlines doesn`t fly to the Philipines. After reading her submission ... has anyone at SuN thought about how she would ever be able to get to the U.S. to use that vacation, given her current circumstances?)
As I stated in another thread ... I truly think that we should all agree to give it the son and daughter-in-law of gelmtree2006.
I`m not sure if anyone has read her profile ... but these are type of things that define a true WINNER. And to me the signs of an individual that has realized that GIVING is much more important than receiving. Her son learned well from a great Mom.
[quote]In the spirit of giving back and encouraging others to pursue their entrepreneurial dream, I present `JA in a Day` programs in elementary schools as a volunteer for Junior Achievement, plus serve as a board member. I also enjoy being a volunteer counselor for SCORE, and was just elected to chair the local chapter`s advertising committee.[/quote]
Since her son served in Iraq, helping to make sure that you and are free and safe from terrorists ... those are 2 folks that truly have shown the SuN way of self-sacrifice, duty, honor and country.
I was told once that to be any good to anyone you must first take care of yourself. If I burn out before my business becomes a success...what is it that I have gained. If a short vacation can prevent my burn out and ultimately lead me to greater success because I was smart enough to make sure that I was ready and able to handle the responsobilities on my body and mind that it would take to have my own business. True...it costs money regardless of whether or not I pay for the airfare or someone else does. But how much less...and how much more rewarding to know that I may never have done something like this for myself otherwise...and ultimately burned out. I totally agree that our businesses need us to grow and achieve success...but life is not all about business...there is my family, my friends, my health, my sanity...all of those things come before business. It may be my life`s work...and I am fully dedicated to it...but I would never expect anyone to sacrifice their family or their own well-being just to watch my business succeed. If my business succeeds at the cost of my health and/or my family...then what have I really gained!? What have I achieved? Nothing. One must be savy enough in business to know how to balance life with their business goals...that is TRUE success. You can be the most successful business owner in the world....have tons of money and tons of fame...but without the love and support of people who care for you...without self-love and dedication to one`s own health and survival....what exactly do you have beyond a few material possessions?
The greatest business owners, the greatest successes that I know...and the people I tend to see as my rollmodels for life are those who have great business success that is backed and supported by their loving families. You see these people playing with their children in their big backyards...and having BBQs with their friends and family at the parks. They drive beautiful cars and have enormous banks accounts...and they share those things with their children, their spouses, their parents, their friends. THAT is giving! Does it mean that by giving to a charity I am less of a giver...no...by no means. But my idea of success...and your idea of success are very obviuosly very different.
I don`t claim to know much about you...or anything about you beyond your desire to make your business a success in your eyes. And you have just given us a fairly simple definition of what you believe success will be for you...but ultimately I don`t believe that we all must adhere to your image of success....am I wrong!? Maybe in your business and your goals a vacation with family would indeed hinder your ability to reach your goals...but in my goals list...it is one more way to give equal time to those that I love, myself, and to my business...because who is to say I won`t meet some wonderful contacts while sunning it up on the beach in Orlando! (sounds like a great investment to me...business trip maybe) I have co-workers who take their families on business trips all the time so that they can have that balance of work and family.
Also...why is it that my giving to my family...giving to my friends...giving to those that I love and hold dear to my heart any less a sign of giving than say if I were to give to strangers (which I actually do with my organizations). I am currently creating a non-profit...I understand (probably more than most) the need for giving to others...and I give often...when I can. But as I mentioned before...if I don`t take care of myself....what will I have left to give!? 
You also mentioned the dedication of those serving in Iraq...personally...I think you are right...I think maybe a family who has been seperated by war could deserve a break from everything once the military personnel returned from overseas. THAT would be a wonderful gift...one that I whole-heartedly support. My husband is a vetern of this war...my brothers...my father...my cousins are all serving in this war in some way or another. If I thought that I could hand this over to some young solder to take HIS/HER child(ren) and spouse for a few days of family time...I would give it in a heartbeat because I know that at any moment they could be called back for another extended trip away from their loved ones. TJ...on this one...I agree with you...I support our troops...and if I thought this trip would go to one extremely deserving solder I would vote for them...if I could vote again! 
No offense TJ...but I don`t think the point was being missed...I think most if not all of us understand your desire to give to a worthy cause...a worthy charity...someone who isn`t spending every waking hour trying to make a business work. What I think maybe you have missed is that it may just be that your idea of success...and our ideas of success are different...and that maybe your idea of giving and our ideas of giving are different...and possibly even your idea of what a contest should be about and what our ideas of contests should be about or are about...um....are different! The good thing is...differences are good...otherwise...wow what a boring life this would be if we all thought the same way...saw the world the same way...talked the same way! I mean sheesh...none of us would have a new idea...we would all want to start the same business. This poor site would jsut never even need to exist! 
My point is...we see your side of it...we understand YOUR perspective...I think the problem is that you aren`t willing to see ours. Maybe? 
Oww...I rambled on too long...sorry! Anyway...just a thought...
Leah
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Leah Tucker
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