Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Convince us! Be brilliant!

StartupNation and Southwest Airlines Vacations are offering StartupNation community members the chance to win a free vacation package for four to Orlando.

All you need to do is tell us why you need a vacation by posting a reply in this forum topic between now and July 20, 2006.

The StartupNation team will select 10 entries and we will then open it up to a Community-wide poll to help us award a Southwest Airlines vacation package for four to Orlando including roundtrip air, car rental and three nights hotel accommodations.

Check out the details on this promotion and then come on back to this forum topic & tell us why YOU need a vacation.

Do you consider yourself to be persuasive? Someone who is able to make your point succinctly and in such a compelling manner that you simply cannot be refused?

Go for it! And you could be headed to Orlando!!

Dear Joel,

I just wanted to say great idea!  Even though I won one of the last prizes, I personally like this concept better.  I look for to reviewing all the reasons why people need a vacation.  Keep up the great work, the whole community greatly appreciate you.

-------------------------

Erik
www.usspin.com
www.unitedbusinessalliance.com

 Greetings to All!!

I am new to this website, but enjoy listening to startup nation in Colorado. 

 I have (6) reasons why I am in need of a vacation because:

1. I at 48 yrs of age had to become an entreprenur after 911, when I lost my job and have had difficulty in securing steady employment & re-creating myself.

 The me I re created is My business  which is called:

           "Full Figure Workout, be fit at any Bodysize!!"

  Where my instructors are 180 lbs. and over and teach aerobics tailored to the plus size figure.  We also teach self motivation techniques and awareness, through focusing on "emotional eating habits" and re-channeling that energy to become fit at any bodysize.  We are not diet oriented.

   2.   I have put together a Full Figure Workout Starter Kit, which I am currently marketing, trying to obtain licensing options for my logo usage.

   This has drained my finances and as I continue to look for employment to live, and further my business I have become very discouraged and creatively disconnected from my business goal.

The reality of being an entreprenur in addition to  financially trying to survive from day-to-day, while still looking for steady employment has began to overshadow my creative capabilities for my business venture & prospects.

 I find myself reaching out from a desparate state of being rather than my creative self. Which is a form of weariness and self sabatoge.

     3. I have not been on a vacation in over (10) years. I am living in the home of my adult daughter, which our relationship has began to be strained financially and emotionally.

    Capturing a vacation would allow me to re-up my creative emotional & intellectual juices and reinforce in me the belief of my fellow man & my work ethics,  that the world does reward hard continuous work, at some point.

      4. I am very greatful that through my despair I have listened to startup nation, which has every week shortened my "pity party" & has encouraged me weekly to keep chipping away at my business by not just any means, but specific means outlined on startup nation website.

      5.  I will continue to utilize startup nation not only for my business endeavors, but for the emotional therapy and support this forum can bring from like minded experiences and solution information that I want and find motivating.

    6. Finally, I am in need of a vacation because I am "mentally looping" like being in a gerbal cage from trying to further my business to becoming economically viable again. 

 I need to be disconnected, let out, let off this mental cycle.

            So Please!!!          Startup Nation

                     "Pimp My" Vacation Request!! 

Thanks for allowing me to share!!!

 Good luck to all in Need!

-------------------------

Full Figure Workout

Dear StartupNation and Southwest Airlines Vacation,

I`m so greatful knowing that you have this great idea in giving free vacation to those members that need rest or shall i say to BREATH and REFRESH his/her MIND and BODY before giving back to work again.

I am a single mom, a mother of 5 kids, all boys. A happy single mom treasuring the every moment with my kids, without any support from their father, I`m giving my best to raise them with LOVE and CARE and to have them a good education coz that`s the only TREASURE that i could give which cannot be stolen.

I`m into real estate business which has no fix income and having only 3 hours sleep. Still at my age 38, i don`t lose HOPE that someday i could have that quality time without thinking of my job first. It`s my dream and still a dream to have a vacation which i have not done yet since i got married and left by my ex hubby. Still...I`m hoping that one day i could have it by the grace of GOD.

Whoever wins...i know that he/she deserves a break.

Best regards,
jean808

Dear StartupNation Team:

This is tough because all entrepreneurs need a vacation.  Besides motherhood, I believe being an entrepreneur is one of the hardest jobs on the planet, but one of the most rewarding, as well.

I just saw the movie "The Devil Wears Prada" and I have to say that the Assistant Anne Hathaway played is pretty much the story of my administrative career.  Always doing the most but being treated the worst and that is why I started my business as being a Virtual Assistant.  I loved my job, but hated being treated like dirt on the floor.

I`ve been in business for 4 years and I must say that this is much harder than actually having a job you hate going to.  Plus I have my own family to take care of when I`m not working, which is hardly ever.  To truly see why I need a vacation, I will demonstrate what a typical day is for me.

6:30 a.m. Wake up and exercise before husband has to leave for work.

7:00 a.m. Race home from jogging and feed the kids breakfast, get them dressed and ready for school, pack all backpacks with lunches and whatever else they need for the day.

7:50 a.m. Take daughter to school (now camp in the summer)

8:30 a.m. Take shower

8:45 a.m. Get son ready for school and out the door (now for camp)

9:15 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Get in office and start working for the day

9:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. Work my tushy off until I have to pick up son from school (camp).  No, I do not have time for lunch if I want to get all my work in.

2:15 p.m. Pick up son

2:30 p.m. Finish any last minute work related tasks before daughter comes home from school (camp).

3:30 p.m. Daugher comes home.  Unload all packbacks, give snacks and finish up a few more work-related tasks.

4:30 p.m. Start preparing for dinner

5:30 p.m. Eat dinner

6:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Clean-up from dinner, make lunches for the next day, give the kids a bath, get them ready for bed, pull out clothes for the next day.

9 p.m. Put kids to bed, including husband

9:30 p.m. - midnight or later, Work on anything that didn`t get done during the day and plan my work schedule for the next day.  Go to bed and start all over the next day.

After doing this for a few years, I think I deserve a break, but no one is willing to allow me the time.  I know I`ve earned a vacation, but my bank account tells me otherwise.  So now I sit in front of my computer dreaming of warm breezes through my hair and cocktails poolside.  Even if I don`t win your contest, a girl can still dream...

 

Undoubtedly, an Orlando vacation with my wife and son would be a monumental gift and welcome break at this stage in my career, however, I`m really in no position to elevate my need of a vacation above any other member of Start Up Nation.

I feel fortunate to be able to expect that with continued committment to my goals, and by utilizing the resources being developed each day here at S.U.N.,  my eventual vacation is all but assured.

I give my sincere best to those that clearly need it more than I do.

~Eric

-------------------------

~Eric
JE Design Group, LLC
If all you do is what you`ve done, then all you`ll get is what you`ve got.
www.jedesigngroup.com

Joel, yes we could all use a vacation. And a vacation to Orlando and Walt Disney World would be fantastic!!

Yet, I`m going to turn this a little differently.

Here`s why I believe that I should be the recipient of this contest ...

We are all blessed to be able to participate here at SuN ... and to dream of a start-up business ... or better yet ... to actually start one.

My desire to win this trip is not for myself ... I will donate it to Make-A-Wish Foundation of Lancaster, PA. (This local chapter has for many years worked with the trucking industry ... and has a major fund raising event every Mother`s Day with a "Truck Convoy".)

Children involved with the Make-A-Wish Foundation may not be able to be participants or members of SuN. They may not see next year. That is why I wish to donate the vacation to Make-A-Wish. To help a child and their family enjoy the precious time they will have together.

I hope this entry will be winning entry ... to bring a smile to a child.

TJ Graff

Hi all.
Well, I was going to explain why I want and sorely need this vacation that is being offered here, but after I read about what TJG wants to do with his vacation should he win, I do not have the heart to even talk about why I should win this vacation. Part of what I want to do with my business is aimed towards children who might not otherwise have access to the games that I sell, so I do not have any reason to complain and start listing reasons for my need of this vacation. TJG, if I had my way, you would already be the winner!

Anime Kid


-------------------------

Anime Kid

anime kid,

please do post your reason why! after all, if you`re seeking to create a business that serves children, what could have more merit. we`re waiting!!!

(not to say that TJG`s idea is anything less than beautiful)

rich

-------------------------

Rich Sloan , Co-Founder, Chief Startupologist, StartupNation

Okay Rich,I`ll give it a whirl.

Well my business is called L&K Collectible Gaming Miniatures and Comics. It is an Ebay business that started out as a partnership, but at this point in time is just all me. After deciding to take a chance and list a few Anime figures, the business has picked up alot of steam. All of a sudden I have become an Ebay Powerseller. Now mind you this business is a full time endevor and I work a full time job. With having to do all the listing, taking down items that I can no longer keep listed due to order deadlines, keeping up with my distributors to keep track of a growing list of pre-order items that have been ordered, answering customers email queries about their items arrivals, finding the time to administer another new site that is going to eventually be my full time online store rather than Ebay ( their fees are killing me ) called L&K`s Collectibles Corner and waiting for items to arrive from China from a new company I managed to negotiate a deal with to be their exclusive retailer/ distributor for, and is prominently featured on the new site, this alone should qualify me to win the vacation. As far as the other side of my business goes, I sell gaming miniatures ( like D&D Miniatures, Hero Clix, just to name two ) and untill recently, sold collectible gameing cards also. All of these games are great for kids, and my target group is age 10-16. What I want to do in the next year or so is spear head a " Game League " in the county that I live in. The idea is to have these game tournaments in different schools in the " Orange County " NY area. I really love these games and I do play them when I can, and I know that this would be a great opportunity for kids whose parents might not have the resources to buy these games. I also think that this could be a program that could reach troubled kids and show them a different way to have fun and belong, other than in gangs. I really have alot to do and I am trying to get my business moving, and making a real profit so that I can leave the " JOB " and have more time to devote to the DREAM. Of course my ultimate dream would be to have an L&K store with " Themed " areas. An area for Anime, an area for Comics, and a Games Area. This store would hold sanctioned game tournaments, show Anime movies and more. Did I mention I`m writing this letter while my laptop has a virus and I keep getting popups for spyware removal software, while running Norton Antivirus? Well that`s part of the reason why I need this vacation. And remember that you asked.
Anime Kid


-------------------------

Anime Kid