NFIB

The Entrepreneur's Summer Dilemma
03/ 14/ 2002

To take a vacation or not?

by Joanne Eglash

Until a year ago, I never took a vacation that lasted longer than a day or two. Then came the invitation from a recently divorced friend: a fully paid trip to my favorite city, San Francisco. Taking a deep breath, I contacted my clients and notified them that I would be away from the office for two weeks on vacation.

The response was unanimous: "Have a great time--just give me a call when you return."

Since then, I've enjoyed taking "real" vacations. But it's not always easy, as most entrepreneurs and small business owners have learned.

Barry Toepke is the president of the public relations agency VL Communications Group in Sacramento, Calif. In the past seven years, he has taken only two "true" one-week vacations. Barry's attitude about vacations changed when "a couple buddies of mine demanded that I take off a week and join them in Cancun." Although he did relax, his business "never really left my mind entirely." Even though he knew he had dependable people at the office who could handle problems, Toepke says that, "even while you're away, it's hard for an entrepreneur to NOT think of work. It's in our blood, it's who we are, for better or worse."

His advice to other vacation-deprived entrepreneurs: "Just do it! If you don't force yourself, you'll never find the time because there's always something that's going to pop up to distract you. It's easier to cancel a vacation than it is to plan one, so once it's planned, by all means, take it!"

Barry recommends informing your clients or customers about your vacation, and "fully brief staff on any loose ends or projects."

Christine Harmel, CEO of Interactive Resource, at http://www.interactiveresource.com, says, "small business owners definitely have a difficult time taking 'real' vacations. In the case of my first business, with only two partners, we took our laptops and cell phones to Hawaii just to keep working!"

Although Harmel gives her staff unlimited, paid vacations, "I take a lot less vacation than I probably should. I feel that it's very difficult to leave my responsibilities since it is my company. Though ultimately I do believe that vacations give you a fresh perspective on your work and let you come up with creative ideas that you couldn't have if you were otherwise at the office."

As Harmel has learned, "It's entirely possible to take a vacation and not connect to the office, but it depends on your determination to disconnect. You get used to doing everything yourself, so you come to believe that if you're not there, the whole business will fall apart."

And she makes the same key point that Toepke does: inform your clients or customers in advance of your trip. "I've found clients to be very understanding when I tell them I will be traveling for a few days," Harmel says.

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Companies cutting travel costs

60% of businesses say they've taken steps to reduce travel spending this year.

45.8% say they are booking trips further in advance to save money.

Source: BTLogic and Equation Research survey

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This article originally appeared in the July/August 2001 issue of MyBusiness Magazine, NFIB's member magazine.

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