02/ 02/ 2007
by Rex Hammock, Editor and Publisher
When I first started a small business years ago, there were a couple of things I never anticipated could be problems: growth and burnout. From the vantage point of a young person striking out on his own, business growth was my reason for being, not something to fear. And burnout? Frankly, part of my passion for starting a business was the reaction to burnout--so how could there ever be such a problem once I was running things?
In this issue of MyBusiness, we take a look at these two unanticipated facets of running a small business. We all hit periods of intensity in our business and personal lives. Some, like the rapid growth of your business, are positive. Other periods, like those that involve long and confrontational negotiations, are negative. As a small-business owner, these experiences are part of the journey.
How you respond to such situations--how you cope with those inevitable good and bad days that come your way--will determine your long-term success as a business owner and, more importantly, your health, happiness and well-being as an individual.
From two seemingly opposite directions, in this issue of MyBusiness, small-business owners share with us what they've learned to help them respond to the ups and downs, the exciting and mundane, and the disappointments and thrills of running a small business.
Whether you're in the middle of one of those highs or lows right now, count on NFIB as a constant resource for help and support. From advice and tips in the magazine and on NFIB.com to the NFIB staff's crucial work on behalf of small-business members in Washington, D.C., and in all 50 state capitals, NFIB works hard for your business every day.
And NFIB is taking some of its own advice from this issue on how to cope with change. A fresh set of lawmakers arrived in Washington, D.C., last month, eager to conquer the issues that have long faced your business. NFIB welcomed each one of them, and while everyone might not agree on everything, we all share one goal: to create an environment where small businesses can thrive.
