Sometimes it's greener, sometimes it's downright browner and sometimes it's just plain dead!

Don't give up your day jobs until you're sure there'll be paycheques!

Some thoughts...

One thing that employees never notice are business cycles pertinent
to the sector/industry of the business. As an employee, you get up go to work, go home and every week or every 14-15 days, you get a cheque.

Being in business for oneself isn't quite so simple.

Sometimes, you end up sitting at your desk looking at your bank account wondering if you'll ever see a paycheque. Nevermind worrying about whether the one you do get will last until the end of the month.

Be aware of your industry's business cycles, where they are and where they're going and plan and budget for the lean times and contingincies... You never know when the roof is going to leak or a pipe will break, etc.

You'd be surprised at how easy it is to run a business for the first few years, while it's a simple matter of in and out, it's easy, when it becomes tricky is when you are juggling accounts payable, accounts receivable and payroll while still trying to find the time to do your payroll and get out of the office in time to pick up the boy from little league.

I think the hands on training for business management is a great idea. You can check with your local business incubator groups to see if they offer training courses that will be useful to you. They can also help you with setting up your business early on, so it is easier to run when it gets trickier.

Having a good support bank to fall back on, I believe will be the difference between making it and not. Having a mentor will also be helpful.

One good piece of advice I can give you, from personal experience, is to not only lay out and define what everyone's jobs and responsibilities will be, write and sign a partnership agreement. There is nothing worse than having a falling out with a partner but having nothing on paper. (It cost us four years and over $30,000 not including emotional strain).

You'll also want to look into Key employee and/or partnership insurance... I know you guys are young and don't expect to die anytime soon, but life has a way of doing exactly what we don't expect. With insurance, if something happens to either one of the three of your, your partners don't end up in partnership with one of the partner's family members, or kids or worse.

You've come to the right place for networking and brainstorming. There are lots of members here at varying stages of their own businesses and everyone has the most unique insights.

As for the grass being greener... well, getting up at 8:45 sure beats all H E double hockey sticks out of getting up at 5:45!

Good luck!

Tina Brooks, VP Marketing
Brooks Pepperfire Foods, Inc.
Makers of Peppermaster Hot Sauces
http://www.peppermaster.com

Eat more peppers!