A Dream

Really, there are two different dreams, but a dream just sounded better to me. I hesitate to call them dreams, because really they are something I wish I could do, but most likely will never become a reality.

Two of my favorite things in life are playing guitar and running a print shop.  Personally, I don't know that I would ever classify what I did as actually running a print shop, but rather selling printing and working with people so what they envision is what they get.

Over the past 5 years or so I have been thinking about jobs that would be fun to have and just imagining what could be.  One of such jobs is owning a music store.  It wouldn't be like your typical music store.  While, I would carry many of the same things other stores carry, my mission would be to equip kids who want to be musicians.

I have taught guitar lessons quite a bit in the past and one of the issues I have found is that parents are always hesitant to buy the kid a guitar that is suitable.  Many times, they try to borrow one or buy a cheap one because they don't want to spend the extra money on an instrument the kid might not want to play in 2 months.  I understand where they are coming from, but if a kid can't physically play an instrument because it doesn't fit them, I can almost guarantee they will quit playing in a month or two.  Its hard for them and really not much fun.

What I want to do, is have an assortment of guitars for rent or for purchase that would be affordable so that parents could buy the instruments the kid really needs.  The only problem is, you still have to  find a way to make money, so you have to be creative with how to get people actually into the store more frequently since your not making a whole lot on  each instrument.

That is where my stage comes in.  I envision having a stage that local "bands" could come play or practice on each day at a time they schedule.  That way people could come listen to them while they practice and bands would have somewhere to practice.  Plus, it would provide me with music for the store and get people to come in more frequently.  In the process of it all, I would be able to develop relationships with people because they would be coming in routinely as most bands practice routinely.

For me, its a dream, but probably never a reality because something like this requires money.  Money that I just don't have.


The second dream would be to own and run a print shop.  I worked for Office Depot as a manager for 4+ years and spent most of that time running a successful Copy and Print Department.  It was a lot of fun at first. I knew a lot of the programs really well and as I learned more about what we could do, I could make things happen. I could take what people thought they wanted and make it into that and so much more.

Like I said, it was a lot of fun at first, but when the company decided to change it's structure somewhat they ventured away from what the Copy and Print department could be.  With that more stresses came about and the job really wasn't that fun anymore.

Anyway, running the print shop and being where I am now has helped me to see how much need there is for printing and how a print shop could be very profitable.  I can't share all my secrets though.

For me, part of the reason for owning a business that is successful would be helping those in need.  Through owning a business such as this, I could hire those who needed jobs, train them, develop relationships with them, and hopefully be able to better someone's life.

I know right now is a hard time for small businesses to start-up.  There are so many hurdles in the way and it's not like it used to be.  I guess that is why I would call it a dream.  Dreams always cost you something, it's just deciding if the sacrifice is worth it.