I survived.

What I endured was not life threatening. It is some people’s dream. For two years and four months, I survived. This was a dream for me.

I owned a business. What is so hard about that? Why do I see it as survival?

What owning a business means is different in theory than in reality. Some see business ownership as the high road in life. Some see it as the pinnacle of one’s professional life. That is what it is in theory. What I learned in business was reality.

I thought I was prepared for this. I worked hard throughout high school, holding down a job and various extracurricular activities. In college, I took a full load plus working 20-30 hours a week. I have a good work ethic. What I wasn’t prepared for was the emotional toll that business ownership takes on a person.

As I know now, people are ruthless and people are kind.

On a day-to-day basis I was forced to listen to complaints about the beverage I had just crafted. I was forced to fix mistakes made by employees. I was forced to face the public.

The reality here is that the good outweighs the bad. When it comes to dealing with people in business, you learn that there are some people who will simply never be pleased, no matter the effort you put forth. This is what I survived.

Just as many customers shred your positive look on life, others will boost your outlook on business. Despite the hardships, the right people come along when needed. In my two years as a business owner, I like to think that I helped a woman mourn the loss of her husband, I helped employees gain confidence, I brewed an atmosphere that welcomed all.

I survived many joys.

I survived a lifestyle. That’s what business is, it is not simply a job.

When your day starts before the sun rises and ends after the sun sets, you have more than a job. In two years I learned more about my strengths and weaknesses than I could in any other setting.