Our good friend Audrey caught the boat over to stay with us last weekend. We had the kind of weekend that only really good friends that have known each other a long time can have. 

We know each other’s stories - can say anything to each other - so we just had a really chilled time of it: Went out for dinner at one of the local restaurants, did some walking by the sea, drank some wine, listened to music and talked. 

She is one of the people I really admire. She’s had a rough year or two but has just gone into business with a friend of hers and I was asking her how it was going.

The business is a beauty salon but offers some very specialised treatments and they’ve gone for a 40’s theme - 40’s style outfits, hairdo’s (which they all have too) etc. They also sell vintage clothing.

So Auds was telling me that they are doing ok - not in profit yet but steadily growing the biz. She said she’d spent fair sum of money on training courses for the various treatments they offer but she was OK with that because she sees it as AN INVESTMENT.

I had to stop her there because I think that one phrase will pretty much guarantee her success - whether its with this business or not. 

We agreed - as does my own partner - that this is the hardest but most important thing to grasp about self employment and running a business. 

You need to invest time and money - there really is no other way. 

With Audrey and her partners its investment in training, equipment, premises, advertising (I’m going to help with that)  

With my partner (driving instructor) it’s her Car, fuel, advertising (although I do that and it costs nothing at present) When she got started though she had a considerable outlay for training, a host of tests - some of which had to be re-sat - and of course the first car. 

With me it’s training and advertising. My initial investment with SFM was to position in the product line where I could earn high commissions. 

Our 3 businesses could hardly be more different - I have to say that mine has taken the smallest investment financially - but they all needed an initial investment and need ongoing investment.

We all just need to make sure our investments pay off - that’s business. 

A final note on our friend Audrey. She decided to invest in herself (the training and business partnership) for her own fulfillment but also for her own and her kids security.

You see her husband of nearly 20 years - himself a very successful businessman - dumped her and their 3 kids a couple of years ago. He did it by text. He had met someone else and ran off to live with her. 

After a couple of months he came to his senses and they got back together - against our best intentioned advice - but during those two months our best mate was about as distraught as I’ve ever seen anyone. 

But again that’s why I admire her - she pulled herself together during the separation - got a job in a care home. She didn’t want to just take her husband’s cash - although she easily could have. 

She wanted her independence as an insurance policy. That’s a pretty big WHY

Which is the other thing you need if you are going to be successful online - or elsewhere. 

P.S - I actually wrote this a couple of months ago but never got round to sending it. Our friend was with us again this weekend to celebrate New Year. 

She told us that her husband has again left her. This time at Christmas.

The big difference was that this time she was coping with it completely. Since he did it the first time she has completely prepared herself and is fully independent. 

She did that by, as I said in the original post, by investing in herself. In doing that she’s “future proofed” herself.

Now she’s doing internet dating - and she has no shortage of takers - she’s a good catch. 

Toxic relationships are only one of the reasons why self investment is a very good idea. We live in tricky times - in a very fast changing world. 

This is why I am so passionate about what SFM and DEA are doing in terms of equipping and empowering people to take their lives into their own hands. 

My friend’s story is only one of many I could tell you about people I’ve got to know through this community. 

Maybe yours will be next? 

Talk soon? 

Cheers!