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Life Is But a Dream

By Amy

I titled this blog post “Life is but a dream” because at this point in time I feel I’m floating around in the clouds reaching out for sunshine and rainbows as to not allow the gloom of uncertainty and pessimissm associated with the unkown to get into my head. Trying to keep my spirit in check while we continue to venture toward an intimidating vision. Have had many people asking of our journey and its details so we thought it would be a good idea to blog about it detailing the journey.

If you know nothing of A. Renee prior to this visit, I’ll give you a clifnotes version of it to catch you up to speed and why we’re beginning this blog.

A. Renee in technical terms is a retail store. In every other sense it is a 1,200 sq. ft. baby that has been nurtured for four years to become the bloodline for an entire family and has now approached the level of needed growth that will complete the ultimate vision from day one. Everyone needs a job – we’ve been searching for passion. Our heart and soul has been poured into developing this so called “American Dream”. Intentions have always been quite simple: Sell only quality products within a welcoming environment and developing genuine rapport and friendships with our guests. Sounds easy.

The thing about a dream is that it definitely has its dark nights and stormy skies along with the cliche of butterflies and fuzzy feelings. One could be the most creative genius in the world, yet without the understanding of the incredible physical and mental work it takes to make a business thrive and continue to grow would mean nothing more than an A in fourth grade art class.

Folks are constantly asking what it is that we understand about business that has kept us alive and growing during uncertain times in a redeveloping downtown environment and shaky economic times. My feelings are summarized here in a nutshell:

Here’s to the crazy ones.
The misfits.
The rebels.
The troublemakers.
The round pegs in the square holes.
The ones who see things differently.
They’re not fond of rules.
And they have no respect for the status quo.
You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them.
About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them.
Because they change things.
They push the human race forward.
And while some may see them as the crazy ones,
We see genius.
Because the people who are crazy enough to think
they can change the world,
Are the ones who do.

This was an Apple computer ad that compelled me to figure out what I wanted to “do when I grow up” when I was suffering through my 9-5 in the corporate world and continues to be my mission statement on a personal level. Seems a bit extreme – it is, as am I. Retrospect is interesting. Looking back I now see that where I am today is the position in the game of life that was intended specifically for me once I was able to see through things and gain the confidence to make the changes I knew I wanted, yet were and still can be, scary as hell as a big picture.

Comfort in routine is such an enabler. Go to work, come home, make more money, buy more things, create more debt and WHAM: we sit in complete misery dreading the following mornings routine of “time to make the donuts”, but become so wrapped up in the fear of the unknown because of the guarantees (e.g. benefits, salarys) associated with the same ol’ same ol’ that change becomes almost an induced panic attack with so much as a reference to the word itself.

My point with all of this is that I hope that by journaling our destiny with all of its good/bad, highs/lows, will encourage at least one person to have the nerve to say “to hell with it” and go for the change they’re yearning for. An incredible man in my life, my uncle Richard, just passed away at the young age of 55. He too was an entreprenuer and was always a great example to me. An example of “don’t ever let anyone determine what you are or are not capable of – you can do whatever it is you set your mind to” is what he would reiterate to me over and over as a child. I always thought it was so wonderful that we both owned our own business in the same building. He’d pop in quite often to steal pieces of chocolate, give me a quick insult (”Are you going to do something with that hair?” – he owned the Hairclub for Men), and to find out what crazy shinanigans I’d come up with for the week. I think I do thrive on the shock factor as mentioned in that poem above. I love to see people react to me with the “is she out her mind” eyeballs when I say I’m attempting something a little out of the ordinary. The most recent was when I had told him we were going all out by moving the business, renting an amount of space 9 times the amount we have at 30 times the amount of rent per month, and adding a wine bar/mini dish foodservice concept to the fire (details to come in the near future as to where and what with this). Needless to say he didn’t just look at me, he said “are you out of your flippin mind? We’re in a recession, people aren’t spending. I want a new car but you don’t see me out buying one. People are holding on to every penny they have now. That would be just crazy.” Well, I proceeded to remind him that he was selling HAIR – not consumables and that he already knew I was nuts. My grandfather was telling me the same thing when we opened the little bitty store we’ve now grown into three times (”Why that’d be just like opening a used car lot. It would never work.”) After we celebrated one year he was asking if we’d be looking for investors any time soon.

All I know is this: “I shall be telling this with a sigh, somewhere ages and ages hence, two roads diverged in the wood and I, I took the road less traveled by and that has made all the difference.” My destiny will be what it may, but the one thing I know for sure is that I’m giving it my all and will not have to look back and wonder what might’ve been if I’d only had the nerve to believe in myself. I hope you feel the same.

Cheers! Amy

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Topics: Motivation | 1 Comment »
Trackback: http://blog.arenee.com/2008/03/24/life-is-but-a-dream/

One Response to “ Life Is But a Dream ”

  1. Nicole Says:
    April 29th, 2008 at 5:20 pm

    What an inspiring blog post! Congrats again on the new location and all the exciting changes that are coming! I can’t wait to hear more about it. I’m looking forward to stopping in to visit more often when the market starts up!

    Nicole

    PS – Love the blog!!

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