Taking the Risk- AvPro is Born
There comes a time in your life when you make a choice to challenge yourself. There comes a time when you say enough is enough, and you realize that the risk of failing is nothing compared to never trying. That moment arises when you realize that you are tired of going through the same routine every day without getting anywhere. You look at yourself in the mirror, and sadly wonder, “What happened”? And finally, at some point, you come to understand that without risk, there is no reward!
I graduated high school in 1994. Yes, I am that old. The month after I proudly walked across that field and received my diploma, I got my first job. Yes, I had been working for years as a babysitter or in a fast-food restaurant, but this time… this time, I got a real job. I started working in a factory right after high school. It was all so new and exciting to me! I learned how to work in a production environment. I was taught to operate a multitude of different machines that had complex processes. I had co-workers that reminded me every day that I would grow tired of working for this company. And you know what? Eventually, I did grow tired of working in that factory and decided to make a change… and I went to prison.
We’ll save that story for another day, but I will say that factory work was better than prison life. After a four-year hiatus in the state penitentiary, I went back to work… at a factory. It was different work than I originally did. This time I learned how to run a knitting machine, and worked by myself for ten hours a day, six days a week. Ah, I remember the smell of sweat in the unairconditioned building. I recall going home every day covered in fuzz and sweat. I did not make it long with this company before I realized knitting was not for me, and I moved on to my next endeavor. And finally, I landed my dream job- at a factory. Now, this one was going to be a homerun because it was something completely new. I spent seven years at this factory and worked my way up from a lowly machine operator to a shift Supervisor. That’s right- I was in charge! And then I was fired because they downsized. This is when I had my first, real “ah-ha” moment. I needed to do something different with my life. I needed to do something that brought me joy… and that I couldn’t be fired from. Ha!
That is when I landed a job, can you believe, at a factory? This was another seven-year stint of working sixty hours a week, wearing steel toed boats, in 110-degree temperatures, without promotion or pay raises. At the seven-year mark with that company, something inside of me changed. It was the second big “ah-ha” moment I can remember. This time was different, though, because I had been contemplating what my next move was going to be for an awfully long time before that seventh-year hit. I had been riding the fence for endless months, wondering what I could do outside of a factory. Despite the hard work, the exceptionally long hours, and the crazy hot temperatures, I did have a steady paycheck, insurance, and benefits.
Four years ago, AvPro Mobile Detailing was born. I decided to invest in myself, and my business partner decided to invest in me. As I sit here today, I count my blessings. I am thankful that I was finally willing to take a risk on Me! Since the day of its conception, AvPro has taught me something new every day. Organizational skills, time management, ordering supplies and finding vendors, customer service, marketing, invoicing/payment options, social media dos and don’ts, scheduling, and now… another teaching moment… Websites and blogging. I no longer wonder, “What happened”, I now wonder if you will bear with me as we move into this new, unexplored territory... websites and blogging?