In 2012, on Mother's Day, my youngest daughter and I picked out a mini rosebush for her mother. The gift was very well received and the rosebush promptly found a home on the kitchen windowsill. The roses that were on the bush when we purchased it, did not last but the green leaves remained full. Over time, they too faded. By the fall of that year, entering the winter, we were left with three or four sticks in a pot with one green leaf. Several times that winter, my wife decided that she might try to sneak the plant into the garage for eventual disposal. Each attempt was met with strong objection from our youngest, who maintained that the plant was not dead. The following spring in fact, some more leaves returned. At this point, I too was convinced that the plant had just simply gone dormant over the winter. We were able to revive the plant with a fresh pot and some plant food and proceeded to spend the next several years defending this pot full of sticks because every now and then, it gave us a green leaf or two. In the spring of 2016, four years after beginning this process, my wife insisted that I take this pot full of sticks to my new office where I had a bright sunny window. I conceded that she had been more than patient and I convinced our youngest that I would revive this plant and ensure its survival. After taking my plant to my office I began to put it outside in the sun several days a week and water thoroughly and I indeed did get several green leaves to come back. I was working as a Chamber of Commerce CEO at the time and one of our more passionate volunteers ran a landscaping and nursery business. She often came by the office and eventually took notice of my pot of sticks sitting outside the door in the sun. She kindly informed me that there is no way you can get a miniature rose bush to grow in a pot. I countered with confidence that I've been keeping it alive for five years. She asked how many roses I had had in those five years, and of course my answer was zero. Several days later, I returned home with my pot of sticks and green leaves and proudly proclaimed that I was going to plant it in the front yard garden. I did just that, watered it religiously, and watched the leaves die and fall off. My wife of course will still thrilled to have it out of the house, but I wanted to see a different result. One morning this spring, while heading out the door to take my daughter to school, something caught my eye. There, in the overgrown garden that had yet to be weeded, was something red. A ROSE! A beautiful red rose was growing on our forgotten rosebush. Not only was there a rose, but there were close to seven buds about to bloom. My daughter and I have been overjoyed to watch this bush flourish and have taken every opportunity to say, “I told you so” to my lovely wife. This bush has become significant and important to me for many reasons. It has taught me some business lessons and I thought I would share them with you. ~If you believe in something, defend it. Take responsibility for it and nurture it and care for it. Don’t expect your family members to share your dream but don't give up on it. You never know when it may come through. ~You don't know what you don't know. I was convinced that by watering and providing sunlight for this bush, I was taking proper care of it. I had given it rose food and even spoken to it. It was only when an expert stepped in that I realized that I was only doing enough to keep it barely alive. It needed room to grow. ~Pay attention to where you are planted. If you are chasing a goal, or a dream, and find your self struggling, find a new place to set your roots. It may be that you just need a different environment. So take some time to think about your business, how you are supporting it, what help you might need, and how we can help it grow. Give me a call at your convenience and let's make your business flourish.
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