Return to Productivity

After several months of silence, I'm back!

My husband & I have successfully moved to Sicily and are finally set up. I've been playing housewife for several weeks and I'm finally going crazy. I miss feeling productive. Since there are a shortage of opportunities for a self-employed military spouse in Europe I have decided to go back to school. I am planning on enrolling this week in University of Phoenix for my MBA!

University of Phoenix has an amazing program set up for the military that spouses can take advantage of. Basically, the dollars and cents work out in such a way that it doesn't make sense for me NOT to! It is not free by any stretch of the imagination, but the price is so reasonable that I can't ignore it.

Three months ago I read an article in Business Week about the top business schools in the U.S. My dream had been to attend Northwestern for my masters degree, but I saw in that article that they were up to $45,000 a year for tuition. I became completely discouraged and put getting my masters out of my head. I didn't want to work as hard as I'd have to, to make a $90,000 degree worthwhile - there are too many things to do and see in this world to spend the rest of my life cooped up in an office working to repay student loans!

When the opportunity from University of Phoenix first presented itself I must admit I was skeptical. It seemed a bit too good to be true. Plus, I wasn't bored yet so I didn't seriously consider it. Once we got settled and I fell into the daily routine of clean house, cook, do laundry, watch Dr. Phil, etc. I decided that I was pathetic and something needed to change, NOW. I made a few phone calls, visited the college office on base and I now have the documentation in hand. I plan to apply this week and start classes January 2, 2007!

Wish me luck! It's been a few years since I was in school, and I'll admit that it makes me a little nervous, but I'm so excited!

I love my job

Nothing makes you realize how much you like your job until you have to give it up.

I feel incredibly fortunate to be one of the few people who LOVE what they do for a living. Thanks to the support of my wonderful husband, about a year and a half ago I had the courage to quit my day job and start my own business. I had initially wanted to focus more on the art and graphic design side of my interests, but I ended up doing very little of that and focusing on financial consulting for local businesses.

I built up a great regular client base in record time and was off and running. Working with different businesses, different people and different issues every day is what I love about being a consultant. I NEVER get bored.

I really enjoy fixing companies that are a mess. Don't get me wrong, working with healthy companies is great because you get to move above and beyond the day to day and take it to the next step, but there is something very gratifying when a company is a mess, really needs you, and you are the one that picks it up and makes it healthy.

Today I am off to Las Vegas to sit in on a meeting for one of my primary clients AttorneyGuide.com. This will be the last major project that I participate in with them for a few months. I truely hope that while I am overseas I can continue to work with this company and be a part of the changes taking place.

Giving up the bulk of my business to move is tough. I didn't expect to feel such a loss at quitting my job and being a "kept wife" for awhile, but I'm really going to miss it.

Gratification in a Hard Day's Work

There is something so gratifying in a long hard day at work. Walking to my car I felt elated. No, not just because I was done for the day, but because I worked hard and finished a HUGE project! When I work I put everything in to what I am doing. To see the payoff feels so good.

It is my impression that there are way too many people in the world who go to work and do the bare minimum to take home their paycheck. I'm not saying that work has be consume you entire being, I'm all about working hard and playing hard, but while you work, you should wholly apply yourself.

Although I like to receive praise for a job well done, ultimately I am the one who has live with myself. If I perform poorly, even if I get away with it, at the end of the day I know that I didn't do my best. Sometimes my extra efforts go unnoticed, but more often than not, my clients and former employers notice that I go above and beyond. It is great to know that I, and my work, are appreciated.

Keep the Knowledge Flowing

Andrieux Consulting, as it has been since inception (a little over a year ago) will change significantly in the coming months. My husband's transfer to Sicily has necessitated restructuring my business and moving on to other aspirations and challenges.

Although I will continue to support my current clients in whatever capacity possible, I will be dusting off my more artistic ambitions and plan to use my new found "free time" for personal and professional development. The purpose of this blog is to reflect on all manner of business issues and help me formulate philosophies to further my business in the future and bring innovative ideas to my clients.