Forge Ahead

On: Moving Forward

Forging ahead seems to be all I do these days. It can be exhausting, but also invigorating. Exhausting because of the emotional toll it takes to move ahead when I know that it means leaving so much behind. Invigorating, because I can change my future self, one day at a time. Since it does not seem to be a choice, I guess I will just keep at it.

As you may or may not know, I have decided to leave my formal teaching career behind. I taught elementary school for seven years and at the beginning of the eighth year (this year), my husband passed away. Going back to school to face the kids and my peers, parents and friends was so paralyzing that I took the rest of the school year off. As time progressed and I considered my options, the decision to take a different path was clear. My energy and focus had to be on me, my health and enjoying life. It was a very difficult decision, but one that I believe will allow me to blossom in my career and as an individual. (With an emphasis on “individual.”)

On a positive note, I was a successful teacher and took advantage of learning lots of new skills throughout my short stint in the school system. Leadership was one of them and is what helped me to feel confident when I needed to take the reigns of the family plumbing business. Ok, I didn’t feel super confident, but since I had been working behind the scenes keeping the books for 24 years, it just made sense. After all, this business is essentially what keeps a roof over our heads and food on the table. However, with the lead man no longer in place and as the new owner who is not a plumber, I was forced to dig deep and take the reins. And when the opportunity to participate in the Goldman Sachs 10K Small Businesses program was introduced to me to lay the foundation for growth and stability, I took it! This program, although challenging at times, reminded me that the skills I have as an entrepreneur (previous life) and the resources that are available to me are abundant. With the support from my fellow scholars and experienced faculty, my confidence has been slowly boosted back up to a level that allows me to embrace the ultimate challenge of employing two of my children. It is amazing and scary all at once.

But wait, there’s more! Of course, the plumbing business is the bread and butter of the house, but it is also something that I do not want to do for the rest of my life. This is not my legacy, but the legacy that will be moved forward by the two boys who have followed in their dad’s footsteps. They are ready to do what it takes to learn and take over a little bit down the road. Apparently, my teaching career has started all over again, just in a different form. If I thought it was the right thing to do, I would most certainly figure out how to make a living running this business full time, but knowing that all of our eggs are in the proverbial same basket and I just jumped off the career cliff that provided health insurance and a good supplemental salary….I decided to start an additional business.

Believe me, I am thinking what you are thinking- “She’s crazy!” However, it is not really a far-fetched plan since I wanted to do it all along. I just didn’t think I would have to make it happen due to a tragic life changing circumstance. Writing is my passion and will be what drives me forward long after I step away from the plumbing business and into the future. This is what MY legacy will be and if that is going to come to fruition, I need to start now.

Things happen for a reason. That is what I tell people all the time and I believe it to be true. Now that I have taken the GS10KSB program, not only can I implement my growth plan for Scott’s Plumbing & Heating but can put all that I learned into developing a business plan for SamanthaBovat.com. What’s even better is that I am starting with a clean slate and clear vision for where and how I want to move forward. It is the time in life when doing what brings me joy and passion should be the only option.

There you have it- my way of forging ahead means digging deep, facing fears, and looking ahead to the day when I can sit on the beach, read a book and sip a cool drink without a care in the world. Cheers!