Happy Valentines Day and Lessons From an Entrepreneur

Happy Valentines Day. I love this day, when I have someone to be with and share it. When I don't, it can be a bit depressing. To get over the depression, I usually rent a guy movie, like Die Hard (which I don't literally want to do), or Iron Man (another reference to something hard) or ... gee, every movie I can think of has a double entendre as something either phallic or sexual. I guess it is normal to think about sex on Valentines day.

A few years ago, I opened a business with two friends who had not met each other before we started the business, but I had been friends with both individually for years, James and Melody. We opened a high end health/beauty spa and art gallery. It may seem weird to combine the two, but it worked. While the clients waited for their beauty spa treatment, they could luxuriate in a beautiful art gallery representing local artists. Once every month or two we would host an exhibit opening, auction, or some other little art soiree. I was in charge of the gallery, Melody had the spa, and Jim had the accounting and advertising.

I learned a few important things from that venture.

1. Don't go into business with two middle-aged single people that are going to get together, break up, get back together, break up really badly, then repeat again, while trying to run a business.
2. Don't go into business unless you have a deep passion for the heart of it. I love art, I love creating it, I love artists, I love making love to artists, but artists (including myself) can be the biggest pains in the ass to work with in commercial endeavors. Some have no business sense. Some have to control every atom inside the gallery. Others show up to their exhibit opening stoned, drunk, un-showered, or just out of a fist fight. You have to love the business and be willing to pour all of yourself into it, or as I very crudely call it, "going balls deep." I lost that level of passion after a few years.
   
3. The importance of Valentines Day. After Christmas, the business really slows down. We wanted to have an event and promotion for Valentines Day. It went well. The reason it did was that Melody, James, and I sat down over coffee and she told us why it is important. "Valentines Day is the only holiday meant for women. Men can enjoy it, but it is the day where women get loved, spoiled, made-love with, and treated with the romantic eros she deserves and deeply desires." After I heard that, I wondered why we gave all those stupid valentines at school. I understood what she was saying though and agree with it.
   

So, to all the lovely ladies (and romantics at heart) who read this, Happy Valentines Day. I love you all, wish I could love you more, and hope your special day gives you a smile, a laugh, a flush of sensuality, a sigh, a moan, and all the other special feelings of eros. If it doesn't, you can join me in watching Top Gun.

SB

PS- I sold my part of the business in 2007 and broke even. I am happy I did it, sold it when I did, and moved on.