I had been in the copy business for 18 years. My husband was in sales in the same industry for 10.
I was looking for a new challenge, and we decided it was the right time to do this for ourselves. We named it after the place we enjoyed our honeymoon, and it has become much more than a name.
Every year we take a few weeks to decompress in Hawaii and I use that time to plan ahead for the coming year.
In December of 2010 another business owner we met talked about the E-Myth book, and I immediately downloaded it to my Kindle and my eyes were opened (my husband didn’t quite like the meetings I wanted to have to talk about it on vacation, though).
I have been a systemized and organized person in the past, and felt that things got out of my control. I had managers, but didn’t give them the proper tools to succeed, and I couldn’t figure out why I was frustrated and felt trapped by the business.
Before beginning coaching I felt I never had enough time to get things finished. I felt so unorganized and like I was spinning my wheels. I wasn’t consistently communicating with my managers, and would wonder why they weren’t doing things the way I knew they should be done. I was very frustrated!
During the beginning of our coaching program I really challenged myself to cede control in some ways and let my staff rise to the occasion. This was a huge block for me to get through.
But I don’t feel trapped anymore. I’m definitely working less hours and I don’t feel tied to the office as I once did. We’re working on the increase in revenue by increasing our opportunities.
I never had a clear marketing plan, and Aloha has kicked that off this year. This has given our sales and production staff some stability in an industry that is constantly changing. The weekly meetings with my managers has helped troubleshoot problems before they get unmanageable, and develop a better understanding of what my job is. It’s not to produce the actual product/service, it’s to put in place the right people, equipment, supplies & systems to get it done.
I also have a clear exit picture, what to do when Aloha is all grown up and we’re ready to move on to some other challenge. On the personal side, it can be challenging working with a spouse, especially with as much time as we spend together. EMyth has helped me step back and realize it’s not a one-on-one competition. It’s a team that will make us successful and both happy. I know now with all I’ve learned through EMyth that I can start another location, launch a new venture and have the experience to do it the right way. EMyth has made me learn a lot about myself and how those around me interact with me, and how that has affected Aloha. It’s an ongoing learning experience, but one that is definitely worth the trip.
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