Two weeks ago, I was violated by a professional. Or maybe by a couple of professionals.
Sounds wrong, doesn’t it?
Upon returning to my car on a sunny Sunday afternoon, I opened the driver’s side door to see my dashboard’s innards falling out. I froze and stared at the empty space where my CD deck used to be, and then squeaked at Brent, who had just walked me to my car. As he came back to see what was wrong,* I looked at my backseat floor; my laptop bag was gone, too. The laptop bag that had my precious little MacBook Air (a.k.a. my Entire Life) in it.
Cue wide eyes, dropped jaw, heart in stomach.
Yeah, someone ripped out my car’s sound system and made off with my laptop.
So annoying.
My wise friend Doniree also had things stolen out of her car this summer. She tells an eloquent story—and her discussion about how violating it is to be robbed sums up my own sentiments.
My thoughts about having $3,000 worth of equipment stolen? Annoying. And inconvenient. But it could have been so much worse. The thieves were professionals. So that meant no broken windows. Barely any damage to the dash where they pried out my CD deck. They ripped (cut?) the wires cleanly; they gently unlatched my custom-built 12-inch subwoofer box in my trunk. No dents on my doors. Even my gorgeous eggplant-colored, 40s-style pumps were sitting on my seat, untouched. (They obviously didn’t have size 7- 1/2 feet nor a taste for 3-inch heels. Good.) Oh–perhaps most significant of all: the Caligater went untouched.
They did an awesome job, all told. They were obviously professionals.
Yep, I was violated by professionals.
Which brings me to…the birth of a business. Namely, my business.**
I wrote about quitting my job and reprioritizing my goals. When I quit my job, I had zero inkling that nearly one year later I’d be working for myself as a copywriter and content creator (hahahaha, I love calling myself a “content creator”).
But what does being violated by professionals have anything to do with fixin’ my bid’ness, you ask?
It forced me to ask for help.
Ick.
I don’t like/ develop hives when /get heebie-jeebies from/am not good at asking for help. But I do all of my work from a computer. And I’m fresh out of a computer. So, I began to reach out to my rather amazing network to let them know that I am eagerly taking on new clients and projects in order to save money for a new computer.
And the response from my network? WOAH. My friends, acquaintances and connections have gone above and beyond to help a sista out by referring new clients and contracting out projects here and there.
I have been floored. And humbled.
And because I am talking to new clients and working on new projects, I’m also solidifying the fact that I am, indeed, running my own business. Business write-offs, 25%+ self-employment taxes and scope creep, here. I. come.!
Having my laptop stolen forced me to ask for help. And in asking for help, I’m growing my business. And I think I’m growing a little bit, too. (OK, hopefully I’m growing a lottabit.) I sense that this recent adventure will push me forward. Wheeee!
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*and by “came back to see what was wrong” I actually mean Brent called the cops for me, checked my entire car, searched the surrounding area for the slim possibility my bag had been dumped somewhere, and generally prevented me from losing my marbles. Hero material!
**I’m still trying to figure out my ACTUAL business name. I think Erika’s suggestion is the chompiest: “Consult-a-Gater, LLC: Making Business Bite-Sized” ^_^
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Coda | I’m still looking to begin work on new projects. :) I’d love your help. *nudgenudge winkwink*
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