Light, Motion and Magic

A French philosopher, said that “to exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly” (Henri Louis Bergeson.) I believe that is an accurate description of my business endeavors. Change, maturity, re-creation.

Clearly this is not an economy to manufacture and try to sell non-essential decorative merchandise, as I started out to do with Miri Market. Although I have not given up on that idea, I have definitely put those dreams on hold.

But Miri Market still exists, my legal business entity, with the ability to go on creating itself endlessly, as in the quote above. “Miri” means to be amazed, to marvel, to wonder at. It is from the language Esperanto, an international language based on words common to the chief European languages. For example, mira in Spanish means sight; intention; just look. Miracolo in Italian means miracles; wonder. And as a girl’s name (Latin, Slavic, Hindi) Miri means ‘wonderful’; ‘peace’; ‘prosperous’. Can you think of better connotations for a business name?

So it is to marvel and wonder at that my husband and I were presented with a business opportunity that - yes, even in these uncertain times - we decided to seize. David and I together will be working on a small service business. Our website, and this blog, is being reworked to reflect our new venture.

Miri Market coffee service - using state-of-the-art gourmet coffee machines, stocked with the finest coffee and backed by a committment to service and responsibility - makes barista-style coffee drinks available any time at your business for your employees and/or clients.

Our system grinds and brews each coffee drink in 30 seconds flat. At the push of a button a cup of delicious freshly ground and brewed specialty coffee is yours to savor. Miri Market coffee service allows your employees and/or clients to enjoy the flavor, cost and convenience benefits of coffee house drinks at a fraction of coffee house prices.

On the one hand, it seems crazy to jump into a new business when the bad economic news is piling up around us like dead leaves in the fall. Yet we made our decision quite quickly to do this. We’ve always wanted to work together, and this business seems to have the right requirements of each of our strengths and expertise. It is a simple business, a delicious business, that we can run to our standards of taste and responsibility.

Hazel Henderson is a futurist and economist, and the author of several books. In 2007 she started EthicalMarkets.tv for public television to showcase video of people and organizations around the world with socially responsible endeavors. She has said, “If we can recognize that change and uncertainty are basic principles, we can greet the future and the transformation we are undergoing with the understanding that we do not know enough to be pessimistic.”

So I guess that in these uncertain times, David and I simply don’t know enough to be pessimistic. We’re going to give it a whirl!

Tags:business, change, Coffee Service, Hazel Henderson, Miri Market, start-up

Two things today. First thing: serious. Second thing: surprise!

First, I want to give an update on how my own business matters are going. My new company name is chosen, I have the domain name, I’ve registered it with the state, and the trademark process is underway. I also have the logo. I hope to reveal my business name and logo here in February. And as you know, I’ve completed a reorganization of my business files in my home office this month.

I’m still working on prototype development. I’ve finished interviewing three entities interested in taking my product through development and getting it ready for manufacturing. After I get all the proposals I hope to make the decision soon whom I will partner with.

I am still researching my financing options. I’m keeping a wary eye on the economic situation, which may affect my financing as well as when I want to start the manufacture and launch of my product. Baby steps…I’m still taking baby steps. But I definitely feel like things are moving along.

Second, my husband surprised me at Christmas with a combination Christmas & 25th Anniversary trip…
to Costa Rica! I was so stunned and delighted! Both our boys are back at college, and we leave tomorrow - for a week. It is definitely weird to be in frigid, below-zero temps while packing for a week of HOT weather. I don’t know anything about Costa Rica except what I’ve gleaned since learning about the trip, but it sounds like it’s beautiful, with some fabulous excursion opportunities scuba diving and to the rain forest and gardens in the area.

While I’m gone I’ve prepared some short posts and links for you, and I’ll do a big post about our trip and Costa Rica with pictures on Monday, Feb. 4th.

One thing I do know, is that I made the right choice when I married my husband, David, 25 years ago. He’s warm and generous to a fault, and given the choice, I’d marry him again without hesitation - even without the trip to Costa Rica!

We’ll catch up when I return, so toodle-oo everyone!

Tags:business, Costa Rica, product development, trip

Part of the long-term process of starting my company is starting this blog. To participate in the online network of connections and community is an indispensable part of doing business these days. And besides that - I enjoy it!

I’ve been spending a lot of time on the social and blogging networks Facebook, Entrecard and Work It! Mom over the last week. Learning the ropes, making connections and visiting other sites is very time-consuming but well worth the effort. I wanted to write about it today when I ran across this post from Dazzlin Donna called Friendship Pockets Form Via Social Networks.

“Facebook, StumbleUpon, Twitter, Digg, Delicious, Mixx…need I go on?
There are too many social networks to even begin to list them all these
days, and keeping up with them can be a chore. But the advantages of
networking and connecting with others via these sites far outweighs the
hassles. You just have to find the few that you like best and
concentrate on spending time there, rather than dividing your time up
between too many places.”

Considering the time it takes to participate, she’s absolutely right about having to pick judiciously. Donna goes on to talk about the familiar names that one begins to run across - those that participate in several of the same circles. They begin to form what she calls “Friendship Pockets”.

“So who cares about these friendship pockets anyway? Well, I
think they do matter, because the pockets represent your strongest
networks. Those people who befriend you in several overlapping
networks are generally the ones who you can depend upon the most. These
are the ones you can rely on to help you share your sites with others,
the ones who will come to your aid when needed, and the ones who will
reciprocate when you help them out.

If you don’t already know these friends well, make an effort to get
to know them better. You obviously all share some common traits, and
together you can grow each others’ businesses faster than you can
alone. The tighter your friendship pockets become, the more strength they collectively have. Take a little time to develop these pockets further and your site will only benefit.“

You took the words right out of my mouth, Donna. Thanks for the great post!

Tags:Blogging, blogging communicty, business, Dazzlin Donna, Entrecard, Facebook, Friendship Pockets Form Via Social Networks, social networks, Work it! Mom