When Being an Entrepreneur Isn't Sexy

When Being an Entrepreneur Isn't Sexy

I'm composing this post on my iMac...which makes me think of Steve Jobs...and how he lived his life courageously. Being an entrepreneur is something I became once I realized I needed to provide my QCharm Portable & Visual Cueing System to other caregivers. I look up to people like Steve Jobs because when I see what type of obstacles he overcame (including being fired from his own company), I get a reality check and reference point. Just because I have obstacles to overcome and challenges to be creatively solved, doesn't mean I am the only one who has been in any given situation. Being a parent of a child with Autism is often times isolating. Being an entrepreneur of a small business can also be isolating. Combine the 2 and it's easy to feel like you're the only one who has faced uncertainty, steep learning curves & feelings of inadequacy. Steve Jobs was quoted as saying (paraphrased) is that we are on this planet to "make a dent in the universe. Otherwise, why be here." If I could make even a microscopic dent in our universe, I would be pleased. I started my journey (of making a dent) by creating the QCharm and forming QCharm, LLC. I thought those were the 2 finish lines. It's becoming clear to me that they were just the starting lines to a journey that would eventually lead me to blogging, publishing articles (http://www.autismcommunitymagazine.com), and public speaking on life and lessons learned as someone who is both a mom and an Occupational Therapist. I can give insights from both sides of the child-with-Autism equation: as the caregiver and as the professional. If you are a caregiver of a loved one with special needs, I would love to hear from you. What lessons have you learned? What unexpected joys has your loved one brought to you? If you are a therapist/medical professional, I would love to hear your opinions and stories of working with a caregiver. (Being a medical professional can also be isolating and "isn't [always] sexy.") If you are an entrepreneur, I am very interested in your stories of working through challenges. What was one of your most creative solutions??? Thank you, Steve Jobs, for not only revolutionizing our technical world, but also our creative thinking model.