Day 35
So, for the fun stuff. The we had two weeks of development workshops. The major themes and general function of the application were documented and the team is really starting to get a feel for what we want in the application. I am pleasantly surprised at how much work they got done in such a short period of time. It is always a good thing to get more than you expected, instead of the other way around.
Prepping for the first meeting was a lot of work. You see, as a startup that is working out of their homes, we don't exactly have an appropriate meeting space that is suitable for a team of developers. So new role for this last few weeks included purchasing basic supplies needed for a large meeting, finding a meeting room to rent that was not $1000 a day, ensuring we had food for the week, and a few other things that you forget someone else in the office usually does for you. It was a positive experience to be honest as it was humbling to get back to serving others. While a bit stressful, getting up much earlier than normal to get coffee and basic refreshments, making sure there were delivery options with our guests special dietary needs kept in mind, trying to reschedule all personal appointments for those two weeks, figure out what to do with those appointments that were business related that I could not cancel, dealing with key team members being on vacation the entire workshop, setting up at least one dinner out to get to know the team, and getting home most days in time to let the daycare person leave on time were not my normal weekly activities, but it was still good.
The workshop was more fruitful than I was expecting. Honestly, I was dreading the meetings and thought they would most likely be a big waste of time. Good news is I was very wrong. Not only did I get some stronger clarity on a few application features, but some demand generation activities crystallized in the brainstorming of the application. So while the development was getting prepped for a huge push the marketing strategy was unfolding inside my head. There are some exciting things coming here and I can't wait to get to the production side of this process.
It was not all peaches and creme. We found a big whole in our resource allocation and identification that will most likely involve us increasing our development resources, which is not in the budget. So some creative budgeting is about to enter my list of responsibilities in the coming weeks and months.
Oh course we cannot forget that during all this real life happens. It is tax season, so there were quite a few late nights with the accountant getting all of that worked out. The neighbor dog and my dog got into a fight and my dog lost - resulting in some unexpected visits to the emergency vet, bandages, medications, and lots more tender loving care. I have four kids, they still needed to get to school, have lunches made, Zoe still needed to get to therapy and we still had a few rescheduling things with therapists like we do every week. I am the Girl Scout troop leader for my eldest daughter, so the troop meetings still needed to get planned and rooms still needed to be reserved. The oldest still had softball practice, she needed to get there and home.
Last, but not least by a long shot, my Mother was hospitalized and spent one of these workshop weeks in the ICU. I am her medical power of attorney and have been her healthcare advocate for some time - so a few unexpected trips 90 minutes each way jumped into the middle of getting work done. Considering I was to be the host of all the meetings, my last minute need to immediately leave the city was a bit of crazy replanning and scheduling nightmare - but it happened. ( This would have been a great time to have our application done! Hoping that happens soon! )
While it may not seem like it, this event allowed me to look on the bright side of being a startup and having a fantastic team beside me. They didn't miss a beat in development or marketing. The guys and gals were all amazingly supportive! I was able to leave at the drop of a dime and get to my Mother's bedside and help make some pretty life altering decisions. I was exactly where I needed to be the last two weeks, exactly when I needed to be there. I won't lie, I was stressed. I had more to do than time to do it. But, the stress I didn't have is worrying that my employer would fire me for needing to take off (AGAIN) with my Mom's chronic illnesses. I didn't have the stress of keeping my phone in front of my face waiting for every work email to make sure it was handled immediately, instead I held my Mother's hand when she winced in pain, I prayed with her for strength. I heard her voice recite a prayer that both she and I thought long ago she had forgotten. I watched her hug a stuffed giraffe she named Little Poppy and rub his head. I heard her tell me how much she loved to twirl my brother and my hair when we were babies. I washed her feet and helper her comb her hair. I got her coffee, black, two sugars, with the lip on and the straw in the hole. I picked up every tiny speck of trash around her room (she hates messes), and folded blankets that were a mess in the corner. I took her dear husband and her grandkids to lunch to give everyone a break. I served her, as she served me when I was a child.
So folks, it was a really long two weeks. Filled with work and life and no balance. You see, there is no 50/50 in life. 50% work, 50% life. There is only the journey of juggling all the roles you have in your life - sometimes with 4 balls in the air at once - sometimes with 40. This week I didn't drop any of the important balls. I didn't get a few of the girl scout cookies delivered - but other than that - everything is still in the air - as it should be.
Thanks for listening. See you again soon.
CEO of a Startup
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