Starting a business?

So.  My dad is something of a good photographer.  By good, I mean, really good.  Not over-the-top excellent, but definitely good enough to be a professional photographer.  He has all of the professional equipment (to my mother’s dismay… he’s been purchasing and upgrading for the past five years).  He’s done a few gigs on the side— three weddings, some senior photos, etc.

My dad’s been thinking about starting a business for the past year or so.  He hates his current job.  And he knows he’s good enough to do it.  And he has all of the equipment, all of pre-reqs.

He brought it up to me tonight.  Ya know, going in together.  

It’s something to think about.  Something to pray about.  It would take a lot of effort.  I didn’t exactly major in business.  Haha.  But I think it’s doable.  Heck, we could be up and running by next month, if we really wanted to.  Of course, we’d start off slow— Dad would keep his job until the business shows enough prospect of becoming a full-time shin-dig.

Of course…  Well, I’m not really in this for the long-run, am I?  Once I pay off my loans, I’d head out.  Not that I mind letting my dad know that I’m not in it for the long run… but he doesn’t know about my loan situation and he can’t find out about it.

Minor complications.  Something like this probably won’t completely take-off as a full-time thing for a few years.  By that time I hope to be in the convent.  But I could help start the part-time business.  Make some money with it.  I mean, to be honest, it’s not like I’ve got much going on in my life right now anyways.  And if I do manage to find a real job soon, I can still work on this part-time.

First glance, there doesn’t seem to be anything ‘negative’ about the project.  I know my dad’s really been wanting to do this, but he can’t get it up and started on his own.  He needs help.  So even I just help it start up and am gone by the time it really takes off… well, he’ll be doing something he loves.  And that’s worth it alone.

Dad has me working on drawing up a business plan right now.  o_O

I still need to pray about it.  But there doesn’t seem to be any major ‘negative’ factors with all of this.  At least not with dabbling into it.  Most likely it would start out something pretty small.  Doing some weddings, senior portraits, some sporting events.  Types of events that can be done in congruence with real jobs.  If anything, it's a couple hundred bucks a pop on the side of a steady (or in my case, non-existant) income. 

On a completely different note: I went to my parish's summer RCIA class tonight (they have one once a month during the summer).  The topic was St. Louis de Montfort's Total Consecration to Mary, so of course I was quite pleased.  :-)  Got to talk with the director for a while afterwards-- he taught my RCIA class three years ago.  We had a good conversation.  If I'm still around in the Fall, he wants to let me teach a few lessons!  I'm really excited about it!  He's also going to keep an eye out in his circle of friends for any jobs.  He made a good point to me when we were talking... at this point, in this economy, the only real stable way of getting a good job is through personal connections.  There are only a few jobs out there, and they're going to people who know people.  Just the way it is right now.

Surprisingly, I'm rather at peace right now.  Wish God would be a little more clear in shedding light on the steps between here and the convent-- or at least just simply the next step, haha.  But ya know, God's timing.  In a way, He has revealed the next step.  Right now it's spending time with my family.  Lots of time with them.  (By the way, past few nights have been great!!  Sipping cocktails and playing card games with my mom in a light summer breeze out on the back porch... love it!)  When it's time to get to serious work, God'll show me.  And I'll jump up and put my very best effort into it!!  Just say the word, Lord, and I'll be ready!