Day 1

OK, so today is actually not Day 1 of the business. However, I want to tell the story of PHNX as we go - the exciting, the discouraging, and the mundane; a diary of sorts to remember.

Like any business, PHNX started as an idea. Before the idea, though, there was a non-profit. The idea for the non-profit was not my idea, but I was fortunate to be a part from the beginning and my life is forever changed as a result.

This non-profit was designed to help entrepreneurs start and grow their business and I was the Director. No, I didn’t have any experience - non-profit or business - but I did have connections. And anyone in business will tell you that good connections are worth their weight in gold. My job then was to connect our entrepreneurs to people smarter and more talented than me.

The connections and knowledge didn’t change my life though. Yes, they were (and are) still helpful, but it’s the entrepreneurs in the class that truly changed my life. You see, these weren’t your typical entrepreneurs. Most of our team were over 45 years old, minority women. They weren’t the people you see on the front of Business Magazine ABC or headlining the community papers. No, these women were quietly building businesses against all the odds - and they were succeeding. These women were the beginning of an idea. The idea that with enough passion, grit, and tenacity maybe I could start a business too…