How does it feel to be a third-generation entrepreneur? It seems like entrepreneurship runs in the family.
Knowing my father and grandfather were entrepreneurs makes me feel connected to them in a significant way. We have a special bond that is different from other family members because we each understand that specific entrepreneurial way of life. The work ethic that we share must definitely be a genetic DNA thing. They were both very dedicated and extremely hard working their entire lives and I can say that I have followed that same path.
It is an amazing accomplishment when you can become your own boss.
What types of sacrifices did you have to make in order for you to attain this?
This is not the fun side of entrepreneurship. But sacrifice is a harsh reality and a solid, unavoidable fact. The list of sacrifices I needed to make to be an entrepreneur is very long and never-ending. Because I was starting from scratch, with very little funding, I had to sacrifice any semblance of balance or security in my life. I am constantly reshuffling my priorities and not without feelings of guilt much of the time, but I knew I must stay laser-focused. I have sacrificed sleep, food, optimal health, places, and people you enjoy, all hobbies, many events, and special occasions. For a time, it is all about getting down the runway and getting your idea off the ground. There are many stages and that is just the first. But once the business idea takes flight, the needs continue to grow exponentially, in all directions. The length of the various stages will depend on many factors for each entrepreneur, but none of them can be skipped or rushed forward. Each next stage depends on the completion of the current and the bottom line is–there are only so many hours,
and only so much energy your body can provide you in a day. Those are limiting factors for
everyone and they constantly frustrate me because I always want more from both. It’s
unfortunate that one must sacrifice and give up so many things, but in the ideal scenario, that will not be the case forever. As success came, I was able to shift back to center a bit, reap some of the benefits of ownership flexibility and gradually work towards a healthier, balanced life, some of the time 🙂
Have you faced any challenges as an entrepreneur? If so, how did you overcome those challenges?
This list of challenges is also very long and never-ending. At first, it’s wearing so many hats and the time factor- there’s never enough. Eventually, it also includes challenges that are technical, some are financial, some are bureaucratic, some are marketing, and quite often operations, but I’d have to say that for me, like anyone in management or leadership, the biggest challenge is typical with people. Communication is an endless, unconquerable challenge. I always say you can never over-communicate. It may seem ridiculous at times, but the minute you assume things seem clear, they usually aren’t. The bigger you grow, the more you move into the position of having your brand represented by others, having your service provided by others, and having tasks performed by others, it’s difficult because you quickly learn that no one cares about the client and the business like you do. They are simply not capable of duplicating your efforts or standards to the degree that you wish they would or could. That reality forces you to accept imperfection and an outcome that is less than you aspire to and you have to learn to be ok with that. In 2019 you became the owner of Hera Hub Irvine.
Could you tell us a little bit more about HeraHub?
Hera Hub Irvine is a female-focused, workspace, meeting space, business accelerator, and
wellness spa. We are centered on community, connection, collaboration, and wellness. We
achieve all this through organic and organized planning and programs. All of the members who join are very focused on growing their business but they also need help and want to give help to others. It is an exchange proposition of sorts. A healthy kind of co-dependence. Our members lead out in business education workshops we call Business Boosters, in Writing Labs, SM Labs, Biz Development, etc. Other members volunteer to serve as Gurus and offer mentorship or guidance and advice on their topic of expertise. We enjoy learning together, sharing ideas, and having fun together. We have lots in common, but one is that we have learned the hard lesson that you can’t do it alone–life or business. We can get much further, much faster, if we do it together. It is a brilliant model to integrate business and community. And, at HHI, we also integrate wellness at our hub. Many of our members are experts in different areas of health and wellness and are all very accessible and convenient to our members. We all believe that un-wellness is a hindrance and that optimal wellness is a necessary foundation to achieving our goals and greater levels of success.
What is the primary mission for the all-women co-working space in Orange County?
The mission of HHI is to serve as many women as we can toward the launch, growth, or scaling of their business. To provide a work-wellness experience that makes people happy to be here and chant with me #lovewhereyouwork and #theresnoplacelikeherahub!
What new projects are you working on for the remainder of the year?
This year we are working on re-launching the hub, growing the membership, and hosting
numerous events of all kinds.
What is next for Hera Hub (Irvine)?
Further out we would like to join hands together and reach out to our local community as well and collectively contribute to something even bigger in some way. And, if the demand is there, we are open to expanding the hub to other locations in Orange County as well.
Connect with Linda at www.herahub.com/irvine
