Entrpreneur life: Working on Thanksgiving

[Anonymous]

Had a customer in Europe and then another in Canada with issues. Didn't want to call in someone on the team since they're all off for Thanksgiving, so it's me doing the work. At least I can do it from home while the kids and their cousins play in the other room.

Owning a business has its benefits, including a huge financial upside, but at least in my case, it's a job where you're never assured a break. Sometimes I yearn to go back to my old 9-5 where I left my work at home the moment I walked out of the office.

[Anonymous]

It's good that you could help your customers!
Sounds like you are a good boss.
Hopefully you will get to celebrate Thanksgiving with your family soon.

[Anonymous]

We have a lot of clients in Europe and warn them M-W that we'll be offline Thursday. Then we work for three hours Thursday morning and put an out-of-office-for-Thanksgiving auto reply up for the rest of the day. No big deal.

[Anonymous]

🙄This isn't a big deal...

[Anonymous]

Lots of people work Thanksgiving who don’t own their own businesses. Who do you think is cleaning bedpans at hospitals?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Lots of people work Thanksgiving who don’t own their own businesses. Who do you think is cleaning bedpans at hospitals?

The difference is business ownership is often pitched as "be your own boss", "free your schedule" etc and often it's not. People who choose a hospital career know going into it that it's going to have some unfavorable shifts.

[Anonymous]

You are a saint, OP. Mother Teresa is crying in heaven

[Anonymous]

World’s tiniest violin.

[Anonymous]

So many people had to work today. I worked and so did my DH. We both own businesses. We made our own schedules today and still enjoyed the day with great food and football.

[Anonymous]

I think you could set client expectations that the company is closed today.

[Anonymous]

Well you also had time to run over and post about how hard working you are so I think it's ok you missed some family time.

[Anonymous]

I’m so jealous. I wish I were an entrepreneur. My cousin runs a packaged foods business with her husband and is busy all the time. But they’re doing great financially after 10 yrs and don’t have any direct employees, only contractors. They work out of their home with two elementary age kids. It seems ideal!

Look at it this way, you’re using your brain, you’re creating something of value, you’ve given jobs to others. All of that is great! I have a job with middling pay that doesn’t challenge me creatively or intellectually, and comes with a lot of drawbacks.

[Anonymous]

OP - hire at least one person in another country - I have two and they are phenomenal. They also don't care about our holidays.

[Anonymous]

I worked long hours for low pay for years. I would have definitely worked if it had been my business.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are a saint, OP. Mother Teresa is crying in heaven

OP, I tipped my champagne glass to the workers at the Country Club who were so selflessly refilling our oysters and buffet. I was sure to notice the little people who worked to make it all happen. They all smiled gratefully. Hope you get the same recognition you are seeking.