A Business Grown Through Service & Skill - Impressed Upon the Next Generation

 In many ways, the growth of Mr. Kenny Ullrich's business reminds me of mine. 

He serviced a need and the sheer growth, in demand for his services. launched his business. The biggest difference is: Mr. Ullrich needed space; and so, he built one. He added on, added employees, added services and tackled jobs that very few people were even aware of. 

The intricacy of his work still astounds me. We are all blessed with certain skills and one of his was having the patience and the wisdom to fix things many others could not, and contribute to an ease of production in many settings. 

This is a reminder that the details matter. The functionality of so many things is in the details. I do identify with Mr. Kenny, in understanding this fact and the awareness that many people shy away from the details, don't take time to understand them, and truly need the service of those that do not shy away. 

Like in most cases, when a person holding his ability passes, certain traits are passed on to the next generation. In this case, this is seen in Wendy, Kenny's daughter, and those that had the pleasure of working closely with him, over the years. 

I've sat on writing this blog, waiting on The Holy Spirit to guide me. What keeps settling into my thoughts is the actual impression of his traits, left on those that were closest to him. 

His daughter sees value in the details, has a heart for service and meeting needs that are not necessarily the most sought after volunteer role, but the role of things that still need to get done. Wendy is project-minded, detail-focused, and has a deep respect for the work her father has done and for the work that will continue to be done in the next generation. Those that worked and apprenticed under him carry this quiet confidence and the same ability to fix and create things that many do not. They specialize, in a very specialized area. 

As we move towards the end of the liquidation of his personal property assets and "next chapters" get closer to those that Mr. Kenny Ullrich impressed things upon - it's important to remember the value those impressions hold, the value that these personal property items will serve new owners in their endeavors. The value, for those close to him, to hold onto the tools and impressions he instilled within them and release the rest. You have what you need and are equipped to move forward to what is next. Trust that. Buck Up Baby! 

Here is the link to the current online auction for the personal property of his business. We have one more that will be scheduled for a future date. CLICK HERE TO VIEW & BID

Faith Without Works is Dead - James 2:26

 What a journey..... You know, I'm about to do this thing. I've done it once before. I am embarking on a journey where I know little about how to get there or what I will find along the way. 

Hmm :). It has been quite the wrestle for me to get here. I've learned that Bucking Up! & doing something...creating something, will also lead to you finding the courage to Buck Up! & turn it loose....turn parts of it loose. Flow......

I'm not going to pretend that the last little bit of life hasn't been hard at moments....it was....REAL hard, but it has also been FULL and grEAT & enriching. 

Sometimes, I catch myself pondering if it actually had to be as hard as it has been at times, but....it makes it matter. It is truly like putting something in the fire, beating on it, and building and measuring it's strength. 

Gosh....there are things I know now....I've known (but doubted myself (SO much)) that people just can't take away.....and maybe.....may never really be able to understand. They are for me, because I've done it. I've walked it. I've built it. I've lived it. I've tweaked it and changed it and rebuilt it. I've tried new things. Had moments of failure and successes. I've helped a lot of people. I've taught a lot of people a variety of things. Yes....I have experienced: self doubt, lack of faith, wasted time, money, & energy, compromise, deceit, lies, verbal abuse, confusion, relationship tainting, miscommunication, disruption, abandonment, theft, info hoarding, mismanagement, disloyalty, repairing of relationships, regret, slander, confusion, uncertainty, doubt, betrayal, my time, talents, and energy squandered, let-down, full hope and empty hope....all leading me to the next adventure. 

Now....I start out different. I'm happy, BLESSED, and thankful for what I know now. The luggage I can bring with me this time......BUT ONLY WHAT I NEED. In all the traveling since my last adventure; I've learned that I prefer to travel light. 

You all might see some changes in me. There are things I will still HOPE for, but not much :). I'll hope in my plan because I know who I've consulted with. I'll hope in my family because I believe in them and us. I'll hope in Jesus, God, & The Holy Spirit because I KNOW what they are capable of. The journey has taught me a few things....and you can take this to the bank: "...faith without works is dead..." James 2:26. This verse may sum up the biggest lesson I NEEDED regarding self-worth, discerning who I am called to help and who I am not, how to actually care for and value myself and protect and reserve myself for those that He calls me to. 

The journey has also taught me to think bigger, with a bird's eye view.....or BIGGER. It's taught me to watch out for "limits" because there are none. It's taught me to REALLY pay attention to what brings me and others around me JOY.....real joy.....not joy from striving and trying.....relaxed, limitless, free-flowing joy. 

I am not going to spend my time HOPING with any of you. No offense, but life is short and I don't want to get caught up in your "I don't knows" and "I'm not sures," and your "I need help-but don't want to listen mentalities." I want to work with people that want the help and will do the work to get it. In EVERYTHING I do, it takes W - O - R - K to bring it to fruition. 

Untethered Thoughts from a Thinker

 Does anyone else just think? Like spend any amount of spare or quiet time, lost in thought? 

As I sit here typing this, I could be asleep. I could do what I actually stayed up to do & now I have over thought myself into the here and now. I could either capture the little mind urchins, that agitate me & hand them over to Jesus or....ignore them completely.....which I am clearly not good at. 

This ENTIRE day I have felt this nag of something other than what I am doing. I have done all the things that I think should be done today (besides the one thing that I have over thought into....still today, but a tomorrow share.) So....I chose to take to writing. 

It intrigues me how we can see the need for so much improvement, at the same time we witness the blessed fruits of progress. Seems....oximoronical....if that is a word...but it's legit. I feel like it is my daily life. The two do co-exist. 

The purpose of me writing today, is to attempt to satisfy the nagging feeling of doing something other than what I have spent my day doing. To feel some sort of....release, confirmation, satisfaction...............................................and maybe to just see the response, if there is a response. I'm really good either way. More curious.......and vulnerable-feeling, than anything. 

This, pretty clearly, is a brain-dump in blog form. It's like the "stuff" around all the practical thoughts swirling around and the remnants of.....untethered, open, free-flowing thought. 

In some circles....people may be concerned for me. In other circles...."intrigued" would be a more accurate word. In another, a complete openness to experience all of whatever this is (lol :))....and to yet another....squirrelly....maybe even avoidable squirrelly. 

This seems like quite an odd entry to share. The unsatisfied feeling of today is also a little odd. 

Benefits of Sharing: Others identify with it. It helps someone. It makes someone feel less weird. It satisfies the nag. It opens up a door, I never knew existed. 

Reasons not to Share: People will think I'm weird. People will think I'm off. Opens myself up for judgement.

Ya'll?!

I know I can't be the only person in the world that has moments of feeling absolutely bonkers...... maybe one of the few that will admit it and write about it. It really has me pondering mental health....not mental illness.....mental health. It also has me meditating on what Jesus may have gone through when He was tempted by the devil for 40 days and nights. 

What I seem to go to/stick with.....are the 3 ways satan tested Jesus and His responses. I hadn't thought much on the in between until this week. You know.....the in between had to suck! I think Jesus had to have had, at least, one day where He was lost. He didn't know the "right" move. He felt like His sole purpose that day was to be the whipping boy. 

FORTY DAYS of highs and lows, hunger and thirst, sleep and torment, testing and faith. It really helped me to meditate on this yesterday. If it helps one of you out there to know that there is another person out there that really has it together sometimes and is REALLY lost in the wilderness sometimes.....then so be it. 

Growing up and having a business in a small town feels like you are putting your crazy on display sometimes. It's not "crazy." It is the wilderness. There is no conformity in the wilderness. I like to color outside the lines, but sometimes the wilderness gets to be too much for me too. So much so.....that I'd welcome a little conformity. 

I tell you.....if ya'll could see all the thoughts and ideas that roll through my head, you would NEVER be short of entertainment and probably have a hard time following the storyline.

The truth is.....I feel like I've been out here in the wilderness for longer than 40 days and nights. I kind of feel like I might check in for a time, then check back out......and seem to check right back in without even realizing it. 

I've gotten to a point where I know God is moving, but I don't really know how and some of it....I just need to get out of me. To share it......I'm not even sure if I need to for myself or others....maybe both. 

I started typing out all the things that troubled me yesterday and I had to delete it, because the pressure building in my chest was not the intent of the message.

The intent is.....try to be patient enough to allow the Jesus things to rise to the top. It can take awhile.....maybe even the whole day, but do what you can, as they rise.....then do them. 

If I could explain one thing to others - that I believe would make a difference in the way we treat each other; it would be to engage. Talk to people. Let them know you see them. We all handle our mental stuff differently and the ways can be so different. Sometimes we hibernate/hide from people. Sometimes we scream. Sometimes we lash out, project, get angry and show it. Sometimes we cry. We cry dilirious cries, mad cries, confused cries, overwhelmed cries, not-sure-why-I'm-crying cries. We can be testy OR overly happy......just to crash later. Some of us coast on adrenaline highs, until we crash. Some of us hold on too tight for too long, until everything explodes out and it takes longer for the mess to dry up. 

We are all this walking bundle of energy hoping we are making the right choices when we make them, are too exhausted to make them and choose to ride the wave of others decisions, or are constantly weighing decisions already made. 

Training Ground

 This blog will be about getting where I'm going. The lessons have to take place somewhere and people must witness our imperfections. Lately, I've been reflecting on what has gotten me here. 

I think about one of my other titles....Mom.  Kyle and I just had a conversation with our 3 kids. They like to ask questions about each other like...."What was Kylee like as a baby?" "Was Hunter as chunky as Heath was?" Somehow we got on the subject of Kylee being the oldest and she asked why we did something and Kyle said...LOL "You were the first one. We didn't know what we were doing." 

As we enter different stages of our lives we NEED a training ground. As I make an attempt at relating the two and try to truly capture how GRATEFUL I am for my training grounds, hang with me. I hope this allows you all to have some nostalgic moments FULL of gratefulness for YOUR journey. 

I remember when I was teetering on the idea of building my own business, having the flexibility to buILD the life I envisioned for myself and my family, knocking some barriers down - that were in my way and weighing every. single. thing. I mean....EVERYTHING. 

One of the things that hung me up for awhile was that, up until that point, I had prided myself on my quality of work and I KNEW I would not have the background support....you know, like an accounting department, production department, HR department, like I was used to. I also had never done, what I was getting ready to do so.....I was going in with as much education as I could gather, before beginning the journey blind...and taking others with me. What I mean by that is minimal experience. I had my life experiences on the periphreal of the actual nuts and bolts of the business, but no REAL boots on the ground experience. I had experience within departments of PART of the business. Because I am a person that puts the work in, I had to make damn sure - this JOURNEY I was getting ready to take everyone on was a long-term plan and that I was up for a long adventure. I feel like that again, but that's all that seems familiar. I feel like the next leg of the journey could go several different ways. I also know that it could go different directions than what I'm even aware of, because well....our God is BIG. 

All the feels of this space are so familiar. Imagine.....uncertainty...excitement....motivation...fear of acting....holding onto what I know - instead of just acting.... I know God is always right on time and I can't mess it up, but I always find myself thinking I am missing some sort of CLEAR message and I am getting in my own way. 

I digress....

As parents, we are to "raise our children in the way they should go, so they do not stray from it." Each one of our children have very unique traits and characteristics and God took into account Kyle and I being first time parents, when he blessed us with Kylee. He knew we had what it took to have a second child, change careers, and move home & form an LLC....all at the same time. He also knew that another human needed all of what all four of us could give him. As I reflect on the environments we were in with each three....I'm in awe of Him. 

God KNOWS how I think....and think....and overthink. He provided an opportunity for me to EXPLORE. When I talked to Kyle about it, he was open to it.......and ALL the things had to happen in our lives for him to be open to it. What a wonderful training ground He took us to in Rockport. Three and a half hours from home. He removed distractions and allowed us to focus on us and become who He was calling us to. 

As I sit here typing, and being more aware of the things The Good Lord is calling me to do. I see the last 12 or so years of my life as yet, another training ground. One where people had to witness my growth, the growth of my family, the growth of my faith, the successes, the perceived failures, the way in which I move in between them. Just like I was thankful for my Rockport training ground. I am thankful for this one. This one had a few more dips and curves and peaks and valleys. Now, He is calling US to more. We don't know PRECISELY what it is, but He is and we will find out along the way. 

We all have our training ground, and I have come to believe that God may have multiple purposes for us. OBEDIENCE....EXPLORATION....TRUST....FAITH....COURAGE....PERSEVERANCE... When you BUCK UP BABY & RIDE WITH JESUS it takes all of those things. You best, put them in your saddle bags. 

One of the missions God has for me is simply, sharing my story and sharing my faith, with the hope and intention that it will ENCOURAGE someone else to get to know Jesus. This blog itself, is yet another training ground, where I get to use all the tools in bold above. When you make the choice and saddle up...you will experience it ALL. Your life will be FULL....abundant even. There will be cold, exhausting nights, where you are too broke (in a variety of ways) to do anything but rest....in the cold. Then....He will pick you up out of it and you will be stronger and smarter and better prepared for the next part of the journey.....and it will be an ADVENTURE you would never, ever trade. 

Yes....people will come and go, in and out of your life....and it will HURT. It will bring you grief and sadness and turmoil, but only for a short while. You see, God loves them too. He is teaching them something, just as He's teaching you something. He WILL reward your obedience....small acts, large acts, and continual acts. 

I encourage anyone reading to just sit with Him, even for a few brief moments. Let HIM speak to you, however He chooses and be receptive to hearing Him. Then....in His perfect timing, Buck Up Baby & Ride With Jesus!

Perception

 I have written about my wrestle with perceptions before. 

I find myself re-visiting this topic and, maybe, with more insights than I had before. I just gave a speech, where I found a different way to explain the reality of perceptions.

I asked the audience to look at this picture. 

I shared how some people will look at this picture and the first thing they will notice is the dirty, muddy, road. I have a friend that is allergic to everything and not about ANY creepy crawlies. I would bet my hard-earned money those would be her first thoughts. 

Some people will get excited OR nervous about what could be at the end of that road or driveway. Will they need to make a decision? I can feel the anxiety building.... Will the view be so spectacular they are left in awe? (Two different perceptions right here.)

Some people will be drawn to the light, which then allows them to appreciate ALL that the light is shining on. It may cause them to truly study the picture and the beauty in it. 

What is the truth? All of them and none of them, all at the same time. We form our perceptions based on our life experiences. EVERY perception we make as humans if from a limited vantage point. Therefore, how great would it be if EVERYONE moved through life knowing that there is moRE to EVERYTHING. I think we would see more second chances, more conversations, more respect, and A LOT more grace for one another. 

One of the many things I have wrestled with in business, is the general perception of others. The perception of the general public, my clients, bidders, non-profits, family, and friends....the list could go on and get broken down even more, in some regards. I wrestle with it, even though I KNOW the above..... That there is moRE to everything. There are things that I don't see. There are things that I don't understand, and the same for others. 

Over the years, I have had to learn the finesse of living with the one overall truth, which is that: Our perceptions are reached by our own experiences, which are true - BUT, all of our perceptions are limited. Thus, not the ULTIMATE truth....which is the only one that really matters. I think this is one of the major reasons grace, mercy, and forgiveness are so important to God and are in so many of His messages to us. Our perceptions will ALWAYS (until maybe when Jesus comes back) be limited. That is a fact. The more wisdom He deposits in us, the more we will know, and (most likely) need to ask forgiveness for. 

I could write a book about the role perceptions have played in the growth and restructuring of my business. However, what I REALLY want to leave you all with is this truth....this explanation. As you see changes happening around you and you feel the feels on whether or not you like it, whether or not it's "right," whether or not it is "fair," whether or not it was "handled properly," JUST REMEMBER - everyone's vantage point is different and NONE of them see the full picture. 

I am a firm believer that The Holy Spirit ebbs and flows at God's command. I am also a firm believer that The Holy Spirit is mysterious and thorough in His movements. I promise you, that our God knows each one of us so intricately. He knows how hard certain things are for us to let go. He knows our hearts in such a way, that He removes what we will not. He cuts the rope of what we keep hanging onto. He places just the right people in our path at just the right time, and removes the influence of persons, places, or things that are NOT part of His plan for our lives. So much of it won't make sense, but we want it to. 

It is why grace and mercy and forgiveness are bypassed for judgement and condemnation so often. We want to understand. We want to make it so. We want to have some handle on why things are the way they are. Yet....this is why He asks us to Just. Have. Faith. in Him. We can't. He can, and He LOVES us so incredibly and fully....WAY more than we love ourselves. Buck Up Baby! & have a little faith. You know what you know, but there is SO much you do not. Trust Him. 

Also...be sure to put perceptions where they belong. Rest in God's truth and the wisdom He has blessed you with. Doing this files off the rough edges that brush against you when experiencing the limited perception of others. 

Just Because You Could - Doesn't Mean You Should

 Today, I was brought back to some of the thoughts that ran through my head before I decided to really pursue building my own business, instead of working for someone else. Without Jesus, I would not be here. Those prayers, back then, were a kind all their own....fervent, desperate, FULL of fret and worry, talking out loud ALL....EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. OF. MY. CONCERNS..... Jesus knew them. Even though He called me, I was not able to recognize it right away. I questioned EVERY thought. I thought of EVERY scenario....EVERY possibility.....REALLY sat with the less than favorable possibilities, let it saturate me and then decide if I was willing to make the sacrifice and FOLLOW Jesus's call. A TD Jakes sermon & The Holy Spirit snapped me into action back then and......here I am....more than a decade later.....and TD Jakes has once again motivated me with one of his sermons and I felt that familiar feeling. The feeling of ALLOWING God to show me. To put all my plans, thoughts, ideas, limited knowledge to the side and....well....BUCK UP BABY & RIDE WITH JESUS!

This brings me to my most beautiful lesson this week. In business.....just because you COULD, does NOT mean you should. Sometimes.....we are SO hard-headed that God literally has to LET US recognize for ourselves our weaknesses. He let's us FEEL the discomfort, angst.....He lets us struggle in our limited knowledge. 

I am a person that likes to be in motion. Sitting still, focusing on numbers, piecing things together, and trying to figure out how to make a program work.....that's not my thing. Yes. Once upon a time that was my thing....because I was curious....engaged....interested....learning. That being said, I identified years ago, that - that was one of my least favorite parts of the business and taught, encouraged, hired, and/or trained others to do that very thing. NOW.....as I sit in the middle of my reset, fumbling my way through what's next...wanting to BE REAL SURE I need a person to do X, Y, Z....I have never been more sure of anything in my life.

My brain was SOOOOOOOOOO tired that once I struggled my way through programs and documents and process manuals, and FAQ web pages, then double, triple, & quadruple checking my numbers (which BTW....as I sit at my daughter's music recital, realize I forgot a very important deduction that was accounted for, but not notated) I realized that....when I work myself to a place where basic addition and subtraction is a struggle......it's time to let it go. AND...if that wasn't enough to convince me....after ALL the corrections and THINKING I was printing page 9 of a 9 page document.....I take a call and, by the end of it, have NINE FULL COPIES OF A NINE PAGE DOCUMENT....that is not where I'm supposed to be.... THUS, just because you could, doesn't mean you should. 

God gives us such AMAZING gifts. TRULY, when I started this whole journey FRUSTRATED with my J.O.B. at the time....I HAD NO IDEA that I would one day become a Texas Reserve State Champion Auctioneer, learn how to sell EVERY type of asset under the sun, and HELP RAISE MILLIONS for non profits! In fact, when I started this journey....being an auctioneer was a thought written in a journal out of frustrated prayer. I reached a point where I did all I knew how to do in my own knowledge and ability and I did not know what to do. I AM SO THANKFUL FOR MY OBEDIENCE. 

God knows that sometimes we have to wear ourselves down to the place where we will be obedient; where we have exhausted all we know & we SURRENDER. 

And as I type that, I think to myself....knowing all this....why is it still SO HARD? I'd like to think that God is teaching us how to trust Him the way we will, one day, need to trust Him. Every time we get ourselves to these places we trust God a little more. AND....it is not that we don't want to trust Him...it's that we don't know how and He is teaching us. It gets easier to say yes. It gets easier to step into the unknown and LET HIM paint the road as you walk. We can't rush it. We can't make plans. We can simply EXPERIENCE His goodness and His grace and His mercy towards us & LET HIM SHOW US!

BUCK UP BABY & RIDE WITH JESUS! GO where He takes you. No questions and no expectations. 

Funk

I find myself gravitating towards writing to the small business owner. Today I want to talk about the FUNK!

When I talk about FUNK; I do NOT want you to associate a negative connotation to it. I want you to look at it as more of a reality that surfaces in your life more than looking at it as a rare occurrence. 

I also do NOT want you to think that any of this is my complaining, because I am really not. I'm writing about a REALITY. I am writing about that funky friend that hangs around and adds to your life and teaches you things. It is the best noun I can come up with, for the "thing" that we get from walking and working through our daily experiences. It is FUNK because it is ALWAYS uncomfortable. 

For example, TODAY my allergies are REALLY working me over. I very rarely have allergies flare up and I have things to do and I stopped myself as I getting ready to beat myself up and called it what it was. OWNED the funky reality that I just don't feel good and the BEST thing is to pivot. What did I learn about this ABNORMALITY to my day-to-day life? 

1) I feel bad and when I feel bad I am less productive. 

2) Knowing that I need to refine, delegate, & reschedule my work plans. Do what I can & ACCEPT that reality......which is FUNKY for me. 

3) Ultimately.....THIS FUNK is teaching me how to STOP running into a brick wall over and over again. Accept it. Turn away from the wall. Go in another direction. 

The other day, I had a WONDERFUL day. I could see how things were lining up, working out and noticing the PROGRESS towards my goals. Then, the FUNK of not knowing what to do with that feeling made me uncomfortable. It made me aware. It frustrated me, but it also TAUGHT ME. It taught me: 

1) This feeling is my new reaction to good things. 

2) I need to acknowledge it, feel it, and keep moving past it. It is a symbol of change that, although uncomfortable, is a sign of progress and that makes me very happy, optimistic, & encouraged.

Another example (because they really are helping me paint the picture): I am trying to change and adjust processes. I have taken steps towards that adjustment and those steps are causing AGITATION in me. I know the agitation is a product (FUNK) of change and implementation. What do I now know? 

1) I am going to feel agitated if I implement steps in reaching the goals I set for myself. 

2) I should welcome the agitation because that means change is happening and....although uncomfortable, I'm taking the right steps to transform my life. 

The outcome of ALL of these examples is: FUNK is here to stay. It is a welcome, yet annoying friend that hangs with me on the journey. 

If you are going to stick with your goal of creating positive change in your life, you may as well BUCK UP BABY & get used to feeling FunKy!

The other thought that is sticking with me is:.......if you are NOT a small business owner, but find yourself experiencing the remnants of the funk when you are around certain people......EXTEND GRACE. We could work for BIG business, but YOU CHOOSE US because we have that little something special that BIG businesses do not have. To get to experience that SPECIAL, you will also have to EXPERIENCE THE FUNK with us. 

Buck Up Journey Memoir: Decision Making in the Scaling Process

 As a small business owner, there are moments when you really do feel all alone. You may have people around you TRYING to love on you, but....they just can't understand the place you find yourself. Other small business owners may be able to identify with parts of it, but there are really moments (there were for me) where NO ONE could help me. For me, these are moments when I would lean on Jesus....and sometimes He was silent. I know He has His reasons, but these are definitely uncomfortable moments. 

Over the years....I've learned a lot about a lot. As I stated in my previous blog: "A Chapter Comes to an End," sharing some of the things that I carried alone is really helpful to me and I know it will help others. In this memoir I want to share my journey and evolution in decision making. 

Headlights if the auction doesn't end before dark. 

What the first 75-80 lots will be in the first hour, as people are getting to the auction. 

The best way to ship fenders to Canada, along with the other parts purchased. 

How to (on the fly for the vast majority of this project) entertain, track, record,

and ensure that all SOLD items get payment collected and item received into the right hands, with people everywhere.  All except maybe one person was volunteer. 

In all things, each and every decision you make opens up Pandora's Box of then numerous other possibilities. In my business and in discussions regarding my business, I told people that I would qualify the risk. What I meant by this is: I would think a major decision all 360 degrees around it. When I was growing my business this concept worked for me, it worked for the client, it worked for the crew, it worked for business. As my business started growing and adapting over the years this....making decisions based on "qualified risk," seemed to cramp peoples' style/expectations/workflow. When more people get involved and you have a business where success and satisfaction with the end results is really not black and white. You have to be able to pivot, change your mind, adjust, re-assess, and do what is best for the end-goal of the project. That really doesn't gel well with employees and the desire for.....quantifiable progress. 

As a small business owner, of a service-oriented business, I adapted to suit the needs and the demands and it worked for awhile. What I did not factor into my decision-making was more employees + more clients = more decisions to make and more people making decisions. 

Here's the real deal of what I found and I would imagine this has been the experience of many other small businesses. People say this all the time. I heard this same thing SO many different ways and I still walked into the abyss. (This is because...when I heard it I knew NOTHING about this place.) The place where....ANYONE who is not you....the person that has poured their heart and soul and time and money and effort and sacrificed in numerous different ways....anyone else just doesn't "get it." They don't know what to let go of and what to pursue. They don't know how to talk to people in tense situations. They don't have the confidence to pick up the phone to alert a regular buyer of upcoming inventory. More Employees+More Clients=More decisions..... Long story short....one of the moments when I picked my head up from the work - I noticed a watered-down version of what I built. I was also losing my zest. In situations where I once made really good thought out decisions that were SO purpose-driven; I reached a place where I did not want to have to make a decision.

Just me....with guidance from Uncle Melvin

Me & 10 crew members at a fundraiser. I had gotten up to 15+/- employees. 

Another fundraising event with 9 crew members. 

Then....I stopped to make a decision and found myself having to analyze the best way to move forward with where we were, based on the needs of the area and the tools at hand. Looking back....I wish I would have taken a different approach. Instead of trying to "get back" what I thought was lacking; I should have stopped long enough to REALLY dissect the situation. Take inventory of ME. Who I was 10 years ago is not who I am now. The needs of the community, that my company can meet, are not the same as they were 10 years ago when we got started. 

My lessons in decision making in a small business trying to scale is this:

1) Reassess YOU periodically. In a service-based business YOU are the one that will keep it going. YOU are the one that will be standing when no one else is. YOU will be handed the good, the bad, and the ugly and have to figure out what to do with it all. When you look up and things look different....don't take the stance or the responsibility of "fixing it." Take a moment to understand where YOU are and then proceed. 

2) I still like using the approach of qualifying your risk. You have to be sure to HARD SCHEDULE time to do that. Prioritize it. 

3) Be responsible for yourself FIRST. I know there is all sorts of information out there that may tell you otherwise, BUT....like I said above. YOU will be the one left holding the bag. YOU & your family are FIRST. If people around you....employees, clients, vendors, customers are not ADDING to you MORE THAN they are taking away from YOU; t

+he business will not sustain itself. The more people around you, the more you have to stay on top of maintaining this. Everything moves faster and multiplies quicker....even just adding one more person into the mix. 

4) If you are in a service-oriented business, sometimes it is just not scalable. At least not the way you imagine it. Don't be so hard-headed and be able to LET LOOSE OF AN IDEA. Give it a little rope and it might just lead you to something that is BETTER. 

Look, small business owners are scrappers. More times than not, we are going to be able to help a very small portion of the population. We are the special. We are the flavor. We are the ones that are willing to sacrifice some comforts others are not, so we can simply be ourselves and do the things we are good at by helping others solve their problems, creating something that will make their lives easier, or entertaining people and bringing them just a little bit of happy into their world. Growing up, I was taught that character is achieved by doing, by going through it and EXPERIENCING every bit of something. For example: If you are going to show horses, you have to ride some bad ones to appreciate the good ones. You have to do things "wrong" to know the importance of doing it right. You have to SOAK UP ALL OF IT. In my business, I had to have a couple bad auctions to KNOW and appreciate the good ones. I had to take a chance on an average auction to know whether or not to do that again. I had to TRY and scale my original process to know things will be compromised UNLESS I can be cloned into multiples with all the knowledge and experience I possess. I had to make decisions to know. Just know, if you are going to be in small business and make it and sustain it, BUCK UP BABY! Get some thick skin and get after it. 

A Legacy of Deep Respect & Gratitude

The auction project we are currently working on is for the Pagel Estate in Ganado, TX. We've been blessed to get to know and work right along side this family. We have also had the pleasure of enjoying the beautiful property, where this estate is situated, which will also be up for sale via the auction method of marketing on September 7th.

I like to share the backstories on our estate projects, to give our readers and bidders a glimpse into the life of the people and families associated with these estates. Louis & Louise Pagel were two small business owners that were very active in their community. He ran a sheet metal business & she had a sewing business where she sold fabric, sewing novelties, & made clothes and quilts. Working closely with their children, they have shared numerous stories with us, with so many exemplifying their love of fellowship, helping & being part of a community.

Both had their businesses in Ganado, which they later moved to Edna. While running those businesses and raising three children they also found time to allow the local Girl Scout Troop to hold camp on their beautiful property every year & hosted a many get togethers where Louis enjoyed cooking! Louis served as a Deputy Sheriff for Jackson County & enjoyed cooking for his colleagues.

They were very active in the Masonic Lodge & Eastern Star chapters they belonged to, as well as their church. I can tell by talking to their children that they valued family, had a sense of humor, & just really liked people. Another feeling I get from working with their children is the gentle strength they must have had. The kind of strength that speaks through actions versus words & a love and respect for people that solidified that strength. I never had the pleasure of meeting them, but I imagine they were the kind of people that listened to everyone they met & showed them respect, whether they saw eye to eye on everything or not. Something else that seems very apparent to me is that they didn't necessarily place a value on things, but more so - what those things brought and did for them in their lives. For example: it's not the money she spent on the fabric, but the time, energy, & dedication to her craft & the appreciation for what she knows can be created with the fabric by her or anyone else that has similar gifts & abilities. Everyone's story matters & I feel blessed to play a small part in theirs.

An online auction for the personal property associated with this estate is currently underway. It will start closing at 6 PM on Saturday 7/28/18. CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE ITEMS. There are numerous items that were accumulated over their lifetime including wonderful vintage fabric, tools, primitives, firearms, quilts, cedar chests, & so much more. Pick up will be this Sunday & those interested in the real estate you will be able to preview THIS Sunday between 1PM & 7PM.

The real property is also up for auction on September 7th. The real property consists of the home place with 5 acres adorned with 99+/- mature oak trees on the property & at least 2 pecan trees and a 1432 square foot house. An additional 7.48 acre tract is for sale at the intersection of HWY 111 & FM 1593, both having ag exemption. More information on the properties can be found here. These properties are separated by the public boat ramp and are minutes away from Lake Texana. Not to mention situated an hour or less from popular fishing destinations such as: Port Lavaca, Point Comfort & Port O'Conner; approximately half an hour from Victoria; 2 hours +/- from Austin, San Antonio, & Houston (about and hour and a half).

House & 5 Acres

House & 5 Acres

House & 5 Acres

7.48 +/- Acres

7.48 +/- Acres

7.48 +/- Acres

Estate situations can be difficult, but what better way to share the love and legacy of a family than to let items take on a new life and be shared with those that enjoy & appreciate them? What better way to bring fellowship back to the place that once was home to many gatherings?

Buck Up Baby! Check out the auction by visiting this link or downloading the "Buck Up Auctions" app for free to your smartphone. Information for the real estate can be found here. Once you click on the property of interest, look under the large picture & click the "Documents" tab for more info, including the full terms and conditions.

Buck Up & Bid! Bid! BID!
God Bless!
Heather Kaspar, NAA, TAA, REALTOR, GRI, ABOR, HAR
TXL 17037