And so it begins once again

After 3 1/2 months, fines and enough loop holes to make even a frog tired, I finally have permits for both properties. I m not even going to go into the logistics or even the large amount of bullshit that took place today. Why? Because I am just relieved I am on to step 2.

I’ve always wanted a little more grey in my hair actually, don’t ask me why, but I think after the last 3 months, I’ve got I’ve been asking for.

So what now, step 2, the build out. More tools, more people and unfortunately more conversations with CIS. I was really hoping this dude would just disappear, but so far my luck isn’t happening on either end. The good news is that I made friends with the Fireball, turns out he’s a huge fan of the college I went to. Thats a whole other story, but as with everything, it all comes around.

So starting tomorrow at 6am (saturday btw) I’ll be working and monitoring. Worked a power ‘lift’ today, way to much fun. Tomorrow a chance to play with a jack hammer and learn a little plumbing 101, straight from the ground up and then a little dry wall action. Will make up for a boring weekend to come.

Lets hope starting tomorrow this process doesn’t take as long as obtaining the permits. I am sure there is going to be some BS along the way, but it can’t get much worse. At least that’s what I am banking on right now. . .

Not so fast

My 1st attempt to post something in the morning was a success, I posted, but really I stuck my foot in the mouth before allowing the day to take shape.

Still in a holding pattern and not allowed to land. I really want to go into great detail about all this, but I won’t because all I can do is just laugh.

The ‘sloths’ decided to pull a fast one on us and it worked. Submitted the plans back in January under X contractor and Y contractor went to pick them up today. ‘Sloths’ made Y contractor fill out a new form and told him wait another day or so and we’ll let you pick up your permits? Really a day or so? For what, to do something as simple as check to see if this Y is really this Y? WTF? I mean damn Homeland Security, watch out! The ‘sloths’ are one upping you cats.  Why not just say, we dont like you nor your plans and are doing everything in our will to hold them here, because you hurt CIS’s feelings.

I could handle that and it would be a reason.

I doubt I will post again early morning, unless its something about ZIggy, which I could write a few posts about lately, but I wont allow this to turn into Ziggy’s blog. Not everything in my life revolves around my dog, HA who I am I kidding!

Inner Dragon . . .

Finally got word back from the City ‘sloths’ (new name). At some point in time I need to create a character list so I can keep it all straight. Actually is there an animal that moves slower than a Sloth? If so then I can file for a name change.

Its been close to 3 months for the ‘sloths’ to review the plans, make their comments and for the architects to make their notes. What I find funny about this, is that when I started this process back in December and heard it only takes about 2-3 weeks to receive the permits, I was excited. Excitement was flying all around me. That was until I finally got kicked upside the head with a bowl of reality!

Being a strong Gemini (fire dragon at that) I tend to get bored easily with projects. This adventure has forced me to deal with my strong sense of boredom. Just how long can I hold on without becoming to bored,  3 yrs and a few months. Starting to get close to the edge, but at least the end is near.   The project is  filled with smaller projects/parts, all of which have been fun at times. I enjoy researching companies, vendors, products and so forth. That actually is the fun part. Turning it around and making it into numbers, hasn’t been.

At the beginning, I was working on various projects, narrowing them down and jumping from one to the other, which feed my inner dragon! After christmas break, it all came to quick halt and from that time, its been a slow step by step process. Something again, that I have never really been keen on. More of a jumper, always moving and returning, but never staying to long with one project. I’ve always known this and is one main reason I knew I wanted to become an entrepeneur. The ability to juggle more than I can toss up, is actually exciting and keeps me running full speed.

This is why this whole permit process has really taken a toll, because I havent been able to move, almost feeling as though I’ve been attached to cement blocks. I have other small projects I’ve been working on to pass the time, like building a reception desk, putting my office together and a few other odds and in’s, but again, it doesn’t really make up for the big picture. Its been more frustrating that I thought, because I am now starting to let the rabbit out of the hat.

I’ve been showing it to my close friends, who I think, over the past few years since I’ve known them have always been curious as to what I do? It’s been fun for me because I am able to share with them something built and not just my words anymore.

Slowly I’ve started my quiet PR push as well. Quiet in the sense, that I am meeting with some people to gain their support, so when push comes to shove, I have a little extra momentum. This morning I had the fine pleasure of meeting 3 people who when the time comes, will play a key role in building support for the facility. Not sure if it’s just me, but I can walk into the most crowded space and see past the walls, color and objects. Lately when I bring people in the facility, I get one or two remarks “Wow, what a great space, I just can’t see it, but I am sure it’s going to be awesome” and my favorite “invite us back when your about to open so we can get a better idea”?

60-90 days is what I keep telling people and every time I say it my inner boredom gets a little bigger. . .

Step by Step

Started this post late last night and feel asleep . . . oops

Not sure I really woke up today expecting to be on the phone for 2.5 solid hours, putting out fires and dealing with another case of stupidity which still hasn’t been resolved.  Just to bring you readers into the loop here, here is what is going on.

Blding 1 now officially has permits and I can start the build out, oh wait, donde estas el dinero . . . el banco!

Blding 2 is almost finished with the build out but there has been a stop work permit placed on the site. I received a call today that everything had passed, except one little issue…

Around 1:30 this afternoon my phone goes off and I have just received a call from the Head Fire Inspector himself. Lets just say for the point of this post, I talked with Fireball 5 times over the course of 2.5 hrs.

My first conversation was a basic scare me and make give up all my secrets, which I have to admit, I almost did. I really don’t want to bore anyone with all the logistics but very quickly, I am trying to get one of the facilities up and operational and more importantly built out so that my friend can host her fashion show. As of right now I am stuck in this holding pattern because the County is having the hardest time with the artificial turf that I have installed.

Fireball called me to get down and dirty with him and as I mentioned I gave him a little too much information the first time around, but quickly caught onto the game, after quick council with “da man”. He played hard ball and sank a little, held my ground and felt like killing him with kindness might work. Ha, that was a joke, kindness only brings on more questions.

Issue: Blding 2 is zoned as office and the requirements to have a special event needs to be assembly?

After the 1st talk with Fireball, he said no way. You wont be able to have the fashion show in the building, but the parking lot will do. Really, a fashion show in the parking lot? Not what my friend wanted to hear. I made a call to “da man” and after a quick lesson on talking with these inspectors and marshals I learned I spilled the beans a little, but could if quick enough, wash them away?

Fireball called within 5 minutes and this time around, was a little softer in tone and was explaining the rules and ways around it? Gave me a few suggestions and after clearing up a few assumptions by CIS (damn idiot has been the main cause) we got down to business. I pulled the Texas card, which I have to say, does bring some respect to the table. Ended on a good note and I felt good.

Made a few more calls and he calls again, this time telling me he will do what it takes, gives me a few inside ideas (off the record) to help put this show together. Funny, in less than 40 minutes, he’s a hard ass, then a nice guy and now my best friend.  ‘Da man’ said this was going to happen. Everything is just a  step by step process.

Believe, Try it Out Some Time

I haven’t written in the past few days because I havent had much going on. I am back in a holding pattern, feeling like an airplane circling the runway and not being told why I can’t land. Every time I attempt to go down I am told no keep waiting. For those of you that havent gone through this process I wouldn’t ask my worse enemy to go through this.
Yes, I have heard the war stories when dealing with the city and at times never really believed it could be that bad, boy was I wrong For some reason it goes from bad to worse to straight out hell, when dealing with these inspectors, marshals and permit people. You would think, that in a down economy, in a city begging  for new business, that the ‘city’ and all their hooligans would be welcoming any type of new business.

I am in no way shape or form the size of Wal-Mart and if I am lucky will be hiring up to 20 people within my 1st year, but hey, its more than zero? You would think that these people would be asking what can we do to help, not coming up with more excuses to delay. The normal holding pattern is about a week, yet I’ve been holding for 2 +. I keep trying to find pull out encouraging words , but then something goes off and I am back to slinging mud! Dirty mud actually.

I would ranting about it, but where does and has that gotten me? No where, it keeps coming and at times seems to be getting worse if not better, but I have been told the worse is over for now and I should start to see a little co-operation? I’ll believe when I see it.

On a side note, I had a conversation with a new banker out West (when in doubt always head West). Nice youngster, straight forward (just the way I like it) and eager to help. He slipped a few times, causing me to raise the red flag, but all in all a good match so far. Where I am going with this, is that I was just recently rejected on a loan request from this kid who just arrived here about 3 months ago from Cali. No dis-respect Cali, but your shit can stink at times.

My new banker filled me in on some of the comments made by “Cali” and one comment sent me into pure amazement. I am asking and hopefully someone will tell me, but if you’re an ‘underwriter’ for a very well-known bank, do you really use the following as an excuse to deny a loan:  . . .

” I don’t believe this guy even worked for XXX company in Chicago anyways”?

WTF? Really, are you that little of a man and lost all faith in people, that you would think, I just submitted a business plan full of lies and would pull XXX company out of my ass? Let’s just say deal or no deal, the ‘cali’ kid is black listed already! I had respect, but no more, not even a chance. To call me a liar without even checking, will fire up this Latino’s blood to a level I dont even like!

This comment that was made yesterday, has really affected me in way I wasnt really expecting. All day I couldn’t shake it. I take people at face value and respect people in certain positions. For some odd reason I’ve been placing bankers on a pretty high stool. Lets just say that with everything that has happened with my interactions with bankers, this stool just got its legs chopped off and its sitting on the floor.

I’ve been trying to rack my brain around it and wonder why on earth would this ‘underwriter’ not believe something on my RESUME, let alone something in a business plan. This ‘fool’ thinks I made up all this crap?  Pisses me off more than I can even blog about. I want to call the little ‘cali’ kid and rip him a new one, put it all back together and rip it again! After I was informed of this I wanted to tell this new banker deals off!  I really don’t want this bank to have my business nor be apart of my success, but I don’t have much of  choice right now. I have to take what I can get right now.

It’s hard and going to be really hard if this deal goes through, knowing this ‘fool’ questioned my professional experience and called me a liar and didn’t even have the balls to call the company and verify it.

Amazing the ‘god’ like complexes people can acquire when placed in positions of decision-making!

Another set back

Being new to this whole entrepreneurship, I am completely taken back by how many times one can get so close, yet the end is still so far away. Today I once again encountered another inspector. However this time he came by way of Fire! We shall refer to him as FIRE BALL!

The Fire ball showed up around 10ish this morning under a light rain and wanted to assert his dominance, just like his buddy CIS (no jokes the two are friends, double strike). On a quick side note its funny because every time it rains after a gorgeous sunny day, these damn inspectors show up. I’m completely unsure whether the rain  brings them out or they bring out the rain.

He actually fooled me, because I was thinking he was showing up to take a look at the site, because our renderings are still on lock down at the city and was thinking he was showing his face to check out a few questions about our renderings and then would report back to the city, sign off and the permits would be issued. Not even CLOSE!

After a long conversation with my business associate, it turns out he was called by my little friend CIS. Amazing what these guys are up to. Thats cool, come pick on the small guy, I mean we’re just trying to stay afloat and get things operational to create jobs, revenue and another attraction for the city.

He showed up and starting picking on minor issues, funny thing was the things he was picking on we cant fix because we have no permits & we are RED TAGGED! Duhhhh right? No. In case you havent had the fine pleasure of dealing with inspectors and marshal’s I would advise you to just stay calm and kill them with their own stupidity. As a funny comedian says “Here’s your Sign!”

I wont get into the details and all his grips, but I will share with you my very close 1st brush with the law dawgs.

I was at the facility earlier this morning, getting it ready for today’s activity. I had all these pictures ready to post on my blog. I even had the title picked “The DEERE RUNS WILD”! Was going to show a few before and after shots, however when Fire ball comes a burning, nothing you can do about it.

So I was in the facility with the grass boys, Ziggy and my business associate. It was starting to rain and my very fine TAPE JOB was still holding up. Out of the corner of my eye I see an object pass by the windows.  Fire ball, no big deal. Business Associate goes out, starts to show him the other facility and for a brief 4 seconds I took a big breath and didnt worry about it. Kept watching them in the other facility continuing to think he’s just here to check it all out. At the time we had a high power brush & generator running. Mistake #1, never leave a running generator (bright red) out side when these people show up. They are like hounds and sniff them out.

Before I can make any movements, in he walks and nothing is being said, so I assume he’s just here for a little sight-seeing journey. Within 20 minutes the scenery changes, harsh words are being exchanged and I start to hear words and questions as to what is happening and laws are being broken. Quickly we put a stop on the machines, cell phones are ringing, he steps outside, business associate comes over with a grin and says “round 2”!

Not happy at all, because we are only 2 days from finishing the install of the grass and knowing this is going to get nasty. Oh did it. Within seconds, I notice my business associate outside locking the doors and myself in with the grass boys and Ziggy. I cant see anything, once again my beautiful artwork is protecting me yet hindering me! Still so excited about clever idea! My cell is buzzing and its my business associate on the other side of the wall. For the 1st time I felt like a caged animal!

He quickly tells me to go to the door and when given the order . .  open, close, lock and walk quickly to the car and leave. Phone goes dead, I repeat the instructions to the grass boys, cell buzzing again . . . get ready. . . . now, go, fast . . . move it. Did I mention it was pouring down rain?

So out we go, the HOOLIGANS! I quickly make a B line to the tank, hoped in and sped off. Cell buzzes again . . . stay close but not too close, I’ll let you know how it goes.

I lead the grass boys to a fantastic burrito place, they are chowing and I am making and taking calls.  After 30 minutes or so I receive a call from my business associate and he of course is chuckling! Laughing it off is one of his greatest characteristics!

Story goes as follows: Fire ball calls his BF, yes you guessed it . . . CIS, reports that we are doing work, CIS goes CRAZY, tells my business associate he’s calling the police to issue warrants for our arrest, business associate says go ahead, instructed to leave now, within 2 minutes after I depart the site, 4 cruisers come flying in, 2 more fire balls show up and for a good 20 minutes a wild dust storm is taking place in the parking area. When it all settles down, the police leave, a citation is issued and we are back to the place we were a week ago, SHUT DOWN and waiting!

Calls were made quickly, had a meeting with a council man later in the afternoon, called off the work, came back to the site to find a nice RED TAG on the door (Stop work notice) and left the site around 6:30ish.

One of the best parts of this story is my close friend from the Dirty Dirty (aka Maine), came by to check it out and was caught in the cross fire. While at the site this afternoon, shutting things down and taking things out and putting things in, the Fire Ball decided to do a few drive by’s and this time my close friend got to feel what it was like be a caged animal as well. Luckily he is an unknown to the Fire Ball and CIS and I decided to let him out and do some recon work for me on his way out . . .

The Arrival

Wasnt really sure what I was going to post today, because nothing to exciting actually happened. I did manage to vacuum close to 8,000 sq ft, which I dont highly recommend. Tomorrow is when the labor starts. Again not sure how many of you readers have laid turf before, but the process is as follows. Roll the turf out, fit the seams together, paste glue substance on floor, roll it out, cut out bubbles, cut in the lines, glue lines, use power brush to push grass on its legs (made that term up), toss in 13.5 tons of sand to help keep turf standing on edge, then brush turf over and over again, applying sand and enviro fill (too hard to explain).

So tomorrow it will be a lot of brushing and loading up the sand machine. Finally will get close to seeing what this grass is going to look like. Almost there. . .

On an entirely different note, I know have reason to celebrate this day and now it has nothing to do with  buying flowers, chocolates or teddy bears, instead my lil nephew Chase Wallace was born a few hours ago in New York. Healthy little bugger at 7 lbs 8 ounces. Glad he is out and breathing and now my sister and husband can finally rest a little, but man, being born on Valentines Day, going to be rough, but no worries that’s my job right as his UNK, to teach him the rules and better yet ways to trick the system. Except this time I am working with a double whammy!

Bumps, Humps and seams OH MY!

Spent the better half of the day at the site, helping a little here and there, but really envisioning what the site will look like when finished and trying to figure out what else is there to finish. No really it was more along the lines of, holy crap I still have x, y & z left. For some odd reason, every time I feel like I am about to step foot on a straight path, the end of the bend becomes more curvy. I am assuming this is pretty normal, which in a way, is great because I do get bored easily.

I consider myself a visionary, someone with great creativity and can usually see past the walls, through the cracks and beyond the paint, but for some reason I am finding it hard to weave through the artificial turf and beyond. Maybe that’s because there are bumps, humps and seams everywhere.

I think the problem is coming from the fact that the grass isn’t exactly what I thought it was going to look like (about 75% complete), there are still no bathrooms and the lights are still not in, nor is there any lobby/reception area. I kind of put this together quickly with some quick brain storming and a few drawings. No official renderings where drawn & I am starting to wonder, did I make my first really big mistake here?

No, there are no mistakes, just a lot of set backs, right?

I guess I will need to share with you that there are two buildings that I have leased to run my operations out of. Building Mint is 20,000 sq ft and building Lincoln is 10,000 sq ft. I’ve spent most of my time & available financial aid in building Lincoln. Building Mint is still awaiting that “YES” man. Without any renderings and just solely off the pictures created in my mind, I’ve been able to share and guide those responsible of taking the raw and cooking it into something tasteful.

I am still trying to come up with an idea for the front reception area. I’ve been to a few of these indoor athletic facilities and no dis-respect, but several of them look so cheap and trashy. I can pretty much guess why,  the costs associated with such a project, not for the weak or faint at heart.

I consider the make-up of the facility to have a little edge, a little bit of modern and a whole lot of urban. The space is 14′ x 14′ and has a floor that will remain concrete. The entrance and exit are double-sided glass doors. I’ve come up with a certain look for the reception desk, but then it comes to laying it all out, I am all sorts of out of whack. I do better when the space is full of debris, not of my own. This time around, it’s an empty space and I am struggling. One would think, an empty space would be easier to envision than a space full of crap.

Yes, welcome to the world of the entresportsLEXIC!

Hears to hoping the wheels start turning and the creative juices start boiling!

Another Friday . .. Done and Gone

I didnt blog yesterday, because nothing really eventful went on. All the guys who were kicked off the site by the inspector showed back up to finish their jobs.

Inspector CIS showed his little face today, but he didnt see SHIT! ha ha ha . . . I won! Well really I owe it to the plumber who saw him and decided to just play chicken with him and fool him by packing up all his equipment and leaving the site. Damn inspector CIS. Sure he drove by a few times and never saw anything, expect for my fine ‘art’ work!

Today I spent the majority of the day re-working my numbers, the one’s el dumbo, said I could NEVER reach. Got them down to what is industry standard, which I am having an impossible time understanding. Wont get into, because it will bore you as much as it does me but lets just say the numbers I did have were bare bone, the numbers I just came up with are like fossils of the bare bones.

Finally got a chance to see what the field is going to look like (pics will come). Still need my goals though. . .

Kept wondering if it was going to snow (yes it did and is continuing). Coming up with ZIggy’s schedule tomorrow. Get up early and get fresh tracks or wait until there’s activity so he has some friends to play with? Both maybe?

Again, boring post/blog . . . wish there was more to talk about!

Business, nothing peronal . . .

Rejection, a word I’ve never handled well, and yet one would think, as a young entrepreneur I would need the tools necessary in dealing with this word, seeing how its become a common monthly feeling for me. All of us have met rejection at some point in our life and if you havent then your not living! We can all live with this in small doses, but what happens when small doses start to become the monthly norm?

Rejection is a part of growing up and comes with any life accomplishment. It helps define the hero’s and separates the strong from the weak. I understand that to carry out anything in this life, you must risk rejection. Yes, Yes I completely understand that I am not going to die from it and lord willing someone will eventually say yes or will they? Yes I know, but come on let’s get a move on here, please where is the person and by person I mean BANK!

Today was another difficult day for me. One that I am glad is over and yet wasnt really wanting to go through. If you’ve never started a business, then I guess you probably wouldn’t have written a business plan and thus probably have no idea how it feels to give something you feel extremely proud over. Something you’ve poured countless hours into, $$$, sweat and at time tears. Completely different from your senior thesis or anything that you’ve spent long hours on, because this time around, the grade determines whether you continue to eat PB&J’s or finally can shop at Whole Foods?

The idea of submitting a business plan to a loan officer who then takes it to an underwriter is indeed a nervous & stressful process, because your asking people who sit behind a desk to trust in you, that your projections are truthful, honest and are up to industry standards. I’ve now officially submitted my business plan to 6 banks and have yet to find this ‘YES PERSON’! I am starting to wonder if they too lost their jobs in this recession?  Where o where are thou?

Being rejected from these banks has made me feel as if  my research is not up to industry standards.  At times has made me feel inferior and gives a “little tickle to that insecure reminder of the self”, acquired from being teased and criticized as a child. OH GREAT it all comes back to my childhood experiences (ha ha ha ha). I like that I can always revert back to my child hood experiences as an excuse and why shouldnt I, its only logical, right?

No worries, its business, nothing personal and the problem, is simply in my thinking. I’ve come to understand (ok I am just telling myself this) that the bank is not rejecting me, just my “dream”. DREAM CRUSHERS! Can I cuss on blogs? (Need to check on that one . . .)

The bank doesn’t even know me well enough to reject me. They are rejecting the idea of being talked into my “dream”, by spending money. I mean hell it isn’t even theirs anyways, its Uncle Sam’s or is it? Stimulus hello are you there? ? ?

Getting over any fear is difficult, I  get that. But this fear of rejection is strong! Solution . . .  go out and do whatever it is that I’m avoiding! Hum, so your saying then, go out submit more business plans and welcome more rejections? Great, grow tougher skin and “man the fuck up”!

After several successful accomplishments one would think, the chance of rewards becomes greater than the fear? Awh its coming together now.  The longer the procrastination, the larger it becomes in my mind. . .” If your job is to eat one live frog each day; don’t look at it too long.” (A personal favorite)

Lesson: get over my childhood trauma, keep the ol’ chin up there and get out and  just “do work, son.” . . .  before the mind decides to make elephants from those frogs I need to swallow!