Sam and Judy had discussed starting their own small business together. Neither had management experience, with Sam working as a programmer and Judy in customer service. They wanted a business that could involve their families and provide for their needs while allowing flexibility. Both enjoyed staying busy but sometimes lost track of time, so balancing a business and family would require planning ahead.

1. Sam had always been interested in starting some kind of small business. During the summer he had given serious thought to the idea. He loved working with his hands and spent hours putting together very intricate jigsaw puzzles. Judy was more of a people person. Now that both kids were in school, she was interested in working part-time, using her experience as a customer service representative. Neither of them were risk takers. Their summer conversations centered on starting a business they could do together that could also involve their parents and kids. They were excited about the idea, but worried about their ability to succeed. OBJECTIVES - Personal Sam & Judy’s Start Up Story

2. As a computer programmer for a large corporation, Sam was only responsible for completing his portion of a project. He did not have any management responsibility or experience. Judy’s job in customer service only required quick, short responses and no management. As a Mom with two small kids, she knew how to handle unexpected events and demands. Their casual discussions about starting and running a small business centered on how much fun it might be and what they could gain from it. So far, the only thing they’d written down was their individual business achievement statement. They were both concerned about their lack of management experience. OBJECTIVES - Business Sam & Judy’s Start Up Story

3. During their seven years of marriage, Sam and Judy became a good team. They both grew up in active, involved homes. Sam liked to work alone without the help of others. Judy was more outgoing and preferred to be part of a small group. Both parents lived nearby. They often got together for family activities and also on holidays. Sam’s father was about to retire and expressed an interest in doing something to keep busy and add to his retirement income. Sam and Judy weren’t interested in becoming “rich and famous”. They did want to do a good job of providing for their family, being in control of their lives and creating some options. OBJECTIVES - Lifestyle Sam & Judy’s Start Up Story

4. Both Sam and Judy were energetic and loved to be busy. Judy was good at scheduling her time and Sam was used to meeting deadlines. However, both of them tended to get wrapped up in a project and lose track of how much time they were spending on it. They were concerned about how starting and running a small business would impact their family time. They felt it was very important to be “at home” for their kids, who were involved in sports and a lot of elementary school activities. They knew if they planned ahead and worked together their energy level would be high enough to make it all fit together. OBJECTIVES - Time Sam & Judy’s Start Up Story