Just a quick thought.
In the past, I took for granted that when you hire a general contractor to renovate a property, that person is the one who shows up, leads the crew and gets everything done. I was SO wrong. So very, very wrong!
The money that I pay to a general contractor goes so many different directions. A chunk of it goes to the general contractor for coordinating everything, and each mechanical area shows up with a crew of its own. For example, the electrician had another guy working with him. The plumber hired a sub-contractor, and that guy's team had three people. The tile guy has another guy working with him and the framing team...OMG!!! The sub-contractor has a sub-contractor! It's crazy!
There is some consolation, though. My project, only 1500 square feet, has employed at least 14 people to date. That includes the designer, project managers and the architect. If you add, by extension, all of the people working with those people...WOW. Let the multiplication begin!
The realization that the money generated by/through me to employ so many people is humbling to say the least. I feel a little less stressed about the debt I've accumulated (and it's a LOT). And I'm still clear about my vision - creating a local spa, a safe place to destress, focus on the self and heal.
What I know for sure (Yeah, I borrowed that from Ophrah) is that my small business has made a big impact on my community and the doors aren't even open yet in the new location. I'm feeling more and more like a true leader: Dedicated to my community, committed to seeing this project through to the end and determined to keep the sailing as smooth as possible. I'm growing and glowing!!!
Emma