Pizza For A Dream

Pizza Delivery Status and American Dream Update

2009-07-03T10:08:38-05:00

It's been just over a year since I started delivering pizzas part-time as described in Why Pizza For A Dream? Lots has changed since then, so I thought I'd send out a quick update.

On the pizza delivery front, I've decreased my nights delivering from 5 a week down to 2. To be honest, it's getting harder and harder to go into work as our business grows! Having my 3rd manager in the last year (this one is a real "gem") doesn't help much either. It's amazing how much turnover occurs in the restaurant world! At our location, less than 20% of the original hires are still left 1 year later. My plan is to stick around as long as I can stand it as it's nice to have that "spare tire" of income with the economy in the state it's in! It's also an easy way for me to fund part of my retirement as the company still offers a 6% match on my 401(k). The tips provide me a little spending money each week as well.

On the business front, chasing the American Dream couldn't be more fulfilling! The vending company I started nearly 18 months ago has taken off!! The model I've developed has enabled me to help 9 other families (thus far) around the country pursue their American Dream! One friend has been able to bring his wife home from teaching so she can be home with their new baby daughter because of the business and another was able to afford to take a 4 day vacation (for the first time ever) with his entire family and pay cash for it all! It's real life stories like these that drive me as much as the money. I have to say that we've been truly blessed and we hope to find other entrepreneur families around the country that share our vision and want to join us.

As you can probably guess, the the phrase "burning the candle at both ends," aptly describes my life over this past year. I anticipate this next year will bring more of the same as the upheaval in today's economy makes me cautiously optimistic despite our success. My hope is that by this time next year I will be able to report that I've walked away from my full-time advertising executive position and stopped delivering pizzas as well. I'd love to spend next summer traveling the country and teaching our kids our country's history by visiting the places where history occurred. I'll keep you posted!

From CEO to Pizza Delivery

2009-03-21T14:58:22-05:00

MWM

A Letter From The Boss

2009-03-01T16:47:22-06:00

My brother sent me this "letter" the other day and I thought I'd pass it along. It speaks for itself...

To All My Valued Employees,

There have been some rumblings around the office about the future of this company, and more specifically, your job. As you know, the economy has changed for the worse and presents many challenges. However, the good news is this: The economy doesn't pose a threat to your job. What does threaten your job however, is the changing political landscape in this country.

However, let me tell you some little tidbits of fact which might help you decide what is in your best interests.

First, while it is easy to spew rhetoric that casts employers against employees, you have to understand that for every business owner there is a back story. This back story is often neglected and overshadowed by what you see and hear. Sure, you see me park my Mercedes outside. You've seen my big home at last years Christmas party. I'm sure; all these flashy icons of luxury conjure up some idealized thoughts about my life.

However, what you don't see is the back story.

I started this company 28 years ago. At that time, I lived in a 300 square foot studio apartment for 3 years. My entire living apartment was converted into an office so I could put forth 100% effort into building a company, which by the way, would eventually employ you.

My diet consisted of Ramen Pride noodles because every dollar I spent went back into this company. I drove a rusty Toyota Corolla with a defective transmission. I didn't have time to date. Often times, I stayed home on weekends, while my friends went out drinking and partying. In fact, I was married to my business -- hard work, discipline, and sacrifice.

Meanwhile, my friends got jobs. They worked 40 hours a week and made a modest $50K a year and spent every dime they earned. They drove flashy cars and lived in expensive homes and wore fancy designer clothes. Instead of hitting the Nordstrom's for the latest hot fashion item, I was trolling through the Goodwill store extracting any clothing item that didn't look like it was birthed in the 70's. My friends refinanced their mortgages and lived a life of luxury. I, however, did not. I put my time, my money, and my life into a business with a vision that eventually, some day, I too, will be able to afford these luxuries my friends supposedly had.

So, while you physically arrive at the office at 9am, mentally check in at about noon, and then leave at 5pm, I don't. There is no "off" button for me. When you leave the office, you are done and you have a weekend all to yourself. I unfortunately do not have the freedom. I eat, and breathe this company every minute of the day. There is no rest. There is no weekend. There is no happy hour. Every day this business is attached to my hip like a 1 year old special-needs child. You, of course, only see the fruits of that garden -- the nice house, the Mercedes, the vacations... You never realize the back story and the sacrifices I've made.

Now, the economy is falling apart and I, the guy that made all the right decisions and saved his money, have to bail-out all the people who didn't. The people that overspent their paychecks suddenly feel entitled to the same luxuries that I earned and sacrificed a decade of my life for.

Yes, business ownership has is benefits but the price I've paid is steep and not without wounds.

Unfortunately, the cost of running this business, and employing you, is starting to eclipse the threshold of marginal benefit and let me tell you why:

I am being taxed to death and the government thinks I don't pay enough. I have state taxes. Federal taxes. Property taxes. Sales and use taxes. Payroll taxes. Workers compensation taxes. Unemployment taxes. Taxes on taxes. I have to hire a tax man to manage all these taxes and then guess what? I have to pay taxes for employing him. Government mandates and regulations and all the accounting that goes with it, now occupy most of my time. On Oct 15th, I wrote a check to the US Treasury for $288,000 for quarterly taxes. You know what my "stimulus" check was? Zero. Nada. Zilch.

The question I have is this: Who is stimulating the economy? Me, the guy who has provided 14 people good paying jobs and serves over 2,200,000 people per year with a flourishing business? Or, the single mother sitting at home pregnant with her fourth child waiting for her next welfare check? Obviously, government feels the latter is the economic stimulus of this country.

The fact is, if I deducted (Read: Stole) 50% of your paycheck you'd quit and you wouldn't work here. I mean, why should you? That's nuts. Who wants to get rewarded only 50% of their hard work? Well, I agree which is why your job is in jeopardy.

Here is what many of you don't understand ... to stimulate the economy you need to stimulate what runs the economy. Had suddenly government mandated to me that I didn't need to pay taxes, guess what? Instead of depositing that $288,000 into the Washington black-hole, I would have spent it, hired more employees, and generated substantial economic growth. My employees would have enjoyed the wealth of that tax cut in the form of promotions and better salaries. But you can forget it now.

When you have a comatose man on the verge of death, you don't defibrillate and shock his thumb thinking that will bring him back to life, do you? Or, do you defibrillate his heart? Business is at the heart of America and always has been. To restart it, you must stimulate it, not kill it. Suddenly, the power brokers in Washington believe the poor of America are the essential drivers of the American economic engine. Nothing could be further from the truth and this is the type of change you can keep.

So where am I going with all this?
It's quite simple.

If any new taxes are levied on me, or my company, my reaction will be swift and simple. I fire you. I fire your co-workers. You can then plead with the government to pay for your mortgage, your SUV, and your child's future. Frankly, it isn't my problem any more.

Then, I will close this company down, move to another country, and retire. You see, I'm done. I'm done with a country that penalizes the productive and gives to the unproductive. My motivation to work and to provide jobs will be destroyed, and with it, will be my citizenship.

If you lose your job, it won't be at the hands of the economy; it will be at the hands of a political hurricane that swept through this country, steamrolled the constitution, and will have changed its landscape forever. If that happens, you can find me sitting on a beach, retired, and with no employees to worry about....

Signed,

Your boss

WE Surround Them - Make Your Voice Be Heard

2009-02-06T05:00:00-06:00

I'm a big talk radio listener. Of all the talk radio hosts I've listened to, there's none like Glenn Beck. Glenn's a down-to-earth guy that can laugh at himself and truly relate to what you and I are going through day after day. Just 8 years ago, he couldn't even pay the rent for his apartment. Today, he's the 3rd most listened to radio talk show host in America and has a new show called Beck on Fox News.

A week or so ago, a caller on his show called in distraught due to the fact that it didn't appear that anyone was listening to regular people like him. This call spurred the beginnings of We Surround Them. Check out the video clip and explanation of the principles we all hold dear. This is our chance to be heard and to connect with others who believe like we do. A chance to connect with others who are "following the rules" but are frustrated why everyone who's not follow the rules is getting bailed out.

Stumble It!

Why Pizza For A Dream?

2009-02-05T10:36:03-06:00

The title, "Pizza For A Dream," is symbolic of the price that we all must be willing to pay to achieve our dreams in life. For years I've said that I would be willing to "flip burgers" to achieve my dream.

Instead, at this time in my life, I've opted to deliver pizzas. Doing so has been a humbling experience for me because those that know my background often look down their nose at the "step backwards" I've taken. Little do they know that I drive my car night after night with a PURPOSE. A purpose bigger than the extra money I'm making today. A purpose that keeps me up at night. That purpose, of course, is my dream. My dream to leave the corporate workforce behind and make my own way in the greatest country on earth! Being that I have 5 mouths to feed, this process is taking a little while, but for those of you that have less responsibility there are other ways to look at the challenge. Years and years of work experience (AF pilot, medical sales, advertising executive) along with years of entrepreneurial experience (MLM, e-commerce, vending) give me a unique vantage point on the process of success in America today. I hope to be able to share my life experiences, and those of others, and directly relate them to the principles and habits necessary for success in the world today. My hope is that in doing so, we can all move ahead one step or pizza delivery at a time and achieve our dreams. Stumble It!

Leadership By Example and The Young Entrepreneur

2009-02-05T05:00:00-06:00

I'm a serial entrepreneur and have had several businesses that I've run over the years. It's neat to see that one's example can have a big impact on others, especially future generations. The post Entrepreneurship: A Narrative shows the impact my example has had on one of my nephews. What example are you setting for those around you? People are watching!! Stumble It!

Good Debt vs. Bad Debt

2009-02-04T12:40:10-06:00

I just read a great post from Financial Jesus titled The Difference Between Good Debt and Bad Debt. This post is a great synopsis the concepts of Robert Kiyosaki's, Rich Dad, Poor Dad: What the Rich Teach Their Kids About Money--That the Poor and Middle Class Do Not! Change your thought process on debt and you'll change your future. Applying these concepts have made a huge difference in our family! Our kids will benefit big time from learning this at such and early age!
Stumble It!

You Can Make A HUGE Difference In The Lives of Those Around You

2009-02-03T10:30:47-06:00

Here's a note I sent this morning to a friend that Facebook has allowed me to get back in touch with. I thought I would share it to illustrate how big an impact his thoughts have had on my family. You never, ever know what impact you will have on others around you. All this happened due to a short 2 minute conversation he and I had one day several years ago.

Joe,

I wanted to take a minute to thank you for planting the seed of an idea in my mind several years ago. During one of our conversations, you had mentioned purchasing some gumball machines and using them to teach your kids about money and business, etc. Just wanted to let you know what that conversation has meant for me and my family.

About 3 years ago rumors began to spread that our company was going to be bought out. Since the buyee normally has lots of people lose their jobs, I realized it was time for me to do something outside of work to create some more security for the family. Our conversation led me to purchase several books online about vending and over the course of a few weeks, I educated myself on the industry.

I started out buying a couple of used machines on Ebay and steadily learned who the reputable manufacturers and suppliers were. The next 1.5 years, I expanded to over 125 locations around our area. Vending both candy and gumballs, and eventually stickers/tattoos and capsuled toys.

15 months ago, I came up with an "out-of-the-box" idea and began a test with a friend of mine in his place of employment. The test was so successful that last February I officially started my company and began setting up distributors in different parts of the state. One year later, we're growing very very rapidly. We'll begin expanding in our second state in the next couple of weeks and the plan is to expand our concept nationally from here.

This part-time business will surpass my full-time income (I'm still in the job I thought I might lose) in 2009 and has truly added additional security and flexibility for our family. I hope to leave the corporate world within the next 18 months or so and take more control over my life and my time in the process.

Our company's need for custom graphic design work has also led our family to purchase an iMac and the Adobe Creative Suite software. My 12 year old son is being mentored by a friend from church who works in graphics design and he is already doing a bunch of design work for the company. Talk about great money for a 12 year old. He's starting his own graphic design company sometime this spring.

Sorry for rambling, but I just wanted to let you know how grateful I am for planting that seed of an idea. You never know how big an impact you can have on those around you!

God Bless you and your clan! Stumble It!

The End of the Book Culture??

2009-01-28T13:24:10-06:00

The Houston Chronicle ran a concerning article this past weekend titled, The End of The Book Culture. The article is based around an interview with author, Larry McMurtry who was making a public appearance in Houston. In the article Mr. McMurtry states

"...I don’t see kids reading. I think little kids love to have stories read to them, but when they get to 10 or 11 or 12, they run into this tsunami of technology: iPod, iPhone, Blackberries."

The article goes on to discuss how this lack of reading doesn't bode well for the future of our country.

Cause for Concern

We have 3 kids of our own and with regular interaction with their peers, I've observed how over-the-top many families have gotten as they embrace new technologies. Drive down the streets of any town in the evening and notice all the DVD players running as families drive from place to place. Listen to the kids talk with each other and realize how many of families keep gaming consoles in just about every room of their homes. Kids are immersed in technology from sunup to sundown. What I struggle to understand is why parents are encouraging this? What redeeming value does playing Super Smash Brothers or Halo for the 1000th time have?

Call me old-fashioned, but my wife and I try to make every purchase decision in our household with the good of the family in mind. We attempt to analyze the long-term implications of each purchase, as it's our job to direct our children towards activities that will help and not hurt them. Don't others do the same? Or is it that people are so caught up in what others have and do, that they simply go along with no thought to the implications of their decisions?

The Brain Muscle

I'm only a history major and not a doctor, but I understand the brain to be a muscle like any other muscle in the body. The more work and resistance that it gets, the stronger it becomes. The brain does no real work when it's exposed to images from the TV or a video game. In fact, it's actually being weakened by having all it's work done for it as no real imagination or thought is required. Reading a book strengthens this muscle as it forces the brain to work in many ways.

Control Your Household

It's extremely important that parents control the exposure of their children to all this technology and encourage reading as well. In our household, we have daily 30 minute limits for video game and internet use and we've even cut off the cable completely so that TV (except for DVD's) is no longer an option for any of us. While curbing technology use, we must encourage reading and set aside time for this. Encourage reading of literature and classics. Show your children how much pleasure can be gotten from sitting down with a good book. With the younger kids, take time to read to them every day. Reading to our 3 kids is one of my wife's favorite times of our schedule each day!

Set The Right Example

Of course, your kids will follow your lead. What you do is far more important than what you say. Are you an avid reader? Do they see you reading to teach yourself something new each and every day? Are you reading to improve yourself or your current situation in life? Reading is imperative for lifelong success in today's ever-changing society. As a parent, you show the way!

As a parent, I refuse to participate in this "end of the book culture" that Mr. McMurtry discusses. How about you?

Stumble It!

I Wear Your Shirt

2009-01-26T05:00:00-06:00

I recently came across a unique business venture that has now caught the attention of the New York Times. The business is called, I Wear Your Shirt. The entire concept is that Jason will advertise for one company a day for an entire year by wearing their company shirt. He also does a webinar and advertises these companies on his website. Talk about ingenious!!

A common theme of PizzaForADream is business ownership and the power each individual has to take control of their own destiny. Jason has done this with such a simple idea. How about you? What steps are you taking to create a business that's yours instead of counting on the company you work for to keep you around? You can do it!