What an amazing couple of months it has been! I officially kicked off Andersons of West Hills in February 2021, the 5th to be exact, although I’d been thinking about taking the plunge for a few months prior.
I had been exploring writing, consulting, and how to use my skills for quite some time. It was definitely time to take the leap. I’ve been a small business owner with Jason for 18 years now with Denwerks. This means I had experience to draw from and it helped to take the edge off such an important decision.
I am so grateful I made that choice and I’ve not looked back. I quit my job, woke up the next day, turned on my computer, and I’ve been working hard every day.
Well, working hard is relative, it feels like a lot of play mixed in there. This is precisely what I want to focus on every single day from now on.
Things Are Looking Up!
In the beginning, I thought I’d buckle down, and hit the streets every day. I thought I’d be building my business and settling in for the hard, arduous, and tedious work that takes. As it turns out, I’m finding that there are so many opportunities to stop and enjoy the process. I’m loving how this new life is coming together. It’s not arduous at all and I wake up happy and ready to roll with the day.
In the last year, I have finally embraced the side of me that is free-spirited. Or rather, I’ve accepted that I’m way more free-spirited than I ever thought I was. That’s really manifesting into an amazing future, although things are never certain, I wouldn’t change where I am today for a life that is more predictable. That much I can guarantee.
Here’s some updates on projects I’m working on and ways for you to follow along or work with me too!
No Reserve Podcast
As I started networking and making the necessary connections, I found that our classic car business was a nice way for Jason and I to work together on some projects. We also wanted to have some fun, and also build both of our businesses.
Jason, in his role as the Denwerks, Inc. owner, sells all of our cars in No Reserve auctions, so we are risky that way – it never gets less scary by the way no matter how many times you see a car roll on the auction block.
The idea of our podcast is for us to be able to discuss our life, marriage, businesses, and how we plan to live our lives in No Reserve in every way going forward. We’ve learned so much about that recently and it changed us for good. We are kicking off our shoes more often and just rolling with life. That’s what you can hear about on the podcast, as well as business tips and our approach to our marriage.
We are far from perfect and we’ve screwed things up to the breaking point sometimes, but we have also learned a lot and we want to be open about that. Who knows, it just might help someone else.
We’ve had a ton of positive feedback from listeners and friends already, and it’s been such a great way for us to connect with others.
We know we are not alone in our struggles, and we want others to know they aren’t alone either.
Here’s a link if you want to give it a listen!
Consulting Update
In addition, I’m networking with some local groups and taking on a couple of HR and consulting clients. It’s been so fun to share with others my knowledge and to support business owners that are passionate about changing the world. There are amazing stories of hope and inspiration, and I’ve gotten to know several people in my travels already. It’s fun work, and I’m finding that I enjoy taking on the work I want to and not getting bogged down in projects that simply don’t interest me.
If that doesn’t work, it’s fine with me, I’m doing life my way, and I’m here to tell you that you should be doing it your way too. Be done with substituting your judgment for others. That has been extremely freeing for me.
If you are interested in business and HR consultation, get in touch. I’d love to talk.
Just know that I’ll challenge you to think outside the box, and it’s going to be an adventure, rather than a slow and methodical process.
Grabbing opportunities when they present themselves is so important. You’ve got to if you want to be a business owner. If we work together, it’s going to require you to get uncomfortable and take some risks. I’ll walk beside you, but it might be a little uncomfortable at first.
Life Happenings
We’ve had some great things happening in our family too.
Shortly after starting the podcast, as in the day after, Jason got an unexpected message from a long-lost son of his. It has truly been an awe-inspiring journey as he’s met Chuck. Take a listen to the podcast for the whole story. It’s a long one, but an amazing one.
If you’ve ever lost hope in something, you need to hear what has happened to Jason and our family through this story.
The healing that has taken place is almost indescribable and that has been the best ever.
In addition, Chuck and his girlfriend are getting ready to have a baby, so we are going to be grandparents!! That’s right, I’ll be a grandma at the ripe old age of 47 and I can’t wait.
Also, Chuck is a car guy. It seriously has to be genetic. We found by happy accident that his car and my car match. White, red brakes and super duper fast is the trend, just in case you were wondering. We had fun doing a photoshoot with him when he visited a few weeks ago.
Jason and I also went to Woodburn Dragstrip a few weeks ago to settle the score about who was faster, his Ford Raptor, or my Porsche Macan S? Results are in, I kicked his butt twice! It was a really fun day, and both Jason and I enjoyed some trash talking and tearing it up at the racetrack. I think we’ll be back in the future.
My super-secret dream career is as a race car driver, so this was a great way to get out there and GO! I hit 102 MPH, which isn’t crazy fast, but hey, it worked for me. So far I’ve had the Porsche up to 116 MPH in other places (ahem, top-secret locations) and I’m so curious how fast this thing can actually go. I’ll keep you posted.
We are also preparing a car for the Gambler 500 this summer. It’s going to be so fun!! Two days of off-road driving, picking up trash on public land, and driving our sweet sweet sweet 1989 Ford Country Squire. It’s nothing but a kick-ass time and we can’t wait.
It’s on our anniversary weekend, but don’t worry, we are going to Hawaii a couple of weeks later so we’ll have a nice relaxing, high class vacation after that.
Denwerks Update
Also, I’ve been joining Jason more in Denwerks adventures, and I’ve bought a few cars of my own to sell. I am so excited about this! It happened by total accident as I was cruising the ads for a car for our son to learn to drive in (the Porsche and Raptor are not appropriate, ha ha). I found this 1972 Lincoln Mark IV, bought it, and it’s going to be my first No Reserve auction on Bring a Trailer. I’m scared to death, but I can’t wait!!
And then I bought a truck….which is awesome, or will be awesome after that camper and step sides come off. This will be auction #2 on BaT.
Just so you know, I did ultimately buy a car for Mason, a 1998 Ford Taurus, so I think the buying spree is done, at least for now!!
Yes, You Can Have It All, and It Doesn’t Have to Make Sense to Anyone But You
I am so excited about the future and living each day in anticipation of what comes my way. I have learned that having it all is really about doing life authentically and in an open way. We can fall victim to putting ourselves in a framework of how we think we should be, and I’ve done it for most of my life – big mistake, huge mistake. I am so happy to be out of that box and enjoying my life every single day now, and I could care less what anyone thinks about it.
I could tell you all the hard things that have happened too over the journey, and they absolutely have. But they aren’t barriers for me, they are simply mileposts along the way, just like the good stuff. Call me and let’s have coffee if you need to know how I got to this place. I’ll share with anyone that can benefit from my screw-ups.
The best advice I have for you? Stop substituting others’ opinions for yours, live the life you truly want to, and most of all…please, please listen to this: stay away from poison oak!! I have a very healthy fear of it now, I’ve been plagued with it all spring so far. It’s the worst!
So that’s the update, stay in touch, and let’s keep kicking ass.
Andersons of West Hills 