HOW AN IDEA IS BORN

You have to be at the right place, at the right time and with the right person to have something that may have been said to you countless times before finally take hold.

It was this past Mother's Day, when after a great dinner, I slipped out the back door for some fresh air. My older brother was already outside. He is aware that my husband and I have been working on the Internet ever since the school closed, and he has never had great faith in its ability to generate a substantial income. And although he has said this before, he said it again. " You should really think about opening up a Montessori school again, unless of course, your internet business is really doing great".

My immediate thought was of course, I don't have the money I would need to do it, and its been 4 years since I last did it. He replied, " you can always get people to invest", and I replied that I don't know anyone like that. The conversation ended there.

The next day, my husband came down with the flu, and before he was halfway through it, I got it. Strange as that seems, it happened that way. He actually recovered within 24 hours, and I'm writing this post from my bed, where I've been for the last 2 days. I have an intermittent harsh cough, chills, body aches and fatigue. I take nighttime cold tablets and daytime tablets. I'm drenched in sweat periodically and feel filthy. But this idea sprouted wings during this time.

During these sick days, I was speaking to my sister on the phone, as we always do, and I mentioned to her what our brother had said to me. What she next told me, really blew me way.

Apparently, ever since I lost the school, both my brother and my Dad had mentioned to her, on many, many occasions that they might be willing to help finance, in part or in whole, the idea of opening another Montessori school!

Whether or not, they meant for the two of us to do this together, or just me, wasn't really important. I wanted this idea, if it was going to see the light of day, to be a joint venture for both my sister and myself. I realize the scope of this business, having done it when I was so much younger, and there is no way, I'm willing to try it alone at my ripening age.

Both my sister and I, over the last few years or so, have gotten very close. That's a good thing if we're going to run a business together. Also, we are both financially in a very rocky place. Being only 6 years younger than I, she too, is very cognizant of how fragile our positions are, working for other people. We both know that we need something of our own, that will provide enough income to secure our futures.

That alone is enough fuel to light our fires. However, there are considerations that have to be ironed out if we proceed. Our family relationship for one. How many families have been torn apart because business was a part of the picture. We would have to find ways of safeguarding our relationship. Moreover, having done this before, I have the experience and she doesn't, and yet we both want this to be a 50/50 partnership. On the other hand, my sister's business experience is marketing and advertising, which will be integral in attracting enrollment. I need to refresh my knowledge of so many aspects of the business, and it seems to me that while I'm refreshing myself, my sister can be learning. We have already started the process. She has e-mailed me a slew of questions which I answered.

We're in the middle of May, and schools open their doors in September. Is it possible? Can we pull this off? I think we're going to try. I'm waiting to hear from her to get her total commitment and only then can I bring up this idea with my husband. Going forward, I would want his understanding . He would have to agree that it is the wise thing to do at this point in our life. He would also have to be willing to take over my side of the Internet business and make it his. I'm pretty sure he'll be OK with it, but we'll have to see.

So, if both my sister and husband are on board, I will take great delight in chronicling our adventures in setting up a private Montessori school, in my posts, from now on. Stay tuned!.