So why is it the end of the month, and I didn't even realize that?! Seriously, I knew what date it was, but deadlines and bills have just whizzed by me all month. I've never been so consciously unconscious.

So much has happened, and all the while I have an overly full schedule at work. I'm still operating on my three-day weekend schedule to get things done, yet it's not enough time. I have my inspection Friday, my small reveal to my clients on Saturday, and the salon opens for business on Monday.

At this point, my floors are about 90% done, my bench is 50% done, my painting is 80% done, and I'm only off Wednesday through Sunday. I move out of my current space Wednesday, and I have to start getting things together. On top of that, the other day, I got a call telling me that the water can't be switched off to tie in the lines for the pedicure bench. I felt like he should have been done with this weeks ago, but here we are in the last week and I still don't have plumbing for the pedicures. I called the landlord to tell him to call the power company because he pays for the water. So supposedly he called them, but they never came. So I guess we'll try again.

Then there were furniture issues that turned out to be a blessing. I called the furniture store I was buying my chairs from (so I could make sure I got them in enough time to pick them up on moving day). Well, they told me my stools were sold out and that I would have to select others. I was confused because I put them on layaway (because I needed to know how much my chairs were for my budget as well as have them stored somewhere until I was ready for them). Well, it turns out the "layaway" was a price guarantee, not a guarantee for the actual merchandise. It all worked out though, because the new stools I picked were actually the original stools I'd wanted (but couldn't afford), which the store gave me for the lower price-guaranteed price.

Instead of being all the way negative and focusing on everything that's wrong, I could tell you all that's good. I've been given some really cool gifts from a photographer friend of mine. I have a really close relationship with a really famous bakery in Memphis, Muddy's Bake Shop. That's where I met a lot of great people, especially Kathleen. She hooked me up with a graffiti artist that goes to Memphis College of Art, and he did the graffiti on the salon wall and wrote his graffiti name on my bar. It's so cool! She also gave me her thesis show piece to hang in my salon; trust me, it's the coolest thing ever! Since she's a photographer, she decided to be even more awesome and edit some photos, so I can use them for my business cards and any other marketing materials I would need them for. I'm telling you, this chick is selfless and a God-sent angel.

I also finished some of my artwork on the wall behind the pedicure area, and I will start my part of the art on the bar Wednesday. There are many more things I'm gonna do art wise, but I've got it broken down in phases. Let's just say, the 22 color samples are gonna get used, ALL of them.

So to some it up, the salon is not nearly done; it's still turning out to be awesome and I don't know what day or year it is. Yep, the life of a small business owner -- well, a broke one anyway.

— Lauren, Graffiti Nail Bar, Memphis, Tenn.