Another unplanned fee just popped up over the weekend…zoning! I’m starting to feel like I’m being Punk’d. After realizing that the space I was in love with might not work out, my broker and I set our sights on another space in an eclectic neighborhood. The rent on the new space is "Oh So Do-able" -- a definite plus. I’m guessing the space is about 1,250 square feet. It has hardwood floors, pedestrian traffic, and a cute little tree in front that would absolutely block visibility of our store. Small obstacle and I’m already working to turn that obstacle into an opportunity, but I digress. {No need to worry about the tree. Aside from a little trim, we won’t harm a leaf on its branches.}

However, there is a small zoning issue to the tune of $3,000 to $4,000...OUCH! Add that to the incorporating fees and fees to become a foreign business in Illinois and you can call my wallet deflated. Outside of licensing fees for the nail salon, I hadn’t budgeted for these other incidentals. Now I cringe at just the thought that there may be another unbudgeted fee lurking around the corner. {Insert shrill-filled shriek, here}

Needless to say, I’ve had to re-crunch the numbers. Not a huge deal, it just means I’m a little more frugal these days. My mantra has become: “Do I absolutely need it now?”

The life of an entrepreneur is a whirlwind: here, there, up, down, cries and fears, then turning frowns upside down. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Love, Laugh, and Be Posh’aah!

--Makeda, Posh'aah Nail Spa, Chicago