Dinner with the Boss - Partnerships

Thursday, and another week is almost over. This has been one of the busiest weeks of work since I arrived in Paris more than 2 months ago. 11 September 2009 will be 3 months of living my dream.

Sometimes my own thoughts try to beat me up for not having accomplished more of my goal, since I've arrived, but today I realized that I have not been here 3 months yet and it usually takes about 3 months just to get settled into a new environment, much less start accomplishing goals.

My apartment is almost, comfortable and almost organized. I'd like to install some cabinet doors to cover the dishes, pots and groceries over the stove and sink. I doubt I will, so maybe I will just have to keep every thing neatly organized as if exposed in a curio, or come up with another creative idea for the shelves. Curtains are not an option over or near the stove. No fire hazzards.

I also still need to shampoo the carpet and finish the bedding with pillows and a nice bedspread or comforter. I've narrowed the colors down to green, burgundy, and beige with black accent pieces. (the best I could do, without starting from scratch) The deco theme is definitely "Tribal". Egyptian, Asian, and African Tribal ethnic, jungle. It might sound masculine, but the Asian tribal items will give it a more feminine feel. Sounds crazy huh, but it's me! I'll post photos when it's a little more decent and not so student/prison/ghetto looking.

This evening ended with a nice dinner with Adrian. And of course I have to share some of the wisdom she shared with me tonight.

Happy Hour with Adrian


This is what the Parisians do in the evening...every evening...

As I've said before, I am so fortunate to work with such an ambitious, "Real", woman in Paris. Although so many still suffer from the economy, it's as if Adrian uses the challenge of the economy as fuel for the success of her business.

It's like she walks into a city that's just been destroyed (the economy) by enemy bombs, totally evacuated, leveled and smoldering. She stands there in her skirt, comfortable sandals, wearing black and red (those are her colors) and instead of seeing loss, devastation and destruction - without blinking an eye or giving a second thought, she immediately sees opportunity, potential, hope and improvement for everyone involved.

She surrounds herself with "her team", and does not waste a minute beginning the process of growth and improvement. She doesn't make time for those who doubt or believe the task is impossible. She takes action. She moves.

The advice she shared with me tonight was on partnerships. She said, "Florence, in business, if you are 100% of the business, you don't need a partner." She said this in response to my contemplation and questioning having a partner in my own real estate investments, investing in Paris and my future company. "You can however, have employees." she added. I realized that my bookkeeper, accountant, property managers and real estate attorney are like employees in the States. "If however, you are 60% and he or she has the 40% that you do not have, then together you form a partnership to become the whole". she explained in a way that simply turned the light bulb on again in my mind.

Food for my thoughts after dinner with Adrian: I am 100% of my own real estate investments right now, so I do not need to entertain the tangled thoughts in my mind of a partnership. Instead, I will continue to work one day at a time towards living the dream on the outside that lives on the inside of me.

...establishing a Partnership with the Dream inside and the life outside.