I started a business in 2013 out of my home working with children with autism. Over 8 years, we had grown to 150 employees across 8 counties. We had opened 3 clinic locations and were in the process of opening two more. I was still buying the toilet paper and paper towels for the local center and administrative office. I was doing all of the online purchasing for all locations, integral in payroll, contracts, oversight of HR, billing, and our Chief Clinical Officer (she diid not carry the title at the...
I started a business in 2013 out of my home working with children with autism. Over 8 years, we had grown to 150 employees across 8 counties. We had opened 3 clinic locations and were in the process of opening two more. I was still buying the toilet paper and paper towels for the local center and administrative office. I was doing all of the online purchasing for all locations, integral in payroll, contracts, oversight of HR, billing, and our Chief Clinical Officer (she diid not carry the title at the time, but functioned in that capacity).
I was on my knees often in my office in prayer. COVID had increased administrative demands and I was sharing the responsibility with HR on monitoring this and maintaining compliance. I was our CEO and functioned as the CFO as well. Balls were starting to be dropped and the excellence I pursued was not what I was witnessing. I saw the sails flagging and decided to call in support. I had been courted by another organization for 3 years in regards to a potential acquisition.
They are much bigger and have substantially more resources. Within 4-5 months of getting a quick LOI from them in regards to a potential sale, we had closed the deal and they took over control of the business. I lost a lot of sleep in the process, including one night with zero sleep due to the immediacy and overwhelm of an issue that delayed closing.
I talk about challenges of starting, managing, growing, hiring/firing, keeping everything in balance, keeping employees happy, moving through COVID, or selling the business and shifting, including the post-sale overwhelm when you go from 200mph down to 20mph and your productivity feels like it has gone to pot due to not having the activities as clearly defined as they once were.
My main goal now is to help take the leap to get started and find success in business, as well as the resources needed to do so. I also started a company to raise capital to provide people with the opportunity to invest in larger real estate deals allowing them passive income and better returns. Freedom and success.
I am also a franchisee for IMAGE studios and will be opening two locations within the next 12-24 months, have my first Christian fiction novel in process, and love being able to have time with my wife and two children.
Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zach.dugger.freedom LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zachdugger Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zach.thefreedomfounder Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/onfirefreedom YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@zachdugger
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