My two great passions in life (other than family) are golf and travel.

I have had a varied career — managing golf clubs, running a successful recruitment business in Central Europe, and working in a public sector role in the Health Service. All of these experiences, in different ways, have been both interesting and rewarding.

I am now starting a new career adventure in the golf travel business, and it seems sensible to align that business with my two great passions. I also believe I have identified a small market niche that could form the basis of the business. So far, so good.

However, what I did not expect is, in some ways, more interesting than the niche I identified.

I have spent my career working in teams — either as part of one or leading one. Suddenly, I have thrust myself into an environment where everything is up to me: all the decisions are mine, the pace at which I work is self-determined, and the results rest with me. I can hear people saying they would love to have this opportunity, and indeed I am sure it suits some people — but, boy, it has its challenges!

You’ve heard the expression “a jack of all trades and a master of none,” and sometimes this is how I feel. I am not a social media expert, an experienced business planner, a qualified finance specialist,  or a great administrator — nor would it be reasonable to expect to be. However, it would help! 🙂

Of course, there are solutions. You could hire or outsource these services to experts, and all would be fine. But what if you don’t have the resources?

You could train yourself to improve these skills — but what happens to the business in the meantime?

And then there’s the loneliness. I’m sick of my apartment! I’m sick of me!

I had a colleague in Brno who, when questioned about how he approached his goals, would simply say, “step by step.”

The timeline I have for my business is longer than I had first imagined. The lack of visible progress has sometimes been demotivating. The questioning of one’s decisions is always there.