If we thought that getting the Visa to come into the USA was hard (and it was unbelievably hard) we were ill prepared for how hard things would be once we got here…
In the UK our business had grown organically over 10 years, we were accepted as experts in our field and we had an established base of wealthy influential clients. All of this gone could we survive? We thought so, but we were also aware that most businesses fail within the first year.
It took far longer to get the studio up and running than we thought. We made some poor choices, we took some bad advice and some people put their hands in our naive pockets… But we have ended up with a beautiful professional studio and most of our sanity...
Personally I have found my passion since arriving in the USA. Before I came over I was struggling to find my niche. Now I train every day with my sword, attending Iai class twice a week, I am an associate photographer (!) with KWD Photo, I have just taken up golf and signed up for a swimming event that will take me under the Golden Gate Bridge. Music has always been important to me and since coming over I have seen my favorite band Motley Crue, I have seen Ozzy Osbourne, Aerosmith and Sammy Hagar, what is not to love about the USA?
I now attend networking events in order to build our business. I call clients, Facebook, write blogs, newsletters anything to drive business towards us. This is all new and way outside of my comfort zone! I started the year as a personal trainer and massage therapist, I am now an exercise consultant and a business owner.
Now I love Starbucks coffee, I savor a good cup of Darjeeling, and I miss lamb. I have found out that I love the NFL and the UFC, and I have been surprised to find that some Americans actually have a sense of humor!
Americans love our accents. Many think that English, Scottish and Welsh are interchangeable titles… And for some reason Americans think that the Scottish and the Irish don’t get along, whereas in reality we are united by a loathing of the English!
We have been amazed at the generosity of some people we have met, and disappointed by others we thought were friends. Corina and I have made friends we know we will keep for life.
I now attend networking events in order to build our business. I call clients, Facebook, write blogs, newsletters anything to drive business towards us. This is all new and way outside of my comfort zone! I started the year as a personal trainer and massage therapist, I am now an exercise consultant and a business owner.
Americans love our accents. Many think that English, Scottish and Welsh are interchangeable titles… And for some reason Americans think that the Scottish and the Irish don’t get along, whereas in reality we are united by a loathing of the English!
We have been amazed at the generosity of some people we have met, and disappointed by others we thought were friends. Corina and I have made friends we know we will keep for life.
Overall this past year we have been on a roller-coaster, we have had more low points than high points. Corina and I have both shed far too many tears and lost far too much sleep worrying about the business and about money. If I had any hair left it would be grey for sure!
At the end of our first year we are still here, we know that in order for our business to be successful we will have to continue to go through growing pains, and we know that it will be all worth it.
We both love our adopted home, we gave up so much to be here, and we have found it hard. A year on there is nowhere else I would rather be.
Alan
At the end of our first year we are still here, we know that in order for our business to be successful we will have to continue to go through growing pains, and we know that it will be all worth it.
We both love our adopted home, we gave up so much to be here, and we have found it hard. A year on there is nowhere else I would rather be.
Alan
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