January 18... Writing Challenge 2018

A Mistake That Helped Me to Grow....

Picture this:  The time is October 1999.  Young entrepreneurs, Andy and Maria Freeman,  are heading to the Big D (Dallas... Texas, that is) to sell our company's services and make our mark on the lumber industry.  We were headed to NAWLA (like the Super Bowl of lumber and transportation) and had HUGE plans for growing our business and making our countless hours of mental and physical labors pay off.

Andy had gotten a table cover, give aways, and our game plan of how to manage our booth while at the same time  make the rounds to see other potential customers.  He also worked 7 to 5 daily to prepare the grounds and complete the orders for the business contacts we had begun.

 I had two jobs.  One- to make a brochure advertising our business, The Carolina Plum, Incorporated and Two- to make hotel reservations.  You may say.. "why, Maria, your jobs seem small by comparison."  But I must remind you I was teaching full time as well. 

I was so proud of myself.  My brochures looked quite professional (with the help of  teacher friend, Gail Weddington) and calling to get reservations for The Wyndham had been a piece of cake.  EASY!!  Right??  My to do list was done a month before our departure date.  WAHOO and YEAH FOR ME!!

Fast forward...  we arrive in Dallas after driving from North Carolina and spending the night in the ArkLaTex area of Bossier City, Louisiana. I was feeling quite sassy as I sauntered up to the check-in desk to claim our room for the event.  The gentleman was so kind but had to inform me our reservations started YESTERDAY and because we had not contacted them, our room had been given away to one of the hundreds of people on the wait list.   I nearly cried... I HAD ONE JOB!!!  ONE!!!!

We were quickly ushered to a sweet and understanding concierge who dug around the greater Dallas area and found us accommodations in a hotel about fifteen minutes from the Wyndham.  Andy was obviously not happy but said little.  I credit his tepid tongue to the fact that I had just found out I was pregnant with our first child and he was still in awe of that whole idea. 

The event went well.  We worked our butts off.  And our business prospered. 

LESSON LEARNED:  Always, double and triple check hotel arrival dates.  I must say the advent of the internet has made this quite a bit easier to do...but boy did I feel like a total idiot then... and now if I let myself fully transform to that moment in time.