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Mary
Kurek
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The
Creative
Entrepreneur’s
Bittersweet
Love
Affair
We
Creative
Entrepreneurs
(CEs)
have
a
soft
spot
for
new
opportunities.
Our
inner
artist,
fearful
of
being
halted,
is
always
on
the
lookout
for
ways
to
stay
happy.
Staying
happy
sometimes
requires
some
support,
so
no
wonder
when
the
direct-sales
relationship
enters
our
lives
that
the
attraction
is
immediate
and
hot.
The
seduction
involves
the
promise
of
flexibility
and
money,
which
allows
our
“artist”
to
continue
to
play.
The
affair
begins
…
but
because
true
love
isn’t
there,
it
often
ends
with
dissatisfaction
as
we
discover
that
we’ve
allowed
ourselves
to
overly
invest
where
passion
does
not
exist.
If
you
are
a
CE,
you’ve
probably
dabbled
in
a
direct-sales
activity.
While
you
may
have
enjoyed
some
success
and
benefits,
you
likely
didn’t
stay
in
the
business
long.
I’m
not
saying
anything
against
direct-ales
companies
here.
Years
ago,
I
worked
for
eighteen
months
selling
cosmetics
for
what
I
still
consider
to
be
one
of
the
best
companies
in
the
United
States.
Though
brief,
it
was
an
affair
of
great
learning,
and
I
wouldn’t
trade
that
for
anything.
But,
as
a
CE,
I
was
hoping
for
something
from
the
relationship
that
I
didn’t
get
…
and
I
didn’t
get
it
because
I
didn’t
give
the
relationship
what
it
needed.
I
invested
money,
time,
energy,
and
intelligence,
but
I
didn’t
invest
heart.
You
might
ask,
is
heart
necessary
when
what
we
are
attracted
to
in
a
direct-sales
relationship
is
a
simple,
fairly
non-intrusive
way
to
meet
our
needs?
Let’s
investigate.
A
fellow
CE
began
a
direct-sales
business
selling
legal
services
while
his
other
business
endeavors
included
a
kid’s
athletic
organization
and
a
burgeoning
film
career.
His
new
business
required
more
time
to
get
rolling
than
expected;
however,
his
early
excitement
pushed
him
to
do
well
for
the
first
few
months.
Then,
his
CE
nature
emerged
…
rumbling
and
restless.
The
rising
voice
said
something
like
“we
are
spending
way
too
much
time
doing
this
and
not
enough
time
working
on
what
we
really
love.”
The
instruction
we
get
to
disregard
that
“heart”
voice
comes
from
another
voice
in
our
head
that
tells
us
we
need
to
make
this
business
work
in
order
to
do
the
thing
that
we
love.
It’s
quite
the
cycle.
My
friend
had
divided
his
energies
and
resources,
putting
the
majority
of
them
into
something
for
which
he
had
no
passion
in
order
to
give
him
some
stability
to
work
on
that
which
he
did
love.
Trouble
is,
he
had
little
of
anything
to
devote
to
the
latter,
making
for
a
very
unhappy
CE.
The
problem
comes
down
to
heart.
The
thing
that
a
CE
invests
herself
in
must
involve
the
heart.
Otherwise,
the
creative
part
of
us
will
sooner
or
later
find
a
way
to
get
out
of
it.
Another
CE
friend
signed
up
to
sell
real
estate
programs
about
two
years
ago,
thinking
that
would
allow
him
security
to
work
on
his
training
business.
I
don’t
think
he
even
got
off
the
ground
with
it
before
he
decided
he
just
couldn’t
do
it.
He
admits
his
attraction
for
direct-sales
businesses,
but
has
also
been
seduced
by
other
work-from-home
situations.
I
understand
completely,
because
I
have
a
past
that
includes
several
short-lived
mini-jobs.
What
we
fail
to
understand
is
that
a
direct
sales
business
is
a
real
business—not
just
a
means
of
creating
flexibility
and
a
little
money
flow
so
that
we
can
do
something
else.
It
has
to
be
treated
seriously
and
set
up
to
succeed,
not
just
for
ourselves,
but
to
be
fair
to
those
in
the
business
who
are
depending
on
our
success.
It
requires
everything
from
us
to
make
it
work
…
including
heart.
So,
if
the
heart
isn’t
there
in
the
beginning,
it
probably
won’t
be
there
six
months
down
the
road.
What
will
be
there,
however,
is
a
spouse
or
partner
who
is
tired
of
your
moaning
and
a
direct-sales
recruiter
who
is
disappointed
in
your
excuses.
Save
yourself
the
trouble,
and
really
think
about
the
extra
businesses
or
jobs
you
consider
taking
on.
If
it
is
only
about
money
and
flexibility,
and
does
not
relate
to
your
passion,
you’d
be
better
off
not
involving
yourself.
If
you
are
self-employed
and
this
new
opportunity
is
a
totally
separate
and
unrelated
business,
understand
that
the
division
of
energies
may
strain
both
businesses
and
you.
That
serves
no
purpose.
Just
remember,
a
CE
is
happiest
when
her
creative
spirit
is
protected
and
nurtured.
Whatever
support
is
put
into
place
to
accomplish
that
must
connect
in
some
way
with
what
you
love.
It
shouldn’t
be
something
that
you
have
to
talk
yourself
into;
it
should
just
fit,
because
the
real
love
affair
is
already
in
place
…
and
won’t
be
ignored.
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 Mary
Kurek
is
a
Networking
and
Marketing
Coach,
Career
Transition
Expert
and
Speaker.
She
is
the
author
of
"Who's
Hiding
in
Your
Address
Book
--
Introducing
the
Ideal
Network
for
Successful
Women,"
and
the
developer
of
the
Instant
Resume
Kit.
A
former
Chamber
of
Commerce
Executive,
Mary
is
called
"The
Chamber
Lady,"
for
her
dedication
in
promoting
Chamber
membership
to
her
professional
audiences.
Combining
her
passion
for
making
amazing
"people
connections"
with
her
leadership
and
media
background,
Mary
brings
a
clarity
and
new
simplicity
to
creating
the
steps
to
success.
Visit
her
at
www.marykurek.com
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