Contract Negotiation

We are finding that bottle neck that can slow everything down in our endeavors is lease contract negotiation. The owner of the building has been perfectly agreeable with all of our requests.  We've made several changes to the lease document and have gone back and forth for approval several times.
It seems to be the last hump to get over before we feel like we are finally settled.
The types of things we are changing are dealing with occupancy percentages as it relates to utilities and other things of that nature. We've had a lot of help from friends in the commercial real estate business which has proved invaluable. The contract we were first handed has very different stipulations than the current document to be signed. These changes we would have likely never even suggested without that advise.

Now just to sign...

Build Out

I always thought that the idiom of sketching out plans on a napkin was kind of ridiculous, yet that's essentially what we did.
With the help of a friend we sketched out our perfect plan for a counseling office. Including these details:

Separate entrance and exit.
Small kitchenette.
Large offices with separate seating areas.
Waiting room.

It's about as close to ideal as I think we could get.
Construction has begun and should be finished by February 1.

Furniture and decor will be Katherine's fun next step.

Oak Grove

We decided on the building at Oak Grove Center. The location was ideal and the incentives made for an easy decision. The building is right across from a higher end retail shopping center (Laurelwood) and also next to the Macy's wing of a shopping mall.  There are a variety of restaurants close by as well.

Parking doesn't seem to be an issue as there in an underground garage on-site.

The ground floor of the building is occupied by a bank and some retail, upper floors are occupied primarily by professionals.

Site Selection

In opening a private practice and in buying a home, the adage holds true, "Location, Location, Location."
We've narrowed our prospective office sites down to two locations. Both would be built to our specifications (waiting room, two offices, windows, kitchenette) and both are appealing in their own way.
Location has proven to provide the greatest pull for my wife and I in determining what would be the best fit for my wife's clients and her commute.

Option 1 is on the top floor of the newly renovated Lipscomb and Pitts building close to home. It has vaulted ceilings, huge windows and even access to  wraparound observation deck. Large footprint, top floor office, cheapest option.

Option 2 is in a building a little further away but further east, closer to current clients and in a much heavier traveled (read identifiable) section of the Poplar corridor. They would build out to spec, but this option is a bit more expensive.

We are leaning heavily to option 2 for one primary reason.
Location.

It's easy to find.

Starting my wife's private practice

My wife has been a counseling psychologist for a number of years now. She has a constantly full schedule and works as many hours as she allows herself.

We also have a family and her commute can be up to 45 minutes each way.

There's the rub.

As our family grows and her positive reputation cements itself it is becoming more and more clear that spending 4 hours in a car each week rather than 4 hours on walks with the quickly growing kiddos has reached its end.

It's time to hang out a shingle, literally.

So that's what we're doing.

In the forth coming entries I will catch you up on all the steps we've taken so far this semester as well as what decisions we have yet to make.

The goal is a thriving, scalable, psychological practice in Memphis proper.

The downside of passion

Running through the customer development manifesto and its "14 rules" was at first enlightened but for me, hit depressing at Rule No. 10. It's All About Passion . I've always thought of myself as a passionate person, easily excitable and relied upon. The descriptor here seemed to describe something else entirely. Short and sweet, this rule consisting of two short paragraphs outlines two types of people, the second paragraph describing "passion", the first I suppose, the lack thereof.

Here's the problem, the first paragraph describes me, while the second, seemingly preferred and desirable paragraph, describes a miserable person that I would never want to be or even hang out with.

Who is happier?
1) Works to live! Enjoys family! Terrific at execution! Has hobbies! Wonderful life!
2) Wired for chaos :( Irrationally focused :( Job is life :(

(taken directly from the text, sad faces and exclamation marks added for emphasis)

Huge turn-off.  Here's to gladly tempering success for the sake of my family and my sanity.