With all of these activities, I faced the challenges similar to those of a business. With volunteering comes all three. It is constant problem solving, upgrading of skills, learning new and more efficient techniques, and making a million phone calls. I find working with others on a project is stimulating, challenging, interesting, fun, and hard work. Anyone who has worked on a committee knows the frustrations and as well as the rewards of working with others.
People have different agendas and styles.
Everyone makes mistakes, and I have made plenty. Unless the goal is worthwhile and shared, most people will not stay involved. The advice I received before starting my business, MaineWarmers, is that it would not be easy, and it should be important to me because I would be spending long hours at it. My products relieve pain and bring comfort to people, and because of that I feel the work of manufacturing and selling them is worthwhile. I love it when someone tells me the heating pad he bought helped sooth the arthritis in his hands or brought warmth to cold feet for someone recuperating from surgery.