With no end in sight to the rampant unemployment, more and more Americans find themselves out of work, out of savings and out of time, with little hope for gainful employment anytime soon. Internet job searches, recruiters and professional networking websites intended to facilitate global employment matches have become a whirlwind of activity that yields withered fruit. Job fairs, computerized application processes, screening interviews and unpaid training periods keep job seekers running in circles without relief. Franchises, Multi-level marketing programs and distributorship opportunities replace salaried employment postings, offering no security and often including an initial investment.
As Unemployment Insurance extensions expire and bills pile up, many people are faced with difficult decisions and few options. Terena Meador is one of those people backed up against a wall by an unprecedented blow to American workers, but instead of caving in to the mountain of desperation, she chose to create her own solution by pursuing her passion and doing what she loves.
‘tude vox Ro: Tell us about your career and what happened to cause your lay off.
Terena: In Feb. 2009, I was laid off from my Finance Manger Position due to our declining economy. Unfortunately, businesses had to cut back on expenses to keep their business viable. Why? Because people couldn’t afford to spend additional money due to the inflation on all necessary items (Groceries, Gas, Utilities, etc.). Unfortunately, these cutbacks did not have anything to do with loyalty to the company, time on the job or seniority. They were simply based on “who they could keep that would work for less wages, experienced or not, and be able to maintain their business until the economy changed”. Layoffs put a lot of experienced individuals out of work, with only a small window of landing the same salary elsewhere. This is the issue I experienced. Each job I applied for required more and more with less wages.
‘tude vox Ro: After you got laid off, what did you do to look for conventional work and what were your results?
Terena: From Feb. until August (6 months), I stayed on the computer everyday, all day, submitting resumes and networking with very little response. The interviews I had in that period of time were with people like me, expecting to get the job based on work history, work ethics, loyalty etc. There were those with very little experience, with none of the above qualifications that were willing to accept the position for less money. Companies did and are hiring people with less experience and requiring higher educational credentials.
Note: Education does not always override those with experience. Does this help their business? Well, being a person in finance, yes. In the short term these companies are saving money by hiring people and paying less salary. Hopefully, these people will know what to do to make the company a profit . . . Will they? Probably not. Experience says it all. These companies who trying to save money will loose money and go through many employees before they realize, it is more profitable to pay the higher salary to have the right person on board, with both the education and the experience. This is what makes company or breaks a company.
‘tude vox Ro: What made you decide to start your own business?
Terena: After six months of sitting at the computer networking and submitting resumes, like everyone else in my same circumstance, I decided “I want to do something different. I want to expand to other opportunities. I will make it because I can!” http://www.bikertogs.blogspot.com/
At this point, I decided to start my own website with idea of selling products at a low price. I believed that an online web merchant would aid in this process if I sold products they would make money, too! What was the reality of my new venture? Don’t be fooled! This company received their money up front for the site and the wholesale options. Support? What is that? For another fee, they could help more. NO! This is when I talked to a good friend of mine in Alabama that builds websites and also does hosting.
August 13th we launched Bikertogs.com. By November 19, 2009, we have had over 22,000 hits with no S.E.O. marketing or advertising. We wanted to have the site 100% before we spent the extra money. We are close to having a fully featured website with more being added daily. I know we have accomplished a lot in a short period of time.
‘tude vox Ro: How did you know what to do to start your business?
Terena: Starting a business comes from the heart and soul to make it work. Nothing is ever easy and simple. There is a saying, “Life is what you make of it! “Make it bad, it will be bad. Make it good, it will be good!’ I am a firm believer that a positive attitude, determination and continuous effort put forth in any business will make it prosper. The important thing to remember is that it DOES NOT happen overnight. So, patience and determination is definitely a virtue in any business or career. Most importantly, everyone is not going to say “Yes, I love your company and/or product” . It takes a lot of “NO’s” to get the “Yes’s” that make a difference in a company’s bottom line.
‘tude vox Ro: What products do you sell on your website?
Terena: Our website focuses on custom made products and music “Made by Bikers for Biker and their Friends” & “Made in the USA“. Due to the economy, many Americans buy what they can afford by comparing brands, sizes, etc. What they do not realize is that they are buying products mostly coming from overseas countries. With this being said, my question is …Why are people losing their jobs in the USA? Where is most of the USA money going? Does anyone actually know? Better yet, are we, as individuals in the United States, doing something about it? Are we supporting USA made products to create more jobs in the USA?
‘tude vox Ro: Why did you decide to sell Biker supplies?
Terena: I always enjoyed riding a motorcycle and the freedom you feel for that brief ride. The best way I can explain that is “Stress Relief”. Everyone has their own way of dealing with stress. For me, getting on the bike, no worries, letting the fresh air brush my face, letting go of all my thoughts and worries for a short period of time, is indeed stress relief. I soon learned to respect the whole “Biker community” because they are all a family. Biker’s support each other. They support families in need, our military, charities, USA products, and each other as a family.
At this time, ok, I had been out of work for six months….I chose to do something different. My site is about “Bikers helping Bikers” and “Supporting Products Made in the USA”. I am proud of our site and what we have accomplished in a short period of time and “This is only the beginning!”
‘tude vox Ro: How do you feel when you are working on your business?
Terena: Working on my own business gives me a sense of self worth that can’t be explained. Sometimes, just adding that new product to the site, a newsletter or that new magazine article, puts a smile on my face. Talking to someone about promoting their product fills my heart and soul with happiness. Each of us can make a small difference in this world and I refuse to focus on the bad things in life. I will make the best of it all. Why? Because I Can!
‘tude vox Ro: How do you find the courage to risk time and money to pursue a career in something you love?
Terena: After being unemployed for six months, your attitude changes about a lot of things. I choose to make the best of everything, with the resources available to me, which means work, work and work some more and never taking “NO” for an answer. Determination!
I received a lot of outside support from the vendors, new friends met during this experience, all without asking, freely given. I am very thankful for all their suggestions, comments, support, etc. In some ways, you could say, these people gave me the inspiration to make my dream a reality.
‘tude vox Ro: What would you like your business to be like in the future?
Terena: Bikertogs.com will be one of the most viewed sites for bikers in the future. I will not change anything about the importance of the site. I will continue to keep my chin up and making the best out of life and what it gives to me. We all need to focus on how we can make a difference in our economy by supporting USA made products and helping others understand this importance.
‘tude vox Ro: Thank you Terena. I really enjoyed reading your answers. We share some of the same circumstances and ideas. I think a lot of other people feel the same way. We can’t always decide what happens to us, but we can choose how we will react. I applaud you and the growing number of others empowering themselves to become their own solution and intentionally co-create their world. Thank you for being an example and inspiration.
As Unemployment Insurance extensions expire and bills pile up, many people are faced with difficult decisions and few options. Terena Meador is one of those people backed up against a wall by an unprecedented blow to American workers, but instead of caving in to the mountain of desperation, she chose to create her own solution by pursuing her passion and doing what she loves.
‘tude vox Ro: Tell us about your career and what happened to cause your lay off.
Terena: In Feb. 2009, I was laid off from my Finance Manger Position due to our declining economy. Unfortunately, businesses had to cut back on expenses to keep their business viable. Why? Because people couldn’t afford to spend additional money due to the inflation on all necessary items (Groceries, Gas, Utilities, etc.). Unfortunately, these cutbacks did not have anything to do with loyalty to the company, time on the job or seniority. They were simply based on “who they could keep that would work for less wages, experienced or not, and be able to maintain their business until the economy changed”. Layoffs put a lot of experienced individuals out of work, with only a small window of landing the same salary elsewhere. This is the issue I experienced. Each job I applied for required more and more with less wages.
‘tude vox Ro: After you got laid off, what did you do to look for conventional work and what were your results?
Terena: From Feb. until August (6 months), I stayed on the computer everyday, all day, submitting resumes and networking with very little response. The interviews I had in that period of time were with people like me, expecting to get the job based on work history, work ethics, loyalty etc. There were those with very little experience, with none of the above qualifications that were willing to accept the position for less money. Companies did and are hiring people with less experience and requiring higher educational credentials.
Note: Education does not always override those with experience. Does this help their business? Well, being a person in finance, yes. In the short term these companies are saving money by hiring people and paying less salary. Hopefully, these people will know what to do to make the company a profit . . . Will they? Probably not. Experience says it all. These companies who trying to save money will loose money and go through many employees before they realize, it is more profitable to pay the higher salary to have the right person on board, with both the education and the experience. This is what makes company or breaks a company.
‘tude vox Ro: What made you decide to start your own business?
Terena: After six months of sitting at the computer networking and submitting resumes, like everyone else in my same circumstance, I decided “I want to do something different. I want to expand to other opportunities. I will make it because I can!” http://www.bikertogs.blogspot.com/
At this point, I decided to start my own website with idea of selling products at a low price. I believed that an online web merchant would aid in this process if I sold products they would make money, too! What was the reality of my new venture? Don’t be fooled! This company received their money up front for the site and the wholesale options. Support? What is that? For another fee, they could help more. NO! This is when I talked to a good friend of mine in Alabama that builds websites and also does hosting.
August 13th we launched Bikertogs.com. By November 19, 2009, we have had over 22,000 hits with no S.E.O. marketing or advertising. We wanted to have the site 100% before we spent the extra money. We are close to having a fully featured website with more being added daily. I know we have accomplished a lot in a short period of time.
‘tude vox Ro: How did you know what to do to start your business?
Terena: Starting a business comes from the heart and soul to make it work. Nothing is ever easy and simple. There is a saying, “Life is what you make of it! “Make it bad, it will be bad. Make it good, it will be good!’ I am a firm believer that a positive attitude, determination and continuous effort put forth in any business will make it prosper. The important thing to remember is that it DOES NOT happen overnight. So, patience and determination is definitely a virtue in any business or career. Most importantly, everyone is not going to say “Yes, I love your company and/or product” . It takes a lot of “NO’s” to get the “Yes’s” that make a difference in a company’s bottom line.
‘tude vox Ro: What products do you sell on your website?
Terena: Our website focuses on custom made products and music “Made by Bikers for Biker and their Friends” & “Made in the USA“. Due to the economy, many Americans buy what they can afford by comparing brands, sizes, etc. What they do not realize is that they are buying products mostly coming from overseas countries. With this being said, my question is …Why are people losing their jobs in the USA? Where is most of the USA money going? Does anyone actually know? Better yet, are we, as individuals in the United States, doing something about it? Are we supporting USA made products to create more jobs in the USA?
‘tude vox Ro: Why did you decide to sell Biker supplies?
Terena: I always enjoyed riding a motorcycle and the freedom you feel for that brief ride. The best way I can explain that is “Stress Relief”. Everyone has their own way of dealing with stress. For me, getting on the bike, no worries, letting the fresh air brush my face, letting go of all my thoughts and worries for a short period of time, is indeed stress relief. I soon learned to respect the whole “Biker community” because they are all a family. Biker’s support each other. They support families in need, our military, charities, USA products, and each other as a family.
At this time, ok, I had been out of work for six months….I chose to do something different. My site is about “Bikers helping Bikers” and “Supporting Products Made in the USA”. I am proud of our site and what we have accomplished in a short period of time and “This is only the beginning!”
‘tude vox Ro: How do you feel when you are working on your business?
Terena: Working on my own business gives me a sense of self worth that can’t be explained. Sometimes, just adding that new product to the site, a newsletter or that new magazine article, puts a smile on my face. Talking to someone about promoting their product fills my heart and soul with happiness. Each of us can make a small difference in this world and I refuse to focus on the bad things in life. I will make the best of it all. Why? Because I Can!
‘tude vox Ro: How do you find the courage to risk time and money to pursue a career in something you love?
Terena: After being unemployed for six months, your attitude changes about a lot of things. I choose to make the best of everything, with the resources available to me, which means work, work and work some more and never taking “NO” for an answer. Determination!
I received a lot of outside support from the vendors, new friends met during this experience, all without asking, freely given. I am very thankful for all their suggestions, comments, support, etc. In some ways, you could say, these people gave me the inspiration to make my dream a reality.
‘tude vox Ro: What would you like your business to be like in the future?
Terena: Bikertogs.com will be one of the most viewed sites for bikers in the future. I will not change anything about the importance of the site. I will continue to keep my chin up and making the best out of life and what it gives to me. We all need to focus on how we can make a difference in our economy by supporting USA made products and helping others understand this importance.
‘tude vox Ro: Thank you Terena. I really enjoyed reading your answers. We share some of the same circumstances and ideas. I think a lot of other people feel the same way. We can’t always decide what happens to us, but we can choose how we will react. I applaud you and the growing number of others empowering themselves to become their own solution and intentionally co-create their world. Thank you for being an example and inspiration.