Think outside the box; it can really pay off!

When I was 19 my mother decided to quit her job as a CNA, and open a boarding home where she would provide 24-hour care for up to four live-in residents. Before long, my extended family included an old man who had memory loss issues, an old lady with MS, and a 26-year old guy who had suffered TBI in a car accident when he was a teenager. And, (to my suprise), I really enjoyed having those strangers around!

A year later, I was accepted into the Nursing program at the local community college, but by the time I graduated and became an LPN, my mother had closed up shop and returned to working at a local nursing home. So, I moved from our small town to a nearby city, and went to work as a live-in caregiver for a small agency that paid twice as much as I could get back home. After a year of that, I started working at an extended care facility, where I met a pretty young CNA that I would soon marry.

A few months later, I convinced my new wife that we could make a better living, and have a better life, by renting a place big enough to take care of a couple of patients in our own home. She had serious doubts about that, but trusted me enough to give it a shot. Within two months, we had rented a place with two bedrooms upstairs and one downstairs, borrowed enough money to get two used hospital beds and all the supplies we'd need, and ran advertising in the local paper that brought us our first clients; two elderly ladies who had previously been wasting away in a nursing home. We promptly quit our jobs, and really enjoyed being able to spend all day, every day, together with our new clients and our newborn baby boy. Before long, we took out a big loan and rented a huge 7 bedroom home that quickly filled up with four more clients, and our business became our way of life.

My wife and I have now been married for almost 20 years, and we STILL provide 24/7 care in our own home! Our marriage is stronger than ever, our son has grown up and moved out, and our humble little business now provides us with a gross income of more than $140,000 a year.

So trust me when I tell you that you don't have to work for a hospital, nursing home, or agency if you would prefer to be your own boss. Bet on yourself, and there's a good chance you'll eventually strike it rich. Plus you can share in, and add tremendously to the lives of some really nice people in the process. Yes, there will be many challenges and sacrifices along the way, but the security and satisfaction will make them all worthwhile.