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Small biz can be a laughing matter

Written by: Roger Pierce

Article Overview: Some entrepreneurs get too serious about business, forgetting that running one’s own company should be fun. Others are in business purely for the fun of it. “We could never find any jobs for office clowns listed in the Toronto Sun, so we created our own,” jests entrepreneur Bronwyn Davies Glover.

Small biz can be a laughing matter

Some entrepreneurs get too serious about business, forgetting that running one’s own company should be fun. Others are in business purely for the fun of it. “We could never find any jobs for office clowns listed in the Toronto Sun, so we created our own,” jests entrepreneur Bronwyn Davies Glover.

Glover and her business partner Catrina Whan are definitely having fun as entrepreneurs. Together the duo form Dot & Dribble Productions (www.dotanddribbleproductions.com), a theatrical clowning company teaching, producing and performing original productions.

“We combine clown and performance art together in a very unique fashion,” explains Glover. Their innovative art form has been welcomed by a diverse range of clients spanning education, corporate and theatre sectors.

Drawn together by their love of laughter and performance, Dot and Dribble have been delighting audiences now for two years. “We believe everyone’s a clown…we just happen to wear the noses!” says Whan.

Part of the fun for these two is their unconventional schedule. “It’s certainly not a nine-to-five lifestyle, so we don’t really have a defined work environment,” explains Glover. “But, like most entrepreneurs, we choose to revel in the crazy hours.”

Being different doesn’t bother either entrepreneur. In fact, they’re realizing the value of uniqueness. “Because we’re definitely not a mainstream business, we find people talk more about what we do,” comments Whan. “It’s helped us to create a buzz and generate more bookings.”

Dot and Dribble will parlay that buzz into a national and international tour of festivals, theatres and schools. “We’re planning to take our performance on the road throughout Canada, Australia and England,” says Glover. “Hopefully, we’ll be laughing all the way to the bank.”

Keep smiling in your small biz

Life as an entrepreneur isn’t all smiles and chuckles. You may find yourself tight on cash, overwhelmed by multiple tasks and downright nervous about your business future. There will be times when you’ll feel frustrated, exhausted or stressed.

Keeping your spirits up is therefore extremely important. Follow these suggestions to help turn any frowns upside down:

* Take a break. The average self-employed person in Canada works 59 hours a week, which may result in “small business burnout.” Discipline yourself to take a breather every few hours and do something unrelated to work. Walk through the park, have coffee with a friend or go to the gym. Believe it or not, the work will still be there when you return.
* Get a hobby. Entrepreneurs typically have trouble “turning their minds off” when they leave work. Always thinking about your business will stress you out – and the people you love. Find joy in a new hobby, activity or charity that has nothing to do with your entrepreneurial ambitions.
* Remember the corporate prison. Part of the fun of being one’s own boss is a chance to set your own schedule, take time off and get paid to do what you love. Bring a smile to your face by recalling those days when someone else called the shots. You’ll quickly remember how great it is to be an entrepreneur.

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Related Forum Posts
Re: 4 minutes exercise - Yes, laughing releases endorphins and they are good for the body.
Re: NEW PHOTOS - They invited me back on TV - Hi GT - They would have tons of blooper material if they wanted to air it! It's a pretty serious business show though but lots of joking around and laughing behind the scenes.
Re: 4 minutes exercise - There is nothing like getting up and walking around and starching. This video is a bout a serious thing but the voices she make made me role on the floor laughing. Laughing is a great exercise too.
Re: Video: Was America Ever a White Nation? - I don't judge people by their race, but by how they act. Personally it doesn't matter if this was a white nation or not, because at the beginning we were probably put here from another planet. All that matter is the person you are!
Re: Balance - Make time for things you love - About making time for things you love i would like to tell you something nice. Last night i got home quite late, at 11 pm. Near the building i live, is a small park and a football field. When i got out from the car i heard laughs and when i looked on the field there was a man playing with his son. And they were laughing and running and was so nice and sad also. I thought that this man most probably was working very late in the afternoon but he still dedicate time (even if it's very late) for his son. I just felt strange.


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