James – It is nice to think that even if this all goes away, there are always other things we can do to support ourselves. I don’t think this is the case for everyone, so we are lucky to have that kind of safety net.

Shane – You asked about what success meant for us.” That work-a-holic has to get his own definition, ’cause we worked hard to come up with ours! Basically, our idea is that if we want to take a vacation, then we would be able to say, “O.K., I’m going to need 1,500 extra dollars over the next month for that vacation,” and we would work accordingly. Likewise, we would be able to take that vacation time because we adjusted our work schedules to make it happen. If I want to buy my husband a $500 gift for his birthday, then I need to add an extra $500 project to my roster. If I don’t need that extra $500, then perhaps I don’t need to take on the extra work and will spend the free time with him instead. Does that make sense?

Thanks also for answering the fear question. I admit that I’m scared a lot of the time, but the last week or so has brought a new sense of confidence that has been quite liberating.

That said, I’m a bit odd, as I tend to seek out the edge of my fear. I actually get restless if things are too calm. I live for the chase and am one of those people who relish change.

I do absolutely love that definition. Retirement to me has never had anything to do with not working. It has to do with the ultimate choice of not working and money having no bearing in that decision.

At what point do you consider yourself successful?
T & L – We will be successful when we can work the amount of time that we want to work.

Actually, not scared at all. I don’t think I’ve been scared for even a minute since the business began. My virtue is Hope, and I fully believe that experiencing whatever I live isn’t scary – it’s learning, it’s education. I’m not even scared this may all disappear tomorrow; Harry and I knew that from day one, and I have said many a times, “I’m going to have one hellufa resume when this is all said and done!”

And if I lose the business by some act of god? If this all goes away? If the Internet crashes? I do something else, simple. What’s there to be scared about?

Hell, I can do anything. I’ve worked at McDonalds… I bet I could manage that Drive-Thru now like a god on rocket skates.