How This Entitled Nurse Changed Everything For Me

I remember the exact moment I realized that I might be a successful freelance nurse.

While in and of itself, it may sound super cool, realizing you may actually be successful and all…that moment was…let's just say less than gentle.

It was kinda-sorta like getting hit right in the solar plexus, and it changed me forever.

I recall it clear as day, like it was yesterday.

We were about three, maybe four years into building our company. We had this tiny, lousy little office. The internet cable was running under the carpet because we couldn't afford the "upsell" for the cable dude to install legit wall jacks.

Yeah. We were new-ish, making some money, but still watched the pennies.

At that time, I had been a licensed and practicing ER nurse for about seven years.

Most of my time was in the office, but I still kept my stethoscope busy in a few busy emergency departments.

I wore slacks and dress shoes back then. Had to look the part of a founder, I guess.

But I digress…

It was payday for our crew.

One of our nurses walks in to get his paycheck. We had about, uhm, 150 employees at the time. All RNs, LVNs and sprinkle of CNAs.

The majority were registered nurses (RN's).

This fella was an RN.

I was in my office while my wife went to grab his check.

He didn't know the lady who ran the office and went to grab the check was not only my wife, but also a nurse.

In retrospect, I think he thought she was the front desk secretary.

He had something to say to her as she handed him his check.

Javier, or Steve or whatever his name is, asked my wife why he didn't also get a free membership.

"To what?" she asked.

To the gyms that the owner of this company, Rick, has. (We owned and operated several gyms as well…but that's another story).

"I'm not following", she said.

Well, he owns this big company and several gyms, and I work my ass off, so you'd think he could at least give me a free membership.

I heard every word from my office.

I was confused.

Truly.

In the few minutes he was "inquiring" about a free gym membership, I questioned my motives, drive, ability to care for others, and a slew of other things

Am I not doing enough for our employees?

We already pay the highest hourly RN rate in the city, and our margin is so damn thin.

Should I give free memberships too?

But those are separate companies.

All these things flew through my mind, hinged upon some invisible guilt that perhaps I wasn't doing enough.

I then reflected even further back to when my wife and I started that company. In my apartment, working like dogs and raising a family. We'd work 12-hour shifts, then head home to dive into building that company. The tough days and the even tougher nights that we faced, and then made it through to be at this moment.

Those thoughts were immediately crushed as I heard the convo unfold

You see, he then mentioned that he'd earned a free membership. That he worked hard for the company and that he was ENTITLED to one.

Game.

Set.

Match.

From that day forward, I realized that yes, we launched our company for personal reasons AND also to serve the greater good.

Sure, maybe at that moment I had on nice shoes, but damn, nobody had seen the early days when my proverbial shoes were worn, tattered, and the soles rubbed away from overuse.

They only saw that blip in time when some of that hard work had barely begun to pay off, and we could buy "new shoes".

And for some ungodly reason, they felt they were also owed some shoes.

I understood in that blink of an eye that the very core of me doing what I'm doing as a practicing nurse, and entrepreneur, and freelancer is for MY shareholders.

My wife, my kids, my family

I still run and operate a freelance businesses to this day with that same mantra. Knowing that while there are folks out there who will try and take from you, my mission is helping myself, my family, and the greater good. And more than that is the fact that each and every one of us has the same opportunity to make something more if we choose.

Be well y'all, and be successful.

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Here's the rest of the story…