The cost of something is the amount of life that you must exchange for it.

I've seen this quote before, but I saw it again this morning while standing in line to pay at my favorite country market. Just being in there puts me in a good mood, because the people who run it have a passion for what they are doing and it shows in every home-made item. And in the lovely quotes they put up on their white board by the cash register.

I've had jobs I loved and I worked a lot of hours at them. When I married, and when I later became a mother, the amount of life I was exchanging for a good job and a good paycheck somehow became too big a cost. I do a different type of work now. In a small way, I am helping to launch fwm. My role isn't the biggest one on the team but like everyone else here, what I do does matter.

I suppose here would be the place in the story where I happily report that I work less hours and have more time with my family. Well, I do. However, that doesn't mean there aren't some weeks that require more hours--there are. I'm happy to work them. Why? Didn't I leave that all behind? I'm happy to work those hours because we're building something here that matters and because this work fits perfectly into my life (I do a portion of it from a home office).

Carolyn and Jen have had big jobs and worked tons of hours, too. And now they have big jobs and work tons of hours. What's the difference? Fwm is theirs and they are building it with a passion and dedication that differs from other kinds of work.

You entrepreneurs know what this is--so tell us about it. Did it come as a surprise to you that you have had to work some unbelievable hours to build your business? Is the cost worth it to you?