The Six “P’s”

Jeff, a close friend, and I are building a website for online resale. We have never done this before. In keeping with the mission of Safe Harbor Pathways, we are experiencing a transition to a new part of our life with which we have had no previous experience. Jeff has a lot of experience with creating and managing the digital world. Throughout his career, he has continued to be curious and to learn about the intricacies of creating and using tools as they become technically available. For example, artificial intelligence is, for Jeff, another tool by which to explore pertinent applications. Earlier this year, Jeff made a comment to me, “I would really like to find a way to create a passive income”. Of course, I agreed. At that point, we started the journey down a pathway that would lead us to a true life transition, JB Grames LLC.

Jeff and I are still in walking through the creation process for JBG. While we have seen seemingly “hundreds” of ads online for “start your own business in 30 minutes using our secret techniques”, we have found that what we are really processing is not the fact of moving products, but actually providing a resource for folks as they navigate physical disabilities and impairments. As I have disclosed in previous blogs, I am in a wheelchair and effectively homebound. I have an eldercare professional that helps me when I encounter a task that I cannot easily manage by myself. Katie Stroud (“KatieDid Eldercare”) has been a great resource. Through my disability, I have, for almost two years, experienced being on fhe receiving end of eldercare. Jeff and his wife, Julie, have provided eldercare to Julie’s mom and have built a small home for her in their backyard. Jeff and I realized that we are on opposite ends of the aging experience. I am the recipient in my world and Jeff and Julie are the providers in their world. With the combination of both of our experiences with ageing, JB Grames LLC is being created as an online products resource for disabilities, many of which are associated with ageing, although disabilities occur for many people throughout their lifetime.  

Cycling through the LLC incorporation process, dealing with Texas state agencies and understanding the elements required for the creation of a unique online products store has been a true learning experience. This process has led us to understand that there are six gates through which we have to pass in order to become a resource that can provide assistance needed by people who are  experiencing disabilities. We define these six gates as:

1. Purpose- Purpose is the “Why” gate. Why are we doing this and what is our end- game? 
2. Plan- Plan incorporates understanding the essential elements required for the completion of our goal, who accepts responsibility for each element and when that element will be completed.
3. Progress- Progress is the accountability phase of our journey. We use the calendar to check our progress, review next actions and insert flexibility in order to accommodate missteps in our initial understanding of the time frames and efforts required to meet the next action.
4. Patience- Patience is essential for each of us to maintain as we “learn as we go”. As with most transitions in life, we do not have the experience until we have the experience.
5. Persistence- Persistence is required because each necessary action creates inputs and actions from others that do not necessarily have our sense of urgency.
6. Payoff- Payoff represents the final gate to a success. That success is not an ultimate goal. It is the goal of designating completion of the innovation effort and the realization that we have transitioned from a living room idea, passive income, to the creation of a platform that realizes the fulfillment of our living room idea. That payoff will come in the form of our initial “win”. Someone, other that our family and friends, will find JB Grames, trust us and place an order. They will receive the product, be satisfied with the product and, potentially, view us a being worthy of further trust and purchase another product. They will view JB Grames as a platform that will assist them as they move through life with an impairment.

Safe  Harbor Pathways (safeharborpathways.com) has led us to the idea for and the inception of JB Grames. Join us for your next life transition. Humanity has proven to be resilient, but also fragile. As we pass through life-cycle transitions, we do not have to be alone. SHP and JBG are created to be companions. We look forward to meeting you and hearing about your experiences.

bill@safeharborpathways.com