Week 1: Excited and Overwhelmed

I am completing Week one of my Capstone today.  The week has been rough, between extra work at "work", a blast-class, and everything to be done at home, I am feeling more than a bit overwhelmed.  Right now, I am questioning my belief that I can finish my Capstone in 15 weeks (13 weeks remaining).

In addition to feeling overwhelmed, I had to "meet my client" this week.  She seems nice, a bit intense, a bit driven, more than a little busy, and somewhat scattered.  I should mention, I am my client.  I find it an interesting position to be both "client" and "vendor".  As "client", I have a million and one things that I feel should be accomplished, but as "vendor", I keep placing everything on the "to-do" list into a calendar... What needs to be accomplished, how long does it take, what needs to occur first, second, can anything be dual-pathed, who can help, what kind of help do I need?  All of these questions jolt me back to reality and I start a list... What do I want done?  What needs to be done?  What can be done in the time allotted (to my satisfaction)?  What can I do that will serve the need for evaluation?

On the positive side of the angst I am feeling this week, I am excited!  The idea of starting my own business intrigues and terrifies me.  I tell my proposition to everyone who asks, and the large majority are interested, supportive, and wish me success.  It is interesting to talk with men (and women) about the topic and gauge their response.  Many men begin by saying "I don't use beard stuff.", but then go on to tell me how the do use "some", they simply don't use it regularly, or as a routine, and my impression is that they do not want to be seen as metro-sexual.  This is interesting, and I need to be sure to dig more on this topic in research.

My two key deliverables for the upcoming week are:

1)  Consumer Target:  Outline, plot, and begin execution on the plan to identify the target market, and within that, my core consumer/persona. 

 2)  Scope of Work:  Finalize a draft of realistic deliverables that can be achieved in the given time-frame, and will be the basis of a "go/no-go" decision for Mom's Care.

Note to self:  Suggest that all projects be assigned to two people.  This acts as both driver and support which I believe will be necessary by the end.