Blogging for MotoSoul has taken a back burner to the long list of to-do’s needed to bring this project to life. I realized today that I miss this part of the project. Sharing the lessons and talking about the project feeds my passion, so I will make a bigger effort to write little stories and share life’s journey on the MotoSoul project.
A quick update to the story, but first the cliff notes for those just reading now without the history:
- 2013 – American motorcycle rider woman decides to create a Motorbike destination resort. Many call her crazy, but those who get it join the party.
- 2014 – She searches for a home for the idea and locates the perfect property in Mutzschen Germany. The locals welcome the passion and match it with their own.
- 2015 – Research, due diligence, legal hurdles and lots of cross-continent/Atlantic flights bring this dream closer to reality.
- 2016 – She purchases a castle and surrounding grounds and the journey begins. The first riders come to hear about the plans
- 2017 – Guests will be welcomed into the comfort of the MotoSoul Diner. American comfort food with a twist will be served up to all who set their GPS’s to Mutzschen Germany
It’s easy to look back and say what might have been done differently. It is also important not to beat yourself up over mistakes made. A new country, a new culture, a different language, and a big idea created a good opportunity for learning in 2016. My Dad always said “mistakes made are simply just tuition.” We pay for college and we pay for mistakes. If we learn from the mistakes, they are the same as paying for college.
My experience is that starting a new business is like having another baby. Care, nurturing and feeding are all required to help them grow. If you love them, they thrive. There is a lot of love for the MotoSoul project. It is being fed by a group much bigger than just me, and it will continue to grow.
Our 4 mini events in the summer of 2016 and the Christmas market in Mutzschen showed me that the community likes what we are doing. Santa arrived in the side car of a vintage motorbike wearing his red helmet and spreading good cheer to all.
In 2017 we will expand further than the local motorbike scene with the opening of our first Phase – the MotoSoul Diner. Soul food and spirit along with mini events and more. The windows are going in this month and we will open in the Spring. Planning is under way to create somme great experiences for our guests. Much more to come on that as we progress towards our goals.
My thoughts about 2016 are simply this –
the rear-view mirror is not the best way to look if you want to make it further down the road…