Thank you for reading this post. I would like to introduce you to my pet project. I will write this in a question/answer format. Feel free to leave your question(s) in the comments, or email me at DeerStreamEnterprise@gmail.com.
1. How did you come by the name, Deer Stream?
Family is important to me. So when it came to naming this, it was an easy selection. My name is Gaelic translated as deer in a field. My wife's maiden name is Nordic that translates as oak by the stream. So take the first noun of my name, deer, and second noun of her name, stream. (Oakfield is common. And developing an email address for this, so are things Deer Stream, apparently.) That is how Deer Stream Enterprise came about.
2. When and how did this idea come about?
I was working for a company before it went through a restructuring. Because I was moved down to temporary status, I began looking for other work. But my work, though a social services nature, was deemed by many potential employers as not. It was medical field. Odd. And the same employers also deemed ministry, of which I have over 25 years experience, as not, as well. Many jobs that I believe I would fit, I didn't because of the lack of specialized education. So in a night of frustration, back several months ago, I started toying with this idea.
3. Why don't you work on one of those specialized degrees to remain in social work?
Let me answer this with a story from one of my ministries. There was a woman who wanted to be an educator in the public schools. At best, she was only a substitute teacher. So in hopes that she would become a full fledged teacher, she earned her bachelor's. None of the local districts would hire her. She then was advised to get her masters. She did. She still wasn't hired. So keeping to the advice of making herself appealing, she went and earned her doctorate. I met her when she was 63 years old with close to a 6 figure debt. She wasn't hired because by this time, age had become a factor. I don't want that gamble. If I am going to to advance my degree, it will be a degree with something I have a passion. Helping people is my passion. Listening is a strength. Therefore, the degree I will seek will allow me to become a counselor. Concierge Counselor seems to be the better plan.
4. What does this enterprise actually do?
I am a minister who is a tent-maker by trade. That means that the church doesn't pay me, but I still serve the church. In order to help the church, I have taken many jobs, in retail management, acting and producing, car sales, other sales, teaching, tutoring, optical field, medical field, and even property management and planning.
What I likely will do while going back to school is tutor, drive for Lyft and Uber, network funeral homes for assistance with bereavement, likely network with businesses that are in food industry or in cosmetology for servicing their bladed equipment. I will even sell for you if you have a product that needs to be sold.
5. Since you are with a church presently, why not umbrella under the church?
There are a few answers to this question. The first being that though funerals and potentially weddings do fall under the church, by keeping it apart from the church would protect the church should I do or say something that's not taken well, or is misconstrued. Another reason is that the with the networking for blade honing, and as an independent salesman, I need a business license to operate at the Farmers Market and for tax purposes. This, if I'm in error (except the FM, which they require as per their written policy), I'd rather safe than fined when it comes to taxes and conducting business. Finally, being apart from the church allows it to be portable.
To conclude: I hope that I was able to answer some of the questions. If there is something else you'd like to know, then please ask me in the comments or email me at the address above. Since this is a new venture, I will likely modify this blog posting from time to time. Thank you for reading about my project.
