today, i saw my old boss. the one from a printshop i left 8 yrs ago. i started there as a teenager, and that was the beginning of my printing career.he was old even back then. we used to talk about lots of stuff. he took a liking to me. it was at the end of my stay with that company that i started my lawn business. i told him one day i would make my living this way. he laughed at me. he told me "95% of small businesses fail, etc", he said anything negative he could think of. even told me, if i left there to pursue a lawn business, that i would end up at mcdonalds flippin the ol burgers. i saw him today, told him that this year will be my first full time, and i'm sure i have it in total control. he still laughed, saying he had connections if i needed back in the printing business. i'm thinking like, what a thing to say. especially comming from an old timer, to the ears of a 30 yr old(at that time). wouldn't you want to encourage someone and wish them well? this guy tried to drag me down any way he could. so tell me, were your friends, relatives, nieghbors , etc encouraging or were they negative? did they back you, or try to talk you out of it?