Ten Money Questions for Deborah Nicholson

Recently I had a chance to meet Deborah Nicholson at a networking event. She has launched a new online movie rental service specializing in serving the GLBT community called Womynsmovies.com. Since I love entrepreneurs I thought Deborah would be a great candidate for the Ten Money Questions so without much ado, let’s delve in.

1. How do you balance the financial challenges of working in your daytime career as a nurse while launching your new online movie rental service womynsmovies.com which specializes in serving the GLBT community?
I am fortunate that nursing part-time gives me a flexible schedule that permits me to maintain my financial independence and focus on the growth of www.womynsmovies.com.

2. Has your mindset toward money changed in any way since you first got the inspiration to start womynsmovies.com?
I’m not sure if it is my mindset or my priorities that have changed. I now think in terms of money for marketing and money for inventory. It is sometimes difficult to make personal sacrifices for the business but I have to maintain my confidence that it will be worth it all one year from now.

3. What is your most significant memory about money?
As a child I used to collect and return glass lemonade bottles to Freddy’s sweet shop, and to me that was like being handed free money for very little effort.

I just realized in answering that question that I only value money that I have to work hard for. If I don’t have to work hard for it, or if I feel undeserving of it, then that money has a different value to me.

4. What is your worst habit around finances?
I’m debit card happy. I’ve been trying to get into the old fashioned habit of carrying cash because I am definitely more likely to rethink a purchase before parting with cash as opposed to swiping that card through the machine.

5. Do you and your partner see eye-to-eye on money?
My partner’s financial planning by far exceeds my own abilities. I’m sure if I were to ask her how much was in her change jar right now she could tell me.

Most of my better financial habits are due to her lead. Not that my habits are a temporary aberration based solely on my relationship. It took a number of years for me to develop poor financial habits and it has taken the same number of years to break myself of them.

I believe that if you have developed poor habits with regard to your financial responsibilities then you also have the ability to change them.

6. If you could buy one thing right now what would it be?
A home at the shore.

7. I know you are launching and financing your new business womynsmovies.com. What has been your biggest money challenge with the launch? What advice would you give to others trying to start their own business?
In order to begin the business I initially received a personal loan from Triangle Interests Credit Union. I was also in the fortunate position of being able to build my business based on the equity of an investment property I purchased 10 years ago. In order to achieve the financing, I had to organize my own as well as my business finances, improve my personal credit, know how a lending institution thinks, and develop a budget.

My advice to others is try to be organized and attend to the issues that you dislike first because those are the tedious items that may snowball on you later and create an avalanche.

8. Who or what experience taught you the value of a hard earned dollar?
My family back in Northern Ireland. Good people who taught me that you can achieve if you are willing to work hard.

9. Which is more important: how much money you make or how you spend it?
How you spend it and why you spend it is more important than how much.

10. Does money buy happiness?
I believe that money may be used to enhance happiness but the ability to feel happiness is always independent of money.

Money can be used in a powerful altruistic fashion or in a self-involved materialistic way. I see examples of peoples’ unhappiness everyday despite their supposed materialistic needs being meet.

Am I happy. Absolutely, and it has nothing to do with money.

You can learn more and take a free trial test drive by visiting the womynsmovies.com website.

Read other Queercents interviews in the Ten Money Questions archive.