how + why I bought a new car while unemployed (a short story about committing to a future ROI)

^ jr. high me pretending I’m sitting on a Range Rover like I’m Ben Rector

For the past 2-3 years, I joked about getting a new car to replace my trusty (and rusty) 2000 Honda Accord that I bought when I was 14 years old (10 years ago).

Every time I talked about it while in my old car, I really thought my Honda was going to be offended and break down or have another maintenance issue (thankfully, only a few major things did over the 10 years).

While in between jobs and with little to no guaranteed income for about 2-3 months, I took a calculated risk and bought a 2018 Hyundai Ioniq — all in full, with cash.

Yes, it hurt my fiscally conservative heart for a good long while, but I believed in the short + long-term ROI from this purchase:

• Safer + more reliable vehicle

• 25 mpg < 50 mpg

• Apple CarPlay for phone calls, voice texts, calendar, reminders (if you know...you know)

• GPS + sound system

• Increased confidence arriving to meetings

• Reduced stress

• More motivated to travel
  

committing yourself to a future ROI

Sometimes, making an investment is necessary for growth — even when it feels risky.

With the new car – it wasn't something I impulsively bought from an ad that hit my screen, or something I drove by while in my old car. It was:

• knowing the right people

• having relationships with those I bought the car from and those I sold my old Honda to

• and understanding the value of what I was buying and selling.

But it was a risk, yes. After buying this car, there's no promise that I won't have issues, get into an accident, or end up with other financial troubles where I begin to contemplate if I should have bought the car to begin with.

It all came down to this: the ROI was greater than the risk (ROI > risk).

Might sound like something a gambler would say, but it's a heck of a lot less like gambling when the odds are in your favor, based on the credibility and reputation of what you're investing in.

what’s holding you back?

I've had several conversations with people over the last few weeks about our collective hesitation to invest into a wide variety of things (see bullet points below), and there's always something (usually a smart *something*) that's holding each of us back.

• Is it a new car to make sure you and your family get around safely, on time, and everyone feels great?

• Is it a PS5 to play the new NCAA CFB 25, because you want the nostalgia and have bad FOMO? (this is a smart thing to wait for, lol)

• Is it showing up and being present for your kids vs chasing your own career and “trying to leave them money when I retire”...?

• Is it investing into your community...not for a pat on the back, but to show love and inspire others to do the same when they’re in a position to help others like them?

For some of you......what if you invested in your business or into your dream career?

Imagine:

• growing your social media by 200% within 2 business quarters (July - Dec. 2022)

• starting up a business in less than 2 months (late Nov. 2022 - early Jan. 2023)

• building a brand in less than 2 weeks (did this last week for a "bloom" client)

......all things that I’ve been able to do alongside some incredible clients and teammates.

If it's a worthwhile investment in the long run, wouldn't you agree that the ROI is greater than the risk?

Thus far, every success story that I've looked into, or that I've been a part of, involves:

• planting a seed (investing)

• trusting the seed to grow with the right resources, guidance, and regular evaluation

and eventually:

• seeing the growth

• celebrating the ROI

• reflecting on the investment before repeating the process again.

If you’re still hesitant or feeling like “now is just not the right time,” a calculated risk might be the catalyst you need to drive you toward your next big step or a long-overdue goal, just like it was for me buying my new car.

what's your next move?

As you’re narrowing down your answer, sit on these three growth notes:

1. Think about what seeds you want to (or maybe need to) plant today.
   

2. Envision the growth you’d like to see by ______________.
   

3. Don’t be afraid to take a calculated risk and invest in what might get you to ______________.

If you think any of our services might be worth investing in, either for you or for someone else: great! Reach out when you’re ready to get rolling with us, or even give us a heads-up ahead of time so we can prepare for when that time comes (some are scheduled as far out as winter of 2026).

If we're not your next move, and you just happened to stumble upon this article: no worries at all! You are, however, encouraged to go find who + what that could be a great resource for your wants + needs.

Now, get after it!

Cheers,

Britt Avery

Founder, Bloom + Boost